Bob Daniels' journey from U.S. Marines sergeant corporal to CEO of Milvets

Welcome to Orlando Business Journal's weekly LinkedIn newsletter. I'm Managing Editor Susan Lundine, rounding up Orlando business news to keep you in the know when time is short.

Bob Daniels?not only served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps for two-plus decades — he continued to serve the nation's armed forces and troops through his work in the private sector, as well.

The CEO and president of Orlando-based defense contractor Milvets Systems Technology Inc. enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 18, and through the years, won several accolades — including reaching the rank of sergeant major. Just prior to retiring from the Marines, he completed a degree in business management at the University of Maryland and began on his path of entrepreneurship.

Although Daniels initially was?denied a business loan to start his company, his mother provided him $5,000 to kick things off. That same small business today employs 650 people, and recently was one of two Central Florida companies that?won spots on a $990 million U.S. Army deal.?

Learn more about him here.

(Personal note from Susan: I love learning more about Central Florida's veterans who have gone on to have successful careers or who have founded local companies, as I have a son who was in the Army, and several of my relatives also have served in the military. Thanks to all of you who have served our country!)

And now onto other big business deals, transactions and activity headlines from the week.

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Real estate news of the week

Check out some of the biggest names in local real estate and what they're up to:

• Luxury living: Isleworth mansion sells for historic price: A 15,000-square-foot estate on the shore of Lake Bessie fetched $10.6 million in an off-market deal that closed Oct. 21, agents who represented the sale told?Orlando Business Journal.
• Iconic Celebration Hotel finds a new owner: The hotel sold for at least $19.4 million, based on deed taxes on the public record.?
• Here's the latest on Miami luxury developer's I-Drive project: The Related Group's RD Daryl Carter LLC applied for a permit related to its $100 million project being built at the corner of Daryl Carter Parkway and International Drive.
• Corner property on Restaurant Row sold. See what's next.: A prime 1-acre property along Orlando's famed Restaurant Row has sold for a hefty price tag — and the local buyer intends to redevelop it.
• New Kelly Park project ramps up in Apopka: Plans have been filed for a $70 million mixed-use project in the Kelly Park area of Apopka, where a swarm of development is in the pipeline.

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Orlando news bites

You don't want to miss these top stories:

• Fate of Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District may be decided soon: Check out several options for the direction state lawmakers may decide to take.
• Here are Orlando’s most expensive private high schools: Eighteen of metro Orlando's 20 most expensive private schools cost at least $10,000 for the 2022-23 academic year.
• Low-cost Breeze Airways to offer more direct flights to Orlando: The new routes will start next March.

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Restaurant news & notes

We're always hungry for new places to eat. Check these out:

• Louisiana-based restaurant chain to expand in Orlando
• Here's the latest on 7 downtown bars
• Filipino, Hawaiian food truck to open brick-and-mortar restaurant
• Check out OpenTable's top restaurants in Central Florida

Nominations & Events

Things to put on your busy calendar:

• Nominations now being accepted for 2023 Women Who Mean Business
• Register now for the 2022 Power Players celebration, set for Nov. 8.
• Register now for a Nov. 3 virtual event about health equity called Is DEI enough?

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Finally ... make your voice heard!

Several?OBJ?polls are live. Click on one to let us know what you're thinking.

• Did you donate to DeSantis or Crist in the governor's race, or plan to do so?
• Will your company see a lower or higher profit this year?

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That's all for this week's top headlines, and thanks for supporting?OBJ.

This weekly round-up of Orlando business news was compiled by Susan Lundine, OBJ's managing editor. Questions? Comments? Concerns? News tips? Send them to slundine@bizjournals.com.