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Trends Chamber

The Official Publication of The Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON MEETING AND PRINCIPAL’S LUNCH WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM, PALMETTO PINE COUNTRY CLUB

JOIN US EVERY TUESDAY AT THE SHOPS AT SURFSIDE FOR THE SURFSIDE SUNSET MARKET, 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM CAPE CORAL FARMERS’ MARKET OPENS OCTOBER 17 AT CLUB SQUARE 8:00 AM

OCTOBER 2015

JOIN US FOR THE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS OCTOBER 15 AT THE WESTIN AT MARINA VILLAGE 5:30 PM NETWORKING AT NOON HOSTED BY ACHIEVA CREDIT UNION OCTOBER 23 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

To Promote and Serve Business and Community

OCTOBER 2015 Publisher & Editor Donna Schuman-Germain President/CEO donna@capecoralchamber.com Contributing Editors Stephanie Roberson Technology Director stephanie@capecoralchamber.com Claudia St. Onge Business Manager cso@capecoralchamber.com Matt Lamb Membership Director matt@capecoralchamber.com Annette Siner Membership Sales annette@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

OCTOBER 7 ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A POLITICIAN? GULF COAST VILLAGE 1333 SANTA BARBARA BLVD, CAPE CORAL, FL 5:30 PM OCTOBER 14 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCH PRINCIPAL’S LUNCH PALMETTO PINE COUNTRY CLUB 1940 SW 9TH COURT, CAPE CORAL, FL 33904 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM OCTOBER 15 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS THE WESTIN AT MARINA VILLAGE 5951 SILVER KING BLVD, CAPE CORAL, FL 33914 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM OCTOBER 23 NETWORKING AT NOON ACHIEVA CREDIT UNION 1631 DEL PRADO BLVD, CAPE CORAL, FL 33990 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM TUESDAYS YEAR ROUND SURFSIDE SUNSET MARKET THE SHOPS AT SURFSIDE VETERANS PARKWAY AND SURFSIDE BLVD. CAPE CORAL, FL 33914 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM STARTING OCTOBER 17 CAPE CORAL FARMERS’ MARKET CLUB SQUARE 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE EVENTS ONLINE VISIT WWW.CAPECORALCHAMBER.COM

CHAMBER TRENDS Chamber Vision

Donna S. Germain President

The last few months since I was named the new Chamber President have been amazing. I cannot thank the search committee and the board enough for this opportunity. We have an amazing foundation already established to take our chamber to the next level. Together with staff and our volunteers, our focus will be on membership growth and development. Currently we represent roughly 10 percent of the businesses in our community, we would like to see that number grow. As our community continues to recover from the economic downturn, we continue to grow as an organization. With membership growth comes membership retention and development. Our mission as a chamber is to promote and serve business and community and we strive to accomplish that every day. Through our community events, networking events, marketing opportunities and educational programs, we will continue that mission and offer the best possible investment to our members for their continued success. As the Chamber continues to grow as an organization, it is so important for us to stay innovative. We have always been a very progressive chamber in regards to technology

and trends. My goal is to continue that tradition. Chamber’s today are very different than they were 20 years ago. Technology, social media and marketing has forced chambers to change their business models from the typical Ribbon Cutting or meet and greet. We will continue to look for ways to enhance those experiences for our members and add value to their membership benefits. The Chamber will continue with its current program of work while adding some fun community events and enhancing our educational programs. Leadership development remains at the forefront of our body of work. We are the Leadership Chamber and the continued improvement of our Leadership Cape Coral programs will remain one of key initiatives. Junior Leadership, Leadership Cape Coral, Advanced Leadership and our Community Trustee program have grown some amazing leaders over the last 22 years. We will definitely be carrying on that tradition while adding new components like our Women’s Leadership Conference which is in its third year and a Young Professionals group which will be added to our body of work for 2016. We will continue to support and enhance events like Holiday Festival of Lights which is a 20 plus year tradition for the Chamber. Our Excellence in Education Awards and scholarship program, Taste of the Cape, Freedom 5K and Farmers’ Markets will also remain in our body of work. In keeping with our mission, we want to offer opportunities for our members and the community to come together while enhancing our quality of life in Cape Coral.

2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman Ed Ramos, Ramos Builders, Inc. Chair-Elect Brett Bisbe, B2 Technology Solutions, Inc Treasurer Trish Lassiter, Lee County Electric Cooperative Past Chair Annette Carrasquillo,LAI Design Associates Barb Adams, LeeSar Beverly Black, Black Business Solutions, LLC Ed Bolter, Lamar Advertising Dana Brunett, City of Cape Coral Matthew Connar, Boost Creative Tony Constantino, Kevin M. Burns & Assoc. P.A. Diane Everhart, Blue Chip Financial Joseph Francioni, The Smart Companies Cynthia Gallagher, The Breeze Newspapers Sandra Griener, Sun Splash Family Waterpark Tom Hansen, Boat House of Cape Coral Tim Hauck, Fuller Metz Cremation and Funeral Services Scott Kashman, Cape Coral Hospital Laura Koehn, CapeCoral.com Cheryl Komnick, Caloosa Tent & Rental Michelle Lewis, B2 Technology Solutions Katharyn Owen, Jones, Haber and Rollings, PL Christopher Spiro, Spiro & Associates Michelle Whitlock, Siesta Pebble Pool Interiors Zachary Zeis, Storm Smart

CHAIRMAN EMERITUS Wayne Kirkwood, Kirkwood Electric, Inc. Thomas Giles, Avalon Engineering Joseph Mazurkiewicz, BJM Consulting, Inc. Donna Meola, Priority Payments of South Florida Thomas Shipp Jr, Attorney Elmer Tabor, Wonderland Realty/Cape Coral Town Center

TRUSTEES Kevin Ahmadi, Gulf Coast Village Keith Banasiak, Waste Pro of Florida Rhonda Chapman, First Citizens Bank Nancy Dunning, Cape Coral Association of Realtors Sallie Dywer, SunTrust Merchant Services Mike Hollow, RE/MAX Realty Team Jay Johnson, Bubba’s Roadhouse and Saloon David Owen, BB & T - Oswald, Trippe & Co. Larry Weir, Premier Insurance Corporation

CHAMBER STAFF

BE NUMBER ONE... BE SECOND TO NONE!

Donna S. Germain, President Claudia St. Onge, Business Manager & Farmers’ Market Director Stephanie Roberson, Technology Director Matt Lamb, Membership Director Annette Siner, Membership Sales Melanie Lempke, Administrative Generalist Lyz Crouthamel, Special Events Director Lisa Barrella, Membership Sales Contractor Lisa Soundara, Sales Contractor

AUGUST NEW MEMBERS & RENEWALS NEW MEMBERS Cape Cod Fish Co Debi DePaola Cardiac Care Group, LLC Anthony Giordano Cypress Pharmacy Debi DePaola Duffy’s of Cape Coral John Smith Goldberg, Racila, D’Alessandro & Noone, LLC Kelly Madden H2 Health and Fitness Heather Hicks Kelly J.J. Taylor Companies Major Asselin J.J. Taylor Florida Major Asselin Just Brakes Sarah Hamp Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc. Trish Fancher Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Inc. Sheila Mullins Old Pine Island Marina Jesse Bartholmew

Roman Roofing Norm Dopfer

State Insurance Agency - Brian Chapman Jr Brian Chapman Sundial Home Inspections, LLC Benjamin Donohue Vibrant Consulting Flora Sanchez YogaFit Suzanne Stelmak

RENEWALS A-1 Shelters Inc Join Date: 09/01/1991 ABC Supply Join Date: 08/01/1989 Andrew Barnette & Assoc. CPA,PA Join Date: 08/01/1992 Cape Christian Fellowship Join Date: 09/29/2006 Cape Coral High School Join Date: 09/28/1999 Casa di Fiori, LLC Join Date: 08/16/2012 Casa Loma Motel on the Waterfront Join Date: 03/19/2003

Cheetah Printing & Signs Join Date: 06/27/2012 CubeSmart Join Date: 09/25/2007 Family Hardware Do-it Express Join Date: 02/01/1998 Florida Buyer Broker Join Date: 08/13/2003

Olive Garden Join Date: 08/22/2011

Pavese Law Firm, LLP Join Date: 09/01/1991 Phil Deems Real Estate Join Date: 08/01/1990 RE/MAX Realty Team Join Date: 08/01/1990 Right Choice Realty, LLC. Join Date: 08/28/2013

The Foundation For Lee County Public Schools Join Date: 09/20/2005

Sam’s Club Join Date: 09/17/2014

Frank & Sons Moving & Storage Join Date: 06/01/2012

Stabley Marketing, LLC Join Date: 04/11/2012

Gulfshore Business Join Date: 06/20/2008

Tanger Outlet Center Join Date: 08/22/2003

Home and Away LLC Join Date: 03/30/2010

The Rotary Club of Cape Coral Join Date: 08/25/1999

Honc Marine Contracting, Inc. Join Date: 05/06/2009

Thompson Gas Join Date: 05/09/2012

Jackson PR Join Date: 02/14/2012

Tradewind Estate Homes, Inc Join Date: 08/12/2014

Jason’s Deli Join Date: 09/20/2004

Urgent Care Center of Southwest Florida Join Date: 09/01/2007

LAI Design Associates, LLC Join Date: 09/13/2010 Motorcycle Rentals CC Join Date: 09/05/2014

Wicked Dolphin Rum Join Date: 08/23/2013 THANK YOU FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Acentria Insurance, Inc. 405 Del Prado Blvd. N., Unit #100 Cape Coral, 33909 (239) 540-7283 www.acentria.com

Captain Bruceâ€™s SWFL Private Getaway (239) 789-6448 www.swfloridaprivategetaway.com

Dr. Mel Youngs. D.C., P.A. Chiropractic Physicians & Associates 916 SE Cape Coral Pkwy., Cape Coral, FL 33904 (239) 542-1422 www.dryoungs.com

H2 HEALTH AND FITNESS 1025 Santa Barbara Blvd, Unit 8 Cape Coral, FL 33991 (239) 772-3055

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida 8961 Daniels Center Drive, Suite 401 Ft. Myers, 33912 (239) 433-6707 www.hpcswf.com/navigator-project

Smoothie King Cape Coral 1806 Del Prado Blvd. S, Ste. 1, Cape Coral, 33990 (239) 673-8164 www.smoothieking.com/location/ view?store=1086

Overtime Pizzeria & Sports Pub 1708 Cape Coral Pkwy W., Unit 1 Cape Coral, 33914 (239) 541-3367 www.overtimecapecoral.com

Whether You Just Joined or Just Renewed Your Membership... Schedule Your Ribbon Cutting Today! Call Matt Lamb, Membership Director (239) 549-6900 ext 103

HEALTHY TRENDS

“LIFE CAN BE A ROLLER COASTER RIDE BUT HEALTH SHOULD NOT BE” Salvatore Lacagnina, D.O. Vice President of Health & Wellness, Lee Memorial Health System

y birthday celebration plans are usually a surprise and not revealed until the last moment. This year my wife got me again with a sunrise hot air balloon ride over beautiful Tampa. Given my passion and interest, I like to relate things that I do in life to health and health care and while on this hot air balloon ride, I was pondering my internal response to this somewhat scary event in order to understand what was happening inside my body and brain. Since I am afraid of heights, getting into this 4’x4’ basket and climbing to over 2000 ft. was somewhat anxiety provoking but from my facial expression and body language my wife and the pilot did not realize that I was quite stressed. My cortisol and adrenaline levels were definitely elevated. I did not check my blood pressure and pulse but I am sure they were up also! We spent one hour in the air and I was happy to feel the bumpy landing and to be climbing out of that basket to get my feet back on solid ground. Thanks Fred for the ride but I can now cross it off my bucket list and get on to the next adventure. What does this all have to do with health? I have written in the past about acute and chronic stress and explained the health implications of an acute and short term rise in stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) versus chronically elevated levels. In the typical “fight or flight” situation, stress hormones rise as a survival mechanism and help the individual fight off the attacking lion or run like the wind! Once the individual is out of danger, the stress hormones, blood pressure and pulse settle back into the normal range. In the 24x7x365 world that many folks live in today, stress hormones are chronically elevated leading to persistently elevated blood pressure, pulse and glucose levels. All this leads to what I have described before as “ED” or endothelial dysfunction. As a reminder, the endothelium is the inner lining of all blood vessels. The cells that make up the endothelium have many functions that allow the arteries and veins to stay supple and healthy allowing the blood to flow freely. When chronic stress occurs, this results in damage to the endothelium which then impairs blood flow to all areas of the body. Endothelial dysfunction is responsible for hypertension, heart disease, some forms of dementia and even ED, meaning erectile dysfunction. One type of ED can result in the other type of ED. When normal blood flow is diminished in any way, the organs which depend on this blood flow are affected. The red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to all cells of the body and carry away toxins. When blood flow is impaired, all these functions do not occur normally. The end result of abnormal function of the cells and organs in the body is accelerated aging. Yes, chronic stress can accelerate the aging process. It damages the cells and the mitochondria which, as we have learned from previous articles, are the

powerhouses of the cells. Energy is produced by the mitochondria and when the mitochondrial function is impaired, the cells cannot make the normal amount of energy. When this occurs, the end result is a fatigued, chronically tired person. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms associated with chronic stress. This probably occurs, at least partially due to what is called adrenal fatigue. This is a condition where the adrenal glands no longer function properly because of chronic stress. In the early stages, stress is handled ok since the adrenal glands are able to put out the necessary amounts of stress hormones. But as this continues, the output starts to fail and the person becomes symptomatic. How should we deal with chronic stress? We know that it is our response to any stressful situation that determines the effect on the body and brain. If we let many of life’s stressful events “get to us” then the internal reaction is harmful to every part of the body from the brain on down. If we learn how “not to sweat the small stuff,” then our internal reaction is not harmful and we essentially can “brush it off.” Useful things to do in order to deal effectively with stress include meditation, yoga, general exercise, prayer, deep breathing exercises, to name a few. When we learn how to calm ourselves down as we are experiencing stress, this helps the body and the brain. Recent research studies have looked at the effects of stress on the brain and show that chronic stress increases the risk of dementia. We know that Alzheimer’s dementia is on the rise and at least some of this is due to the effects of chronic stress and the effects of chronically elevated cortisol. If we want to decrease the risk of dementia as well as all the other chronic illnesses (cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes) and even cancer, we need to learn how to lessen the stress in our life. We need to avoid the roller coasters of emotions that sometimes affect us on a daily basis. We need to learn how to remain calm in the face of adversity and learn how to not sweat the small stuff. Getting back to my birthday surprise, we fortunately got out of the hot air basket unscathed (my wife Gina loved it!) and set off on the next part of our adventure. We then drove to Universal Studios in Orlando to ride roller coasters. Really! I’m not making this stuff up! More adrenaline rush as we rode “Rockit” which is a new coaster that starts out going 90 degrees straight up! And since I’m writing this article after the event, it is apparent that I survived. From a health perspective I guess I am doing ok. I survived the stress tests that I had over my birthday weekend and lived to write another article! Since the overall experience was very pleasurable, I know the weekend was good for my health. I have written in the past and talked at my presentations on the importance of social time and happiness. Good health comes to those who are happy and those who enjoy social time with family and friends. We need to love and be loved. We need to forgive and be forgiven. Good health involves many other things aside from just eating healthy food, exercising and taking vitamins. I do write about the importance of these things but when we are blessed with good people in our lives who love us and whom we love, we receive the best health physically and mentally. In closing, take a hot air balloon ride and ride the roller coasters in the amusement parks with family and friends but learn how to deal with the other roller coasters in life as described above so you will have another day to enjoy family, friends and life in this great place that we live called southwest Florida. Stay well my friends and send comments and questions to Dr.Sal@Leememorial. org

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GOVERNMENT TRENDS DID YOU VOTE

Joseph Francioni, Chairman The Smart Companies

id you vote? Did your co-workers vote? After seeing the small voter turnout for the primary I fear many did not. I believe only 14 thousand people voted out of over 160 thousand residents. Hopefully, we will see an increase in the general election. The Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral â€œAre You Smarter Than A Politician?â€? Candidates

Forum is coming up on October 7, 2015. This will be held at Gulf Coast Village and will start at 5:30pm. This event will give you the opportunity to hear each of the recent primary front runners & what platforms they are running on before the General Election. Also will test their knowledge of Cape Coral compared to the audiences. The Primaries winners are, in district two with 43.05% of the votes John Carioscia & with 25.37% of the votes Kirk Lagrasta, in district three with 45.92% of the votes Marilyn Stout & Chris Cammarota with 29.20% of the votes and in District Seven with Jessica Cosden with 46.20% of the votes & Timothy Barrier with 30.07% of the votes. Congratulations to all of you and a thank you to all the candidates that were in the Primary.

Whether You Just Joined or Just Renewed Your Membership... Schedule Your Ribbon Cutting Today! Call Matt Lamb, Membership Director (239) 549-6900 ext 103

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Chamber Trends Monthly Advertising

Basic Advertising Prices Full Page $337.00 1/2 Page $227.00 1/4 Page $147.00 Business Card $117.00 (All ads include a hyperlink to your companyâ€™s website or a 30-second commercial promoting your business. 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 companyâ€™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. Dimensions - 6 inches wide x 8 inches tall, 300 dpi resolution. Please call Donna Germain at 549-6900 ext. 107 for more information. All Chamber Publications Are Distributed to More Than 16,000 contacts

LCEC – your cooperative

empowers you!

When you are an LCEC customer, you belong to one of the largest not-for-profit electric cooperatives in the nation. Governed by customers, we are committed to delivering reliable and cost competitive electricity.

Financial Strength

Reliability

• No rate increase for six years. Rate decrease in 2014*

• Maintaining 8,000 miles of power lines year-round

• Proudly serving customers since 1940

• Returned $220 million • On-call 24 hours a in equity over the day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year years

• One of only six Centers of Excellence in the utility industry

Quality Service

Community

• Top ten United Way employee contributor and community partner • Employees volunteer more than 5,000 hours annually

* 7% Public Service Tax – Imposed by Cape Coral City Council * 3% Cape Coral Franchise fee * 4.5% Unincorporated Lee County Franchise Fee – Approved by Lee County Commissioners

www.lcec.net

REAL ESTATE TRENDS THE FALL PREVIEW

Berge Aslanian (CDPE) Realtor, RE/MAX Island Harbor

number of changes are beginning to influence our market. Can you guess what they might be? Summer is officially over and the first 9-29-15 day of Fall is now behind us. As we Real Estate Trends for the coming high season, The Fallprepare Preview we should be learning a few things A number of changes are beginning to influence our market. Can you guess what they might be? Summer is officially over and the firstwhat day ofhas Fallbeen is nowhappening. behind us. As we from prepare for the coming high season, we should be learning a few things from what has been happening. Our trends and preview will shed Our trends and preview will shed some light. But take a looknumbers at the Capefor Coral some light. But first, let’s take a look at first, the let’s Cape Coral the numbers for the three month period ending 9/29/15:

For Sale Sold

July ‘15 Aug ’15 Median $ Homes Homes 1279 $318,500 1235 389 $197,250 308

Sept ‘15 Median $ Homes Median $ $329,750 1258 $329,750 $198,000 357 $194,000

For Sale Sold

July ’15 Aug ’15 Condos Median $ Condos 197 $170,250 193 48 $122,000 36

Sept ‘15 Median $ Condos Median $ $179,500 199 $199,500 $125,000 33 $122,000

Inventory of single family homes and condos For Sale have been holding steady. Median prices of homes For Sale are steady too. September home sales showed an increase of 16% for number of homes sold; median price of these homes slipped just a bit. What this means is that there is minimal resistance to the higher prices and buyers are trying to buy as many as possible on the low side to take advantage of the steadily increasing prices.

three month period ending 9/29/15: Inventory of single family homes and condos For Sale have been holding steady. Median prices of homes For Sale are steady too. September home Condos For Sale followed the trend set by single family homes For Sale with steady sales showed an increase of 16% for number of homes sold; median price inventory while median prices are up by about 10%. Numbers of condos Sold dipped once and median slightly. Thisisalso are ofsnapping theseagain homes slippedprices just have a bit.decreased What this means thatindicates there isbuyers minimal up the lower priced units in anticipation of steady increases throughout the oncoming season. resistance to the higher prices and buyers are trying to buy as many as Sellers are to learn that price increasesofmust the market; goingprices. up in possible on beginning the low side to take advantage thefollow steadily increasing price too much will drive buyers to other properties. Condos For Sale followed the trend set by single family homes For Sale Let’s face the facts. Prices in Cape Coral have been going up consistently since we with steadyoutinventory while priceswillare up bytoabout Numbers bottomed several years ago.median And, prices continue go up 10%. over the coming year. As home prices continue to climb, builders are now able to build new homes and ofsellcondos dipped oncetheagain andbe true median prices have decreased them forSold a profit. Pretty soon same will of condos. In memory of the late, great Yogi Berra, a twist on one of his Yogi-isms is, “if you see a trend, take it!”. slightly. This also indicates buyers are snapping up the lower priced units in How can we test this out beyond the simple numbers above? Well, cost of labor is up anticipation steady increases throughout thetradesmen, oncomingmost season. and there isofnow a shortage of available skilled left when the construction market here crashed. Cost of materials is up because of inflation and Sellers are beginning to learn that price increases must follow the market; shortages. Insurance, permits and fees are up too. As these items go up, the price to buy a home or condo also increases. And, another fact is that the lower priced going up in price too much will drive buyers to other properties. units are being bought up by savvy investors and end-users. Let’s face the facts. Prices in Cape Coral have been going up consistently since we bottomed out several years ago. And, prices will continue to go up over the coming year. As home prices continue to climb, builders are now able to build new homes and sell them for a profit. Pretty soon the same will be true of condos. In memory of the late, great Yogi Berra, a twist on one of his Yogi-isms is, “if you see a trend, take it!”. How can we test this out beyond the simple numbers above? Well, cost of labor is up and there is now a shortage of available skilled tradesmen, most left when the construction market here crashed. Cost of materials is up because of inflation and shortages. Insurance, permits and fees are up

too. As these items go up, the price to buy a home or condo also increases. And, another fact is that the lower priced units are being bought up by savvy investors and end-users. Recently a couple mentioned that they were renting for another year before buying here in the Cape. They could easily afford to buy now but they weren’t sure if buying now was a wise move. When asked if they had noticed prices of homes for sale kept going up over the period of time that they had been renting, they answered “Yes.” They seemed to think that even though they knew prices were higher where they had come from, they just didn’t think that our prices would ever approach what they left. Further questioning uncovered the fact that our prices had now exceeded what they left but they still didn’t think that mattered. Simple analysis clearly showed that price increases here averaged 18-20% each year and this year would be no different. In practical terms, that means the house you could by today for $150,000 will probably cost $180,000 next year if you can find one. New homes “on your lot” start at $189,900 with you paying for permits and fees. Once again, “if you see a trend, take it”. Last month this column discussed the new settlement statements mandated by our illustrious protectors of the people in Washington, DC. This new program is supposed to start October 3rd, not the 30th as originally reported. Cash transactions are not affected by the new rules. Any transactions with financing will take a lot longer than before, especially in the beginning since all rules have not yet been defined and no one has any experience wading through the system. So, there you have it. The fall preview of price trends and the settlement statement changes are the topics of the day. The way we see it, now is the time to take a ride on the wave of increasing prices by paying cash and then selling for a profit either in the near term or long term. Knowing all this and using experienced, licensed real estate agents to see your way through is always the best way to Happy Property Hunting or Selling! Berge Aslanian (CDPE) is a Realtor in Cape Coral with Island Harbor Realty and an active member of the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral. For questions about residential real estate, please call his cell, (239) 989-3463 or email realtorberge@att.net or visit www.RECapeCoral.com.

BE NUMBER ONE... BE SECOND TO NONE!

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCH

t the September General Membership Lunch, nearly 100 Chamber Members heard from Guest Speaker Dennie Hamilton, CEO of LCEC. (Top Left) The Chamber also welcomed our table top sponsors The Adirondack Chocolatier, who brought some delicious treats to snack on before lunch and Fifth Third Bank (mid left and right) (Bottom Left) Special Events Director Lyz Crouthamel and Women’s Leadership Conference Chair Rhonda Chapman thanked the sponsors of the conference including LCEC represented by Karen Ryan. (Bottom Right) The Chamber also welcomed it’s newest group of members. Join us for the October General Membership Meeting and Principal’s Lunch at Palmetto Pine Country Club on October 14th. Principal Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Contact Melanie Lempke at 549-6900 ext 102 for more information.

Diamond Member Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral Lee Memorial Health System P.O. Box 2218 Fort Myers, FL 33902

CenturyLink Store 2710 Del Prado Blvd. South Cape Coral, FL 33904 LCEC 4980 Bayline Dr North Fort Myers, FL 33917

Executive Member Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral Dean Street Insurance 615 Cape Coral Pkwy W 104, Cape Coral

Gulf Coast Village Retirement Community 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd. Cape Coral The News-Press - Fort Myers Office 2442 Dr. MLK Blvd. Ft. Myers 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

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

$ LCEC works hard to manage costs, maintain the electric system, improve processes and create efficiencies so that electric rates can remain competitive for customers. We do not plan to raise rates in 2013 and will continue to do everything possible to keep rates stable.

LCEC hasn’t raised electric rates in nearly 5 years! The increase on your upcoming electric bill is due to a tax imposed by the City of Cape Coral. LCEC customers in Cape Coral will notice a change in their electric bill beginning October 1, 2013. Cape Coral City officials recently levied a public service tax of 7 percent that will be added to monthly electric bills. The new tax will be displayed on your LCEC bill as a separate line item so it can be easily identified. LCEC is required by law to collect the tax from business and residential customers who purchase electricity in Cape Coral. LCEC will deliver funds to the City similar to how Cape Coral franchise fees are delivered, which are also collected through electric bills.This new tax will be used to fund the City’s general operations. To calculate the amount the monthly public service tax will add to your electric bill, visit www.capecoral.net and utilize the PST Calculator. Please refer any questions regarding the Cape Coral public service tax to the Cape Coral Citizens’ Action Center, 239-574-0425. www.lcec.net • 239-656-2300

Tuscany

With the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce Tuscany

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Departing October 20, 2015 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT LYZ CROUTHAMEL ForAT more information, please contact (239) 549-6900 EXT 111 Amanda Brunson at (239) 549-6900

UNIVERSITY TRENDS EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION

Professor MIchael “Q” Quaintance, MBA Keiser University

otivation is important in that it is the awakening and sustaining of goaldirected behavior, both internal to each of us, and external to those we manage. Interesting enough, the Latin root word movere, means “to move.” Motivation in a manager’s world means creating a psychological state that allows managers to accomplish through others. One way managers build motivation is by incorporating motivation factors into a job. This is known as job enrichment. These motivational factors include responsibility, achievement, recognition, advancement, and the work itself. Job satisfaction is attained when employees realize achievement, receive recognition, have more involvement in decision-making, have an increased salary, and have access to professional growth opportunities. Job dissatisfaction creeps in because of restrictive company policy and administration, poor interpersonal relations between team members, inadequate or unsafe working conditions, low salaries, autocratic supervision, and lack of growth and advancement opportunities. The Expectancy Model of Motivation suggests that there are three components to the successful employee motivation and engagement equation: Effort + Performance = Reward. Therefore, job

dissatisfaction can lead to motivational problems for three reasons: employees do not believe in the organization’s relationship between effort and performance, a lack of belief in the relationship between performance and rewards, and the lack of satisfaction for the rewards an organization offers to its employees. It is incumbent for managers to consistently evaluate the organization’s efforts to create a motivational environment. Managers need to identify employees’ needs, while also remembering that each employee is unique. Each employee responds to different motivational factors. Know your employees! Managers can increase employee motivation by training, coaching, and offering employees expanded task assignments. Rewards that reinforce positive behaviors include paid time off, flexible work schedules, or a relaxed dress code. Managers should be aware that morally mature employees are cognizant and sensitive to inequities at work. However, morally mature employees are less likely to be selfish or self-centered, and are concerned about equity issues for all employees. By participating in leadership programs, completing post-secondary degrees, or engaging in advanced degrees, a manager can better hone their knowledge, skills and abilities to create a more efficient and effective workplace. For more information on leadership programs, call the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral at (239) 549-6900. For more information of post-secondary opportunities, call Keiser University at (239) 277-1336. Keiser actively recruits members for MBA cohorts all year long.

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A 2016 Real Estate Look Forward

SAVE THE DATE! Presented By:

Tuesday, November 17th, 2015 Tradeshow at 5:00 · Program at 6:30 Cape Christian Fellowship

Tickets can be purchased online at CatchTheVisionCapeCoral.com For more information call Gloria Tate/Linda Biondi of Raso Realty, Inc. at 239-542-2254 In Conjunction With: