Member News

Fundraising event to support student programs on financial literacy,

work readiness, entrepreneurship

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 17, 2019) – It’s time to start figuring out which of your friends and co-workers can throw a hook, hit the 7-10 split and knows how to score a turkey.

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida is inviting all bowling enthusiasts and beginners to its eighth annual Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at HeadPinz Entertainment Center, 14513 Global Parkway in Fort Myers. Bowl-A-Thon is led by event chair, Cia Sherman of Parr Moto.

The annual social event creates an opportunity for colleagues, friends, neighbors and families to spend an evening together at the bowling alley while raising funds for Junior Achievement’s vast offering of business-oriented programs for local students.

If participants sign up before the early bird date of July 1, they are being challenged to raise at least $600 for a six-member bowling team. After July 1, teams will be challenged to raise a minimum of $750 per six-member bowling team. Each individual bowler will receive an event T-shirt, food and drinks, two adult beverages, bowling shoes rental and lane rental.

The title sponsor for the JA Bowl-A-Thon is Sanibel Captiva Community Bank. Entech is a gold sponsor. Additional opportunities are still available for gold ($2,000) and silver ($1,000) sponsorship levels. Proceeds from the Bowl-A-Thon will be used to provide work readiness programs, entrepreneurship guidance and financial literacy programs to more than 12,000 area students.

Additional Bowl-A-Thon information is available online at www.JASWFL.org, by calling 239-225-2590 or by emailing Stephanie Hoffman at [email protected].

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 17, 2019) – The Lee County Port Authority (LCPA) has named Brian W. McGonagle division director of administration. The division oversees the areas of air service development, communications & marketing, finance, human resources, information technology and properties for Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field, in Fort Myers, Fla.
McGonagle was most recently the director of finance for the Lee County Port Authority, where he was responsible for all financial and accounting functions including purchasing, the annual budget and Capital Improvement Program. McGonagle joined LCPA in 1997 as a budget analyst, was promoted to manager of budget & accounting and then named director of finance in 2004. Prior to joining LCPA, McGonagle worked for more than 12 years in accounting and finance at the Bank of Boston. He started his career as a cost accountant for the United Airlines’ flight kitchen in Boston, Mass.
McGonagle holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Massachusetts-Boston. He is a member of the Airports Council International – North America Finance Steering Committee, as well as a member of the Florida Government Finance Officers Association and American Association of Airport Executives.
Southwest Florida International Airport served nearly 9.4 million passengers in 2018 and is one of the top 50 U.S. airports for passenger traffic. No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operation or construction. For more information, visit www.flylcpa.com or Like Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/flyRSW.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 17, 2019) — Keep Lee County Beautiful is gaining statewide attention for its work to clean and revitalize the community. Keep Florida Beautiful honored the Lee County nonprofit organization and presented it with an award for Outstanding Communication and Social Media Outreach during a state convention on June 5 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Estero.
The award is the result of a strategic marketing campaign CONRIC PR & Marketing created in partnership with Keep Lee County Beautiful for Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup. The “Drive It Home” campaign initiative encouraged drivers to avoid the temptation to litter and keep any trash from a road trip with them until they arrive at their destination.
“Roadside trash is a major problem, but thanks to this campaign, Lee County drivers will think twice before they toss something out the window,” said Trish Fancher, executive director of Keep Lee County Beautiful. “We’re really grateful for the effort our community puts into this.”
Keep Florida Beautiful judged the campaign on its ability to deliver a meaningful and productive message to a large audience resulting in a significant impact. Strategy included development of key messaging and visual concepts to reach key audiences using television, social media and billboard advertising.
The campaign shows how good habits start at a young age. It starts by spotlighting a little boy named Johnny McGregor in a small red convertible toy car driving his trash home and later transitions to show Johnny as a teenager, adult parent and senior driving his trash home in red convertibles.
“Our CONRIC PR & Marketing team is honored to have the opportunity to work collaboratively with our clients to develop and implement award-winning campaigns,” said Connie Ramos-Williams, president and chief marketing officer of CONRIC PR & Marketing. “We really enjoyed working on this campaign with Trish Fancher of Keep Lee County Beautiful that served to educate and encourage targeted audiences to drive their trash home rather than leave it on the roadways.”
The Great American Cleanup encompasses an array of events held throughout the U.S. as local affiliates focus on getting people out to volunteer and make a difference in their community. Thousands of volunteers took action to clean, revitalize, and beautify Lee County as part of the nation’s largest community improvement program.
“Keep Lee County Beautiful’s ability to provide inspiration, education, and engagement is championed by the continued generosity of our supporters and volunteers,” Fancher said. “This award is a testament to their hard work.”
Find out how to get involved at klcb.org.
About Keep Lee County Beautiful Inc.
Keep Lee County Beautiful Inc., established in 1989, is the county’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. A private/nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status (federal tax ID #59-2977558), Keep Lee County Beautiful forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For more information, call 239-334-3488 or visit klcb.org.
Follow Keep Lee County Beautiful on Facebook @KLCBInc or Instagram keepleecountybeautifulfl.

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.
 

About Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee
Open 24/7; 365 days a year, Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is Southwest Florida’s premier gaming and entertainment destination. The 51,000-square-foot plus casino offers 1,400 slots and 38 live table games including Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow, Let It Ride, Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, Blackjack Switch and Spanish 21. Dining options include the award-winning 1^st Street Deli, Asian fusion restaurant Lucky Mi Noodle House, and the recently renovated and 24-hour EE-TO-LEET-KE (“The Camp”) Grill. Seminole Casino Hotel’s nightlife is highlighted by the Zig Zag lounge, home of the Zig Zag Girlz, “where the party never ends” featuring nightly live entertainment and no last call, as well as the new Corner Bar. Additional entertainment and events are held at the Seminole Center, an indoor/outdoor special event center featuring state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. The new Seminole Casino Hotel is the first upscale hotel to open in or near Immokalee and offers suites and deluxe guestrooms with modern décor and features, plus amenities including a swimming pool with private cabanas, 24-hour fitness studio and free Wi-Fi.
 
Located at 506 South 1^st Street in Immokalee, Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is easily accessible to all of Southwest Florida via I-75 and Southwest Florida International Airport is only a 45-minute drive from the casino. Located between Miami and Naples, north of Alligator Alley on Highway 846, it is five blocks south of Highway 29. Approximately 30 minutes from Naples and Fort Myers, the casino is a 90-minute drive from Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Seminole Casino Hotel participates in the Seminole Players Club Wild Card Rewards Program whereby players earn and redeem comp dollars at all Seminole Casinos in Florida. For more information, call toll-free (800) 218-0007 or visit moreinparadise.com or facebook.com/SeminoleCasinoHotel/.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 17, 2019) – Shell Point Retirement Community’s 2019 Summer Concert Series will welcome a performance by Aibou Duo at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, in the Grand Cypress Room at The Woodlands at Shell Point, 14441 Woodsong Lane in Fort Myers. The event is open to the public, with tickets available for $20 online at www.shellpoint.org/summer or by phone at 239-454-2067.
Comprised of Yoko Sata Kathari on piano and Ruby Berland on violin, Aibou Duo has performed throughout the South Florida community since 2009. The classically trained twosome presents an engaging repertoire that draws on a variety of musical styles, and the versatile pair is dedicated to presenting chamber music to audiences in Southwest Florida. Listeners will be provided background information on each composition and will have an opportunity to speak with the musicians following the concert.
To learn more about the upcoming performance by Aibou Duo, visit www.shellpoint.org/summer or call 239-454-2067. Tickets purchased online or by phone will be held for pick-up at will call on the night of the performance.
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 2,400 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.
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Southwest Florida premiere of The Wolves opens July 11^th at The Laboratory Theater of Florida.
FORT MYERS, FL (June 15, 2019) – The Times Critics Pick and Pulitzer Prize-nominated The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe is being offered as a limited engagement of five performances by The Laboratory Theater of Florida Arts Education program, July 11^th – 14^th.
The Wolves is set in an indoor soccer facility. Each scene depicts the nine teenage girls who make up the soccer team The Wolves as they are warming up before their weekly games.
 
Left quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girl’s indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. A portrait of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals.
 
“The scary, exhilarating brightness of raw adolescence emanates from every scene of this uncannily assured first play by Sarah DeLappe.” – The New York Times
 
Director Madelaine Hayes says, “There’s something about being an adult and consuming media that’s geared toward teens; especially teen girls. There’s no way, out of the presence of adults, that kids swear that much, know so much about mature themes and have so many intelligent opinions about the world around them. Looking from the outside, we tend to think, ‘do they really talk like that?’  They do. And they crave to make art like that, too. There will be ten talented girls who talk like this, think like this, ready to make art like this. It’s a demanding, in-demand script that I’m looking forward to tackling with an enthusiastic cast and crew.”
 
This summer, The Laboratory Theater of Florida is holding an immersive theatrical summer camp for teens that covers not only singing, acting and choreography, but also covers the basics of set design and build, lighting design and implementation, sound, stage management, costume planning and creation, and prop sourcing and creation. The arts education camp is three weeks starting June 24th and culminating in five performances of The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe.
 
Performance dates are as follows:
July 11, 12, 13 at 8 pm
July 13, 14 at 2 pm
Tickets are available to purchase on Brownpapertickets.com or by calling the box office at 239-218-0481. For additional savings, guests may purchase a 2018-2019 Season Pass.
ABOUT THE LABORATORY THEATER OF FLORIDA
The Laboratory Theater of Florida, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts, through live performance, education, community outreach, experimentation, and the development of ensemble work. The company features ensemble productions, produces classic works, takes artistic risks, which both feature and challenge local performers. For more information visit www.LaboratoryTheaterFlorida.com or the physical location at 1634 Woodford Avenue, in the Fort Myers River District.

FORT MYERS, FLA., June 12, 2019 – Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Stephen Prendiville was a featured presenter at the 15^th Annual Vegas Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetic Dermatology symposium in Las Vegas June 5-8.
Dr. Prendiville was the only Southwest Florida physician to speak at the educational conference which brings together nationally recognized physicians and educators in the fields of facial plastic surgery, plastic surgery dermatology and oculoplastic surgery.  Vegas Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetic Dermatology is the largest event of its kind in North America.
Dr. Prendiville spoke on the topic of minimizing bruising and bleeding in facelifts using tranexamic acid, which is a synthetic derivative of the amino acid lysine.
“Our practice has seen a marked reduction in the amount of bruising and bleeding in facelifts when we use tranexamic acid,” said Dr. Prendiville.
The human body naturally dissolves blood clots, according to Dr. Prendiville.  “Antifibrinolytics such as tranexamic acid prevent the body from dissolving the blood clot to avoid excessive bleeding,”
Dr. Prendiville is the only Fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon in Fort Myers who is certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.  He has performed more than 4,500 surgical procedures during his 15 years of practice in Fort Myers.
He is recognized nationally as a facelift expert and is named as a Top Doctor again this year by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. for the fifth consecutive year.
Dr. Prendiville is one of only 10 doctors in the U.S. to be honored as an Elite Inductee into the RealSelf 100 and RealSelf 500 Hall of Fame for excellent patient service and his willingness to answer patient inquiries on the RealSelf website, which is the leading online community that helps people make confident choices in elective cosmetic procedures.  To achieve Elite Inductee status, surgeons must be among the top 1 percent of more than 1,000 surgeons reviewed.
He also serves as the Medical Director of the Assuage Luxury Spa in Fort Myers and Naples.
Dr. Prendiville has authored more than 20 articles published in medical journals and he has served as guest editor for Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America.
He is the past president and secretary/treasurer of the Florida Society of Facial Plastic Surgery, an association consisting of 250 facial plastic surgeons in the state.
Dr. Prendiville graduated with his M.D. degree with high honors from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and served his residency at Georgetown University.
He was awarded a Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at St. Louis University in Missouri, where he was a clinical instructor in the St. Louis University Department of Otolaryngology.
All surgeries are performed at Dr. Prendiville’s state-of-the-art Surgical Center adjacent to his office in South Fort Myers at 9407 Cypress Lake Drive, Suite A.  The Surgical Center is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), which is the largest accrediting body for outpatient surgical facilities in the United States. For more information about Dr. Prendiville, please visit his website at www.drprendiville.com..
 
 
 
 

Who:     Oneblood.org
What:     Blood Drive
Where:   City of Fort Myers Yacht Basin, 1300 Lee Street (NW Corner of  Edwards and Lee), FM 33901
When:     Monday, June 17th, 2019 10AM-3PM
Why:        Saving lives!
How:        you can set an appointment online  at  www.oneblooddonor.org  and use sponsor code #10705
ID required, must be 18 yrs of age or older
 
 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 12, 2019) – The Lee County Tax Collector’s Office is dedicated to innovation. Its creative approach to employee training and mentoring led the Florida Sterling Council to recognize Lee County Tax Collector Larry Hart and his team with the Sterling Best Practice Award for Workforce Development and Retention. Hart accepted the award on May 31 during the 2019 Governor’s Sterling Award Banquet at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes.
 
“We have a staff of people who are second to none, and it’s my obligation to do right by them,” Hart said. “I’m thrilled to receive this honor, which serves as confirmation that we’re moving in the right direction.”
 
The Tax Collector’s Office’s increased its rate of retention for new hires who stayed past six months from 77.8% in fiscal year 2017 to 92% in fiscal year 2018. That caught the eye of the Sterling Council, which identifies high performing role-model organizations that demonstrate superior management approaches and results.
 
Hart and his team took a systematic approach to boosting its rate, establishing the “Inside Look” program, which gives applicants a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the job they’re seeking. It encompasses job shadowing, interaction between applicants and Tax Collector’s Office team members, and exposure to Tax Collector’s Office culture.
 
The organization also enhanced its onboarding program, developed a new training curriculum and established a new peer mentoring program. The training helped increase employee satisfaction from 91.2% in fiscal year 2015 to 96.76% in fiscal year 2019.
 
“We have the best and brightest working for us,” Hart said. “We want to make sure we keep them and keep adding to the ranks with more amazing talent. We’ll continue to find ways to accomplish that.”
 
See what the team at the Tax Collector’s Office is doing to make taking care of business easier for everyone in Lee County at leetc.com.
 
About Lee County Tax Collector
The Lee County Tax Collector (LCTC) exists to serve the citizens of Lee County. The office takes pride in organizational excellence and offering exemplary customer service and operates by the credo of “We’ve got your back.” The LCTC operates leetc.com, the official interactive website of the tax collector, which allows county residents to quickly and easily take care of motor vehicle and vessel registration, pay property taxes, make appointments for concealed weapon permits and more. The agency operates seven service centers throughout the county to provide efficient, convenient services. The LCTC works to provide innovative and quality service that supports the growth and sustainability of the community. For more information, visit leetc.com or follow Lee County Tax Collector on social media.
 
About the Sterling Awards
Established in 1992, the Florida Sterling Council is a public/private not-for-profit corporation supported by the Executive Office of the Governor. The council oversees the Governor’s Sterling Award for Performance Excellence and administers the Georgia Oglethorpe Award. The awards are presented at the culmination of the annual Sterling Conference that teaches participants how to elevate performance and increase productivity. Nearly 700 executives and professionals gather at this event each year for a one-stop source for education, information and inspiration. The conference concludes with the recognition of best practices and the Team Showcase Champion. For more information, contact Dione Geiger at 850- 922-5316 or visit floridasterling.com.
 
 
 
 

Note to Media: Michelle Suskauer, president of The Florida Bar and regular contributor to CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC and CNBC, will headline the Lee County Bar Association’s Third Annual Diversity Workshop and Luncheon. Suskauer is one of the country’s leading voices for gender equality and has made the issue one of the cornerstones of her bar presidency. Local LGBTQ activist Arlene Goldberg and family law attorney Brian Kruger will also speak.
WHAT: The Lee County Bar Association’s Third Annual Diversity Workshop and Luncheon
WHEN: Friday, June 7, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
WHERE: Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, 2301 First St., Fort Myers
WHY: To highlight key issues of diversity and inclusion in the legal community and the community as a whole.
CONTACT: Josh Milton, Vice President of Media Relations at CONRIC PR & Marketing, 239-690-9840, [email protected].