MEMBER MICRONEWS

SEMCO Construction Inc. rang in the New Year with a milestone - celebrating 40 years of service in Central Florida.  
Founded in January 1975 by Carl Locke Sr., SEMCO Construction is a family-owned business with Carl "Ed" Locke Jr. as President and approximately 80 full and part-time employees. 
Solidified on the construction philosophy of Traditional Foundation, Visionary Building, SEMCO Construction has completed approximately 8500 projects in its forty years in business.  What's the key to their success?  Ed Locke Jr. said, "Our success in this region is a direct result of diversification.  That has been a really big plus for us, our ability to be diversified is key.  When some areas are not doing as well, it seems like other areas pick up and do well for us."
 As a full-service Construction Manager, Design-Builder, and General Contractor, SEMCO has worked on commercial, industrial, historical preservation, design-build, and public projects.  The ability to diversify their business the last 40 years has allowed SEMCO Construction to stay on top of the ebbs and flows of the construction industry.   Most recently, they weathered the storm from the Great Recession with only minimal affects to their business.

SIGN UP FOR BLOOMIN' BIKE RIDE!
Main Street Bartow, Inc. and Bartow Cycling Events are gearing up for the Bloomin’ Bike Ride on March 7, 2015.
This companion event with Bartow’s Bloomin’ Arts show and Bloomin’ 5K, is an on-road cycling tour along the scenic back roads of southern Polk County.
Gently rolling roads take cyclists across the Peace River Basin through expansive citrus groves and around the old Florida backwoods.
Additionally, this is a cycling event that sets Bartow apart by providing great cycling support via fully-stocked rest stops with friendly volunteers, trailing vehicles for assistance and aid, course photographer, after ride massages. Cyclists also get cool goodie bags and great food provided by some of Bartow’s finest restaurants.
“Cyclists come from all over central Florida for the Bloomin’ Bike Ride and the Tour de Tow cycling events each year and fall in love with our hospitality and the creature comforts of our small little town, Bloomin’ Bike Ride organizer Bob Pfeiffer, said.
“Our Power Pedalers is a program to use the proceeds from both the Bloomin’ Bike Ride and the Tour de Tow to purchase bicycles for kids who would like a bike but cannot afford one. We think this is a great way to give back to the children of the community as well as a way to help them cultivate a love for cycling and a healthy lifestyle,” Pfeiffer said. Partnering with WalMart and Heartland for Children, the program helps make this a reality for many Polk County children.
The staging area will be on the southwest side of Ft. Blount Park. Registration opens at 7:00 and the ride begins with a special presentation at 8:00 a.m. of new bikes to children.
This year’s ride will feature a 65 and 35 mile road tour and an 17-mile family fun ride. Registration is at Active.com, or you can download a registration form from BartowChamber.com website or you can register the day of the race.
For more information, please contact event director Trish Pfeiffer at (863) 640-1024 or LillyCat36@aol.com.