KNOWLEDGE. INVESTING IN

We’re proud to support those who work toward a brighter tomorrow.

JoAnn Elardo

Founder

Cape Spirits Inc.

1990, JoAnn Elardo watched the Berlin Wall come down and traveled to Warsaw, Poland, to explore business opportunities. In June of 1991, she opened AmerSport S.P., with her husband Bob, which started as a sporting goods retail shop and Distribution Company in Warsaw, Poland. Between 1993 and 2008, the operation expanded to eleven Eastern Europe countries, and over 60 locations throughout Poland, the Czech Republic and Ukraine. In 1996, Elardo won Licensee of the Year for Converse Shoe & Apparel Licensee. In 2004 Elardo was awarded Best Distributor CAT Shoes & Apparel. JoAnn & Bob Sold AmerSport S.P.z.o.o in 2008 to Empik Media, a Russian Fortune 500 Company.

JoAnn has a passion for charity work and has worked on many projects — Toast for Hope, Hope Hospice in Cape Coral, Animal Refuge Center & Gulf Coast Humane Society. JoAnn had a great working relationship with her family’s friend Fr. Ignace Loleke, together they built a school in the Congo.

In 2010 she started a new project to build the area’s first Clinic by 2015. Happy to report, in January 2018 the Nkamba Medical Clinic welcomed Doctors Without Borders which helped with a Cholera outbreak in the region.

In 2010 JoAnn Elardo started a Florida Rum Distillery concentrating on Florida ingredients, Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery. The family-run distillery produces seven award-winning rums & vodka making it one of the largest Craft Distilleries in Florida.

2020 was a year of Change! JoAnn & her team at Wicked Dolphin was asked to help with the shortage of hand sanitizers for our Hospitals and First Responders, Nursing homes, Schools, etc. All production for Spirits stopped immediately and the company switched gears. They also handed out over 10,000 free bottles of sanitizers to the local community and businesses.

JoAnn is the Founder and President of the Board of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter. In March 2020, the shelter building was completed with a 9,000 sq. ft. modern state-of-the-art Medical Clinic & Shelter, one of the newest in Florida. Within 1 year the Shelter has saved over 1,400 animals. They are now expanding the Shelter with another 16,000 sq. ft. building.

In 2021 JoAnn joined the Board of Gulf Coast Business Bank. The bank became fully funded and approved in April of 2022 and opened its doors on June 6th 2022 with the first location in Fort Myers, FL.

With more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry, Tom Moran is Chairman, CEO and CIO of Moran Wealth Management®, an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm with a comprehensive team of more than 35 professionals. As an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®), Tom is sworn to act in the best interests of every client, an obligation he accepts humbly and enthusiastically.

A recognized industry leader who has called Naples home for more than 40 years, Tom has authored articles and been interviewed for Barron’s, The Wall Street Journal, Gulfshore Business, and Naples Daily News and frequently lectures throughout the nation on the economy and financial markets.

Highly respected nationally for his experience, professional conduct, and success, Tom has received important accolades from industry giants. Barron’s has ranked Tom as the #1 Financial Advisor in

Southwest Florida for more than 10 years, earning him placement in the Barron’s Hall of Fame. Additionally, he has been ranked a Top 100 Independent Advisor in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Barron’s also recognized Moran Wealth Management® as a Top 100 Team in 2021 and 2022. He was ranked by Forbes as a Best-in-State Wealth Advisor in 2020-2022, complementing his inclusion on the 2016–2021 Top 250 Wealth Advisor List.

Chairman Emeritus of the Board for Opera Naples, Moran has long exhibited a dedication to supporting charities and nonprofit organizations throughout the region. Educational initiatives include Florida Gulf Coast University’s Bloomberg Research Lab which provides students with hands-on experience in financial analysis and research. Moran Wealth is a partner of Barron’s in Education which works to improve the financial proficiency for the next generation of business leaders and advisors, specifically at FGCU.

Tom along with Sandi, his wife of 35 years, is also particularly devoted to children’s charities and the arts. They are Lifetime Trustees of the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), and twice, in 2015 and 2016, served as co-chairs of NCEF’s Naples Winter Wine Festival. Each of those years the event earned the distinction of being the #1 charitable wine festival in the United States raising over $24 million dollars. Their support of myriad charitable and arts-oriented organizations includes recently pledging $5 million towards construction of the Moran Main Stage of the new Baker Theatre and Education Center at Gulfshore Playhouse.

Mark Stevens, a resident of Lee County since 1974, returned to Fort Myers after graduating from the University of Florida to build his family, career and business. A Florida Certified General Contractor, Mark established Stevens Construction in 2003 after 14 years with another construction firm. Mark and the Stevens Construction team have grown the company to a business with an annual revenue in excess of $126M and offices in Orlando, Sarasota and headquarters in Fort Myers.

A 35-year construction veteran, Mark leads operations and business development for the Company. He has created a unique construction management process that has proven successful with all of Stevens Construction’s clients, allowing the Company to earn more than 80% of its business from repeat or referred clients.

Mark is most passionate about helping clients early in their development and construction process which has the most impact on the schedule and budget. Oftentimes business owners do not know where to begin with an undertaking like the construction of a new building, renovation or expansion. Mark truly enjoys helping clients with due diligence of a potential site or evaluation of an existing building before a property is purchased to ensure what they want to build is possible on that location. Providing more than just construction, Mark also provides recommendations to clients for the architect and engineers best suited for their project because of his vast design team network. He then guides clients through the design of their project allowing them to make educated decisions that align with their budget and schedule and the project can move forward and stay on track throughout construction.

Not only is Mark committed to his company, but also the community he serves. He is chair of the Horizon Council and has been a board member since 2006. Mark has previously served on the board of directors for Lee Building Industry Association, Builders Care, Page Healthcare, and JDRF. Mark has also been recognized as an Earn to Learn Mentor of Impact, “40 Under 40” recipient by Gulfshore Business, “Top Entrepreneur” by the Fort Myers News-Press and “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Business Observer.

Mark and his wife, Nicole have seven kids, and on the weekends; they’re often relaxing at camp, on the water or cheering on kids at various sporting events. Mark enjoys fishing, hunting and just being outdoors with his family.