www.Sanibel-Captiva.org
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Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce 2012-2013 Board of Directors Mark Anderson Benchmark General Contractors 16836 McGregor Blvd Fort Myers, FL 33908 manderson@benchmark-gc.com
Ken Kouril The Sanctuary Golf Club 2801 Wulfert Road Sanibel, FL 33957 kkouril@sanctuarygc.net
Doug Babcock Tween Waters Inn P.O. Box 249 Captiva, FL 33924 dougbabcock22@gmail.com
Michael Miller – Chair Michael P. Miller CPA, P.L. 2340 Periwinkle Way, Suite J-2 Sanibel, FL 33957 Mpmillercpacam@comcast.net
Mark Blust Timbers Restaurant 703 Tarpon Bay Road Sanibel, FL 33957 mblust@prawnbroker.com
Robert Monk Murty & Monk, P.A. 1633 Periwinkle Way, Suite A Sanibel, FL 33957 rmonk@murtymonk.com
Blanaid Colley Hillgate Communications 2451 Periwinkle Way Sanibel, FL 33957 Blanaid@hillgate.biz
Chris Pendleton Edison & Ford Winter Estates P.O. Box 2368 Fort Myers, FL 33902 cpendleton@efwefla.org
Chris Davison Island Inn 3111 West Gulf Drive Sanibel, FL 33957 chrisd@islandinnsanibel.com
Fran Peters Island Vacations of Sanibel & Captiva, Inc. 1101 Periwinkle Way, Suite 108 Sanibel, FL 33957 fran@sanibelislandvacations.com
Dru Anne Doyle Times of the Islands P. O. Box 1227 Sanibel, FL 33957 dru@toti.com
Donna Puma Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream 362 Periwinkle Way Sanibel, Fl 33957 dmtp@aol
Lee Ellen Harder - Secretary BIG ARTS 900 Dunlop Sanibel, FL 33957 lharder@bigarts.org
Jeff Shuff - Treasurer Tween Waters Inn P.O. Box 249 Captiva, FL 33924 jshuff@tween-waters.com
Barb Harrington – Past Chair RLR Investments, LLC 2340 Periwinkle Way, Suite K Sanibel, FL 33957 barb.harrington@RLRLLC.com
Sonja Smith Suitor Condominium Association of Sanibel, Inc. P. O. Box 1041 Sanibel, FL 33957 suitors@earthlink.net
Chris Heidrick - Chair Elect Heidrick & Company P.O. Box 59 Sanibel, FL 33957 chris@sanibelinsurance.com
Ric Base President 1159 Causeway Road Sanibel, Florida 33957 ric@sanibel-captiva.org
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Official Publication of The Islands of
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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
1159 Causeway Road Sanibel Island, Florida 33957 Phone: 239-472-1080 Fax: 239-395-0783
www.Sanibel-Captiva.Org PRESIDENT Ric Base
EDITOR & DESIGN Bridgit Stone-Budd
LAYOUT & GRAPHICS Lorraine Milano
CONTRIBUTORS Ric Base Mike Miller Bridgit Stone-Budd
CHAMBER PHOTOGRAPHY, Hillgate Communications, Kevin James Photography
CHAMBER STAFF Ric Base, President Steve Ehrhart, Director of Operations Bridgit Stone-Budd, Director of Marketing Tyrone Humbles, Promotions - Chamber Tour Bus VISITOR CENTER STAFF Candice Thompson, Visitor Center Supervisor Bob Bechhold, Barbara Lans, Anne Liese, Allen Myers, Don Oglander, Barry Solomon, Jim Slattery George Veillette, Lisa Williams The Sanibel-Captiva Islands Chamber NewsMagazine is published quarterly by The Sanibel-Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce. Circulation: 6000 Online: www.Sanibel-Captiva.Org
For advertising or submissions, please contact Bridgit @ 239-472-8255 or Services@Sanibel-Captiva.Org For subscriptions or address changes, please contact Steve @ 239-472-8759 or Support@Sanibel-Captiva.Org
Our Mission: To Promote the Prosperity of Our Members and Preserve the Quality of Life in Our Community
2012 - 12th Annual E-Awards Congratulations Again To Our Nominated Staff & Volunteers! We Enjoyed Celebrating with Them at The 2012 E-Awards.
Ric Base
George Veillette & Jim Slattery
Terry & Mike Baldwin
Peter Bukowick
Mike, Ric, George & Jim
Staff: Ric Base - Best Tourism Boss, Jim Slattery - Great Service, George Veillette - Great Service Volunteers: Peter Bukowick - Great Service, Mike Baldwin - Great Service
The Lee County VCB is already accepting nominations for next year and hope that we can be a part of it again. Nominations can easily be submitted online at www.eawards.org As you hear of the wonderful things that your staff does, please submit them! Thank you very much for your support of the E-Awards and we look forward to celebrating all of the great stories again next year. Our islands businesses had a huge representation at the E-Awards this year! The purpose of the E-Awards is to recognize those employees within the hospitality and allied industries who positively impact a visitor or resident’s experience in Lee County. If exceptional customer service made
you smile, reach out and nominate your STAR. Who is eligible to be nominated: Employees who work in hospitality and allied industries in Lee County. Who can nominate: Anyone who experiences exceptional customer service and who wishes to recognize the individual responsible. Nomination categories: • Attractions • Accommodations • Good Samaritan • Restaurants • Transportation • Other Services/Businesses
The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce and its members were well represeented again this year. www.Sanibel-Captiva.org
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C H A M B E R Chamber Business Luncheon at the Captiva Island Yacht Club, sponsored by Island Graphics, speaker Sanibel Postal Service.
Chamber Business After Hours at the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, catered by Matzaluna.
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Our Mission: To Promote the Prosperity of Our Members and Preserve the Quality of Life in Our Community
Have You Seen The New Additions To Our Homepage?
2005-2012 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STATISTICS
THOUSANDS of Individuals Visiting the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce Visitors’ Center THOUSANDS of Incoming Telephone Calls to the Chamber THOUSANDS of visits to our web site (based on Google Analytics) 4 Transition to Google Analytics in 2007 1 2 3
www.Sanibel-Captiva.org
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From the Chairman, Michael Miller CPA
One of the remarkable features of our Chamber, and for me a great insight into the changes that technology has created, is the way in which we communicate through the power of social media. We can’t escape discussion about it: because it is an inescapable part of our everyday lives. Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Flickr – are all social media tools we use to engage with others. We all know friends and co-workers who daily, devote time to publishing intimate details or photos about their lifestyles – and they send them to us. Social media is changing not only our communications but also the way in which we think about our clients our customers and our business audiences. One of the most influential methods we used to counteract the growing negative media coverage during the oil spill in 2010 was to post on Facebook great photos and videos of clear, blue waters and beautiful fine white sandy beaches. The power of these photos and videos gave proof that Sanibel and Captiva remained unspoiled during this difficult time. Our use of social media has revolutionized the way in which we communicate. No longer does the message stop with the listener, the viewer or the reader. Anyone using social media can retransmit the message to any or all of their contacts. One picture sent to 10 Facebook friends can be sent to ten of each of their friends and so on. In just a couple of steps, your message can reach 1,000 or more individuals. Your Chamber has set up a structure into which they can place original content: this content is shared with the Chamber’s 3,800 friends (and growing every day!): if each of them shares it with just an average group of their friends it will be immediately reposted to more than 800,000 plus potential visitors. We don’t need to understand the technology that makes it happen. The Chamber staff has this magic wand: they wave it and wow – another Facebook post or Pinterest photo reaches half a million or so. Content quality is of course key to the likelihood of retransmittal: it is both an art and a science. The art lies in the selection of great pictures and language that evoked the beauty of our Sanibel surroundings: the science lies in the careful use of trigger words – words that feature in potential vacationing visitors’ minds of their ideal vacation – obvious choices such as sunshine and beaches but also less obvious triggers such as discounts and special offers. As your Chairman I am amazed by the potential influence this gives us: influence that can reach literally millions of potential visitors to our Islands in less time than it takes me to type this newsletter. We are fortunate in the Chamber to have our great team of professional communicators, technically and verbally skilled, who do it all for us. I’ll keep my day job and leave it to them. In the next magazine I will develop this theme and talk about the rapid growth in mobile communications – we can do all of the above while on the move. Apps away!
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Our Chamber Mobile App
Our Mission: To Promote the Prosperity of Our Members and Preserve the Quality of Life in Our Community
www.Sanibel-Captiva.org
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Getting to Know Your Chamber Members 1. What, if any, is your most popular form of social media for your business? 2. What’s your favorite Chamber event? 3. If you were to write your autobiography, what would it be called? 4. And if your autobiography made it to the big screen, who would play you? 5. What was the last thing you ate? by Bridgit Stone-Budd
Robert Dellaert - President Pilot, Air Expeditions, Inc.
Sandy Stilwell, Stilwell Enterprises 1. Facebook. 2. Annual meeting. 3. Lets just not think it’s the Rise And Fall Of The Roman Empire!!! Instead, it is: Please Understand Me, It’s a great personality profiling book and it finally made me understand myself, Driven like crazy, but not so crazy... it’s just me, I highly recommend it, I’m having my managers take the same test. Truly no wrong answer. 4. Sandra Bullock. 5. I tasted the conch chowder special at Sunshine Grille. Just delicious! New Chef Roger.
1. Facebook seems to be the most popular and is the most fun for my passengers - After a flight I post photos and a caption on the Air Expeditions Facebook page so that friends and family can view them. 2. I must confess I am spoiled to be able to “fly out” to the islands, it is tough for me to make the drive out to Sanibel and Captiva - however Im taking a more disciplined approach to attend chamber events and visit clients on those same days hope to meet and see you soon. 3. Living the Dream. 4. Bruce Willis. 5. A chipolte bean burger on a bed of salad washed down Christin Collins with a cold beer. Senior Director of Development,
Dave Cicchinelli, Simply Cupcakes of Sanibel
LMHS Foundation
1. Facebook. 1. Since I’m a generation removed I’m just getting into 2. The monthly lunches. Facebook. 3. The Insane Enthusiasm of Christin Collins. 2. Monthly Luncheon where’s the opportunity to interact 4. Katy Hudson and Goldie Hawn. with business leaders in more structured format. 5. A ridiculously delicious piece of tirimisu cake that 3. Living Life as a Victor not a Victim. my co-worker made for Bosses Day, it ROCKED. 4. Hugh Laurie (Dr. House). 5. Thee same thing I eat every night a BIG salad with a Dave Horton - Hortoon.com glass ( or tow) of wine. 1. Shouting “HORTOON.COM!” at huge sporting events. Myra Roberts, Artist 2. After-After Hours Beer Pong at the Stone-Budd 1. I am not a computer person, it takes me away from my Treehouse. paintings. 3. The man who went mad from answering chamber 2. I loved the yacht Club event the food was spectacular questions. and the people were delightful. 4. John Holmes. Oh, he’s dead. Ron Jeremy. 3. Covered in paint. 5. A cube of pineapple snuck from his son’s plate when 4. The female version of VanGogh except I would keep he wasn’t looking. my ear. 5. Polenta and black beans with a homemade salsa verde my daughter bette made. The Islands of
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Our Mission: To Promote the Prosperity of Our Members and Preserve the Quality of Life in Our Community
Welcome New Members
Island BBQ John Talmage, Proprietor 2496 Palm Ridge Road Unit B (239) 472-3010
Artichoke & Company Dara Gorman, Proprietor Serving Sanibel & Captiva Islands www.artichokeandcompany.com (239) 263-6979
Serving Sanibel & Captiva Islands www.myraroberts.com (239) 395-5370
Simply Cupcakes of Sanibel Dave Cicchinelli Located in the Tahitian Gardens Plaza in Dolce Tesoro (239) 472-4300
Sanibel Custom Charters Brant Symes Serving Sanibel & Captiva Islands www.sanibelcustomcharters.com/ (239) 579 - 0371
VizMarket John Rowland, Proprietor Serving Sanibel & Captiva Islands www.vizmarket.com/ (239) 676-7291
Cleaning & Janitorial Jan Jelly, Representative Serving Sanibel & Captiva Islands 239-277-0330
Sharon A. Wise, Realtor Associate John Naumann & Associates orchidsaw@aol.com 239-849-9121
Fred Mayer, Musician Weddings, Lessons, Entertainment Serving Sanibel & Captiva Islands Musical-Elegance.com 216-225-6512
Sundial Beach & Golf Resort Little Islanders Child Care & Pet Sitting Brett Lindsay, Director of Sales Annette Pennacchia, Proprietor sundialresort.com Serving Sanibel & Captiva Islands 239-395-6008 239-887-0877
www.Sanibel-Captiva.org
Myra Roberts, Artist
Christine Lemmon, Author Christinelemmon.com Sanibel & Captiva Islands (239) 826-8650 The Islands of
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C H A M B E R Chamber Business Luncheon at Beachview Country Club Speaker and Sponsor: the News Press
Chamber After Hours at Congress Jewelers Catered by Cip’s
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Chamber Schedule of Events 2012-2013
2013 events will fill up fast! Claim your Luncheon Sponsorship and/or After Hours Host now! www.Sanibel-Captiva.org
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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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1159 Causeway Road Sanibel Island, FL 33957
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Our Mission: To Promote the Prosperity of Our Members and Preserve the Quality of Life in Our Community