Member News

February 14, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – Experience the grandeur of two evening of classical music at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center’s American Virtuosi performances! On March 30th, enjoy an awe-inspiring American Virtuosi concert featuring classical music selections. Then, on March 31st, take part in the American Virtuosi Gala, featuring a four-course wine dinner prepared by Chefs Mike and Karen Gavala followed by a classical music performance from the masters. Both evenings feature violinist Peter Winograd, violist Jim Griffith, cellist Andres Díaz, and pianist Wendy Chen, plus special guests violinist Anton Miller, violist Rita Porfiris, and French horn player Ryan Little. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
 
The American Virtuosi Concert and the American Virtuosi Gala invite audiences to experience two moving chamber music performances in the Grand Atrium inside the gorgeous Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. The music begins on Friday with the American Virtuosi Concert. It’s here that audiences can enjoy the opening night performances. Then, on Saturday, savor a four-course dinner paired with select wines and prepared by Chefs Mike and Karen Gavala of G3 Catering at the American Virtuosi Gala. Proceeds from the American Virtuosi Gala benefit the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center’s Eclectic Education programs.
 
Musicians featured in the American Virtuosi Concert and the American Virtuosi Gala are some of the most accomplished performers in their field. Peter Winograd was a top prizewinner in the 1988 Naumburg International Violin Competition. He then made his New York debut to critical acclaim and has since appeared as a guest soloist with numerous orchestras and in recital across the country and abroad. Jim Griffith formerly served as principal violist of the New York Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and the New York Virtuosi. Currently, he is enjoying his twenty-ninth season as violist in the Naples Philharmonic. Andres Díaz won First Prize in the 1986 Naumburg International Cello Competition. Plus, he was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and was nominated for a 2009 Latin Grammy. Wendy Chen became the youngest winner ever of the National Chopin Competition, and was one of the inaugural recipients of the Irving S. Gilmore Young Artists Award.
 
The American Virtuosi performances will also feature special guests Anton Miller, Rita Porfiris, and Ryan Little. Anton Miller has been concertmaster for a number of orchestras including almost thirty years with Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and the New Jersey Festival Orchestra. He was also concertmaster for an Argentinian tour of the American Ballet Theatre. Rita Porfiris has been the subject of articles and interviews in media across the globe including the New York Times, the NBC Nightly News, NPR, PBS, and the BBC. She has performed in major concert halls and music festivals worldwide and as a soloist has appeared with numerous orchestras. Ryan Little is the new principal horn in the Naples Philharmonic. Little received his Master of Music degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in 2017 where he studied with William VerMeulen of the Houston Symphony.
 
American Virtuosi Concert
Friday, March 30, 2018
Performance: 8pm | Cocktails: 7pm
Tickets: GA – $35 in Advance | $40 Day of Concert
For tickets and info, visit www.sbdac.com
 
American Virtuosi Gala
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Cocktails: 6pm • Dinner: 7pm • Concert: 8pm
Tickets: $125 • Table for 8: $900
For tickets and info, visit www.sbdac.com.
 
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About the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center: Founded in 1997 by Jim Griffith as Florida Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center provides programming to Southwest Florida, which includes concerts, theatrical performances, art exhibits, dance, independent film, cotillion, and arts education. The Art Center regularly recruits award-winning artists who have performed worldwide at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Its mission is to nurture innovation and excellence in the visual and performing arts through these events and community outreach programs.
Angela Page
Studio & Marketing Manager
Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center
[email protected] | 239.333.1933
SBDAC.com
 

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 20, 2018 — The 116^th Pedego® Electric Bikes store worldwide is now open in Fort Myers, Fla. Co-owned by husband-and-wife team Lisa and Skip Badolato, Pedego Fort Myers offers sales of Pedego electric bikes as well as rentals, tours, service, and sales of accessories. The couple left their Wall Street jobs and moved to Fort Myers to open the region’s first Pedego store. They are excited to offer free test rides to visitors.
 
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO THE GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY
 
WHAT:     Grand Opening including Ribbon-cutting Ceremony with refreshments
WHERE:   2030 W. First St., Suite E, Fort Myers, FL
WHEN:     Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3, from 12 to 3 p.m.
                  Ribbon-cutting Ceremony will be held on Friday, March 2 at INSERT TIME
WHO:        Co-owners Lisa and Skip Badolato; Special Guest Marc Sullivan, retired baseball player with the Boston Red Sox; Fort Myers Mayor XXX and City Council members; Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce president XXXX and directors; and Tom Bock from Pedego Corp.
EXTRAS:       Free test rides. free group ride (subject to bike availability).
Raffle for 2 tickets to Boston Red Sox spring training game for anyone who attends the ribbon cutting.
Raffles and giveaways
 
Photo: XXXXX
 
After 30 years working on Wall Street, the Badolatos left their financial careers behind to follow their new paths with Pedego. “At fifty-something, we wanted a second career where we could make a positive impact on our customers’ lives, as well as our own,” Skip said. “Riding and falling in love with these bikes is a life-changing experience that we wanted to share with others.”
 
“We first fell in love with Pedego bikes while living in Spring Lake, New Jersey,” Lisa explained. “We are delighted to open Pedego Fort Myers and share the fun, health and wellness benefits with our customers here in sunny Florida.”
 
Fort Myers offers sales and rentals of Pedego electric bikes that empower riders to enjoy numerous local bike paths. The store is located at Legacy Harbour Marina in the historic River District of Fort Myers. Riders can cruise along the waterfront. The Ford and Edison Estates and beautiful homes along MacGregor Boulevard are just a few of the scenic destinations. They can also pedal through Centennial Park in Downtown Fort Myers and enjoy fun destinations with shops and restaurants. Local scenic paths take riders to Fort Myers Beach, Estero Beach and Lovers Key. Additional destinations in the region include Boca Grande, Venice, Estero, Pine Island, Matlacha, Cape Coral, Sanibel and Captiva Islands.Guided tours will be available soon.
 
Pedego Fort Myers sells all 12 models of Pedego’s popular electric bikes and offers Pedego’s leading customer service and technical support that is second to none as well as the industry’s leading two-year warranty on all bikes. “Our store has a a lounge area where you can relax and talk about Pedego rides. It’s the perfect place for our Pedego Owners Group to plan their next adventure.”
 
“Pedego Fort Myers brings a new kind of fun to the region — the joy of riding electric bikes,” said Pedego Electric Bikes CEO and co-founder Don DiCostanzo. “With the local scenic paths and exciting destinations, Pedego riders will smile for miles!”
 
 
About Pedego Fort Myers
Pedego Fort Myers is the region’s premier dealer in Pedego Electric Bikes. The store offers electric bicycle sales, rentals, accessories and service, with tours coming soon. Located at 2030 W. First St., Suite E, Fort Myers, FL, the store is near scenic paths that capture the beauty of the region.  Store hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., daily. Call (239) 332-8080 to learn more about Pedego electric bikes and arrange a free test ride. Additional information is available at www.Pedegofortmyers.com or by emailing [email protected].
 
About Pedego
 
Pedego®  Electric Bikes is the Number 1 electric bike brand in the United States, according to Navigant Research. Sold at more than 115 Pedego-branded stores and hundreds of independent electric bike dealers worldwide, Pedego electric bikes have 250- to 500-watt motors that empower riders to conquer hills and breeze through headwinds, cruising distances up to 60 miles on a single battery charge. The twist-and-go throttle gives riders instant manual control over their speeds while Pedal Assist automatically adds power to their pedaling. Available in hundreds of color combinations, Pedego’s high-quality, innovative “pedal or not” models include cruisers, tandems, commuters, fat-tire bikes, mountain bikes, cargo bikes and a convenient electric folding bike. Pedego electric bikes deliver fun, exercise and a green alternative for transportation — transforming lives with fun and delight.  Free test rides are available at every Pedego store. Founded in 2008, Orange County, Calif.-based Pedego inspires riders to say, “Hello, Fun!”
 
 
PR CONTACTS:
 
Teri Sawyer, T&Co.
714-801-1687
[email protected]
 
Sandra Eckardt, T&Co.
949-400-2258
[email protected]
 
 
 

February 12, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – On Friday, March 2nd, celebrate the opening night of London Amara’s “Ethos.” London Amara’s “ethos” explores themes of convergence, context and perspective through a series of immersive photos created using the collodion photography method. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
 
London Amara: “Ethos”
Opening: Friday, March 2nd • 6pm – 10pm
Closing: March 27th • 5pm
Free to Attend • Grand Atrium
For more info, visit www.sbdac.com
 
For her second solo exhibition at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art center, artist London Amara created “ethos,” an assemblage of both hand-made, silver gelatin prints created from film negatives as well as images created by the alternative photographic process known as collodion photography. This technology was developed during the birth of photography in the mid 1800’s, and employs a large format camera to record images on glass and metal plates. A hand-mixed combination of cotton cellulose, iodide, bromide, alcohol and ether are poured onto the plate in the darkroom before sensitization in a silver nitrate bath. The plate is exposed in the camera, then brought back to the darkroom to be developed. Each plate must be cleaned, colloidal poured, sensitized in silver bath, exposed, developed, washed, fixed, three additional washes, allowed to dry overnight and then varnished. The end result is a virtually grainless image, and because this type of photography requires 75%-80% UV light, it “sees” things our human optic coverage does not.
Various factors (humidity, temperature, wind) change the way the colloidal chemistry behaves in a single moment of time, never again to be experienced or reproduced. It’s an extremely contrasted recipe of rapid, back-to-back steps that require slow movement, including a naturally occurring film speed of .5-2, so low light exposures can easily be 10 minutes or longer. That’s an eternity of time in photography for the shutter to remain open, and that’s when it gets phenomenal. This is evident in Amara’s 12 minute exposure of a Pacific fern frond titled “Praeter Naturam,”meaning beyond what is natural or normal. This image visually describes the air filled, fluid space of spirit and spontaneity where our extra sensory perception is required.
 
London Amara, (b. 1977) is an American born sculptor, painter, photographer and writer. Amara is the daughter of a second generation builder and a formal art educator. She was raised in the remote forests of Ohio and credits her indigenous environment as the primary influence in her work today. Amara was immersed in the natural world as a child and refers to the woodlands as her “First Language.” Her work often employs raw industrial materials, elements of language and techniques that rely on alchemizing precision with the unknown and imperfection. Amara was awarded scholarship and classically trained as a fine artist at Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. Her work has been exhibited at the Columbus Conservatory, Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and the Tampa Museum of Art. Amara has been a guest lecturer at the University of South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University and currently hosts monthly artist talks at her studio. Additionally, Amara’s work was the subject of a 2012 film by Rising Sky Studios and she was the recipient of the 2013 Vincent LeCavalier commemorative commission. She recently embarked on a two year project, documenting the land she was raised on and is creating a book set to be published in 2020. Amara works as a full time, professional artist in Bonita Springs, Florida and Columbus, Ohio.
 
IMAGES ATTACHED: _Slow Medicine 37 in. x 30 in., collodian negative hand printed on paper, 2018. 2018-17.jpg; After The Storm, 37 in. x 30 in., collodian negative hand printed on paper, 2018. #2018-9.jpg; Fragile Light, 8 in. x 10 in., ambrotype, 2017.jpg; Praeter Naturam, 8 in. x 10 in., ambrotype, 2017 .jpg Austin Trenholm Photography Buildingshot.jpg
 
 
 

NAPLES, Fla. (February 6, 2018) – GATES Construction has completed renovations at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church located at 1225 Piper Boulevard, in Naples. The project entailed renovation of the Chancel, Sanctuary, and Narthex with an addition at the main entrance. The renovation provides new energy efficient mechanical, electrical, and audio/visual components, as well as accommodating the new multi-million dollar pipe organ that was built specifically for the Church. For a fresh look, all new floor to ceiling finishes were added and new acoustic treatments enhance the overall environment and congregation experience. Over the past few years, GATES Construction has completed multiple projects at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church. Architectural design was provided by PK Studios.
As Florida’s premiere builder, GATES Construction serves its clients from offices in Bonita Springs and Sarasota as a full service general contracting firm providing construction management and design-build services with a diversified project portfolio in all types of commercial, institutional, industrial, healthcare, and multi-family construction projects. GATES also operates in North Carolina and the Republic of Panama. For more information on GATES, please call (239) 593-3777 or visit the website at www.GATESinc.com.

Two-Day Series of Events Includes Concert, Alligator Wrestling, Live Music, Craft and Food Vendors
IMMOKALEE, Fla., (Feb. 13, 2018) – Seminole Shootout Battle Reenactments and a 5-Star Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rodeo highlight a two-day series of special events presented by the Seminole Tribe of Florida on March 2 and 3, 2018 in Immokalee.
The Seminole Shootout was first performed in the late 1990s and brings together reenactors in soldier and warrior attire with authentic weapons and tactics, plus pyrotechnics to simulate cannon blasts.  They reenact a typical battle from the Second Seminole War, which raged from 1835 through 1842 and is the longest and costliest Indian conflict in U.S. history.
Reenactment events are slated for 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 3.  This is the first year they will be held on the Immokalee Seminole Reservation, about 30 minutes east of Naples and southeast of Fort Myers.  All events will be held at the John Jimmie Memorial Arena and the Immokalee Youth Camp, 1195 East Main Street, Immokalee, adjacent to the Seminole Casino Immokalee.
PRCA Rodeo events will be held beginning at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, March 2 and 3, at the John Jimmie Memorial Arena.  The rodeos will include bareback bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, tie down calf roping, team roping, ladies roping and saddle bronc riding.
On Saturday, March 3 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Grammy Award nominee Manny Diquez and the Manny Diquez Band will perform an outdoor concert with tunes that range from rock to country, blues to funk, and 80s to contemporary pop sounds.  A live DJ will perform both before and after the concert.
In addition, the Seminole Shootout and Rodeo will include alligator wrestling, craft and food vendors, historical and cultural displays, as well as Seminole and soldier camps.
Activities for kids will include an archaeological dig, knife making and tomahawk throwing events, as well as a game called chunkey stone, in which one player throws a stone and another player tries to throw a spear near the stone.
Combo tickets including the Saturday battle reenactments, rodeo, concert and all other activities are $25 and are available on line at www.seminoleshootout.com, where tickets may also be purchased for the reenactments at a cost of $10 for adults and $6 for children.  Tickets for the Friday 5-Star PRCA Rodeo are $12.  Tickets for the Saturday concert are $12.  Special VIP seating tickets, including lunch Saturday with the battle reenactors, are $45.  The purchase of any ticket also includes free same-day admission to the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, about 45 minutes east of the Immokalee Seminole Reservation.
The Seminole Reservation is located 30 minutes east of Naples via County Road 846 (Immokalee Road) or just over 30 minutes southwest of Fort Myers via State Roads 82 and 29.
For more information, visit www.seminoleshootout.com or email [email protected].

The Oak Ridge Boys to Perform at Seminole Casino Hotel
Saturday, March 3
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment presents An Evening with country music legends The Oak Ridge Boys live in concert at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Saturday, March 3 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. The performance is part of The Oak Ridge Boys’ Shine the Light Tour. The Oak Ridge Boys bring four decades of charted singles, and 50 years of tradition, to a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere. Their string of hits includes the country-pop chart-topper “Elvira,” as well as “Bobbie Sue,” “Dream On,” “Thank God For Kids,” “American Made,” “I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes,” “Fancy Free,” “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” “Sail Away,” “It Takes A Little Rain,” and many others. Tickets are $69 and are available at the casino, on jaytv.com or by calling 800-218-0007. Attendees must be 21 years of age.
 
Seminole Casino Hotel Welcomes The Platters and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters
Saturday, March 10
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment & IT$ NOT OBER YET Productions present legendary musical groups The Platters and The Coasters in concert. The Platters and The Coasters will perform their iconic music at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Saturday, March 10 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. In 1955, The Platters became the first African-American vocal group to reach international super stardom. The group’s debut single, “Only You (and You Alone),” launched the vocal group on the world stage. The Platters’ follow-up single, “The Great Pretender,” propelled the group to the number one position on the pop charts, providing the launch pad for their meteoric rise as crossover artists. The Platters timeless hits also include “Only You,” “Magic Touch,” “My Prayer Heaven on Earth” “I’m Sorry,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” “Harbor Lights” Red Sails in the Sunset,” “I’ll Never Smile Again,” “You’ll Never Know” and “Twilight Time.” This year marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of Cornell Gunter’s Coasters out of the ashes of the surprising breakup of the original Coaster group several months earlier. Over the years, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters have continually built up a new market for their approach to 1950s music. The Coasters’ enduring hits include “Charlie Brown,” “Along Came Jones,” “Poison Ivy,” “Love Potion #9,” “Love Potion #10,” “Little Egypt,” “Young Blood,” “Yakety Yak,” “Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart,” “Searchin’,” “Shoppin’ For Clothes” and “Smokey Joe’s Café.” Tickets are $59 and can be purchased online at www.jaytv.com, at the casino or by phone at 800-514-ETIX(3849).
 
Lee Greenwood to Perform at Seminole Casino Hotel
Friday, March 16
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment & IT$ NOT OBER YET Productions present country music icon Lee Greenwood in concert. Greenwood will perform at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Friday, March 16 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA” has been voted the most recognizable patriotic song in America. The song has been in the top five on the country singles charts three times, giving it the distinction of being the only song in any genre of music to achieve that feat. With seven Number One songs and 25 charted singles, Greenwood’s hits also include “It Turns Me Inside Out,” “Ring On Her Finger Time On Her Hands,” “She’s Lyin,” “I Don’t Mind the Thorns if You’re the Rose,” “Dixie Road,” “Somebody’s Gonna Love You,” “Going Going Gone,” “You Got A Good Love Comin,” “Fools Gold,” and “Morning Ride.”  His latest CD is “I Want to be in Your World,” for which he wrote three of the seven songs and plays saxophone on the original track, “Here Comes Love, There Goes My Heart.” Tickets are $60 and can be purchased online at www.jaytv.com, at the casino or by phone at 800-514-ETIX(3849).
 
Seminole Casino Hotel Welcomes Entertainment Legend Tony Orlando
Saturday, March 24
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment presents An Evening with entertainment legend Tony Orlando live in concert at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Saturday, March 24 at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Orlando is one of America’s most endearing and enduring iconic stars. His performance at Seminole Casino Hotel is part of his tour of live concert shows across the nation as he celebrates more than five decades as a beloved entertainer. Few entertainers have excelled in so many realms as Orlando has: a top selling recording artist, songwriter, concert headliner, network television star, motion picture actor, Broadway performer and author. A Grammy nominee, Orlando has sold millions of records, including five number one hits: “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree,” “Knock Three Times,” “Candida,” “My Sweet Gypsy Rose” and “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You).” “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” was the number one Billboard song of 1973, became Orlando’s theme song, and grew into an American anthem of hope and homecoming, reunion and renewal. Tickets are $65 and are available at the casino, on jaytv.com or by calling 800-218-0007. Attendees must be 21 years of age.
 
 
 
March 2018 Live Music Schedule
At Zig Zag Lounge
 
Performances are at the Zig Zag Lounge. No cover for live entertainment. TVs throughout the Zig Zag bar air sporting events and other entertainment. Zig Zag Lounge is Southwest Florida’s premier destination to catch your favorite teams during the NFL season. Entertainment is subject to change. For complete details, visit moreinparadise.com.
 

February 9, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – On March 3rd and 4th, Ghostbird Theatre Company Presents the 11th Annual 24-Hour Festival! Visual artists, filmmakers, theatre artists, dancers, musicians, and poets race against a 24-hour clock to create unique works based on prompts given by Barry Cavin, Artistic Director of Ghostbird Theatre Company. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
 
Artists of all types and ages are invited to participate in the 24-Hour Festival! You may not yet know how creative you can be in 24 hours, but you’ll have so much fun you won’t even feel the sleep deprivation. Cash awards of $500 will be given to best visual artwork, best video, best live performance, and best musical performance. Artists must register through our online registration process–all guidelines are also posted there at www.ghostbird.ticketleap.com. Slots are limited, and so we recommend that artists and performers register now!
This is a free event, with doors opening at 6:30 on Sunday, March 4, and the performances beginning promptly at 7:00 p.m at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Audiences are invited to experience what the competitors have created from their prompts in just 24 hours! This event is supported by grants from the City of Fort Myers and the Lee County Tourist Development Council.
 
Ghostbird Theatre Company is the only theatre company in the American South fully dedicated to mounting site-specific performances. Ghostbird writes new works or selects classic plays with the host venue in mind, designing the play in concert with the venue, its history, its aesthetics, and its mission. Ghostbird Theatre’s shows are very intimate, often immersive, because they try to bring in a full, beautiful experience for the audience: whether its in shadow play, original music and songs, puppetry, cabaret, or dance. For more info, visit https://www.ghostbirdtheatrecompany.org.
 
Ghostbird Theatre presents the 11th Annual 24-Hour Festival
Artist Registration: www.ghostbird.ticketleap.com
Saturday, March 3rd, 5pm: Prompts Delivered
Sunday, March 4th, 5pm: Deadline for Artist Submissions
Sunday, March 4th, 6:30pm: Doors Open •  7pm: Performances
Free to Enter • Free to Attend
 
 

February 9, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – Food and music connoisseurs rejoice! The American Virtuosi Gala returns to downtown Fort Myers on Saturday, March 31st. Enjoy a gourmet four-course dinner prepared by Chefs Karen and Mike Gavala of G3 Catering paired with classical music from some of today’s finest chamber music performers from around the country! The 2018 ensemble features violinist Peter Winograd, violist Jim Griffith, cellist Andres Díaz, and pianist Wendy Chen, plus special guests violinist Anton Miller, violist Rita Porfiris, and French horn player Ryan Little. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
 
The most refined classical music fundraiser returns for another season at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center! The American Virtuosi Gala is an elegant evening of chamber music featuring a delectable four-course dinner paired with selected wine. The evening’s meal is prepared by G3 Catering, one of Southwest Florida’s premier fine catering companies.
 
Prior to the performance, savor a delicious four-course dinner prepared by G3 Catering and paired with the perfect wine. G3 Catering is a family owned and operated company. Together Mike and Karen Gavala make a winning team, each specializing in different things while sharing the same passion and vision. Their combined talents provide clients with catering services above and beyond their expectations while providing personal and professional service throughout the process. For more info, visit www.g3catering.com.
 
The American Virtuosi Gala is a fundraiser benefiting the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center’s Eclectic Education programs. Take part in the American Virtuosi Gala on Saturday, March 31st in the Grand Atrium at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.
 
American Virtuosi Gala
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Cocktails: 6pm • Dinner: 7pm • Concert: 8pm
Tickets: $125 • Table for 8: $900
For tickets and info, visit www.sbdac.com.
 
Peter Winograd joined the American String Quartet as the first violinist in 1990. He gave his first solo public performance at the age of 11, and at age 17 he was accepted as a scholarship student of Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School. Recognized early as an exceptionally promising young artist, Winograd was a top prizewinner in the 1988 Naumburg International Violin Competition. He then made his New York debut to critical acclaim and has since appeared as a guest soloist with numerous orchestras and in recital across the country and abroad.  Peter holds bach­e­lor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School and has been a mem­ber of the violin and chamber music faculties of the Manhattan School of Music and the Aspen Music School (where the American is Quartet-in-Residence) since 1990. For more information, visit http://www.americanstringquartet.com/winograd.htm.
 
Jim Griffith received his M.M. degree from the Juilliard School. He also received his undergraduate degree from the Manhattan School of Music and attended Florida State University. He is a former member of the Hudson String Quartet in New York, faculty member of Point-Counterpoint Chamber Music Camp in Vermont and founding member of the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival. He formerly served as principal violist of the New York Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and the New York Virtuosi. Currently, he is enjoying his twenty-ninth season as violist in the Naples Philharmonic. Mr. Griffith is also the Executive Director of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. For more information, visit http://artisnaples.org/naples-philharmonic/musicians/james-griffith.
 
Andres Díaz has exhilarated both critics and audiences with his intense and charismatic performances since winning the First Prize in the 1986 Naumburg International Cello Competition. He was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and was nominated for a 2009 Latin Grammy. His numerous orchestral appearances have included performances with the American Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Rochester Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, and the Atlanta Symphony under Robert Shaw. Highlights of his recent seasons are tours of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Hawaii, and Canada; and appearances in Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic. His debut solo recording on MusicMasters with pianist Samuel Sanders was acclaimed by the Boston Globe as “strong and subtle; everything Díaz does has personality and, better than that, character.” His most recent release features the six Bach Suites on the Azica Records label. His summer festival appearances include the Banff Centre, Santa Fe, La Jolla, Marlboro, Ravinia, Bravo! Vail, Spoleto, Music@Menlo, Saratoga, and Tanglewood festivals. Mr. Díaz graduated from the New England Conservatory, where he worked with Laurence Lesser and Colin Carr. He is a professor at Southern Methodist University and holds the Koerner Chair in Cello at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.. For more information, visit https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/AreasOfStudy/Music/Faculty/DiazAndres.
 
Wendy Chen debuted at the age of 15 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under conductor André Previn. In 1990 she became the youngest winner ever of the National Chopin Competition, was one of the inaugural recipients of the Irving S. Gilmore Young Artists Award, and was named a Presidential Scholar by the National Foundation for the Arts.  Since then, her career has flourished, adding Young Concert Artists International Auditions and Washington International Competition to her numerous awards. For more information, visit http://wendy-chen.com/Site/biography.html.
 
Anton Miller has appeared throughout the United States and abroad as a soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, and pedagogue. He has performed over fifty violin concertos with a number of orchestras on four continents. His world premiere performance of Xiogang Ye’s “Last Paradise” for violin and orchestra in Beijing, China with the Central Philharmonic Orchestra was recorded for broadcast throughout Asia and released on CD. Mr. Miller has also been concertmaster for a number of orchestras including almost thirty years with Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and the New Jersey Festival Orchestra. He was also concertmaster for an Argentinian tour of the American Ballet Theatre. He has made a number of recital and chamber music tours to Europe with performances in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Greece and England. A long time resident of the East Coast, Anton has performed more than a hundred chamber music concerts and recitals in the New York City area. For more info, visit http://www.antonmiller.com/.
 
Rita Porfiris has been the subject of articles and interviews in media across the globe including the New York Times, Chamber Music America, International Symphony Musician, the NBC Nightly News, NPR, PBS, and the BBC. She has performed in major concert halls and music festivals worldwide and as a soloist has appeared with numerous orchestras including the Orquesta Filarmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico, the New World Symphony, and was a featured soloist in the Houston Symphony’s Baroque Festival. Currently the Associate Professor of Viola at The Hartt School, she has also been on the faculties of New York University, the University of Houston Moores’ School of Music, Florida International University, and the Harlem School for the Arts in New York. Ms. Porfiris is a member of the Hartt String Quartet and the Miller-Porfiris Duo. As a founding member of the Plymouth Quartet, she was in-residence at the Ojai Festival, Mainly Mozart, Point Counterpoint, and the Internationale Quartettakademie Prag-Wien-Budapest. For more info, visit http://ritaporfiris.com.
 
Ryan Little is the new principal horn in the Naples Philharmonic. He currently serves as assistant principal/utility horn of the Britt Music & Arts Festival in Jacksonville, Oregon. Little received his Master of Music degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in 2017 where he studied with William VerMeulen of the Houston Symphony. In 2015, he received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University where he studied with Gail Williams and Jonathan Boen. For more info, visit http://artisnaples.org/naples-philharmonic/musicians/ryan-little.
 
IMAGES ATTACHED: Peter Winograd by Jesi Cason Photography.jpg; Andres Diaz by Jesi Cason Photography.jpg; Jim Griffith by Jesi Cason Photography.jpg; Wendy Chen by Jesi Cason Photography.jpg; American Virtuosi Gala 2_by Jesi Cason Photography.jpg; American Virtuosi Gala 1_by Jesi Cason Photography.jpg; SBDAC3.jpg
 
 
 

NAPLES, Fla. – February 12, 2018 – The threat of a data breach is on the rise, and organizations and businesses are looking for ways to mitigate these threats, which is why C-level executives and managers of risk, compliance, governance, cybersecurity, human resources, IT and networks will have the opportunity to hear from experts in the field of data breach and identity theft at Hodges University’s inaugural Organizational Privacy Summit (OPS).
Hosted by the Identity Fraud Institute (IFI) at Hodges University, in partnership with Collier County Tourism, the summit will be held April 30 through May 2, 2018, at the Hilton Naples, which is located at 5111 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, FL 34103. Participants will hear from experts throughout the country on topics relating to cyber insurance and cyber threats, the Dark Web, data breaches and how to target ID thieves.
The keynote speaker for the event is Brian Krebs, world-renowned cybersecurity expert, who has brought down cyber criminals worldwide and is widely recognized by security experts and criminals alike as the preeminent authority on cybercriminal syndicates and their tools.
The IFI will host a special VIP event on April 30, which includes a meet and greet with Brian Krebs. The fee is $250 per person without conference registration and $150 per person with conference registration.
Registration for the conference includes continental breakfast, break snacks and lunch for May 1 and 2. Registration pricing is as follows:

• Early registration: $400 per person (must register by February 28, 2018)
• Regular registration: $475 per person (March 1, 2018 – April 15, 2018)
• Late registration: $500 per person (after April 15, 2018)
• Student/Gov’t/Military/NFP: $300 per person

Event sessions in addition to the keynote presentation include:

• Cyber Insurance: Coverages, Regulatory Developments and Claims/Litigation Trends (Aarti Soni, senior vice president, Marsh & McLennan)
• Cybersecurity for the Rest of Us
  (Jeff Alluri, vice president of consulting, Element Technologies, LLC)
• Cybersecurity Threats Including the Dark Web
  (John Benkert, CPR Tools Inc. and Greg Scasny, Cybersecurity Defense Solutions, Inc.)
• Data Breaches Today & The Unintentional Insider Threat

(Dr. Donald Rebovich, Center for Identity Management and Information Protection (CIMIP), Utica College and Professor Leslie R. Corbo, Utica College)

• How Identity Theft Disrupts the Security versus Convenience Mindset
  (Eva Velasquez, CEO, Identity Theft Resource Center)
• Targeting ID Thieves, A Case Study
  (R. Sean McCleskey, J.D. director of organizational education and measurement, Center for Identity, University of Texas)
• Third Certainty: Cyber Threats and the C-Suite
  (Adam K. Levin, chairman and founder of CyberScout)
• Cybersecurity – Best Practices and Proactive Strategies to Mitigate Threats
  (R. David Mahon, chief security officer, CenturyLink, Inc.)

The presenting sponsor for this year’s event is CenturyLink. Additional sponsorships and exhibitor tables are still available. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities or to register for the conference, visit http://organizationalprivacysummit.com/.
For more information, contact Carrie Kerskie at [email protected] or (239) 598-6281.
About the Identity Fraud Institute:
Hodges University’s Identity Fraud Institute is your research and education partner in the fight against identity theft. Providing services for consumers and professionals, the Identity Fraud Institute is led by Carrie Kerskie, a highly sought-after speaker, trainer, author and consultant on the topics of identity theft, fraud and data privacy.
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Nicole Roe
Marketing & Strategic Content Writer
Hodges University | 2655 Northbrooke Drive, Naples, FL 34119
(239) 598-6178 | (800) 466-8017
[email protected] | www.hodges.edu
 

NAPLES, Fla. – February 12, 2018 – The threat of a data breach is on the rise, and organizations and businesses are looking for ways to mitigate these threats, which is why C-level executives and managers of risk, compliance, governance, cybersecurity, human resources, IT and networks will have the opportunity to hear from experts in the field of data breach and identity theft at Hodges University’s inaugural Organizational Privacy Summit (OPS).
Hosted by the Identity Fraud Institute (IFI) at Hodges University, in partnership with Collier County Tourism, the summit will be held April 30 through May 2, 2018, at the Hilton Naples, which is located at 5111 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, FL 34103. Participants will hear from experts throughout the country on topics relating to cyber insurance and cyber threats, the Dark Web, data breaches and how to target ID thieves.
The keynote speaker for the event is Brian Krebs, world-renowned cybersecurity expert, who has brought down cyber criminals worldwide and is widely recognized by security experts and criminals alike as the preeminent authority on cybercriminal syndicates and their tools.
The IFI will host a special VIP event on April 30, which includes a meet and greet with Brian Krebs. The fee is $250 per person without conference registration and $150 per person with conference registration.
Registration for the conference includes continental breakfast, break snacks and lunch for May 1 and 2. Registration pricing is as follows:

• Early registration: $400 per person (must register by February 28, 2018)
• Regular registration: $475 per person (March 1, 2018 – April 15, 2018)
• Late registration: $500 per person (after April 15, 2018)
• Student/Gov’t/Military/NFP: $300 per person

Event sessions in addition to the keynote presentation include:

• Cyber Insurance: Coverages, Regulatory Developments and Claims/Litigation Trends (Aarti Soni, senior vice president, Marsh & McLennan)
• Cybersecurity for the Rest of Us
  (Jeff Alluri, vice president of consulting, Element Technologies, LLC)
• Cybersecurity Threats Including the Dark Web
  (John Benkert, CPR Tools Inc. and Greg Scasny, Cybersecurity Defense Solutions, Inc.)
• Data Breaches Today & The Unintentional Insider Threat

(Dr. Donald Rebovich, Center for Identity Management and Information Protection (CIMIP), Utica College and Professor Leslie R. Corbo, Utica College)

• How Identity Theft Disrupts the Security versus Convenience Mindset
  (Eva Velasquez, CEO, Identity Theft Resource Center)
• Targeting ID Thieves, A Case Study
  (R. Sean McCleskey, J.D. director of organizational education and measurement, Center for Identity, University of Texas)
• Third Certainty: Cyber Threats and the C-Suite
  (Adam K. Levin, chairman and founder of CyberScout)
• Cybersecurity – Best Practices and Proactive Strategies to Mitigate Threats
  (R. David Mahon, chief security officer, CenturyLink, Inc.)

The presenting sponsor for this year’s event is CenturyLink. Additional sponsorships and exhibitor tables are still available. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities or to register for the conference, visit http://organizationalprivacysummit.com/.