Chamber Trends June 2016

Trends Chamber

The Official Publication of The Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral

June 2016

SURFSIDE SUNSET MARKET EVERY TUESDAY AT THE SHOPS OF SURFSIDE YEAR ROUND 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM CAPE CORAL FARMERS’ MARKET EVERY SATURDAY AT CAPE HARBOUR 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM CAPE CORAL FARMERS’ MARKET AT CLUB SQUARE CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER REOPENS OCTOBER 1

To Promote and Serve Business and Community

JUNE 2016 Publisher & Editor Stephanie Roberson Technology Director stephanie@capecoralchamber.com

Contributing Editors Donna S. Germain President/CEO donna@capecoralchamber.com Claudia St. Onge Business Manager cso@capecoralchamber.com Annette Siner Membership Sales Director annette@capecoralchamber.com Shawna Pike Membership Services Director shawna@capecoralchamber.com Melanie Lempke Administrative Generalist melanie@capecoralchamber.com Lyz Crouthamel Special Events Director lyz@capecoralchamber.com Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral P.O. Box 100747, Cape Coral, FL 33910 2051 Cape Coral Parkway, Cape Coral, FL 33904 Phone (239) 549-6900 Fax (239) 549-9609

JUNE 2 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM FOOD FOR THOUGHT LUNCHEON CAPE CORAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE 360 SANTA BARBARA BLVD N, CAPE CORAL, FL JUNE 8 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON OVERTIME PIZZERIA & SPORTS PUB 1708 CAPE CORAL PKWY W, UNIT 1, CAPE CORAL, FL JUNE 16 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM BUSINESS AFTER HOURS GENDRON FUNERAL HOME 2325 E MALL DR, FT MYERS, FL JUNE 24 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM NETWORKING @ NOON INFINITY MORTGAGE GROUP FLORIDA 1222 BUILDING 1222 SE 47TH AVE, CAPE CORAL, FL CAPE CORAL FARMERS’ MARKET CAPE HARBOUR EVERY SATURDAY FROM 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM SURFSIDE SUNSET MARKET THE SHOPS AT SURFSIDE TUESDAYS YEAR ROUND FROM 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM CAPE CORAL FARMERS MARKET CLUB SQUARE CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE EVENTS ONLINE VISIT WWW.CAPECORALCHAMBER.COM/EVENTS

CHAIRMAN TRENDS

The Final Rule focuses primarily on NEW OVERTIME updating the salary and compensation REGULATIONS levels needed for Executive, Administrative Donna S. Germain and Professional workers to be exempt.

Specifically, the Final Rule: President

As many of you have already heard, last month, President Obama and Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez announced the final ruling the Department of Labor’s new overtime regulations.

According to a statement issued by the Department of Labor, these new regulations will automatically extend overtime pay protections to over 4 million workers within the first year of implementation. The final rule will take effect on December 1, 2016.

Upon the effective date, the standard salary level will increase from $455 to $913 per week and highly compensated employees or HCE total annual compensation requirement will increase from $100,000 to $134,004 per year. Future automatic updates to those thresholds will occur every three years, beginning on January 1, 2020.

1. Sets the standard salary level at the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage Census Region, currently the South ($913 per week; $47,476 annually for a full-year worker); 2. Sets the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (HCE) subject to a minimal duties test to the annual equivalent of the 90th percentile of full-time salaried workers nationally ($134,004); and 3. Establishes a mechanism for automatically updating the salary and compensation levels every three years to maintain the levels at the above percentiles and to ensure that they continue to provide useful and effective tests for exemption.

Additionally, the Final Rule amends the salary basis test to allow employers to use nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive Your chamber will be working diligently payments including commissions to satisfy to keep all of you abreast of the latest up to 10 percent of the new standard salary updates regarding these regulations. level.

Please be sure to mark your calendars for the September 14th General Membership For more information on the new overtime Luncheon where we will have Employment regulations, please visit https://www.dol.

Law Attorney Suzanne Boy from Henderson, gov/whd/overtime/final2016/ Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. speak to the membership about these new regulations. Thank you for your membership.

Key Provisions of the Final Rule (provided by the Department of Labor)

2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman Brett Bisbe, B2 Technology Solutions, Inc Chair-Elect Trish Lassiter, Lee County Electric Coop.

Treasurer Ed Bolter, Lamar Advertising Past Chair Ed Ramos, Ramos Builders, Inc Barb Adams, LeeSar Keith Banasiak, Waste Pro of Florida Beverly Black, Black Business Solutions, LLC Dana Brunett, City of Cape Coral Matthew Connar, Boost Creative Tony Constantino, Kevin M. Burns & Assoc. P.A. Angela Davis, Merrill Lynch Nancy Dunning, Cape Coral Association of Realtors Diane Everhart, Blue Chip Financial Joseph Francioni, The Smart Companies Cynthia Gallagher, The Breeze Newspapers Tom Hansen, Boat House of Cape Coral Tim Hauck, Fuller Metz Cremation and Funeral Services Jay Johnson, Bubba’s Roadhouse and Saloon Laura Koehn, CapeCoral.com Mike Quaintance, Keiser University Christopher Spiro, Spiro & Associates Michelle Whitlock, Siesta Pebble Pool Interiors Zachary Zeis, Storm Smart

CHAIRMAN EMERITUS Annette Carrasquillo, LAI Design Associates, LLC Wayne Kirkwood, Kirkwood Electric, Inc. Thomas Giles, Avalon Engineering Michelle Lewis, B-2 Solutions Heather Mazurkiewicz, BJM Consulting, Inc. Joseph Mazurkiewicz, BJM Consulting, Inc. Donna Meola, Priority Payments of South Florida Don Schnell, Regions Bank Thomas Shipp Jr, Attorney Elmer Tabor, Wonderland Realty/Cape Coral Town Center

TRUSTEES Kevin Ahmadi, Gulf Coast Village Brandon Deaver, B-2 Technoloy Solutions Rana Erbrick, City of Cape Coral Julie Ferguson, Cape Coral Caring Center Steve Hook, Oasis Elementary School Bill Jacob, CenturyLink Mike Noone, Goldberg, Racilla, D’Alessandro & Noone, LLC David Owen, BB & T - Oswald, Trippe & Co. Larry Wier, Premier Insurance Corporation

CHAMBER STAFF Donna S. Germain, President Claudia St. Onge, Business Manager & Farmers’ Market Director Stephanie Roberson, Technology Director Annette Siner, Membership Sales Director Shawna Pike, Membership Services Director Melanie Lempke, Administrative Generalist Lyz Crouthamel, Special Events Director

APRIL NEW MEMBERS & RENEWALS

NEW MEMBERS

CAPE CORAL LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Erika Smiley CORNERSTONE NETWORK, INC. Sacha Bretz DANNY YATES LANDSCAPING Danny Yates REAL CHOCOLATE Renzo Barriga SEVEN OAKS Albert Greber

RENEWALS ACE Hardware of Cape Coral Member Since: 05/16/2011 Adams Homes of N.W. Florida Member Since: 04/24/2002 Barclay’s Real Estate Group Member Since: 03/10/2015 BMI Florida Realty, LLC Member Since: 04/07/2011 Bookkeepers Plus Member Since: 05/23/2013 Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre Member Since: 05/11/2005 Caloosa Tent & Rental Member Since: 05/15/2001 Cape Coral Plumbing, Inc. Member Since: 05/29/2012

Century 21-Birchwood Realty, Inc. Member Since: 11/01/1994

Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral Member Since: 05/21/2012

Roger Dean Chevrolet Member Since: 05/21/2012

Coral Ridge Funeral Home, Cemetery and Cremations Member Since: 04/28/2008

Larue Pest Management,Inc. Member Since: 04/11/2005

Rotary Club of Cape Coral Sunset Inc. Member Since: 05/06/2010

CounterStrike Security & Sound Member Since: 01/04/2007

Lee County Supervisor of Elections Office Member Since: 04/11/2014

Cultural Park Theatre Company Member Since: 05/11/2009

Mariner High School Member Since: 05/28/2004

Dr. Mel Youngs, DC., PA. Member Since: 02/21/2012

Matteo Graphics Member Since: 05/25/2011

Fifth Third Bank Member Since: 02/19/2015

Minaya Learning Global Solutions, LLC Member Since: 04/28/2015

Five County Insurance Agency Member Since: 05/10/2012 Gallagher and Rhodes CPA’S Member Since: 05/01/1995 HBK Sorce Financial, LLC Member Since: 05/16/2007

Nevermind “Awesome Bar & Eatery” Member Since: 01/31/2013 North Nicholas High School Member Since: 02/02/2011

Home and Away LLC Member Since: 03/30/2010

Quality Pest Control of S.W. FLA, Inc. Member Since: 03/16/2009

Honc Marine Contracting, Inc. Member Since: 05/06/2009

Ramos Builders, Inc. Member Since: 05/30/2000

Hooters Cape Coral Member Since: 02/02/2012

Raso Realty, Inc. Member Since: 04/01/1989

I Ragazzi Pizza Member Since: 02/27/2009

Real Estate Showcase Member Since: 04/01/1996

Irvin Pest Control, Inc Member Since: 05/07/2010

Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center of Cape Coral, LLC Member Since: 05/01/2011

KHR Solutions, LLC Member Since: 03/26/2014

Schooner Bay Realty, Inc Member Since: 01/12/2011 Sun Commercial Solar/a division of Michael W Fink Electrical Inc. Member Since: 02/10/2015 Teuber Law, PLLC Member Since: 04/22/2014 Turn Key Homes Member Since: 03/28/2012 Vein Specialists Member Since: 05/20/2014 West Coast Collision Member Since: 05/12/2008 WFTX-TV Member Since: 03/01/1989

THANK YOU FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

RIBBON CUTTINGS

MedExpress 313 SW Pine Island Rd. | Cape Coral, FL 33991 (727) 799-2727 | www.medexpress.com

Seven Oaks 1227 Miramar Street | Cape Coral, FL 33904 (239) 257-2209 | www.sevenoaksrestaurant.com

Sit Clean - Don’t Hover Wipe That Cover N Ft Myers, FL 33918 (239) 772-2425 | www.sitclean.com

Cape Jewelry & Pawn 8 Del Prado Blvd S & 939 Country Club Blvd, Cape Coral 33990 (239) 673-8311 | www.capepawn.com

Real Chocolate 311 Del Prado Blvd S | Cape Coral, FL 33990 (239) 440-6666 | www.realchocolate.us

Cornerstone Network, Inc 1406 SE 46th Lane | Cape Coral, FL 33904 (754) 900-8085 | http://cornerstonenetwork.net

RIBBON CUTTINGS CONTINUED

Image Full Service Salon 601 Del Prado N, Unit #5 | Cape Coral, 33909 (239) 573-4667

Whether You Just Joined or Just Renewed Your Membership, Schedule Your Ribbon Cutting Today!

Call Annette Siner, Membership Director (239) 549-6900 ext 109

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS BUSINESS AFTER HOURS NETWORKING EVENT Members networking at the May Business After Hours and Networking Event. Thank you to our hosts, Cape Jewelry & Pawn for an amazing neworking event with food, drinks and entertainment.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS LEADERSHIP IN POLITICS

Annette M Carrasquillo, Chairperson Public Affairs Committee

As if the past year of the presidential election cycle isn’t enough, the local elections are only beginning. Many people will make their decision for an elected official strictly based on party affiliation.

Others make their decision based on specifics issues and yet others look for the leadership qualities that a person possesses.

The following are the top 5 qualities that a good political leader should possess:

or artistic values”. A political leader must have the trust of others.

To obtain that trust requires the highest standard of integrity. It is vital for success.

Confidence: defined as “a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something; a feeling or belief that someone or something is good or has the ability to succeed at something”. A political leader must have confidence in themselves as well as inspiring others to get things done.

Flexibility: defined as “willing to change or to try different things; characterized by a ready capability to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements”. Good political leaders will listen to all sides to find common ground and build consensus.

Honesty: defined as “the quality of being fair and truthful: the quality of being honest”. Honesty builds trust which is the As we enter into the local political process, we encourage foundation of credibility, confidence and respect. everyone to become informed. Not only on the issues facing our community but on the people that are going to ask for your vote.

Compassion: defined as “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it”. The ability to “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do understand the needs of ones’ constituents and determine a course more and become more, you are a leader” —John Quincy Adams of action is critical in a political leader.

Remember: Government Affects You! Integrity: defined as “firm adherence to a code of especially moral

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UNIVERSITY TRENDS lag the market, and use a combination of all three strategies.

EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION STRATEGY, DOES IT WORK?

When firms use the ‘match the market’ strategy, it creates a Mike “Q” Quaintance, MBA, CCE level playing field regarding compensation amongst industry Business Professor, Keiser University employees, as they strive to pay relative salary and wages levels, which exists in the marketplace. This strategy allows As a business owner or manager, if firms to control their costs and maximize profit. This can someone asked; “What is the goal be a challenging strategy in regard to the retention efforts, of compensation?” How would as firms may always be catching up with their competitors. you respond? It would be natural to respond that ‘compensation’ is the exchange of money for ‘Lead the market’ strategy suggests that a firms compensates services. The discussion is probably worth a more academic above the prevailing market compensation levels. This strategy clarification where we identify direct, indirect, and non-financial can lead to lower turnover, better employee motivation, and remuneration types. Direct compensation is how most of us define higher productivity. However, the overall increased labor cost may compensation; such as wages, salaries, incentives, bonuses, and not be justified on the firm’s balance sheet. This requires a great commissions. Indirect compensation refers to benefits such as; deal of monitoring to measure if the anticipated benefits are being health or dental insurance, life insurance, tuition reimbursement realized. Not only does the evaluation need to include increased programs, auto allowance, and club memberships. Non- productivity, but it needs the address the cost to replace an employee. financial compensation refers to employee recognition programs, organizational support, work environment enhancements, “Lag the market’ strategy is where a firm decides to pay less than flexible work hours, rewarding job designs, and training. the marketplace rate. This often occurs because firms do not have It is also important to discuss the topic of strategic compensation as well, which can be defined as compensation designed to enhance employee motivation and growth. The term strategic compensation suggests a strong alignment between a firm’s strategic objectives and compensation. For example, if a firm has a strategic objective to become a knowledge or learning organization, then it would incorporate activities and benefits that would support employee knowledge attainment. These activities would include, paid internal and external industry training, and paid formal post-secondary or certificate training. It would be critical to make these activities easy to access and available to all employees in the organization to avoid equity issues.

the wherewithal to pay competitive compensation. While this is not a great long-term strategy, firms can get by in the short-term with effective communications and using non-monetary compensation.

It may be appropriate to incorporate all three strategies from time-to-time depending on the economy, when the economy is strong and competition for resources is high a ‘lead’ strategy may be effective, when the economy is preforming at average levels, it may be effective to employ a ‘match’ strategy, when the economy is performing poorly, it may be appropriate to employ a ‘lag’ strategy.

As the 2016 season closes in south Florida, it may be the idea time to ponder your compensation strategy. If you would like to discuss the information in this article, please contact me at mquaintance@ From the perspective of wages and salaries, a firm might have keiseruniversity.edu, or call me at (239) 277-1336, ext. 34128. an objective to reduce employee turnover, caused by employees taking jobs with competitors or switching to careers, which offer higher compensation. The Society for Human Resource Management or SHRM (2015), suggests firms have four mindsets on wages and salaries; match the market, lead the market,

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HEALTHY TRENDS

DO WE DIE OF OLD AGE OR LACK OF ENERGY?

Salvatore Lacagnina, D.O. Vice President of Health & Wellness, Lee Memorial Health System

In preparation for an anti-aging certification examination, I was recently reading about some of the theories of aging and one such theory is that we age and die because we essentially run out of energy. I was intrigued with this concept and read more about how energy is produced within our cells and came across an article on AMPK which is a compound found in every cell in the body responsible for maintaining a proper balance of energy within all cells.

This mechanism brings to mind the American lifestyle. Over the past 50-100 years Americans have become more sedentary, have come to consume more calories, have gained more weight and have developed more chronic illness and cancer than any time in history. If we look at the cells of a typical American, we would see less ATP and less activated AMPK since the cells are functioning to store rather than burn energy.

It is clear that when calorie intake is higher, AMPK activation is diminished, less ATP is made and the glucose and fats are then used to store energy as fat under the skin and even more detrimentally around the vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys. Storing fat in this fashion leads to the development of the Metabolic syndrome/Metsyn.

This syndrome is a combination of elevated blood glucose, triglycerides/ fats, blood pressure, waist circumference and low HDL (good cholesterol).

Three or more of these metabolic abnormalities is the definition of Metsyn and confers a significant risk for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. This means that the individual is more at risk for heart The fundamental unit of energy within all cells is ATP (adenosine attacks, strokes, dementia, diabetes, obesity and a shortened lifespan. triphosphate). As cells need energy, they use ATP which is then converted into AMP (adenosine monophosphate). As the level of AMP increases, We know that a common denominator in all these illnesses it essentially tells the cell it is running out of energy and that is when is inflammation which I have also written extensively about in AMPK/AMP Kinase kicks into gear. AMPK has been called the master the past. It is well known that inflammation further suppresses metabolic switch allowing cells to maintain a proper level of energy/ATP. activation of AMPK resulting in the cells having even more difficulty in making the necessary energy. We know that the When AMPK is activated, it increases the transport of glucose and standard American diet and lifestyle is inflammatory and as such, fats into the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell. Glucose and it has been said that we are eating ourselves to death. This is fats/fatty acids are necessary for the mitochondria to make energy/ essentially the SAD truth (SAD also = the standard American diet).

ATP. Carnitine is another substance involved in this process. Carnitine helps glucose and fats get into the mitochondria. Once inside, the The good news is that we can restore AMPK to optimal levels through glucose and fats are used by the mitochondria to make energy. This a combination of healthy nutrition, exercise, supplements, lifestyle process also uses Coenzyme Q10 (aka. Co Q 10) which I am sure behaviors and a prescription medication, Metformin. The reader might many of the readers know about. People who take a Statin drug recognize Metformin as the most common diabetes medication and it is for high cholesterol are also prescribed Co Q 10 (which is depleted known that Metformin is a potent activator of AMPK. Interestingly, a study by the Statin drug). Co Q 10 is necessary for the cell to make energy. in 2014 showed that diabetics treated with Metformin lived about 15% longer; and, it was explained that this was most likely due to activation of Many studies have been done to understand the mechanisms AMPK as well as other mechanisms. This was in contrast to other diabetes involved in cellular energy production; and, these studies have shown medications such as sulfonylureas which are not AMPK activators. that cells capable of maintaining proper levels of ATP live longer. These studies have also shown that activated AMPK promotes energy release The term gerosuppressor has been used to describe the actions of AMPK and suppresses energy storage. This means that the organism is more meaning that it suppresses aging. We know that aging is associated energetic and leaner since glucose and fats are used for energy production with a decline in the number and function of the mitochondria; and, and not stored in fat cells, in the liver or in the skeletal muscles. When studies have shown that AMPK not only activates ATP production an organism functions more in the realm of energy storage, it becomes within the mitochondria, it also helps to regenerate mitochondria. fatter with less energy and a shorter lifespan.

HEALTHY TRENDS CONTINUED In addition, AMPK stimulates the production and activation of Sirtuin genes which are referred to as longevity genes. Research has shown that activation of these genes allows the organism to live longer. AMPK also inhibits one of the master regulators of inflammation called NF-kappa beta. This is another compound within cells which stimulates immune reactions leading to inflammation and dysfunction within cells. Inhibition of NF-kB decreases inflammation and allows the cells to function properly.

few supplements which have been shown to increase AMPK activation, namely Gynostemma (a traditional Vietnamese herb) and Transtiliroside, a bioactive compound obtained from the fruit of the rose plant.

Gynostemma activates AMPK which then lowers fasting blood glucose as well as the three-month average blood glucose level. When added to traditional diabetes medication, the effect is even more beneficial.

Trans-tiliroside increases fat burning and decreases fat storage; and, it has also been shown to decrease blood pressure and decrease total and LDL cholesterol. The combination of these natural supplements with exercise and calorie restriction results in greater activation of AMPK; and, therefore, greater cellular energy which translates into healthier cells able to function optimally with greater longevity.

AMPK has been shown to extend lifespan in several species by enhancing energy production, by supporting the mitochondria, by reducing inflammation and enhancing the immune system, by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, by decreasing oxidation of LDL cholesterol, by decreasing the production of arterial plaque, by decreasing blood pressure and by reducing insulin In summary, there are many things we can do to maintain energy resistance and decreasing the risk of the metabolic syndrome. as we age and by doing these things, we can age more gracefully,

more fitfully and slower. No need to rush the aging process! When As we age, what can we do to increase the activity of AMPK? One we age with optimal energy and health, life is more enjoyable. So helpful thing is exercise. While you exercise, you use ATP/energy and the stay well my friends and please send comments and questions to higher levels of AMP stimulate the activity of AMPK to make more energy.

Dr.Sal@LeeMemorial.org Another is calorie restriction (CR) which has been shown to stimulate the activity of the longevity genes (Sirtuin genes). There are also a

Diamond Member Lee Memorial Health System P.O. Box 2218 Fort Myers, FL 33902

Executive Member CenturyLink 2710 Del Prado Blvd S, Cape Coral Gulf Coast Village Retirement Community 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd. Cape Coral

Lee County Electric Cooperative 4980 Bayline Dr North Fort Myers, FL 33917

The News-Press - Fort Myers Office 2442 Dr. MLK Blvd. Ft. Myers

B2 Technology Solutions 1406 SE 46th Lane Cape Coral, FL 33904

Fifth Third Bank 2402 Surfside Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33991 2724 Del Prado Blvd, Cape Coral, FL 33904 114 Hancock Bridge Pkwy, Cape Coral, FL 33991 1801 NE Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral, FL 33909 1600 Cape Coral Pkwy. E, Cape Coral, FL 33904

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Non-profit organizations receive 2 free 1/2 page ads per year upon request with their membership.)

Prime Advertising Pricing Full Page $367.00 1/2 Page $287.00 1/4 Page $207.00 Business Card $167.00 (All ads include a hyperlink to your company’s website or a 30-second commercial promoting your business and a banner ad in the Chamber Trends Weekly E-Newsletter) Specials Feature Your Business On The Cover Cover photo showcasing your company with a full page article, up to 3 pictures and company logo spotlighting your business.

Only one per month. First come first serve basis. Your spotlight can also be linked to your company website and/or a commercial promoting your business.

Chamber Trends Weekly Advertising Press Release $25.00 (Runs 1x, includes 60 words, company logo, link to your company website.)

(Non-profit organizations run 2x for $25.00) Banner Advertisement $50.00 per month (runs 4x, includes link to your website) Company Spotlight $157.00 (Runs 4x, includes short story, link to website, link to additional company information, 2 pictures and Company logo.)

E-mail Blasts Company Spotlight E-mail Blast $199.00 The investment for the Business Spotlight is $199 and will run twice throughout the month of your choice.

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Call Stephanie Roberson for more information at (239) 699-844 or email stephanie@capecoralchamber.com

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

right direction. I’m confident this event will continue to grow so we may expand our reach to even more deserving students in our community. By the way, Taste of the Cape 2017 will be held on Doni Landefeld, Ph.D., Chairperson Sunday, February 26th from 12:00 to 6:00 PM. There is an early bird Education Committee sign-up that goes until June 1 – so if you own a restaurant and would The Education Committee doesn’t like to save a little green in your participation fee, please lock-in your contribute a regular message to the Trends space now. Call me (239) 540-1219 or the Chamber office for details. and after hearing more than a few times that we are sometimes the ‘forgotten or My deepest gratitude goes to those of you who have helped the step-child committee,’ I vowed I’d make an effort to help remedy Education Committee make a difference to our kids – someday our situation. Well, I only have one month until a new Chair takes our future business leaders. Without our sponsors and volunteers, my place, so better late than never and I know Chrysten Foley we simply couldn’t pull off any of our events at the level we’ve from Nova Southeastern is going to do a bang up job as Chair and achieved. Thank you so much! We are the few, we are proud, we perhaps I’m challenging her to keep our message going…..we do are the Education Committee and I admire this great team – Sandi important work and serve as the bridge between the academic and Silva, Beverly Black, Melanie Lempke, Claudia St. Onge, Matt business communities. It’s been a banner year for the Education Connar, Sarah Jakubowski, Chrysten Foley, Steve Hook, Linda Committee, thanks to an amazing team of individuals and so many Onorevole, Eileen DeLuca, Sean Hoover, Pascha Donaldson, Major of you who have contributed as sponsors and volunteers toward Asselin. Thanks for entrusting me as your Chair for the past year and our events. I have served on this committee for 6 years because I look forward to continued greatness! And if anyone would like to of the camaraderie and the level of performance that makes a join our dynamic committee, we always have room for dedicated meaningful impact in our community. It is truly a high-performing folks who also like to have fun. team. And we genuinely enjoy one another. That’s priceless.

Doni Landefeld, Ph.D., is owner of Metamorphosis Coaching We host 3 events every year: First, we host the annual Principals’ specializing in speaking, customized coaching and training. She is lunch in the Fall, in the Winter we host (in partnership with the Gulf also an active musician, playing double bass with the Gulf Coast Coast Symphony), “Taste of the Cape,” which is our major fundraiser Symphony and throughout Southwest Florida. Doni is President of and has evolved into quite the cultural event for our city! And in the Board of the Gulf Coast Symphony, 2015-16 Chair of the Cape the Spring, we host the Excellence in Education Awards, where our Coral Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, a founding proceeds from Taste of the Cape go toward scholarships for a senior member and rotating Chair for Taste of the Cape, and creator/author from each West Zone high school. The Excellence in Education of “Lead Yourself First.”

Ceremony gets better each year. We gave away more money in scholarships this year than ever, at least in the years I’ve been on the committee. Oh what a night it was and what a feeling…. the musician in me is always thinking in metaphors of songs!

THIS IS HOW (AND WHY) WE DO IT

This year, Taste of the Cape netted almost $27,000. Not too shabby for a Taste event that happens during season (when many restaurants are unable to allocate staff ), doesn’t charge admission or parking and includes free performances from local schools and the Gulf Coast Symphony. We still have a lot of room for growth, but after only three years, the trajectory continues to climb in the

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Let us give you a helping hand Use the chambers online Job Bank If you need more information about the chamber Job Bank, please contact Stephanie Roberson at (239) 699-8442 or stephanie@capecoralchamber.com http://web.capecoralchamber.com/jobbank

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

the ever increasing number of new real estate agents in our marketplace. Too many newbies aggressively seek their fortunes Realtor, Island Harbor Realty in real estate never realizing the mess they are leaving behind them and even sometimes the botched sales resulting form their Before the secondary, Summer own lack of knowledge.

Season, begins around the end of June, we find ourselves muddling Recently an agent sent me an email at 8:45AM advising that he through that period we can call “In- and his buyer were going to do their property inspection at 9:30AM between”. It’s kind of like that period that same day. Whoa, little fella, do you realize that the owner of time between lunch and dinner where you start to get hungry might still be in bed? Common courtesy would dictate giving fair but you don’t want to eat and spoil your dinner. Except, this time notice, not 45 minutes, before scheduling an inspection. we do want to satisfy our hunger because sales have lagged so far this year. Or, have they?

This same agent sent me a contract with five addenda attached (3

IN-BETWEEN

Berge Aslanian (CDPE)

were unnecessary) while forgetting to attach the most important Let’s take a look at the past month’s numbers to see what is one. This property was to have FHA financing and he forgot the happening. Cape Coral numbers for the three month period ending mandatory FHA Financing Addendum that requires signatures 5/27/16: from not only the buyer and seller but also signatures of the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent. When reminded of this oversight the response was the equivalent of “Huh?”.

The lessons to be learned here for buyers and sellers alike is to make sure you are represented by someone who knows what they are doing. Ignorance of the requirements is no excuse. Headaches For single family homes inventory has been steadily decreasing and heartaches can be avoided by doing the right things for the while prices have been creeping upward. Homes Sold have been right reasons at the right times. Knowing what forms to use and doing just the opposite, numbers of homes sold are noticeably when to use them and how to properly fill them out is what will higher while prices of homes sold crept downward. keep us all out of trouble.

Numbers of condos available and their median prices have barely Newly licensed neighbors, relatives and friends are not always increased. Numbers of condos sold reflect that end of season surge the best choice for real estate representation. There is no substitute but the median prices have shrunk. for having done this successfully many times before.

From personal experience and conversations with other agents, So once again, the key to successful real estate transactions is things are quiet out there. We see some encouraging activity in working with experienced realtors. Always remember, successful small doses but nothing substantial seems to be happening on a real estate IS a team sport. Happy Property Buying and Selling! steady basis.

Berge Aslanian (CDPE) is a Realtor in Cape Coral with Island Those of us in the business for some time are cautiously optimistic Harbor Realty, active members of the Chamber of Commerce of about the near term. Once we get through this in-between period, Cape Coral. For questions about residential real estate, please it would be nice to see positive activity again. call (239) 989-3463 or email realtorberge@att.net or visit www.

RECapeCoral.com.

One of the things that keep popping up in conversations is

MONDAY, JULY 4TH, 2015 6:30 A.M. CHECK-IN; 7:30 A.M. START

POST RACE FOOD, REFRESHMENTS & MUSIC

TROPHIES: OVERALL M&F MASTERS 40&OVER M&F GRANDMSATERS 50&OVER M&F SR.GRANDMSATERS 60&OVER M&F OVERALL MILITARY M&F

KID’S FUN RUN (12 & UNDER) - $10

BY JUNE 11TH - $20 ADULT; $15 YOUTH*

BY JUNE 25TH - $25 ADULT; $20 YOUTH*

BY JULY 3RD - $30 ADULT; $25 YOUTH* ACTIVE/RETIRED MILITARY - $20 DAY OF RACE - $40 ADULT/YOUTH

T-SHIRTS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS SIGNED UP BY JUNE 15, 2016; FIRST COME AFTER. *YOUTH = 17&UNDER BY DAY OF RACE

FULL NAME: ________________________________________________

MALE OR FEMALE (PLEASE CIRCLE)

AGE ON RACE DAY: ______ DATE OF BIRTH (mm/dd/yyyy): ______________ PHONE NUMBER: ___________________

CUSTOM MEDALS FOR TOP 3 OF ALL ADDRESS: ______________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP: ______________________________ AGE GROUPS MALE & FEMALE: EMAIL ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________________________ 0-11, 12-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, CIRCLE SHIRT SIZE: (GUARANTEED ONLY BEFORE JUNE 15 ; FIRST COME AFTER JUNE 1ST) YS YM YL AS AM AL AXL A2XL A3XL 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+ EMERGENCY CONTACT: _________________________ PHONE: __________________ RELATION: ______________ PAYMENT:

ALL CHECKS MADE PAYABLE TO: CAPE CORAL CHAMBER

CASH ENCLOSED

CHECK ENCLOSED (CK#:_______)

CREDIT CARD (PLEASE GO ONLINE TO WEBSITE)

DRIVER’S LICENSE # (CHECK ONLY): _______________________________________________________________ FOR MILITARY PARTICIPANTS ONLY

MILITARY ID# ____________________ BRANCH OF SERVICE: ____________________ YEARS OF SERVICE: _________ Release Form (Mandatory) Incomplete or unsigned entry form cannot be accepted. I know that participating in this running event is a potentially hazardous activity. I agree not to enter and participate unless I am medically able and properly trained. I agree to abide by any decision of an event official relative to my ability to safely complete the event. I am voluntarily assuming all risks associated with participating in this running event including but not limited to falls, contact with other participants, spectators or others, the effects of weather, including heat, cold, and/or humidity, traffic and rough trail conditions on the course, all risks being known and appreciated by me. Having read this Waiver of Liability and knowing the facts, and in consideration of your acceptance of this application of entry in the Freedom 5k, to be held on July 4, 2016 I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the Ft. Myers Track Club, the State of Florida, the County of Lee, The City of Cape Coral, The Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral, all sponsors, volunteers, officers, directors and members of each said organization, their respective employees and agents, and any other entities and individuals who are in any way connected with this event even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on part of persons named in this waiver.

BY SUBMITTING THIS APPLICATION, I AGREE TO THE ABOVE WAIVER OF LIABILITY. The FMTC and Chamber of Commerce reserve the right to deny registration to any applicant. Further, I hereby give full permission to any and all of the foregoing to use any photographs, video-tapes, motion pictures, recording and any other record of this event for legitimate purposes.

Should this race be cancelled the entry fee shall be deemed a donation. PLEASE FOR SAFETY REASONS, NO STROLLERS, HEADSETS, DOGS OR ROLLER SKATES.

MAIL REGISTRATION FORM TO: CAPE CORAL CHAMBER ATTN: FREEDOM 5K 2051 CAPE CORAL PARKWAY EAST CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA 33904

____________________________________________ SIGNATURE OF PARTICIPANT

__________________ DATE OF SIGNATURE

2051 Cape Coral Parkway E Cape Coral, FL 33904 (239) 549-6900 www.capecoralchamber.com