Member News

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Oct. 29, 2020) – Dr. David Nesselroade, staff physician at the Larsen Pavilion Skilled Nursing Center at Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, has been named the recipient of the second annual Quality Champion Award by FMDA – The Florida Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
The award was presented by Dr. Mark Beauchamp, chairman of the Quality Champion Award Committee, on Oct. 24 in a live-streaming ceremony as part of the FMDA’s annual conference for the state of Florida.
FMDA’s Quality Champion Award is presented in recognition of the skills, talents, expertise, commitment and personal attributes that encompass quality patient-centered care.
“This award honors clinicians who work day-in and day-out to serve the frailest population in Florida’s post-acute and long-term care continuum,” said Beauchamp during his presentation of the award to Nesselroade. “The recipient of this award embodies the highest standards of dedication, leadership, engagement and innovation and is personified as a cornerstone in his or her respective field, as well as within the facility or roles served.”
Nesselroade has a distinguished medical career at Shell Point, where he has worked for 34 years, including serving as vice president and director of physician services from 1986 to 1996, followed by being a full-time staff physician at the Larsen Pavilion Skilled Nursing Center.
“We feel extremely blessed to have Dr. Nesselroade here at Shell Point,” said Dr. Gary Goforth, medical director for the community. “We are thankful for his incredible dedication to his patients and excellence in long-term care medicine.”
The Larsen Pavilion, which is located in the Waterside Medical Complex on The Island at Shell Point, has 219 beds and encompasses a state-of-the-art rehab center, short-term and long-term care, an Alzheimer’s unit, hospice and palliative care. Shell Point Retirement Community is located along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers, approximately two miles from the Sanibel Causeway leading to Sanibel and Captiva islands.
About Shell Point Retirement Community
Shell Point Retirement Community, founded in 1968, is a nonprofit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers, Florida. Shell Point offers independent retirement living, assisted living, and skilled nursing for its 2,500 residents in an active, resort-style environment. Lifestyle amenities include deep-water boating access with free dockage, a championship 18-hole golf course, and other recreational and educational activities. To learn more, visit www.shellpoint.org or call 1-800-780-1131.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Oct. 30, 2020) – The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts has recognized Priority Marketing with four Davey Awards through an international competition that honors outstanding creative work from marketing companies around the world.
The 16th Annual Davey Awards received nearly 2,000 entries from ad agencies, digital agencies, production firms, in-house creative professionals, graphic designers, design firms and public relations firms. Priority Marketing’s four winners include:

• Gold Award (Corporate Identity Package Design): Cypress Lake Country Club 1959 pilsner craft beer can
• Silver Award (Promotional Invitations/Cards): 2020 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest invitation
• Silver Award (Design and Print Collateral Brochure): The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples brochure
• Silver Award (Online Film and Video Public Service and Activism): SalusCare testimonial video

Priority Marketing has won 24 Davey Awards since 2006, including eight awards over the past two years.
“The AIVA recognizes the top creative professionals worldwide, so winning multiple awards in consecutive years demonstrates the incredible talent and consistency of our team,” said President and Creative Director Teri Hansen, APR. “The diversity of our Davey Award winners this year – a beer can design, festival invitation, organizational brochure and promotional video – are proof that we truly are a full-service agency capable of accomplishing our clients’ goals, whatever they might be.”
Priority Marketing’s design team creates invitations, brochures, rack cards, product packaging, signs and displays, billboards, logos and vehicle wraps, as well as website designs and advertising. The company’s video production team now includes two in-house videographers, expanding its video services to include concepting, scriptwriting, video shooting, directing, editing and production, custom music creation, animation, motion graphics, drone work, voiceovers and more.
“The 2020 Davey Awards featured an incredible pool of entries from the best small firms in the world,” AIVA Managing Director Eva McClosky said in announcing the awards. “Being honored with a Davey Award is truly a great accomplishment and is a testament to the award-winning work that you produce.”
About Priority Marketing
Established in 1992, Priority Marketing is a full-service marketing, advertising, public relations and digital marketing agency located at 12140 Carissa Commerce Court, Suite 201, in Fort Myers. Follow Priority Marketing on social media through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. For industry news and marketing insights, visit PriorityMarketing.com/our-blog and watch the FAQ Fridays video series on YouTube. For more information, call 239-267-2638 or visit PriorityMarketing.com.
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Oct 23, 2020, Ft. Myers, FL — Many small businesses and nonprofits are currently facing dire circumstances that have substantially if not permanently affected them due to Covid-19. 2020 has shown us so far that there must be more efficient ways to adapt to the changes that owners are being forced to make. Otherwise, the threat of shutting down permanently will become a reality as of a recent Markets Insider poll taken in August stated that more than 60% of businesses that were shut down will never open again.
Despite the challenges presented, there has not been a better opportunity to make the necessary adjustments needed to sustain, grow, and protect your business from loss of revenue. Josh Tolley, Top 25 Business Trainer and Top 100 Business Coach has taught principles that has been implemented by mom and pop shops to Fortune 5 companies. This year to date, Josh has helped his clientele secure and protect over $30M of capital with none of his clients experiencing loss of revenue from the effects of Covid-19.
This Zoom webinar will serve as an educational and interactive discussion that will provide business owners and entrepreneurs the tools necessary recession proof their companies.
November 2nd, 2020 at 2:30pm EST
To reserve your spot on the webinar, send an email to [email protected] and a RSVP email with the link to the webinar will be emailed to you.
Rashad Shelton, Shyft Agent and Business Mechanic
(904) 610-7579, [email protected]
For more information on Shyft Capital visit www.shyft-capital.com
About Shyft Capital:
World Leaders in Wealth Education, Investing, and Protection for Families, Businesses, and Non-Profits. With over 20 years of experience in helping organizations achieve their best, we are positioned perfectly to help organizations and families not only recover but thrive coming out of Covid-19. Our philosophy is to empower entrepreneurs, restore and enhance businesses by using a holistic approach that encompasses business and includes fulfilling personal and relational objectives.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Oct. 23, 2020) – Leadership NEXT, a monthly program for advancing business professionals, will present a virtual program from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, highlighting the nonprofit industry and volunteerism.
Attendees of Leadership NEXT will hear from Stefanie Edwards, chief development and operating officer of Community Cooperative, a nonprofit with a mission to eliminate hunger and homelessness in Lee County. Edwards is a graduate of the Lutgert College of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University and oversees all of Community Cooperative’s operations, fundraising, development and volunteer programs that include 3,500 volunteers with more than 40,000 hours last year.
During the program, Edwards will discuss the increased need for Community Cooperative’s services due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting impact on staff, volunteers, clients and the community. Edwards will also share more about Community Cooperative’s new Plate It Up! Chef Challenge, where local chefs create dishes from a selection of mystery ingredients that were donated to the nonprofit’s Community Market or to its Food Rescue Program.
Attendees of Leadership NEXT represent a variety of businesses and industries throughout Southwest Florida. Sessions take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month and offer opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills, establish working relationships with colleagues and engage in valuable programs and discussions to further enhance their careers. Leadership NEXT’s annual sponsor is the Florida Gulf Coast University Alumni Association.
The Leadership NEXT program is free for members of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and $5 for future members. Attendees can register in advance at FortMyers.org to receive webinar login credentials.
About the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce:
Serving Lee County and surrounding areas since 1989, the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a business organization of professionals who support and promote a progressive, sustainable community. The Chamber represents over 750 businesses, professionals and individuals throughout Lee County, providing opportunities for members to participate in a variety of meaningful networking, educational and community- and business-focused programs and events. The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is located at 2310 Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers. For additional information regarding membership opportunities or events please call 239-332-2930 or visit www.fortmyers.org. For the latest news and updates, follow the Chamber on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gfmcc or Twitter at @FtMyersChamber.

Fort Myers, Fla (October 21, 2020) – Offshore Sailing School has extended its “Buy Now, Sail Soon” promotion offering savings of 10% on new Learn to Sail, Fast Track® to Live Aboard Cruising, Live Aboard Cruising, and Fast Track® to Power Catamaran Cruising Courses at its locations on Fort Myers Beach, Captiva Island, and St. Petersburg, Fla. Students now have until December 20, 2020, to enroll and complete a course to earn US Sailing certification, using the Sail Soon 10% savings.
The company recently completed a refresh of its website at www.OffshoreSailing.com, especially improving navigation on mobile devices, adding an electronic brochure for download, and adding an online pricing page for specific courses.
New course dates have been announced for popular Women’s Fast Track® to Cruising Courses, where up to four women learn to sail and handle a large cruising boat together from a Saturday to Saturday, earning three US Sailing certifications to skipper boats up to 50’.

• January 9, 2021 on Fort Myers Beach, FL
• February 6, 2021 on Captiva Island, FL
• April 24, 2021 on Captiva Island, FL
• May 1, 2021 on Scrub Island, British Virgin Islands
• October 30, 2021 on Captiva Island, FL

Six Colgate Sailing Adventures® hosted flotilla sailing vacations will take place in Belize, Exumas in the Bahamas, the Greek Islands, The Seychelles, Tahiti, and the British Virgin Islands.
The 20^th Annual Performance Race Week with North U Coaches will take place April 11-17, 2021, at the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach, FL. This special event is limited to 40 participants and was sold out in 2020 before the date was rescheduled to 2021 due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.
Coastal Navigation and Passage Making Courses will occur in January, March, May, October, and November 2021 on Fort Myers Beach, FL. Celestial Navigation and Offshore Passage Making Courses are planned starting March 3, 2021, on Captiva Island, FL.
A new Fast Track® to Sailing Course combining learning to sail, with small boat handling and navigation takes place November 7-13, 2021 on Captiva Island, FL.
A special Catamaran Refresher Course will take place January 11-13, 2021, in Cape Coral, FL. This course aboard the School’s Leopard 40 catamaran is for Offshore Sailing School Bareboat Cruising Course graduates who learned aboard monohulls and wish to obtain US Sailing Catamaran Endorsement, or graduates who have been away from sailing for a while and wish to refresh and improve their skills aboard a catamaran.
Offshore Sailing School’s US Sailing-certified instructors follow all CDC guidelines, and its classrooms and fleet of boats will continue to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before each use.
Steve Colgate founded Offshore Sailing School on City Island, New York in 1964. Steve and Doris Colgate relocated their company’s headquarters to South Fort Myers, Florida, in 1988 and now operate four sailing school locations on Florida’s Gulf Coast and two more in the British Virgin Islands. Offshore Sailing School has taught more than 150,000 adults and families how to sail and powerboat safely and competently for the past 56 years. Offshore Sailing School was founded by Olympic and America’s Cup sailor Steve Colgate in 1964. Steve was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2015. Doris Colgate founded the National Women’s Sailing Association and the Women’s Sailing Foundation. The Colgates have written many books on sailing, racing, and bareboat cruising, and are considered the preeminent authorities for sailing education. For more information, visit www.OffshoreSailing.com or call 800-221-4326.

Partnership with American Cancer Society and FGCU Cancer Research Program

FORT MYERS – The American Cancer Society and the FGCU Cancer Research Program will hold a Drive-Thru Luminaria event from 11 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Miromar Outlets. Join us for a socially distant community drive-thru luminaria event to safely celebrate loved ones lost, those currently battling, or anyone who has overcome cancer. All are welcome to come participate in this free event and it will truly be special way to celebrate, remember, and fight back!
Luminaria’s are a way to light up the community and honor every life touched by cancer. For those that would like to dedicate a luminaria, there is still time to do so. Please visit our website to honor or memorialize a friend or loved one or in support of a caregiver.
Since the spring Relay For Life events in Lee and Collier County were cancelled, this is a chance for the community to come together and celebrate and support cancer survivors in the community. There will be free t-shirts for all survivors, which would have typically been distributed at the events, while supplies last.
The American Cancer Society fights to create a world without cancer every day. ACS is the nation’s leading nonprofit private fundraiser of research, and currently funds $12 million in research grants in Florida alone. But it now faces a $200 million shortfall in research funding because of COVID19. With the help of the Southwest Florida community, our local Relay For Life events can give hope the advantage over the pandemic. It also will raise dollars that specifically targeting pediatric cancer research.
Cancer hasn’t stopped, so neither can we.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to attacking cancer from every angle. For more information, go to www.cancer.org.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Oct. 14, 2020 – Pushing the Envelope, Inc. (PTE) is launching their 10^th Annual CAN IT! Campaign food drive. The Fort Myers-based marketing communication firm has teamed up with Community Cooperative (CCI) once again to help relieve hunger in Southwest Florida. Given the increased need due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with the holiday season right around the corner, PTE’s goal is to collect 2,000 food items to help feed local families in need this Thanksgiving.
Donations for the CAN IT! Campaign, including canned food and other non-perishable food items, will be accepted Thursday, Oct. 15 through Sunday, Nov. 15 at these participating locations:
FORT MYERS

• Pushing the Envelope, Inc. – 2402 Bay St., #106
• Artisan Eatery – 8951 Daniels Pkwy.
• Bullig Coffee and Bites – 1815 Fowler St.
• CareerSource Southwest Florida – 6800 Shoppes at Plantation Dr., Suite 170
• Decorum Luxury Apartments – 9851 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy.
• Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce – 2310 Edwards Dr.
• Iron DNA Fitness – 1900 Trailwinds Dr.
• Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company – 8961 Conference Dr.
• Parvey & Frankel, Attorneys, P.A. – 2069 First St., #100
• Safe Harbor Community Church – 12960 Plantation Rd.
• Salon Adrian – Gulf Coast Town Center, 9908 Gulf Coast Main St., #145C
• Salon Max and Fi – 6309 Corporate Ct., #120
• Southwest Florida Symphony – 7500 College Pkwy., Suite 200
• The Parts House – 10995 Metro Pkwy.
• Your CBD Store – 4144 Cleveland Ave., #2

CAPE CORAL

• AA Associates Realty and Property Management, LLC– 1536 NE 4^th Ln.
• Consumer Roofing Industries – 715 NE 19^th Place, Unit 45
• Pete’s Fish and Chips – 311 Del Prado Blvd. S, Unit 5
• Rose Quartz Nail Studio – 3724 Del Prado Blvd. S, #5
• Your CBD Store – 1532 SE 47^th St.

NAPLES

• Beyond Motion – 11985 Tamiami Trl. N, #A
• Marilyn’s – 375 5^th Ave. S

LEHIGH ACRES

• Straight A’s Preschool – 5580 8^th St. W, #7

To make the donation process as easy as possible, PTE has also created two other ways to donate. Participants can shop online via Amazon Pantry and have their donation delivered directly to the office located at 2402 Bay Street, Suite 106 in Fort Myers. If preferred, donors can also drop off cash, checks, or gift cards at PTE’s office to have the firm purchase non-perishable items and donate on their behalf.
CCI’s wish list includes items such as peanut butter and jelly, Hamburger Helper, canned tuna, chicken, ham and roast beef, tuna helper, chicken helper, macaroni and cheese, pasta and pasta sauce, and more.
PTE is always accepting local businesses to serve as drop-off locations for the food drive, too! To get involved as a drop-off location or to donate, please contact (239) 221 – 2858 or email [email protected].
ABOUT PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, INC.
Pushing the Envelope, Inc., is a strategic marketing communication firm. Based in Fort Myers, the firm services clients both regionally and nationally. For more information, please call (239) 221-2858, visit www.getpushing.com or email [email protected].
ABOUT COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE
Community Cooperative is an innovative nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end hunger and homelessness in our community. The agency provides more than 14,000 meals each month through its Community Cafés and Marketplace and Meals on Wheels programs and offers homeless and comprehensive case management services through its Social & Education Resource Centers.
A proud United Way partner, Community Cooperative serves Fort Myers and the greater Lee County area, including Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers Beach. Community Cooperative works in close partnership with The Harry Chapin Food Bank and The School District of Lee County as well as collaborating with fellow community and service groups, churches, businesses and community support organizations.

Seed & Bean Market is excited to announce that they have teamed up with Carey P of Plant Based Hallway for the CBD Infused plant-based cooking series!

Ft. Myers, FL – Seed & Bean Market prioritizes wellness through CBD, a health-conscious diet, and community. This cooking series allows guests to learn about plant-based cooking infused with CBD and to ask questions about CBD and the recipes during the Q&A Happy Hour after the cooking demos. Guests will receive a full serving of each course and are encouraged to come hungry! This event is available both in person and virtually and tickets are available online at https://seedandbeanmarket.com/cbd-infused-plant-based-cooking/!
In Person Guests Receive:
3 Recipe Demos
3 Course Plant Powered Meal
Carey’s Recipe Book
CBD Education
Happy Hour Mocktails, Beer and Wine
CBD Samples
Retail Coupons
Interactive Q&A
More
 
Virtual Guests Receive:
3 Recipe Demos
Carey’s Recipe Book
CBD Education
Retail Coupons
Q&A Virtual Attendance
Video Recording
More
 
When:
Wednesday, October 21st 6-8pm
Wednesday, October 28th 6-8pm
Wednesday, November 4th 6-8pm
Wednesday, November 11th 6-8pm
 
Where: Seed & Bean Market 1520 Broadway Street, Fort Myers FL 33901 & virtually!
 
Wake & No Bake CBD Infused Pumpkin Energy Bites: https://seedandbeanmarket.com/wake-no-bake-cbd-breakfast-bites/
 
About Seed & Bean Market: Seed and Bean cultivated into reality in 2018 in Ft. Myers, Florida. Seed and Bean is first CBD Marketplace of its kind and while we are innovators in the marketplace with an awesome niche, we are dedicated to offering only the highest quality and tested products, creating a chill atmosphere, making sure our customers become part of our family and imploring our philosophy of giving back and becoming part of the fabric of our community.
 

• A 2-D mammogram looks at the breast from different angles: one from the top and one from the side. Those views cover as much of the breast tissue as possible.
• A 3-D mammogram uses the same positioned views but takes thin slices through the breast tissue instead of just one X-ray. 3D mammograms show clearer results and usually have better sensitivity and specificity. These images can reveal any potential tumors or abnormalities. is the latest technology for breast cancer screening. It can better differentiate a cancer from overlying glandular tissue. This increases cancer detection and decreases chances of a “false positive.”

Fort Myers, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2020) – Sarasota-based construction management firm, Firmo Construction, has been hired to build a new Hampton Inn by Hilton in Fort Myers. In partnership with hospitality and development group, HOS Management, from Savannah, Ga., the two companies will bring decades of experience with the Hilton brand to deliver a dynamic and modern, pandemic and tourist safe hotel to the heart of downtown Fort Myers.
“Firmo is excited to partner with this leading hotel development team to bring the Fort Myers area a new hospitality opportunity. Though the industry has had its setbacks this year, our team is ready to bring the construction and technology expertise needed to safely and efficiently deliver this hotel, which will help promote tourism and hospitality in our region,” said Eric Collin, President of Firmo Construction. “And with multiple completed Hilton builds in the Gulf Coast, I’m excited to continue our relationship with the Hilton brand.”
The future four-story Hampton Inn will be located on downtown Fort Myers’ traffic artery, Cleveland Avenue, and will feature 118 rooms, an outdoor pool and patio area, a flexible boardroom for use, and a fitness center available for guests. Situated on a two-acre lot, the 65,000 square foot building will be an infill lot development that will take about one year to complete before it opens to guests.
Firmo Construction and HOS Management will work alongside, architecture and engineering team, Base4, and civil engineering team, Morris Depew, to bring this new hospitality and tourism opportunity to completion. Building Information Modeling (BIM) capabilities have been applied to the entire design of the project, which means that virtual reality (VR) and 3D Lidar scanning will be used to review designs throughout construction, resulting in a finished hotel that brings the plans to life.
“We’re excited to partner with Firmo Construction on this future Hampton Inn, and bring a new opportunity for hospitality to the City of Fort Myers,” said Krishan Gandhi, Vice President of Development of HOS Management. “It has always been our mission to foster a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all our properties, and we’re excited to bring that same mindset to our Fort Myers neighbors, future guests, and community.”
Construction on the property will begin in October after a virtual groundbreaking ceremony, the first to happen in the city of Fort Myers, on the morning of Thursday, October 15 at 9am. The groundbreaking will be a small, socially distant gathering that will be livestreamed to the public on Facebook and will welcome neighboring businesses and local media in person. The hotel’s stakeholders and Firmo Construction will also be available to answer questions about the future hotel and give previews of renderings.
Link to the virtual groundbreaking: https://www.facebook.com/events/719410088787688
3D rendering: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rhjc6bc9g7uyw5l/AAAvIqbkiqin3zvgOaw2ol3ta?dl=0
 
About Firmo Construction
Established in 2003, Firmo Construction is a fully integrated design-build firm and licensed general commercial contractor in more than 15 states. Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, the firm’s mission is to deliver the client’s vision by elevating each project to its fullest potential through innovative solutions. An early adopter of USGBC’s LEED system, Firmo’s committed team of professionals began implementing sustainability and efficiency practices into projects when the program was still in its infancy. The team continues to evolve with that progressive mindset today, remaining industry leaders in design and building technology. For more information, visit: www.firmoconstruction.com.
About HOS Management
HOS Management is a second-generation Savannah hospitality and development group with over 30 years of industry experience managing a diverse collection of iconic hotel brands, including Hilton, Choice, IHG and Marriott, throughout the Southeast region. Founded by brothers Anil and Kirit Patel, the company strives to build thriving, sustainable hotel properties, provide incredible guest experiences, and give back to the communities in which they do business through company and employee-driven philanthropic initiatives. HOS has successfully cultivated long-standing relationships with hotel partners, investors and most importantly, guests, through its brand’s family-oriented philosophy. Visit www.HOSManagement.com to learn more.