Julius Melendez, MBA, MIS, EA

Julius founded the parent company Melentree with subsidiaries Realty and Tax & Wealth Strategies, along with co-founding and eventually selling Susana’s Café in downtown Kissimmee. He currently holds a Real Estate Broker license, a Real Estate Instructor License, an IRS Enrolled Agent License, an Advanced Cybersecurity Certificate from the University of Phoenix, and A+ / Net+ CompTIA certificates earned while attending the Digital Design and Network Support programs at TECO (now Osceola Technical College).

After graduating from Poinciana High School, Julius received an AA degree from Valencia College, a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from UCF, a second bachelor’s degree in information technology from the University of Phoenix, an MBA from the University of Phoenix South Orlando campus, and a second master’s degree in information systems from the University of Phoenix. After working as an Accounting & Tax Specialist with Mark Cross Tax Services, Julius earned his Enrolled Agent license by passing a three-part exam administered by the IRS covering individual and corporate taxes, along with representation before the IRS.

Julius’s real estate experience began with an appointment to the Osceola County Parks & Recreation Committee, the Value Adjustment Board, the East Central Florida Regional Planning Board, and the Osceola County Association of Realtors Grievance and Commercial Real Estate Committees. Having bought and sold multiple companies, along with working closely with government agencies, Melentree has developed a specialization as a commercial real estate and business brokerage.

Julius understands that our businesses and taxpayers must respect and value education. Every person should have the opportunity to raise their standard of living by being properly prepared and technically able to work in the high-wage industries of the future.

Sgt. Melendez enlisted in the Army National Guard, completed basic training at Ft. Benning, GA, and graduated from Ft. Sam Houston, TX as a combat medic with the 2/124th Infantry Regiment based out of Orlando, FL. His infantry unit deployed in support of Iraqi Freedom in 2003, stationed throughout Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq with initial assignments to defend Patriot Missile Batteries and establish mobile health clinics.

During Florida’s unprecedented 2004 hurricane season, his unit was activated to provide security, hand out food and water, and assist local law enforcement with traffic control and other duties.

In 2010, as a member of the 2/116th Field Artillery Regiment based out of Lakeland, his new unit deployed again to Iraq in support of the drawdown of major combat forces. Sgt. Melendez was tasked with Convoy Escort Teams to provide security and medical assistance as personnel and logistics were moved from Iraq to the ports in Kuwait.

In 2016, US Congressman Darren Soto appointed Julius to his Veterans Advisory Committee and subsequently to the US Air Force Academy Nominating Board. Julius is proud of Congressman Soto’s initiative to have an office with attentive staff to help our local veterans in need at the Lake Nona VA Hospital.

When Julius co-founded Melentree Advertising over twenty years ago, he served as a creative director and copywriter. He co-produced and co-wrote a Spanish-language television series entitled Puntos de Vista, a feature-length film by Buddy Dolan entitled Point of Contact, and an indie film shot in Central Florida called Gatorman.

Julius was an active member of the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association, advocating in Tallahassee with then-film commissioner Paul Sirmons for Film in Florida reimbursable tax credits.

After returning from his first tour of duty in Iraq, Julius was constantly asked about his wartime experiences. As a result, he wrote an original screenplay published as a novel by Legacy Publishing entitled Rivers of Sand, which highlights the transition of a combat medic from a theater of war to civilian life. He has since followed up with a sequel and another original screenplay entitled Equal Assets. Proceeds from the sale were donated to the Osceola County Education Foundation.

Julius was elected as Vice Chair of the Osceola County School Board during one of the worst recessions, which brought drastic cuts in state funding, local property tax decreases, and reductions in impact fees and federal grants. Other school districts across the nation were forced to close schools and lay off teachers to balance their budgets.

The board was collectively able to balance the budget without a single school closure, no mass layoffs, and no increases in sales tax, while maintaining positive working relationships with both the teamsters and teachers unions. During the selection process of nominating a new school superintendent, Julius proposed and was able to convince the school board to allow a representative from each union to actively participate as committee members short listing the potential candidates.

One of the lasting legacies of Julius’s tenure was the creation of the Small Business and Veteran Programs, designed to expand opportunities for local businesses to compete for and secure government contracts through vendor fairs, community outreach initiatives, and educational workshops.