Member News

Fort Myers, Florida — Employment Law Attorney Suzanne Boy of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., will present two sessions at the Global Pet Expo at the Orlando Convention Center on March 21, 2018. In her first interactive presentation, “Test Your Employment Law IQ: Issue Spotting for Employers,” attendees will learn how to spot potential legal issues and gain a better understanding of important employment laws. In Boy’s second session, “Top Ten Reasons Employees Sue Their Employers,” attendees will learn how they can potentially avoid lawsuits, ways to effectively defend lawsuits if they are filed, and proactive steps to reduce liability.
Boy concentrates her practice in employment law, assisting clients with all aspects of employment-related litigation, claims, and client counseling. She frequently speaks to businesses and professional groups on various employment matters, is the lead blogger and editor of the Southwest Florida Employment Law Blog and is Conference Chair of the firm’s annual HR Law & Solutions conference.
Boy has been recognized for her professional achievements and community involvement. She has been named one of Gulfshore Business Magazine’s 40 Under 40 and Business Observer’s 40 Under 40; recognized by Florida Super Lawyers magazine every year since 2010; and, one of 174 attorneys in Florida selected as an “Up and Comer” by Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite. She also holds the highest AV rating by Martindale Hubbell.
Boy is the Legislative Director for the SHRM SWFL Board of Directors. She is a graduate of the 2012 Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Leadership class and serves on its Board of Directors. She previously served on the Chamber’s Women in Business Committee and was a founding member of the Leadership NEXT Committee. Boy is also a Trustee for the Canterbury School. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida (with honors, 2002), and her law degree from Stetson University College of Law (2006). Boy may be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 239.344.1403.
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 Boy or Henderson Franklin, please visit www.henlaw.com.

March 14, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – The Famous Author Lecture Series invites literature lovers to take part in a lunch and lecture with an acclaimed writer. Savor a lunch and lecture with bestselling, critically acclaimed author Karen Dionne on Monday, April 16th from 12pm – 2pm. A book signing and Q&A will also take place. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
Karen Dionne is the author of The Marsh King’s Daughter. She is the cofounder of the online writers community Backspace, the organizer of the Salt Cay Writers Retreat, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, where she served on the board of directors. She has been honored by the Michigan Humanities Council as a humanities scholar, and lives with her husband in Detroit’s northern suburbs.
The afternoon’s lunch will be prepared by Chefs Mike and Karen Gavala, owners of G3 Catering, one of SWFL’s premier fine catering companies. 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 Famous Author Lecture Series presents Karen Dionne
Monday, April 16, 2018
Lecture & Lunch • 12pm – 2pm
Tickets $35 • Tables of 8 $280
For info and tickets, visit www.sbdac.com or call 239 333 1933
 

March 14, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – Local physicians are the artists in this April’s exhibition! “A℞T” presents the works of physicians, ranging from paintings to sculpture. See this unique exhibition, opening Friday, April 6th at 6pm. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
Physicians show their artistic sides in this exhibition coordinated by the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and the Lee County Medical Society. Local medical practitioners have been invited to submit their work for consideration to the show. Works were curated, and will be presented to the public from April 6th – April 24th. See doctors like you’ve never seen them before: through their artistic works.
The Lee County Medical Society (LCMS) is an Organization Dedicated to the Health of our Community in Lee County, FL. They are committed to providing the most caring, modern and efficient health care system available, offering over 565 active dedicated physician members ready to respond to your health care needs. Their motto of Physicians Caring for Our Community is shared by all our members. For more info, visit http://www.lcmsfl.org/.
A℞T – Art by Physicians Group Show
Opening: Friday, April 6, 2018 • 6pm – 10pm
Closing: Tuesday, April 24, 2018 • 5pm
Free to Attend
In the 1st floor Grand Atrium

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 14, 2018) – Society has launched their new early dining menu.
 
The early dining specials feature five items priced from $16 to $19 available daily from 3 to 6 p.m. in their downstairs main dining room. Early dining patrons will also enjoy classic scenery on Society’s panoramic video wall system and nightly soloist entertainment including violinists, pianists and saxophone players.
 
Located at the Bell Tower Shops, Society is Fort Myers’ newest modern American restaurant featuring multilevel dining and bar options from al fresco dining on the patio, banquette seating in the main dining area and the vibrant rooftop Treehouse with live music.
 
The Early Dining menu includes Blackened Chicken tossed with spinach and local heirloom tomato lemon cream sauce ($16); Wood-fired Applewood Salmon with spring vegetable ratatouille, buttered rice and citrus garnish ($17); Crab Stuffed Grouper with house-made crabcake, blood orange reduction and pineapple rice ($18); a 7 ounce Wood-fired NY Strip with fresh mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and bacon peppered demi ($19); and Wood-fired New Zealand lamb chops with mashed potatoes, smoked demi glace and fried onion garnish ($19). Each entrée includes a cup of the soup of the day or salad and bread.
 
Society serves lunch daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with light bites available from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays with a late-night-bites menu available on weekend nights.
Society features 14,000 square feet of dining and event space with seating for 250 and also provides private dining and event opportunities in the intimate Executive and West dining rooms.
 
For more information, visit www.societyfortmyers.com or call 239-334-0900.
 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 13, 2018) – Marcus D. Goodson, executive director of the Lee County Housing Authority, announces that the agency has received a High Performance status in the Public Housing Assessment System report for 2017.
HUD’s Real Estate Assessment Center effectively and fairly measures the performance of a public housing agency using the PHAS. As the centralized system of REAC, the Integrated Assessment Subsystem electronically collects individual subsystem scores, produces a composite PHAS score and communicates the results that represent a PHA’s management performance.
The PHAS scored LCHA 93 points out of a possible 100. PHAS indicators used for the scoring included physical, financial, management and resident reviews as well as financial sub-indicators including current ratio, months expendable funds balance, tenant receivable outstanding, occupancy loss, net income and expense management.
The LCHA oversees142 low-income rental units at three sites in North Fort Myers and administers 271 vouchers in Lee County.
The mission of the LCHA is to assist low-income families with safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities as they strive to achieve self-sufficiency and improve their lives. The LCHA is committed to operating in an efficient, ethical and professional manner, and will create and maintain partnerships with its clients and appropriate community agencies in order to accomplish this mission.
Programs offered through LCHA include public housing, Section 8 Housing Vouchers, Family Self-Sufficiency and Resident Opportunity Self Sufficiency.
For more information, call (239) 997-6688.

April 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.
 

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 1,300 slots, including Tarzan, Wheel of Fortune and Crazy Money, 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 EE-TO-LEET-KE (“The Camp”) Grill. Nightly entertainment 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. 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 designed by Technomedia Solutions. 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 adjacent private Seminole Chickee cabana huts, 24-hour fitness studio, free Wi-Fi, and desk concierge services.
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 Immokalee 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 https://www.facebook.com/SeminoleCasinoHotel/.

Fort Myers, FL – March 9, 2018 – Our Mother’s Home of Southwest Florida is asking people to paint a chair for “chair-a-tea”. The 2nd Annual Chair-A-Tea Party for Our Mother’s Home presented by Swinging with PurposeTM will take place on Sunday, May 20th from 11am to 2pm at Doc Ford’s Fort Myers Beach. This fundraising event will feature a non-traditional tea party and waterfront lunch with a hand painted chair auction, raffles and giveaways.
Any new or used chairs, rockers, benches, highchairs or children’s chairs painted with unique themes and bright colors are being accepted. A few select chairs will be on display at local businesses from May 1st to May 18th to promote the event and the artist or business who painted them.
“Last year, local artists, families, students and business owners painted over 20 chairs for our auction and we hope this year will be even more successful! I think it’s very exciting when people can use their creativity to make a difference in our community.“ said Marin Asher, Board Vice predsident at Our Mother’s Home. “Our home has a few very talented young artists living there right now, so they’ll be helping create some one-of-a-kind art pieces for the event as well.”
Hand painted chair registrations are being accepted until May 4th and can be done online by visiting www.ourmothershome.com/paint-a-chair-for-chair-a-tea. Chairs must be completed and delivered to Our Mother’s Home in south Fort Myers by May 11st. If you are interested in painting a chair, displaying a chair in your business or want to sponsor the event in any way, please contact Marin Asher at (239) 841-9804. Chair•A•Tea Party tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at www.ourmothershome.com/event.
About Our Mother’s Home
The mission of Our Mother’s Home is to transition teen mothers and their children from foster care and human trafficking to stable, happy, and productive lives by providing a safe and nurturing home, education, parenting support along with physical, mental and spiritual care. Our Mother’s Home is a large home where up to ten mothers, ages twelve to twenty-one, and their babies can remain together as mother and child. Their vision is to end the repetitive cycle of foster care and generational poverty that afflicts teen mothers and their children.

Florida Rep welcomes cast members to smash Cole Porter musical running through March 25!

FORT MYERS, FL – Florida Repertory Theatre is pleased to welcome three performers to the cast of “Night and Day: Love Lost and Found through the Eyes of Cole Porter” now playing through March 25 in the ArtStage Studio Theatre.
Originally slated to close on February 25, the revue has been such a hot ticket that the run was extended a full month in the intimate 115-seat venue. Three of the original performers are not able to stay with the production for the further extension, so rather than close while there was still demand for tickets, Florida Rep is pleased to welcome new cast members to the stage beginning on March 13 to complete the run.
Joining the cast are New York-based performers, Kenneth Quinney Francoeur (Florida Rep debut) and Joe Paparella (“A Grand Night for Singing”), and local actress, singer, voice teacher, and regular at TheatreZone in Naples, Carolann Sanita. The three join original cast members, Jennifer Lorae and Paul Gary. Also new to the company is accompanist Micah-Shane Brewer, who took over playing the production in late February when musical director and co-creator, Victoria Casella, left to begin preparing for another project.
“Night and Day” is a world-premiere revue of Cole Porter’s music and follows a linear story of two couples falling in and out of love against the backdrop of the glamorous 1930s. The two-act musical features 36 of the most beloved songs of the 20th century, including “Anything Goes,” “You’re the Top,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and the title song, “Night and Day.”
Conceived and directed by Robert Cacioppo (“Too Marvelous for Words”) the revue brings together the collaborators behind Florida Rep’s 2015 salute to George and Ira Gershwin, musical director and arranger Victoria Casella and ensemble choreographer, Arthur D’Alessio (“Too Marvelous for Words”). Cacioppo led an expert creative team including set designer Jordan Moore (“Shear Madness”); costume designer Charlene Gross (“Outside Mullingar”); sound designer John Kiselica (“Disgraced”); and ensemble manager Amy Massari (“Sylvia”).
Priced at $55 for regular performances, tickets are available at www.FloridaRep.org and through the box office at 239-332-4488. Performances are Tuesday-Thursday at 7PM; Friday and Saturday at 8PM; Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM. Seating is limited in the intimate 115-seat venue, and tickets are selling fast.
New for the 2017-2018 Season, weeknight performances (Tues.-Thurs.) begin at 7PM. Weekend evening performances remain at 8PM and matinees on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday are still set for the popular 2PM curtain time.
“Night and Day” is generously sponsored by Sam Galloway Family of Dealerships and FineMark National Bank and Trust.
Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre on Bay St. between Jackson & Hendry with limited free parking in the Fort Myers River District. Visit Florida Rep online at FloridaRep.org, and by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Facial Plastic Surgeon Is First Surgeon in SWF to Be Honored
FORT MYERS, FLA., March 13, 2018– Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Stephen A. Prendiville is the first surgeon in Southwest Florida to be honored for excellent patient service with the RealCare Promise Badge.
The badge is presented by RealSelf, the leading online community that helps people make confident choices about elective cosmetic procedures.  Physicians who earn the designation must be part of the RealSelf reviewer network and agree to be timely with appointments, transparent with costs of treatments, and treat patients with respect.
Dr. Prendiville, who also is the Medical Director of Assuage Luxury Spa in Fort Myers and Naples, was selected last year for the RealSelf 500 award which recognizes physicians who have an outstanding record of positive consumer feedback and for providing unique, valuable insights to questions asked online by consumers. It is the sixth consecutive year that Dr. Prendiville has been honored by RealSelf.
Dr. Prendiville was invited to join RealSelf.com as a reviewer in 2008 and has now achieved Distinguished Member status for his responses to patients with questions about facial plastic surgery and skin rejuvenation techniques.  As an expert contributor to RealSelf, he has posted more than 3,000 answers to questions posted on the RealSelf website.
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 is recognized nationally as a facelift expert and is named as a Top Doctor again this year by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. for the fourth consecutive year.  Dr. Prendiville also 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.
Dr. Prendiville 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.
 
About RealSelf
RealSelf is the largest online destination to get informed about elective cosmetic procedures.  More than nine million people visit RealSelf each month to find out which treatments and providers live up to their promise of being “worth it.”  RealSelf is powered by unbiased experiences shared by consumers for hundreds of treatments, ranging from simple skincare to cosmetic surgery.  Offering millions of photos and medical expert answers, RealSelf has become the essential resource and service for those seeking to find the right doctor or clinic. www.realself.com.

FORT MYERS, FLA., March 12, 2018 – Award-winning mental health expert Dr. Radu V. Saveanu of the University of Miami will discuss the latest advances in mental health treatment at a special luncheon hosted by SalusCare on Monday, May 14.
“Shattering the Stigma,” presented in honor of Mental Health Month, will be at the Broadway Palm at 11:30 a.m. with registration beginning at 11 a.m.
Dr. Saveanu and his colleagues assisted a local family as they struggled to find the correct mental health diagnosis for their young adult son.  Through videos and honest first-hand accounts, Dr. Saveanu and this family will share the journey that ultimately led to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
“We are very fortunate to have Dr. Saveanu join us for our second annual Shattering the Stigma luncheon event. He is internationally recognized for his work in mental health, and his presentation will be honest and insightful with an aim to humanize and eliminate stigma,” said SalusCare President & CEO Stacey Cook-Hawk.
Dr. Saveanu is currently a professor and vice chairman for education in the University of Miami’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He has special expertise in psychotherapy and conducts clinical research in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders.  He received his medical degree from Tufts University Medical School.  Prior to joining the University of Miami, he was chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University.
Tickets are $45 with lunch and $60 with CEUs for mental health professionals and may be purchased at www.shatteringthestigma.org.
For more information, contact Todd Cordisco at (239) 791-1575.
About SalusCare, Inc.
SalusCare, Inc., is the largest, most comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment program in Southwest Florida, serving nearly 16,000 people per year of all ages from seven locations in Lee County.   The non-profit organization offers crisis stabilization, detox, outpatient, residential treatment, community-based services and an Employee Assistance Program for more than 50 area companies. The majority of programs are accredited by CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
SalusCare services are not free.  Fees are charged on a sliding scale, based on family income.  In many cases, private insurance is accepted.  SalusCare is a United Way partner agency.