Member News

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 3, 2018) — On April 8 from 2-4 p.m., Edison & Ford Winter Estates will host the opening reception for the 10th annual Art in the Gardens. The outdoor exhibit features handmade sculptures made by school children from a dozen Lee County schools. The sculptures are made from recycled materials and will be displayed in the gardens around the museum through May 6.
Each year, teachers and Edison Ford staff develop a different theme. This year’s theme is “Star Spangled Gardens” so each sculpture will have a patriotic look and feel, incorporating stars, stripes and red, white and blue colors.
The opening reception and exhibit are free (does not include tours of the homes, lab or museum). For more information, visit EdisonFordWinterEstates.org or call 239-334-7419.

Fort Myers – Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., is pleased to announce that Attorney Spencer Shaw has joined the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Division. Shaw is a native of Southwest Florida, graduating from Naples High School (2008), Florida Gulf Coast University (B.S., 2012) and Ave Maria School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2016).
Shaw is an attorney in the firm’s Fort Myers office and focuses her practice in workers’ compensation defense. While in law school, she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Ave Maria School of Law International Law Journal and Treasurer of Phi Alpha Delta. Shaw also served as a staff attorney’s intern for the 20th Judicial Circuit Court. She was a recipient of Ave Maria School of Law’s Dean’s Scholarship.
Shaw has volunteered with Ocean’s Conservancy beach clean-up and Empty Bowls of Naples for Women’s Law Association. She may be reached at 239-344-1132 or by email at [email protected].
Henderson Franklin is the largest, locally-based law firm between Tampa and Miami with over 55 attorneys dedicated to providing a wide range of legal services in the areas of business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, business and civil litigation, eminent domain, intellectual property, workers’ compensation, employment law, real estate, and land use and environmental law. Since 1924, Henderson Franklin has been assisting clients to build their homes, businesses, and communities in Southwest Florida. Henderson Franklin operates offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples and Sanibel Island. For more information on Shaw or Henderson Franklin, please visit www.henlaw.com.

Fort Myers, FL – Gulf Coast Harmonizer’s Annual Charity Golf Extravaganza is ready to score big for local charities on April 14, 2018.   The event will be held at Westminster Golf Club, 2199 Berkley Way, Lehigh Acres, FL 33973. Please help us support Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.  We will be helping to raise funds for their Pediatric Children’s Speech Therapy Program.  Over the past 26 years we have donated almost $35,000 in support of their program to help children.
The four-person scramble will kick off with a shotgun start at 1:00 PM and participants have the chance to win a two-year lease on a new car sponsored by Scanlon Automotive Group by sinking a hole in one on a par 3 hole, plus a putting contest, closest to the pin, longest drive and many other ways to win prizes.  All par 3s will have hole-in-one prizes.  Included also will be a dinner buffet and one ticket for a free draft beer.
“We are thrilled along with Golisano Children’s Hospital with the results from our past years and we are thankful to be able to help them again this year.  We are looking forward to having a great time and raising a lot of money for the hospital”, said John Wickes, Event Chairman.
For more information, contact John Wickes at 239-462-8444 or www.gulfcoastharmonizers.org
About Gulf Coast Harmonizers:
The Gulf Coast Harmonizers have been entertaining SW Florida since 1991 and is open to men of any age who have an interest in singing in the barbershop a cappella style of harmony.  Gulf Coast Harmonizers is a membership organization of singers who meet regularly to practice, perform, socialize, and have fun and currently has over 40 singers from all walks of life, and from all parts of Lee County and surrounding counties.  The Harmonizers are affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society, a 501(c)(3), a non-profit educational organization based in Nashville, TN. and supports local nonprofits and youth services.  To learn more, visit www.Gulfcoast harmonizers.org or call 855-425-3631.
 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 30, 2018) – The Women in Business committee of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its 13^th annual Apex Awards. Nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, April 11. For more information, or to submit a nomination, visit www.fortmyers.org/events/apex-awards.

Presented by Southwest Florida Distributing, Publishing, Web Advertising, the Women in Business’ Apex Awards event is an evening gala celebration to recognize local women with reputations for professional excellence, outstanding community service and for actively assisting others in attaining professional goals and leadership skills.

“The annual Apex Awards is a great tribute to the women of our community who are making a difference through their professionalism, philanthropy, leadership and mentoring of others,” said Jessica Walker, co-chair of the 2018 Apex Awards. “We look forward to celebrating the remarkable women of Southwest Florida during our annual awards ceremony in August, and encourage the community to nominate their outstanding leaders.”

Nominees and winners will be recognized during an awards ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs.

For more information on nominating an individual or about the 13^th annual Apex Awards, please contact Stephanie Davis at [email protected] or 239-332-2930 ext. 213.

About Women in Business

Part of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, the Women in Business committee is dedicated to helping women achieve their fullest professional and personal potential. A variety of networking and educational programs are offered throughout the year, typically the first Wednesday of every month from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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 nearly 800 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 239-332-3624 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.

50 percent discount on all merchandise
 FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 2, 2018) – The Boston Red Sox Team Store located at JetBlue Park will close for the season on April 13.
Store hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
According to store manager Doreen Arsenault, as a thank you to team fans, all items, excluding select memorabilia, are discounted 50 percent off regular retail prices and some select items are discounted even further.
The Red Sox Team Store is located at JetBlue Park, the Boston Red Sox’s 106-acre Spring Training and Player Development Complex, located at 11500 Fenway South Drive in Fort Myers.
The store phone number is (239) 226-4732.
The team store is not scheduled to reopen until January 2019.

Bark on the Ark Makes a Splash in Fort Myers
Bring your dog aboard the M/V Edison Explorer Saturday, April 21st for a sightseeing river cruise! Enjoy a peaceful cruise followed by playtime on the island, socializing with your best friend! Water, tennis balls, and dog treats are included! One dog per paid admission.
Naples CityFest Returns
It’s that time of year again! Naples CityFest begins May 4th until May 13th. Celebrate all things Naples and take advantage of all the special deals!
“Seas” CityFest with $25 Sightseeing Cruise
Pure Florida will be offering $25 Adults; $19.50 Children Sightseeing cruise tickets for the 12pm, 2pm and 4pm cruises on the M/V Double Sunshine Saturday, May 12th and Sunday, May 13th during the last weekend of CityFest. So dive into spring and explore the most beautiful side of #SWFL.
Bark on the Ark Naples
Saturday, May 5th, 9am–12pm
Bring your dog aboard the M/V Edison Explorer out of Tin City in downtown Naples for a sightseeing river cruise to Keewaydin Island! Enjoy a peaceful cruise followed by playtime on the island, socializing with your best friend! During the excursion, dogs and owners can run, swim, and play catch while enjoying the sunshine, water, sand and fresh air. Water, tennis balls, and dog treats are included for the canines. One dog per paid admission.
Cost: $54 per person
Summer Science Cruises Start early with CityFest!
Saturday, May 5th, 10am–11:30am
Kids and their parents will love this cruise! Glen Beitmen of “Super Science & Amazing Art” performs a humorous and hands-on science show with experiments and demonstrations that entertain and educate children about the properties of water and air and weather, whether it rains or shines. Once the show is over, families can enjoy sightseeing aboard the M/V Double Sunshine.
This 90-minute cruise departs from Tin City in downtown Naples and heads out to the Gulf of Mexico through Gordon’s Pass to tour past Keewaydin Island and Port Royal homes with hopes of catching a glimpses of the wildlife that calls southwest Florida home. Book Today at www.PUREFL.com or call (239) 263-4949.
Cost: Kids Cruise FREE with every full-fare paid Adult, Adults: $39 Additional, Children: $19.50. Cannot be combined with any other discounted offer.
The Edison’s in Naples Cruise
Saturday, May 5 1pm–3:30pm
Sunday, May 6 10am–12:30pm
This fun-filled Eco-Sightseeing and Living History cruise departs from Tin City in Downtown Naples. Cruising with you is the beautiful Edison & Ford Winter Estates’ very own Thomas and Mina Edison along with an Edison Ford Historian. Guests will enjoy interesting stories about the Edisons in southwest Florida while cruising the northern 10,000 islands.
This 2.5-hour ECO, History and Sightseeing cruise is special only for Naples CityFest and only offered May 5th and 6th. Each participant will also receive a small gift bag from the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Limited tickets are available, so book today!
Limited tickets are available so book now!
Cost: $45 Adult; $22.50 Children
Mother’s Cruise Free in Fort Myers
Pamper Mom this Mother’s Day at Pure FL!
Mothers cruise FREE with full-fare paid adult or child ticket in Fort Myers all weekend, Friday, May 11th through Sunday, May 13th. This year, spend a relaxing day out on the water with your Mom. Cannot be combined with any other offer.
Seas The Day with Adventures You’ll Never Forget

FORT MYERS, Fla., (April 2, 2018) – PACE Center for Girls, Lee County will celebrate the launch of its next “Love That Dress!” collection with an April 10 fashion show in Bonita Springs.

“Fashion meets Passion” will feature 15 well-known community leaders donning the latest fashion trends and styles on the runway, highlighting new looks from White House | Black Market and retailers from Miromar Outlets, as well as favorite Love That Dress! finds. The event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10 at the Center for the Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road SE in Bonita Springs.

PACE Center for Girls, Lee County is celebrating its 10^th season of Love That Dress!, an annual campaign that solicits donations of new and gently loved dresses, handbags, shoes and accessories. Thousands of items then are resold at discounted prices, with all proceeds benefiting PACE Center programs and services.

“‘Fashion meets Passion’ will be a fantastic event as we kick off another season of Love That Dress!, and I can’t wait to check out some of our favorite Love That Dress! styles,” said Christin Collins, co-founder of Love That Dress! “As we celebrate the 10th year of Love That Dress!, it is also exciting to showcase the designer clothing and accessories of Miromar Outlets and White House | Black Market, two phenomenal supporters who have been with us since the very beginning.”

Collins will be joined on the runway by fellow models Bryan Avery, Theresa Ayers, Mark Blust, Melissa Cofta, Alyssa DeLora, Jonathan Gabel, Meg Geltner, Teri Lamaine, Trish Leonard, Gail Markham, Robert McDonald, Amy Sanford, Barb Stevens and Sandy Stilwell-Youngquist.

The Center for the Performing Arts is the presenting sponsor for “Fashion meets Passion,” and White House | Black Market is the title sponsor. Additional sponsors include 96.9 WINK-FM, ABC7, California Closets, Fort Myers Infiniti, Gulfshore Life, Miromar Outlets, New Beginnings Events, Priority Marketing, Services by Jordan and TLC Marketing & Creative Services.

“We’ve been blessed to have amazing support from the community and our business partners for the past decade, and we’re off to a great start this year,” said Trish Leonard, co-founder of Love That Dress! “All of the money we raise at these events ultimately benefits the PACE Center, which has now served more than 600 girls during the past 10 years.”

PACE Center assists girls ages 11 to 18 who have multiple risk factors impacting their academic achievement, including family income, substance abuse, domestic violence, foster home placement, neglect, grief, incarceration of a family member and physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

Tickets for “Fashion meets Passion” are $30, or $25 with the donation of a gently loved dress. Complimentary light bites and beverages will be available, along with amazing raffle baskets. For more information, please call 239-425-2366 or visit PaceCenter.org/locations/lee.

About PACE Center for Girls, Inc.

PACE Center for Girls, Inc., is a non-residential delinquency prevention program targeting the unique needs of girls, ages 11 to 18 years old, facing challenges such as academic failure and truancy, physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care, neglect, death of a parent, and family history of incarceration.

PACE is a Florida-based, not for profit organization, and the only statewide prevention program for adolescent at-risk girls in the nation.  In the past year, the Lee County program provided 117 girls with education, counseling, training and advocacy resulting in 95 percent having no involvement with juvenile justice within one year of leaving PACE, 96 percent improving their academic performance and 93 percent remaining in school or obtaining employment three years after leaving PACE. As a result, PACE reduces the significant long-term costs associated with teen pregnancy, substance abuse, unemployment and long term economic dependency.

PACE accepts referrals from the juvenile justice system, the Department of Children & Families, school personnel, community services agencies, parents, family members, friends and self-referrals.

FORT MYERS, Fla., (April 2, 2018) – Owen-Ames-Kimball Company (O-A-K) has begun construction on a new high-efficiency HVAC system at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts that will reduce energy usage and maintenance costs.
Two new, 400-ton magnetic-bearing centrifugal water chillers will be installed at the school along with two new chiller towers and a 792-square-foot chiller plant building. The project also includes renovation of the school’s existing pump room with new pumps and new piping. Additionally, O-A-K is adding a new air handler unit to the school’s gymnasium along with new piping and a new fire sprinkler network.
During construction, O-A-K is relocating the school’s existing chillers to provide temporary cooling for classrooms, offices and hallways.
The total project cost is estimated at $2.39 million with a targeted completion date of August 2018.
Mario Andre is O-A-K’s project superintendent and Alesha Watchowski is the project manager.
About Owen-Ames-Kimball
Owen-Ames-Kimball Company has provided premier general contracting, design-build and construction management services in Southwest Florida since 1982. O-A-K’s Florida operation is an affiliate of its parent company located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Florida operation has offices in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. Its Lee County office is located at 11941 Fairway Lakes Drive in Fort Myers. Learn more about O-A-K at www.owen-ames-kimball.com.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 30, 2018) – Stevens Construction has completed an expansion of Specialized Veterinary Services, announced Dan Adams, vice president, south Florida.
 
Stevens Construction completed a two-story 13,589-square-feet addition and remodel of the existing 5,000-square-foot, 24-hour emergency animal hospital. The project included construction of 10 exam rooms, three surgical suites, physical therapy, conference room, lobby, locker rooms, offices and an expanded treatment area. Stevens Construction also added diagnostic services such as MRI and CT scan and a generator, allowing the hospital to remain completely operational in the event of a power loss.
 
Located at 9500 Marketplace Road in Fort Myers, Specialized Veterinary Services remained in operation while construction occurred. The Stevens Construction team very carefully coordinated all construction activities with staff so they could continue surgery and treatment of their patients throughout the project.
 
The Stevens Construction team included Dan Adams as project executive, Jamie Butdorf as superintendent and Angie Sugg as project administrator. Specialized Veterinary Services was designed by GMA Architects.
 
With offices in Tampa, Fort Myers and Orlando, Stevens Construction specializes in providing construction management, general contracting, and consulting services to clients and design professionals. Other services include site and design team selection, budgeting, project scheduling, permitting, cost and quality control, and warranty service. The company builds healthcare, commercial, public and hospitality facilities throughout Florida. For information, visit www.stevensconstructioninc.com or call 239-936-9006.
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Ft. Myers FL (March 28, 2018) — IBERIABANK, a 131-year-old subsidiary of IBERIABANK Corporation, is pleased to announce that Florida Community Association Journal magazine has named IBERIABANK as a Silver Choice Award winner. The FLCAJ Reader’s Choice Award is a unique recognition program that shines a spotlight on community association service providers across Florida. The annual recognition is awarded to companies that demonstrate exemplary levels of proficiency, reliability, fairness and integrity to the community association industry. IBERIABANK has earned this recognition in the financial services category for the past four years.
In 2018, more than 7,500 votes were cast for 390 service providers throughout the state of Florida. There is no fee to enter the nomination process, and winners are chosen based solely on votes received. For more information, visit fcapgroup.com.
About IBERIABANK Corporation
IBERIABANK Corporation is a financial holding company with 320 combined offices, including 216 bank branch offices and one loan production office in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, 30 title insurance offices in Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana, and mortgage representatives in 63 locations in 10 states.  The Company has 14 locations with representatives of IBERIA Wealth Advisors in four states. The Company’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “IBKC.”  Follow the company on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.