Gulfshore Business August 2022

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GOING UNDERGROUND SWFL weighs costs, benefits of burying power lines __P. 58

CLEAN CHALLENGE Water quality front and center for Gulfshore businesses __P. 42

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Contents.

F E AT U R E S

P.42

P.58

P.70

THE CHALLENGE

NOTES FROM THE

BEST OF BUSINESS

OF STAYING CLEAN

UNDERGROUND

Water quality is still

SWFL weighs the

recognition of the

front and center for

costs, benefits of

Best in Southwest

businesses along

burying power lines

Florida

the Gulfshore

Tenth annual

Contents.

D E PA R T M E N T S

TakeNote Mood Board P. 12 Spaces P. 14 Makers P. 20 Creatives P. 26 Bookmark P. 32 Trendline P. 36 Economic Commentary P. 38

P.26

B2B

P 92

TECHNOLOGY FSW endowment guides students to a growing industry P 94

GROWTH & EXPANSION Naples-based Dragon Horse Agency goes bicoastal P 96

ENTREPRENEURSHIP Caroline Cooper’s entrepreneurial balancing act P 102

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Top sales in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties P 104

NEW & EXPANDING BUSINESSES Top leases in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties

P.92

P.96

4 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Aloia Roland - Attorney Spotlight As a Southwest Florida native, Stephen Dommerich cares deeply for the community and draws upon that passion in his career. A rising star in the legal field, Dommerich practices business litigation at Aloia, Roland, Lubell & Morgan, PLLC. He believes that ethics and integrity contribute to the well-being of society by promoting justice and he consistently strives to achieve the best results for his clients.

Dommerich is surrounded by a talented, like-minded team who uphold the highest standards in their practice. As a full-service firm,Aloia Roland practices business and real estate law, commercial litigation, personal injury and wrongful death, civil litigation, family law and estate planning and probate.

Thank you for voting our team “Best of Business”

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Our Dedicated Service Defines Us.

Contents.

D E PA R T M E N T S

P.114

P.00 AFTER HOURS

P 108

HORSEPOWER The ultra-deluxe 2022 Mercedes-Maybach P 110

WELLNESS The legacy of Transcendental Meditation P 112

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Flavor on the go from the OpenRange Camp Kitchen P 114

WEEKEND GETAWAY Hit the gas and visit Sebring for racing excitement P 120

UNWIND Nighttime is the right time to explore SWFL for mental calm at home

P.110 P.108

6 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

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READER SERVICES

EDI T OR IN CHIEF

Heidi Rambo Centrella Office Address 26101 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134 Call or text 239.498.8500 gulfshorebusiness.com info@gulfshorebusiness.com

Managing Editor T im At en Senior Editor Dav id Dor se y Digit al Editor A dam Regan A ssociate Editor K ai t lin Gr eenock le A ssis t ant Editor K a t iusk a C ar r illo A ssis t ant Editor S aman t ha Roe sler Copy Editor S t e v e Gill

CON T RIBU T ORS A r t is Hender son , Jus t in P apr ock i , Jame s Raia , A isling S w i f t

ART Cr eative Dir ec tor s Sco t t Glick , Jer r y P omale s

Pho to Editor Dennis Wr igh t

Subscriptions Subscribe online at gulfshorebusiness.com, call or text 239.498.8500 for more information.

Change of address Send old and new addresses and a mailing label, if possible, to Gulfshore Life, 26101 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134.

Visit gulfshorebusiness.com/subscribe to login and update your address, call or text 239.498.8500 or email subscriptions@gulfshorebusiness.com.

Pho tographer/ V ideographer K r ishna S amoedjh

ADVERTISING A ssociate Publisher C hr is Rens t r om

M A RK E T ING Dir ec tor of Marke ting and Event s Rachel G alan t e Digit al Media Marke ting Manager Br i t t ne y K leis

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PRODUC T ION Pr oduc tion Manager Mar t ha L eav i t t

Back issues A limited number of back issues are available for $4.95 each plus tax and postage. Call or text 239.498.8500 or visit gulfshorebusiness.com/backissues.

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Contact Us Please send all correspondence to: Gulfshore Business 26101 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134 Call or text us at 239.498.8500.

A DMINIS T R AT ION Adver tising Ser v ices Manager, Subscriptions & Dis tribution K a t hleen Hill

WEBSITE gulfshorebusiness.com

Volume 27/Number 8, August, Gulfshore Business (ISSN 1935-8199), is published 12 times a year by Gulfshore Life Media, 26101 Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Subscriptions are free to qualified individuals residing in the United States. For customer service inquiries or to change your address by providing both the old and new addresses, contact: Gulfshore Business, 26101 Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Telephone (239) 498-8501 or email subscriptions@gulfshorebusiness.com. Periodicals postage paid at Naples, FL, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2022 by Gulfshore Life Media. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts without return postage will not be returned. DISCLAIMER: Advertisements in the publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law.

P O S T M A S T E R : S e n d a d d r e s s c h a n g e s t o G u l f s h o r e B u s i n e s s , 2 6 1 0 1 Ta m i a m i Tr a i l , B o n i t a S p r i n g s , F L 3 4 1 3 4 .

8 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

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from the editor.

AUGUST 2022

Change for the Better, Cheers for the Best Batten down the hatches—we’re heading into the

this month; read the experts’ plans for large-scale power preparedness beginning on p. 58.

And while hurricanes remain a primary focus for this period of the year, it doesn’t take a major weather event to disrupt the balance of nature and touch off a disaster, as we unfortunateHEIDI RAMBO CENTRELLA EDITOR IN CHIEF

ly learned during the blue-green algae outbreak of 2018. Water quality should be a perpetual top-of-mind issue for Flo-

peak months for hurricanes, and back in May the

ridians; Artis Henderson heads out on a

NOAA Climate Prediction Center forecast that

guided tour through San Carlos Bay with

this would be the seventh consecutive season of

Daniel Andrews of grassroots nonprofit

above-average activity. That means, according to

Captains for Clean Water (p.42) to get a

the prediction, a 65% chance of an Atlantic hurri-

heron’s-eye view of what’s at stake in en-

cane season containing 14 to 21 named storms, 6

vironmental conservation and discuss

to 10 hurricanes and 3 to 6 major hurricanes. Of

possibilities for preserving our area’s

course, that doesn’t mean our area is definitely

special quality of life.

going to get walloped—we certainly hope to be

And speaking of local quality of life:

fortunate enough to dodge a major calamity and

This issue also celebrates Gulfshore

continue last year’s streak of relatively peaceful

Business’ 10th annual Best of Business

skies and seas. But it’s always good to have a plan.

recipients, as readers cast votes for their

As Southwest Florida residents begin keeping a

favorite representatives in 34 categories

closer eye on the forecasts and going through our

across an array of industries from ac-

checklists to make sure we’re prepared for the

counting and technology to real estate

possibility of severe weather, power companies

and hospitality services. The winners

continue their work to diminish the risk of storm damage and decrease the length of outages by burying residential and commercial power lines.

And while it’s cheaper and easier to do in new

p.42 WATER QUALITY The challenge of staying clean.

and finalists are listed beginning on page 70. The Best of Business issue is one we look forward to each year with much anticipation, as it gives thousands of

construction, older communities have also been

participants a chance to share deserved

making the switch in a process that began in ear-

recognition for local businesses. We ap-

nest in the wake of 2017’s Hurricane Irma. David

plaud all of the recipients for their hard

Dorsey digs into the details of “undergrounding”

work, talent and dedication to serving Southwest Florida. Congratulations!

1 0 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

p_12 Top-tier equipment to boost your barbecuing

TakeNote MOOD BOARD | SPACES | MAKERS | CREATIVES | BOOKMARK TRENDLINE | ECONOMIC COMMENTARY

Provided

Made for MHK A STYLISH REDESIGN FOR A FUN WORK ENVIRONMENT p_14

By Aisling Swift

TakeNote

AUGUST 2022

MOOD BOARD

By James Raia

King of the Grill A skilled barbecue practitioner can create perfectly grilled salmon, a juicy hamburger or summer-defining barbecued chicken. It requires limited investment in the tools of the culinary art form.

A 14-inch black portable Cuisinart charcoal-using grill costs about

Kalamazoo K1000HT Freestanding Hybrid Fire Grill With heavy cast bronze burners, this high-performance barbecue can cook with any combination of gas, wood and charcoal. The temperature range is versatile, meaning it’s equally adept at searing quickly or cooking low and slow.

“Every one is manufactured handmade,” says

$30. It has a 150-square-inch cooking rack, a dual venting system,

Samples of arguably the most luxurious grill

an enamel-coated firebox and an ash catcher. A long, two-pronged

available. “Literally, when you buy there’s a serial

fork or a decent spatula might add another $10. An eight-pound bag

number and it’s a thank you note. Everyone who

of Kingsford charcoal briquettes costs about $8.

worked on that grill signs this little sticker that

Grilling connoisseurs often disdain such simplicity. Many barbecue

goes on the inside. There’s a lifetime warranty on

wizards lean toward “bigger is better”—massive stainless-steel

pretty much everything. Not only are you buying

counters, multi-temperature heating dials with LED lights, Wi-Fi

something rare that’s for you; it’s art.”

settings, infrared side burners and halogen lights are all considered requisites.

No doubt, high-tech-minded barbecue craftspeople have their varied ways. Expensive gadgets are also thought of as must-have accessories … as if whatever is being cooked knows the difference.

“All you are really asking for is to cook some burgers,” says Ken

The K1000 HT is made from marine-grade stainless steel. It has four cast stainless steel burners (26,500 BTUs each) and 1,012 square inches of grilling area. There’s a rotisserie system with infrared burners and a motor mounted in the cabinet. Optional laser-cut grilling surfaces are available with pattern choices specific for

Samples, general manager of Grill & Fill, the specialty grill business

meat, fish and vegetables. The electronic control

with two locations in Naples. “A $20,000 grill will not make a steak

bezels have LED sensors.

taste any better than a $150 grill you can buy at Walmart. You’ve got

Built upon individual orders, Kalamazoo grills

to start with the meat.” Grill & Fill sells a wide range of grills, entry-

usually ship in about 10 weeks from the compa-

level to high-end, as well as contraptions and accessories.

ny’s headquarters in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

But if accoutrements enhance your enjoyment of the process, what more justification do you need? For those so inclined on stateof-the-art equipment, here’s a look at options to make barbecuing

kalamazoogourmet.com $29,795

more bodacious.

1 2 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Provided(4)

TOP-TIER EQUIPMENT TO BOOST YOUR BARBECUING

Luxury Grills For skilled barbecue practitioners, bigger isn’t always better, but for many grilling connoisseurs, using state-of-the-art equipment is a must ... even though a high-end grill will not make a steak taste any better than a lower-end one.

Mont Alpi 805 Black Stainless Steel Island

SABER Deluxe Black 4-Burner Gas Grill

Grillbot

An island six-burner gas grill (115,000

A four-burner gas grill with four cook-

bottle of degreaser once was the go-to for

BTUs) with additional infrared rear and side

ing zones and a large grilling area, this

cleaning grill grates. Today, what’s needed

burners, is fitted with halogen lights in the

black-painted offering has a powder-coated

is a Grillbot. It’s the so-called Roomba for

cooking zone for night cooking ease.

finished cart, double doors and a lid with

barbecues.

“What you try to do is determine the needs of the customer first,” says Larry

cast aluminum end caps.

SABER touts its grills with a patented

A wire brush with a sturdy handle and spray

Just like its vacuuming relative, Grillbot does the work without human intervention.

Peterson, assistant manager at Wiliams-

cooking technology that “ensures even

Place it on the barbecue, turn it on and it

Sonoma in Naples, which sells several

heat at every temperature while eliminating

does its job. Three electric motors power

manufacturers’ grills. “Some people don’t

flare-ups” to use 30% less propane. The

the wire brushes that move across the grill.

want to use gas; they might live in a condo,

multi-position enamel warming rack adds

Speed, brush direction and overall move-

so what are the other options? There are

cooking versatility.

ment are controlled by a chip inside the mini

smokeless grills with infrared heat.”

The Mont Alpi grill also has large drawers and cabinets to store accessories and to

Like other top-notch grills, SABER grills can easily convert from liquid propane to natural gas with a conversion kit sold separately.

hold a propane tank. And it operates on natural gas with a small 15-minute DIY conversion.

montalpionline.com $6,349

R2-D2.

If you’re busy, perhaps while sipping a beer and talking over the backyard fence to a neighbor, no worries: The Grillbot also has

sabergrills.com $2,339

an alarm. When the grill is clean, you’ll be notified.

grillbots.com $109.95 (with case)

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 1 3

TakeNote S PA C E S

AUGUST 2022

By Aisling Swift

Made for MHK A STYLISH REDESIGN FOR A THOUGHTFUL AND FUN WORK ENVIRONMENT The building at 2059 Tamiami Trail East has gone through many transformations over 45 years, from Thalheimers Jewelers auction gallery to five nightclubs, including the eclectic Sway Lounge, known for its rooftop tree.

In its latest metamorphosis, Naples architect Matthew Kragh created a fun, contemporary 8,700-square-foot workplace and functional showroom inside and out, where clients can see and feel products MHK Architecture & Planning uses, and employees can work in a creative office environment.

“It reflects the culture of my staff, which is fun—right down to the pingpong table, slot-car races and the barbecue,” Kragh says. “You spend more waking hours at work than in your home, so we wanted to make it a place employees want to come to.”

Executive assistant Michelle Gomez said the open space promotes interaction among clients and employees, who can participate in fun activities outside. “The new MHK office is the ideal place to be for inspiring creativity,” Gomez says.

Kragh spent $2.2 million in September 2019 for the 1.19-acre property and put about $3 million into renovations before the July 2021 opening. MHK designed the building and Connor & Gaskins Unlimited was the contractor. It’s the headquarters for nine offices in four states.

“The building had a lot of issues,” Kragh says. “The roof was caving in; we had to start by putting in a $30,000 steel beam to hold it up. Then we had to replace the roof, because it was leaking like crazy.”

Tina Sargeant

Kragh saved the good bones and “nostalgic coolness” Naples architect Mark Leonardi created for Sway: warehouse-style exposed steel 1 4 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

 

COST OF TRANSFORMATION Naples architect Matt Kragh spent $2.2 million for the property and $3 million on renovations.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 1 5

TakeNote S PA C E S

beams and cable railings. He duplicated the rusticated steel beams and the cable railings, providing unobstructed views.

Legno Bastone flooring and Fox Furniture products, including mirror-cut, live-edge black oak conference tables, span the space. Upstairs, there’s a private Zoom room, a training room and a wall of windows clients can open and close.

Kragh plans another showroom inside an 8,000-square-foot building in the parking lot.

 

FRAMING MHK HOMES

“It’s going to be high-end man caves,

hler hangs at the entrance on Ipe dividers.

car and RV storage, office mezzanines, fire

Provided

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walls by Naples-based BeeArt Greenwall Experts that frame large photos of MHK projects. The entryway is Turkish shell stone, which MHK uses on pool decks, while patio decking is Ipe, which stays cool. Planters provide a burst of color, along with contemporary outdoor seating and a fire pit.

“The outdoor area is the main theme. The idea was to bring that live pit areas,” Kragh says, adding that he

the difference between a $500,000

wall indoors,” he says. “I wanted that

plans to lease out the other 65-by-25-

and $1 million window package.” An-

to be the aesthetic, so when you’re in-

foot bays to recoup the office purchase,

other wall will feature stone patterns,

side, you’re always drawn out. It con-

but will keep one bay as a showroom.

from sand-float, stucco-trowel to

ceals a parking lot. It’s nice at lunch-

“It’ll have 20 window sizes, a sample

steel-trowel finishes.

time. At night, with the lighting, this

from every manufacturer we work

A barbecue area, outside the cater-

with. It’s important for clients to be

ing kitchen, includes a pizza oven and

A large branch sculpture by Naples

able to touch and feel samples and see

an Evo grill. A patio features living

artist Ed Koehler hangs at the en-

ai165523630048_11863 Gulfshore John Tenney.pdf

1

6/14/22

place turns magical.”

3:51 PM

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We’re ready to finance your next project. Call today to get started and experience the LMCU difference.

John Tenney Vice President Commercial Lender (239) 314-0520 John.Tenney@LMCU.org LMCU.org/JohnTenney

TakeNote S PA C E S

trance (one of several) and Ipe dividers frame MHK homes and provide privacy. “It’s been extremely helpful, just doing tours of the office. Clients stop and say, ‘Oh, I love this house. and chairs encircle the tree, and living

fire pit area.’ Or we can say, ‘That’s

walls frame MHK project photos.

Upstairs, Kragh’s office has an electronic whiteboard and contemporary,

artificial turf around that fire pit. Let

An aqua paddleboard hangs from

colorful paintings by Koehler’s wife,

me show you what it feels like,’ and I

the Presidential Conference Room,

Marti. Just feet away, in the hallway,

can take them upstairs.”

which features electronic white-

is his “Batman escape door.”

There, a faux-turf rooftop patio fea-

boards that allow clients and others

“If I’m designing a high-rise on the

tures a pingpong table and the tree

to write and draw. Acoustic ceiling

beach and trying to concentrate, and

Koehler created for Sway. “We painted

tiles were faux-painted to create a

I’ve cleared my schedule, I show up in

it a cool car finish,” Kragh says. A table

wood-paneled look.

shorts and a T-shirt. I shut my door

1 8 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Provided

This is what I’m talking about for our

and design away. Then I have my own little exit,” he says.

Still to come? Detroit-based Slot Mods Raceways is creating a racetrack above the Presidential Conference Room. “Everybody in the office will have their own personal, customized cars,” Kragh says, adding that the track will feature model MHK homes and buildings.

 

FUN WORKSPACE Kragh created a workspace that reflects the culture of his staff.

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TakeNote

AUGUST 2022

MAKERS

By Justin Paprocki

Healthy Growth THE ELDERBERRY BUSINESS IS BOOMING FOR COURTNEY KREHLING What started as an experiment in keeping her children healthy has expanded into a booming business for Courtney Krehling. The Naples native and mother of four kids first caught on to elderberry in her ongoing quest to find natural ways to support good health.

Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, elderberries have been consumed for years as a way to boost a healthy immune system—supplements, gummies and around with making a light, tangy elderberry syrup at home, then her hobby grew as she started making it for friends and family. Finally, she decided to take a leap into a business venture.

Provided Courtney Krehling

drinks populate store shelves. Krehling started playing

2 0 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com



NATURAL HEALTH BOOST Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, elderberries can boost a healthy immune system.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 2 1

TakeNote MAKERS

 

ling selling at the Vanderbilt Farmers Market. Her

HOBBY TO BUSINESS

first client, Neighborhood Organics, approached

Courtney Krehling made elderberry syrup for

her about selling it on their shelves, then the prod-

friends and family before it became a business.

uct started to catch on through word of mouth and social media. She found a following among like-minded parents, to whom she’d hand-deliver

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Provided Courtney Krehling

Naples Elderberry started last year, with Kreh-

bottles if they’re in the area. Naples Elderberry is now in about six stores locally, and Krehling is hoping to grow throughout the Naples area and possibly into Lee County.

She makes it all in a commercial kitchen, producing about 200 ounces per batch in a three-hour process of simmering the ingredients then bottling it

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GROWING BUISNESS Krehling’s syrup is in about six stores and she

Provided Courtney Krehling

hopes to expand in the Collier-Lee County area.

all up. The recipe took some tinkering, but she’s settled on a mix of European-grown elderberries, cloves, cinnamon, ginger root and local honey. The best part: It’s good for you, but doesn’t taste like medicine.

“It was a lot of taste-testing trying to get the perfect recipe,” she says. “Thankfully, my kids are perfect taste-testers.”

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TakeNote

AUGUST 2022

C R E AT I V E S

By Aisling Swift

A Sense of Serenity NAPLES JEWELER CATHERINE NEARHOS’ CALM, CAPTIVATING DESIGNS Catherine Nearhos’ metalsmithing journey

to see what’s new, and there are people who

began with a search for a necklace to cover a

keep coming to look at a piece and return to

skin-cancer scar.

buy it later.”

“I said, ‘I’ll find a signature piece of jewel-

Creating contemporary jewelry is a stark

ry I’ll wear all the time,’” says Nearhos, who’d

contrast to the corporate career Nearhos left

been beading “colorful, sparkly” jewelry since

in 1996 after earning a business degree at Bos-

2006. “I never found it.”

ton College. “It was not what I wanted to do.

Frustrated, she decided to make her own

I’ve always been creative. As I got into jewel-

necklace and in 2008, she enrolled in a jewel-

ry, asymmetry became more important to me.

ry school. She was hooked.

Maybe it’s because of years of looking at credits and debits,” she says.

and Cape Cod area, where she has a studio.

Her distinctive style melds sterling silver,

In 2016, after her husband retired, they pur-

18-karat gold or oxidized silver with tradi-

chased a North Naples home, but she didn’t

tional elements, such as pearls, in a contem-

want to leave her craft behind for the winter.

porary setting. When she lived in the Boston

When she heard about the more than 80

suburbs, she named pieces after plants in her

artists at Naples Art District on Shirley Street,

garden. “Eight years ago, I moved to the Bos-

she got on a waiting list and landed a tiny,

ton waterfront and my work evolved from the

shared sublet in 2019. But she needed more

glossy high-rises and old buildings,” she says.

room, so when the last non-artist at Artisans

“Without realizing it, my surroundings influ-

Plaza left, she snapped up the large space. She

enced my work.”

asked jeweler and geologist Tekla Taylor to

She continues taking classes. “There is so

share 5760 Shirley St., No. 2, where Cather-

much to learn,” she says. Last year, she took

ine Nearhos Unique Jewelry and Tekla Taylor

a lapidary course and learned how to cut and

Designs joined 25 artists there in November.

tumble her own gemstones.

“Being in the Naples Art District is so cool.

“I’ll do custom work, as long as it fits my

There are people who come by every month,”

style—minimalist elegance, something a

she says of the three art walks. “They want

woman can wear every day or for a special

2 6 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

Anna Nguyen

She later established herself in the Boston

gulfshorebusiness.com



CONTRASTING CAREERS In 1996, Catherine Nearhos left her corporate career and began her journey of creating contemporary jewelry that fits her ‘minimalist elegance’ style.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 2 7

TakeNote C R E AT I V E S

occasion,” Nearhos says, adding that if a customer asks her to incorporate a beautiful piece of sea glass she found into a piece, she enjoys that.

Her jewelry hangs from magnets on white metal walls, or is displayed on tables and pine shelves that she and Taylor built using soldering torches and dark stain to achieve a burnished look.

When she designs, she spreads out stones on a table, sketches and creates a copper mockup. Her pieces, which are hammered and texturized, involve a painstaking process of filing, soldering, flattening, pickling with citric acid, cooling and hammering.

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EVOLVING STYLE Nearhos’ pieces are inspired by where she is, causing her work to constantly evolve.

She and Taylor invest in the most expensive equipment together, but her two most important tools are files and hammers, a planishing hammer and an embossing-texturizing hammer.

Instead of her distinctive oblong or round pieces, Naples inspired Anna Nguyen

her to create rectangular pieces with a single pearl. “My work is constantly evolving. It changes depending on where I am and what I see,” she says. “I imagined the gold and pearl to represent the sun and moon on the dark water.”

She likes amethyst, jasper and agate, but her favorite is iolite, a dark blue gemstone. To create an oxidized piece, she rubs off a

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TakeNote C R E AT I V E S

chain’s high points, creating a silvery sparkle. “You get the depth and dimension of the chain,” she explains.

Pointing to two necklaces with a circle holding a pearl, she notes, “These pieces started off identical and I paCustomer Janet Rogers says she’s drawn to Nearhos’ jewelry due to its simplicity, creativity, attention to detail and craftsmanship. Since 2008, Rogers has

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tinaed one.”



MINIMALIST ELEGANCE Nearhos’ style of jewelry is something a woman can wear every day or for a special occasion.

purchased more than half a dozen pieces, even duplicates with different stones.

“There is an aesthetic beauty and calm to her choice of stones, from ocean blues to seagrass greens and golden citrine,” says Rogers, who lives in Naples and Massachusetts, adding that she gravitates toward silver with pearls or blue topaz. “A part of herself is embedded in each piece, and her joy in her creations is mirrored in her work. I feel that sense each time I wear one of her pieces.”

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TakeNote

AUGUST 2022

BOOKMARK

RALPH READS

Appreciating the Process INFORMATIVE READS ON GETTING FROM POINT A TO POINT B Brian Kilmeade is rapidly becoming one of my favorite history writers. He writes about interesting subjects that haven’t been covered elsewhere—and he is succinct, completely covering a subject in fewer than 300 pages that other hisRALPH STAYER,

torians would labor over redundantly for 600. If

an avid reader

brevity is the soul of wit, then Kilmeade is a very

and owner/CEO

smart man. His new book, The President and the

of Johnsonville

Freedom Fighter, is a great example, discussing

book club in Naples with about a dozen other high-power friends. The group

two very different people who each made remarkable journeys to prominence during our nation’s struggle to end slavery.

Frederick Douglass was born a slave and would

convinced many people that slavery was an abomination and must be ended.

have grown up illiterate, as almost all slaves did,

Lincoln was also almost entirely self-

because it was against the law to teach slaves to

taught. He read everything he could lay his

read or write. He was fortunate to be placed in

hands on. Kilmeade demolishes the fairy tale

sharpening the

a home in Baltimore as a companion to a young

that Lincoln failed at everything he did until

mind. Every month,

boy. He was a few years older, and learned to read

he became president. He lost some elections,

Stayer shares the

as the younger boy learned. The boy’s mother

but he was a highly regarded lawyer in Spring-

latest page-turners

taught them both until her husband discovered

field, Illinois, when he ran for president. One

earning a perma-

what she was doing and forbade it. But, by then,

of the most interesting and important points

nent spot on his

Douglass had a taste for reading and he vora-

in the book is that Lincoln was not an aboli-

ever-expanding

ciously read everything he could. He eventually

tionist: He regarded saving the union as his

escaped to Bedford, Massachusetts, where he

first and virtually only responsibility, and saw

lived with his wife Anna, started a Black-owned

all other issues through that lens. Kilmeade’s

newspaper and became a voice for abolition-

description of Lincoln’s torturous progress to

ists all over the country. He traveled constant-

the Emancipation Proclamation must be the

ly, and was a renowned speaker and writer who

most important section in this book. Doug-

only reads non-fiction as a way to keep learning and

bookshelves.

3 2 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

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lass was initially furious with Lincoln’s slow pace, but the two became great friends. The author does an expert job of contrasting their two lives to tell the shared story.

Occasionally, a book on science comes out that is understandable and fun to read for non-scientists who are interested in why things are the way they are. Paul Halpern has blessed us with just such a book: Flashes of Creation: George Gamow, Fred Hoyle, and the Great Big Bang Debate. Where did we come from? Was the universe always here or did it all start at a single instant in a Big Bang? Scientists have been working to solve this mystery ry when Einstein unveiled his Theory of Relativity.

3 4 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

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since the beginning of the 20th centu-

discover THE DIFFERENCE

This book revolves around two great scientists—one who believed the universe was always here (steady-state) and another who believed that it had a finite beginning (Big Bang). There were many other scientists involved, of course, but Halpern picks Fred Hoyle and George Gamow to represent each school of thought because they were the foremost scientists of their era.

Each of them had brilliant insights that pushed forward our knowledge of the universe.

We now know that the steady state theory has been almost entirely discarded, but there are still problems with the Big Bang theory that have yet to be solved. For instance, there was no Big Bang. It is now clear that there had to be a rapid expansion from a single point—but not an explosion. At the beginning of the debate, it was assumed that entropy would cause the expansion of the universe to gradually slow down and then contract. It has now been proved that the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing velocity and will continue to do so.

This book explains how the stars and the planets came to be. There was only

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gas in the beginning. What created the rest of the elements? These and many other questions were answered by brilliant people throughout the 20th century, and the learning continues today. I highly recommend this book for interesting summer reading. Peruse it and you will have what you need to be

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G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 3 5

TakeNote

AUGUST 2022

TRENDLINE

By Justin Paprocki

The Gulf in Housing Affordability FLORIDA’S WIDENING GAP BETWEEN INCOME AND HOME PRICES Over the last decade, housing costs have soared.

Income has also substantially increased—just not at a comparable rate. A study by QuoteWizard looked at the differences between median individual income and the median price for a house between 2012 and 2021. In the U.S., the median income was $65,712 in 2021, an increase of about 29%; the median cost per house was $314,000, an increase close to 70%.

Florida is a bit below average, in both price for a house and income. But it still ranked in the top 10 nationally in the gap between cost of housing and income. The 2012, while income only rose 20%.

Getty

cost of a house in Florida has nearly doubled since

3 6 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

STATE

MEDIAN INCOME IN 2021

CHANGE IN MEDIAN MEDIAN HOUSING INCOME SINCE COST IN 2021 2012

CHANGE IN MEDIAN HOUSING COST SINCE 2012

Nevada Idaho Arizona Washington Michigan Utah Florida Oregon California Colorado

$62,276 $60,999 $62,055 $78,687 $59,584 $75,780 $55,660 $67,058 $80,440 $77,127

31.60% 27.30% 31.90% 26.50% 19.10% 29.90% 20.80% 29.50% 41.10% 34.70%

150.40% 145.90% 131.20% 116.30% 102.30% 109.20% 99.30% 99.50% 108.20% 100.40%

$338,000 $359,000 $319,000 $478,000 $196,000 $408,000 $273,000 $409,000 $635,000 $449,000

PERCENTAGE POINT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHANGE IN HOUSING COST AND CHANGE IN INCOME

118.8 118.6 99.3 89.8 83.1 79.3 78.5 70 67.1 65.7

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 3 7

TakeNote

AUGUST 2022

E C O N O M I C C O M M E N TA R Y

By Aysegul Timur

Skills on Demand FGCU’S MICRO-CREDENTIALS AIM FOR REGIONAL WORKFORCE ADVANCEMENT As a regional, comprehensive institution, Florida Gulf Coast University’s mission is to offer programs of strategic importance to Southwest Florida and beyond. As part of this mission and the university’s strategic plan, we focus on building partnerships with area businesses and organizations, five school districts and major employers and industries. These relationships optimize opportunities to put FGCU expertise to work to support the region’s economy, model innovative and sustainable practices and advance the community.

That’s why we started the micro-credentials—sometimes called “digital badges”—initiative at FGCU. We heard directly from our partners that there are skills gaps for employment or employment advancement opportunities due to rapid changes in technology and intends to be part of the solution by offering



short-term and high-quality credentials to

MICRO-CREDENTIALS

close skills gaps and meet the needs of the re-

Providing competitive advantages for individuals,

gional workforce and of talent development.

making them preferred candidates for jobs.

3 8 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Provided

business practices. With this initiative, FGCU

Micro-credentials are a powerful,

with industry partners and aligned

credentials become preferred can-

relatively new instrument in higher

with current in-demand skills; (c) they

didates, because they have already

education. They give learners an op-

are based on assessed competency

demonstrated mastery of the skills

portunity to demonstrate mastery of

proficiency so that knowledge, skills

necessary to be work ready.

particular skills, abilities and knowl-

and abilities are verifiable to recruiters

By partnering with regional em-

edge that are in demand by industries

and employers. Simply put, these cre-

ployers, these programs aim to bridge

and employers. They can comple-

dentials give competitive advantages

higher education and workplace re-

ment traditional (certificate, diplo-

to individuals.

quirements. This can be beneficial

ma, degree or post-graduate certifi-

Industry leaders are in the driver’s

to high school, technical college and

cate) or stand-alone credentials. They

seat for developing these credentials,

post-secondary students, individuals

are mostly short term; in other words,

with FGCU listening and respond-

seeking new career opportunities and

less time-intensive than traditional

ing to what is needed for workforce

employers looking to re-skill or up-

credentials.

development. Together, they iden-

skill current employees to meet work-

It should be noted that there are a

tify the competencies necessary for

place requirements.

few differentiators for micro-creden-

individuals to increase productivity

What does this initiative mean to

tials: (a) they are competency based;

and work effectively and efficiently.

our region? It means further invest-

(b) they are developed in consultation

That means job applicants with these

ment in workforce and talent develop-

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ment, even for alternative, short-term and skill-based programs. This is a call for higher education to develop alternative solutions to connect graduates with emerging employment opportunities. If a university such as FGCU is to be a driver of economic diversification in the region, it needs not only to offer degrees, but to find creative

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ways to connect traditional degrees to specific careers, jobs and industries.

Essentially, we’re building an intentional, meaningful and strategic talent pipeline through micro-credentialing.

At FGCU, we refer to the combination of credentials as “The Power of And.” It could be your degree, diploma, certificate or experience … “and” your micro-credential that signifies upskilled qualifications. Together, they position you better to fill the skills gap and advance in today’s rapidly changing workforce environment.

For more information, visit fgcu.

Equal Housing Lender

edu/digitalbadges.

Aysegul Timur, Ph.D., is vice president and vice provost for strategy and program innovation at Florida Gulf Coast University.

4 0 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

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gulfshorebusiness.com

WATER QUALITY IS STILL FRONT AND CENTER FOR BUSINESSES ALONG THE GULFSHORE

By Artis Henderson

GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 43

_ THE CHALLENGE OF STAYING CLEAN

Fishing charter captain Daniel Andrews, 32, stands at the helm of his carbon-fiber and Kevlar flats boat.

He’s dressed in his work uniform: a pair of amphibious shorts, a longsleeve sun shirt and polarized Costas. Most of his face is covered with a long brown beard. When he speaks, his voice is steady and sure, but he doesn’t speak much; he says what he needs to say, and then he stops talking. He lets the water, the mangroves, the birds and the fish speak for him.

Andrews is an unlikely spokesperson. He spends more than 300 days each year on the water; more at home here than anywhere else. He’d look odd in a suit, odder still in a legislative building. Yet Andrews heads what is arguably the most visible water-protection group in Southwest Florida: Captains for Clean Water.

It's been four years since the devastating outbreak of 2018, when discharges from Lake Okeechobee contributed to a red tide and blue-green algae infestation that killed more

 

than 2,000 tons—that’s more than 4

DEADLY BLOOMS

million pounds—of marine life and

An outbreak of red tide and blue-green algae killed more than

resulted in millions of dollars of lost

4 million pounds of marine life in 2018.

Provided

tourism business across Lee and Collier counties. That outbreak led to a 4 4 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

massive effort by many groups, and resulted in important changes in how Florida approaches its environmental policy. “Twenty-eighteen” became their rallying cry.

After the ecological and financial devastation of that year, it seemed unlikely that water quality problems would ever resurface. The state of Florida had changed for the better.

We’d had our reckoning and survived, and now things would be different going forward. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that we rarely learn our lessons.

In February of this year, Senate Bill 2508 was introduced in the Florida Senate. Opponents said the bill prioritized irrigating agriculture— mostly Big Sugar—over sending much-needed water south into the Everglades, and it would have gutted existing plans to protect Florida’s waterways. “It was a disaster,” says Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation. “It was going to roll back a lot of the progress being GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 45

_ THE CHALLENGE OF STAYING CLEAN

made.” He called the bill a “power play concocted by the sugar industry.”

The combined advocacy of the Everglades Foundation and Captains for Clean Water created a groundswell of opposition to the bill. Though it passed in amended form, SB 2508 was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June. At a press conference held at Doc Ford’s on Fort Myers Beach, surrounded by fishing guides in their Captains for Clean Water hats—Andrews behind his right shoulder—DeSantis reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Florida’s natural resources.

The day was a victory, but Senate Bill 2508 still serves as a reminder that lant. “Policymakers thought we forgot,” Andrews says. “But we didn’t.”

Provided

Southwest Florida must remain vigi-

4 6 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

KITCHEL KEY Andrews’ boat doesn’t have a name, but he sometimes calls it his “office.”

Today he’s working late. It’s almost 5 p.m. on a Thursday, and the sun is low in the sky as we load up at the Punta Rassa boat ramp beside the Sanibel Causeway. Andrews is at the throttle, and to his left sits Charlette Roman, a governing board member of the South Florida Water Management District and chair of the Big Cypress Basin Board. Roman is here as part of an impact tour. Andrews and the other charter boat captains who make up Captains for Clean Water regularly take policymakers and decision influencers out to see exactly what’s at stake on the water. It’s a perspective that’s impossible without someone like him.   

He backs the boat away from the

GOVERNMENT ACTION

dock and points the bow north into

In June, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed Senate Bill 2508, reaf-

San Carlos Bay. It’s 85 degrees, the

firming his commitment to Florida's natural resources.

low sun casting a golden light over the water, and swells are less than two feet. This is the kind of easy, GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 47

_WHY CLEAN WATER MATTERS By the end of April 2022, according to data from Visit Florida, the state had already numbered 42.9 million visitors and collected $9 billion in tourism revenue this year. That accounted for 22 million jobs across the state.

“When people ask me what’s at stake with water quality, these are the numbers I give them,” says John Lai, president and CEO of the Sanibel and Captiva Chamber of Commerce.

He points out that the as the bed tax; a 5% tax generated every time a visitor pays for accommodations—bankrolls local beach restoration and the spring training baseball stadiums, perks

that Southwest Florida residents enjoy. But when tourist numbers disappear, like they did in 2018, these perks fall away. “Without water quality, our residents suffer,” Lai says.

 

ECOLOGICAL DEVASTATION Dead seagrass (above right) and toxic bluegreen algae in canals are the result of environmental imbalances.

Provided

tourist tax—also known

gulfshorebusiness.com

_ THE CHALLENGE OF STAYING CLEAN pleasant afternoon that explains why our area is called the Paradise Coast.

“Do you normally fish in a flats boat like this?” Roman asks.

“I like this kind of boat,” Andrews says. “A lot of guys are switching to bigger boats, but the places I like to go have shallower water and you need a boat like this.”

“So you grew up on the water?”

Andrews nods. “I was born on Sanibel, but we moved to Fort Myers when I was a couple of months old. My parents owned a Scandinavian furniture store in Fort Myers.

They wanted me to take over, but I worked there long enough to know I didn’t want to peddle furniture.”

“You would have been indoors the whole time,” Roman says.

Andrews frowns. “Yeah.”

A party boat passes us on the starboard side. It’s a sleek powerboat with four Yamaha engines hanging off the back that make a loud thrumming. The stereo blasts Naughty by Nature, and girls in bikinis dance on the bow. A group of shirtless, muscular guys cluster in the stern. Andrews shakes his head. “Not how I like to spend my time on the water,” he says.

“We’re all here because of this beautiful area

We pass channel marker 11. An anhin-

and the gorgeous ecosystem that our livelihoods

ga skims across the water off the port side.

and quality of life depend on. You see the vibrant

We’re not far from the boat ramp at Punta

community all around here and how reliant the

Rassa when Andrews slows the engine to

economy is on clean water. It’s an incredible

neutral. Kitchel Key sits on our left. We’re

responsibility.”

at the end of the outgoing tide, and spits of

—Charlette Roman, governing board member of the South Florida Water Management District and chair of the Big Cypress Basin Board

sand have surfaced.

“This used to be one of the most consistent places to fish,” Andrews says. To the uninitiated eye, the water looks like any other GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 49



CAUSE AND EFFECT Provided

Toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee flow to Sanibel Lighthouse Point in 2018.

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_ THE CHALLENGE OF STAYING CLEAN GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 51

_THE CHALLENGE OF STAYING CLEAN spot in the mangrove channels that

symbols of the fight for clean water

wind through the bay. But not to An-

in Southwest Florida.

drews. “When I was a kid, you’d see

Along the way, “Captains for Clean

60 to 80 roseate spoonbills through

Water” has become synonymous

here on this tide. Herons, egrets.

with “the good guys.” The group has

Wading sea birds. But the seagrass

wide-ranging support that stretches

through here was wiped out by the

across the political spectrum, count-

discharges from the Okeechobee.”

ing Republicans, Democrats and

Roman, who is a Florida Master

Independents among its members.

Naturalist and has participated in

How have they done it? “We keep

a number of bird counts, looks out

the focus on issues that impact our

over the water. “There’s not many in

waterways, mainly the Okeechobee

there,” she agrees.

discharges,” Andrews says. “We cer-

“I’m not much of a bird person,”

tainly have strong political opinions

Andrews says, “but I can travel any-

individually, but we like to keep Cap-

where and find the types of birds that

tains as narrowly focused as possi-

would have fish around them. I look

ble. I think people like that.”

at that flat now and know there’s not going to be any fish.”

Another reason for the group’s success: its inclusivity. Captains

We gaze for a moment longer be-

doesn’t make a distinction among

fore he pushes the throttle forward

the different factions fighting for the

and noses the boat back into the

cause. For a long time, protecting

channel, headed north.

local waters was the purview of environmentalists. And environmen-

TAKING THE HELM

talists were often at odds with the needs of the local economy—hotels,

Captains for Clean Water was found-

restaurants and tourism operators.

ed in 2016 by Andrews and his bud-

But 2018 changed that, said John

dy Capt. Chris Wittman, both local

Lai, president and CEO of the Sani-

fishing guides who believed that if people were educated on what was happening to our waters, they’d put a stop to the damage. A grassroots nonprofit, Captains focuses its energies on awareness and education.

Its logo—emblazoned on bumper stickers, hats and T-shirts—has be-



CAPTAINS FOR CLEAN WATER The grassroots nonprofit focuses on education and awareness of issues that affect our waterways.

come one of the most recognizable 5 2 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

bel and Captiva Chamber of Commerce.

“After that year, we realized that there was so much at stake in terms of the sustainability of the natural beauty of Southwest Florida, but also the sustainability of our local businesses. For the first time, the hospitality and tourism businesses walked hand in hand with the conservation groups instead of going toe to toe.”

Researchers at the University of Florida say the tourism sector lost roughly $184 million because of the 2018 outbreak. Nearly 3,000 jobs were cut across the state. Lai, who worked in the resort and hospitality industry for decades before taking over the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber, lists businesses that he personally knew were affected by the devastation: a linen company on Sanibel whose revenue took a 32% dive because of the lost business at hotels and restaurants; a bike/boat/beach gear rental business that went from 110 employees to 17; a local lure-making company that saw a 40% decrease in sales because charter captains stopped buying. “These are the things we need to remind legislators about,” Lai says. “We need to hold

Provided

them accountable to the promises they made about water quality when they were voted into office in 2018.”

GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 53

_ THE CHALLENGE OF STAYING CLEAN



DEAD ZONE Brian Tietz

What should be the most productive part of the estuary now lacks oyster beds and seagrasses at Pine Island Sound.

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The challenge is keeping the message

of the Caloosahatchee joins San Carlos

top-of-mind for policymakers when

Bay. It should be the most productive

Southwest Florida has had a series of

part of the estuary—but it’s a dead zone.

good years, as it has recently. But for

“There’s isn’t a blade of seagrass to be

those in the tourism industry who rely

found within eyeshot of where we are

on clean water, the danger is never far

now,” Andrews says. “When I was a kid,

away. “We’ve come to realize that it

this was a labyrinth of oyster bars all the

doesn’t take a lot for our waters to go

way up through the channel. It’s just

from pristine to what we saw in 2018,”

skeletons now.”

Lai says. “It’s still a constant threat. Every single year.”

He and Roman lean over the edge of the boat and inspect the pale bottom that was once dark with seagrass. “If we

THE BARREL OF THE GUN

had a rewind button and I could crank it back 20 years, we’d be snook fishing all through here,” Andrews says.

We motor north for another 10 minutes.

Though 2018 is the year we remem-

Across San Carlos Bay, the late after-

ber, the worst of the discharges began in

noon wind dies down and the water flat-

2013. That’s when an influx of fresh wa-

tens out. A sport fishing boat passes us

ter changed the salinity of the bay, wip-

on the left, cruising through the deeper

ing out the oyster beds. It also increased

channel. Outside the channel, Andrews

the turbidity of the water, blocking the

drops the engine and noses the boat

sunlight that seagrasses need to survive,

against the sandy bottom of the flats.

like putting a blanket over the front

To the north is Cape Coral, to the east is

lawn.

Fort Myers, to the south is Sanibel and to the west is Pine Island.

“This bar used to be full of life,” Andrews says. “There’d be mullet jumping.

“On a map, it looks far apart,” Roman

We’d see bull sharks, black tips, tarpon,

says. “But here on the water you can see

ladyfish, jacks.” He stops and shakes his

how interconnected everything is.”

head. “I don’t even come here anymore.

Andrews nods. He points to our right,

It’s depressing.”

to a rush of water and an open space that heads east: the mouth of the Caloosagun,” he says. “All of our discharges come

A COMMON SENSE SOLUTION

out and push into the bay right here.”

Barry Rosen, a professor in the depart-

hatchee River. "We’re at the barrel of the

This is a convergence zone, a place

ment of ecology and environmental

where several tides meet, where the flow

studies at the Water School at Florida GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 55

_ THE CHALLENGE OF STAYING CLEAN

Gulf Coast University, has spent years

Water temperature is a factor. Nu-

studying blue-green algae. Despite

trients are a factor. By the time sci-

extensive research, scientists are still

entists realize there’s a problem, it’s

stymied over what exactly causes an

often too late. That’s why Captains

outbreak such as the one in 2018. “Ev-

for Clean Water is calling for what it

eryone’s looking for a magic bullet,”

calls the most direct, common-sense

Rosen says. “But you can’t treat the

solution: Stop the Okeechobee dis-

water like it’s a swimming pool.”

charges. Unlike sunlight and water

Algal blooms, such as red tide in

temperature, which we can’t control,

salt water and the cyanobacteria

this is one factor we can do some-

commonly called blue-green algae

thing about.

in fresh water, happen because of tion with other living organisms that

POWER LINES

evolved over millions of years. Red

Andrews points the boat westward.

tide and blue-green algae are highly

The sun sits near the horizon. The

adapted not only to survive but to

only sounds are the wind rushing

thrive. Both organisms exist natural-

past and the slap of the waves against

ly in innocuous amounts, kept under

the gunwale. We pass Picnic Island

control by a natural system of checks

and over the boat engine, Andrews

and balances. But once one element

says, “This area has become a transit

gets out of whack—higher than nor-

zone. There’s still some good tarpon

mal water temperatures, for exam-

fishing but now most of the fishing is

ple, or an excess of nutrients—the or-

up in Pine Island Sound.” We cruise

ganisms go into overdrive, creating

for another stretch until we reach

an overabundance of brevetoxins in

the power lines that carry electricity

the case of red tide and choking out

to Sanibel. Here, Andrews slows the

the oxygen from waterways in the

engine. Where the water gets shallow,

case of cyanobacteria, which have

he noses the boat on top of the flats.

their own suite of toxins.

“This is one of the first places you

It's similar to cancer cells in the human body, Rosen said. When the

start to see seagrass,” he says. “This is about where I would start fishing.”

body is in balance, everything’s in

Roman leans over the side of the

order. “There’s only a problem when

boat and inspects the bottom. “Tur-

the cells proliferate.”

tle grass,” she says. “And it’s good

What causes this proliferation isn’t

grass.” She looks out over the flats,

exactly certain. Sunlight is a factor.

naming the different types of birds

5 6 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

Brian Tietz

complex interactions and competi-



OUTBREAK CAUSES Scientists still aren't certain what causes the outbreaks, but sunlight, water temperature and nutrients are all factors.

here. “Tricolored heron, little blue heron, great blue heron, pelicans, of course.

A reddish egret just flew by, and there are some white ones over there, maybe a juvenile roseate spoonbill.”

A gentle breeze whistles through the mangrove island behind us. The sky has softened to a pale blue. Cumulus clouds stack on the horizon and we hear the rumble of distant thunder, but over the bay the sky is clear. “We couldn’t ask for a better day,” Roman says.

We watch a dolphin leap out of the water in the distance. A mullet jumps beside the boat. Andrews sits down in the stern and strips off his socks and shoes.

He hops over the side of the boat into ankle-deep water, saying, “The farther away we get from the mouth of the river, the healthier everything is.”

He sets off across the flat, barefoot in the shallow water, silhouetted against the setting sun. He stops every now and then to reach down and pick up a live shell or a clump of seaweed. Roman stands at the bow and watches him. “If we could all go out with Captain Andrews, we wouldn’t have any problems with our water,” she says.

GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 57

FROM

THE

Provided

NOTES

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UNDERGROUND SWFL BENEFITS

OF

WEIGHS

BURYING

THE POWER

COSTS, LINES

BY DAVID DORSEY

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 5 9

_N O T E S F R O M T H E UNDERGROUND

The clamor of the earth mover begins. The diesel engine springs to life. And the operator of the Ditch Witch equipment, which looks like something out of the Mad Max universe, starts drilling into the ground, carving a space for flexible plastic piping to be inserted and dragged under the ground between the homes on Bragg, Hernando and Claude streets in a Port Charlotte community east of U.S. 41.

Most of these homes were built in the 1950s and ’60s; many appear to be showing their age. And they all have overhead power lines, which have been showing their age, too. But not for long. Those lines are in the process of being replaced and then removed.

Inside that underground plastic piping will flow electricity. Florida Power & Light, or FPL, Southwest Florida’s largest supplier of electricity, serves some 645,700 regional customers and 5.7 million households across the state.

Through the end of 2021, FPL completed 13 undergrounding projects in Lee County and 25 in Collier County, said George Bennett, FPL senior communication specialist.

Lee County Electric Cooperative, or LCEC, serves more than 221,000 households in Cape Coral, Sanibel and Captiva islands and parts of Everglades City, Marco Island, Lehigh Acres and North Fort Myers.

To different degrees, the region’s largest electricity companies have been rolling with the changes in technology.

As hurricanes continue to batter Southwest Florida, the electric companies are moving more of their overhead neighborhood power lines underground.

PORT PLANS The Port Charlotte project belongs to FPL. After the devastating hurricane seasons of 2004 and ’05 that included Hurricane Charley destroying much of Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, FPL began a process of “hardening” its primary above-ground transmission lines. These are the big ones, the ones that lead from a power plant to a substation Brian Tietz

that then feeds the electricity to the above-ground—and more frequently, below-ground—neighborhood lines.

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

CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY Rolling with the changes in technology, electric companies are moving more of their overhead power lines underground.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 6 1

 

STORM SECURE UNDERGROUND PROGRAM Brian Tietz

After hurricane Irma, FPL developed a formula to retrofit communities to underground lines.

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_N O T E S F R O M T H E UNDERGROUND

and the Legislature. Building stronger poles, things of that nature.”

Matt Devitt, WINK-TV’s chief meteorologist, dug up the National Hurricane Center’s data, which

Although new communities have been making

showed hurricanes hitting Southwest Florida once

underground power lines a standard practice since

every eight to 10 years. Ballinger said this trend held

the 1980s, FPL began retrofitting older communi-

forth after 2004-05, which gave Southwest Florida

ties from above- to below-ground power lines in

time to harden its power lines and prepare for the

earnest after Hurricane Irma tore through the re-

next fierce storm.

gion in 2017. That’s when FPL developed a formula

“We were lucky that it gave us time off,” Ballinger

for retrofitting communities such as the one in Port

says. “We could do a lot of improvements to the sys-

Charlotte, said Robert Gaddis, director of FPL’s

tem. Irma affected most of the state, and it gave us a

Storm Secure Underground Program.

good chance to gather data. We were able to see the

Two dollars of every FPL customer’s monthly

effects of the power line hardening. And that was

power bill go toward the Storm Secure Underground

when we also started this latest round of installing

Program. That means homeowners in Fort Myers,

underground lines.”

for example, are subsidizing the costs of the Port

Devitt hoped the trend would hold true after

Charlotte project. And vice versa down the road, de-

Irma devastated the region in 2017, as well. “Anoth-

pending on where FPL is doing the upgrading.

er interesting note is that despite 2020 and 2021

“We have a plan installed with Florida’s Pub-

being some of the busiest years on record across

lic Service Commission,” Gaddis says. “We have a

the Atlantic and the country, Southwest Florida

prioritization system. There is a combination of

was minimally impacted,” Devitt says. “The reason

factors. One is if they’ve had a major outage from

I wanted to bring that up is because we can’t make a

a hurricane. The second one is the total number of

connection at this time that storms hitting Florida

outages they have had over the past 10 years. The

are accelerating.”

third factor is the total number of outages related to vegetation. We take those three factors into pri-

JUMPING THE LINE

oritization. Anything we do in this program is going

Individual homeowners, new communities, pri-

to be prioritized.”

vate homeowner associations, private businesses

Tom Ballinger works for Florida’s Public Service

or even non-gated, older communities can jump

Commission as the director of its engineering divi-

ahead of the priority line with FPL, Gaddis said. But

sion and helps coordinate projects with FPL. “The undergrounding of lines is part of the Florida plan of storm protection,” he says. “Not only undergrounding, but the strengthening of above-ground lines as well. It’s something the commission reviews every three years. We look at what the investments are and what they will be in future years.”

FPL’s hardening of transmission lines resulted from the commission and the state Legislature taking action. “That was the first round of hardening,” Ballinger says. “That came out of the commission

_N O T E S F R O M T H E UNDERGROUND

“We start with sending letters, informing people that we’re starting on the work. It would start with us reaching out with a form letter to the home. We do have people go out to homes and knock on doors.

they must pay all the expenses for the underground

We’ll have someone who will explain exactly what’s

power lines.

going on.”

LCEC does not have the “priority” formula FPL does.

Ballinger said communities need to buy into the

Instead, it will install underground lines for homeown-

concept for undergrounding future lines to work

ers and neighborhoods willing to pay for them, said

well. “Because it’s really just getting started, there

Karen Ryan, LCEC public relations director.

will be some bumps in the road of getting people to

A 2006 study by the Edison Electric Institute found

buy in,” he says.

that burying overhead power lines cost about $1 million per mile, about 10 times what it costs to install

BUSINESSES MAKE DO

overhead lines, she said.

Bell Tower shopping center in Fort Myers and

Making the undergrounding of all lines a standard

Mercato shopping center in North Naples are each

practice, the study showed, would result in rate in-

located off U.S. 41, and each have luxury-oriented

creases of 80% to 125%. “Installing underground is best

tenants. The two retail centers also each already

done as an area is being developed,” Ryan says. “This is

have underground power lines.

less expensive than converting later from overhead to underground.”

Michael McLean, Mercato’s general manager, shared part of the center’s post-hurricane plan.

An individual homeowner or business in an area full

“After a hurricane or other power-loss event,

of above-ground power lines has little to gain by switch-

it’s always our goal to reopen the center as quickly

ing, both LCEC’s Ryan and FPL’s Gaddis said, because

as possible when it is safe to do so,” he says. “The

those below- and above-ground lines come from the

timeframe is determined by the businesses them-

same power source. But if an entire neighborhood of

selves. Some do have emergency power capabili-

homeowners agrees to pay, it could lessen the length of

ties that would allow them to reopen more quickly.

future power outages.

In the event of a power loss, Mercato would com-

“Sometimes we need easements,” Gaddis says. “We need agreements from the customers to put these lines underground. We need to really get the word out about the program.

municate with shoppers via our social media and the Mercato website.

“Mercato has had its services restored very quickly in the past. After Hurricane Irma, for example, Mercato was one of the first shopping centers in Collier County that regained power, with several of our retailers and restaurants opening within the first three days after the storm ended.”

At Bell Tower, General Manager Jim Brennan recommends that its tenants not operate without power.

“If we were to lose power due to a hurricane, we before reopening the center,” Brennan says. “FPL has been very responsive to Bell Tower in the past,

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Brian Tietz

would need to work with FPL to have it reinstalled

 

BURIED LINES Underground residential distribution typically consists of three individual-phase wires buried with one neutral ground wire.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 6 5

Solar Option There’s another, post-power outage

and we have every confidence that they would work quickly to restore the center’s power in the event of an outage.”

While Bell Tower has underground power lines, the hotel across the street does not: They are above the ground at the Crowne Plaza hotel.

Xando Energy, a German com-

way to keep appliances running

pany, established its South Florida

and lights on that has nothing to do

presence in south Fort Myers at

with putting power lines under-

5925 Youngquist Road six years ago.

ground. But going solar and keeping

Spencer Havemann, managing di-

the electricity flowing requires

rector of Xando, said consumers can

more than just spending upward

save money with solar even without

of $30,000 and installing enough

the tax credits.

“We lost power during both Hurricane Char-

panels on rooftops. It requires an

“A lot of people make state-

ley and Irma,” said Jim Larken, the hotel’s gen-

additional $10,000 to $15,000 for

ments that solar only works with

eral manager. “Fortunately, the hotel has a com-

a battery storage unit that collects

tax credits,” Havemann says. “Well,

mercial generator that allows us to power most

excess solar energy, stores it and

that’s not true. The tax credit is

of our public areas and essential equipment like

then redelivers it back to the house.

extremely helpful at the moment.

kitchen refrigeration and front desk property management systems. We operated through both Charley and Irma because of our having a generator, although it does not provide power to our guest rooms or the guest room A/C units.

When we lose power, our staff initiates a check-

Going solar appears to be

You get a nice check from the gov-

growing more popular in Southwest

ernment, which everybody enjoys.

Florida as consumers look to install

But after it’s reduced, it will still be

new systems before the federal tax

very helpful.”

credits expire at the end of 2023.

With solar systems connected

Havemann predicted battery storage units to become main-

to the available power company’s

stream after economies of scale

grid, remaining in power during

lower their prices. “You put solar

power outages requires installing

in today, even if you don’t go with

that backup battery. Those typi-

the battery, you’re still setting

cally can power a home for about

this up for the future for when the

cell phones, doing a limited menu at the restau-

a full day—or longer if it’s just

technology gets a little stronger,”

rant and offering limited housekeeping if the

powering appliances and not the air

Havemann says.

power outage is prolonged.

conditioning unit. But even without

list of procedures to help provide our guests with assistance and information to the best of our abilities.”

This includes setting up charging stations for

“Personally, I would welcome having our power lines to the hotel underground, as I believe

Every time someone in a

the battery unit, solar sales seem

neighborhood installs solar, they’re

to be surging.

setting the stage for the future of

John Bishton, an electrical con-

clean energy, he said. “We’re creat-

tractor in Fort Myers, installed his

ing a grid that’s much more robust.

24-panel system in 2010. He’s down

It’s spread to generations,” he says.

to 23 panels after an errant golf ball

“Instead of having a handful of

smashed into one of them. “My wife

sites you have thousands, tens of

got after me about it because they

thousands, hundreds of thousands

were stuck up in the air like that,”

of generational sources. Solar on

Bishton says of the 12-year-old

each home. When you add batteries,

system. “Until we got the electric

you have a micro grid. People will be

planned buildout of about 20,000 residents

bill, we were spending almost $300

able to share electricity with neigh-

off State Road 31, all the neighborhood pow-

a month trying to cool our place

bors as needed. That’s the future of

er lines were installed below ground from the

down. We’re down to about $45 a

the grid.”

very beginning, said Syd Kitson, founder of the

month now.”

this would help prevent outages during severe storms,” Larkin says. “During both Charley and Irma, we witnessed where the lines went down, and we were without normal operating power for more than 72 hours.”

NEW COMMUNITIES GETTING AHEAD At Babcock Ranch, the community with a

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Robert Exelbierd

_N O T E S F R O M T H E UNDERGROUND

community and CEO of Kitson and Partners. Those neighborhood lines connect with a substation that’s powered during the day by an adjacent solar farm.

“It was never even contemplated that we would have above-ground wires,” Kitson says. His planned communities, going as far back as the mid-1980s in central New Jersey, always have had below-ground power lines, he said. “Aesthetically, not having those poles all over the place, it’s always been a huge benefit.”

Hurricane Irma in 2017 cut through Babcock Ranch, which had zero residents at the time but did have its downtown finished. “It was really interesting,” Kitson said. “For us, we learned a lot from Irma. The eye of the storm came right over Babcock. We had all these solar panels on top of the roofs here. We had the first 75 megawatts that had been built. Now we have 150 megawatts. We also have them on top of our roof in Founder’s Square in those buildings. What we learned was, even with Irma, we did not lose one solar panel. It tells you that when you build it right, there’s a very good chance that solar energy is going to be extremely reliable even during extreme weather. We looked at our infrastructure. It was a really good test run for us.”

THE BAD NEWS Having underground power lines will not prevent a power outage during and after a major hurricane. “If the power goes out going to your neighborhood, there are still poles that have to bring the electricity to your neighborhood,” Kitson says, referencing the large aboveground lines that bring power to the buried lines.

There’s no way to build a system strong enough to protect against everything, because the giant transmission lines that run from the power plants to the substations would be cost-prohibitive to bury. “It’s very, very rare,” Gaddis says of having a major transmission line buried 

IMPROVING THE GRID With each installation of solar power, the stage is set for a much more robust grid and cleaner energy.

underground. “You have to run cold nitrogen through them to cool them off. Those come with a lot of maintenance. Transmission lines, 99.5% of them are overhead.

Then we have the feeder lines. Those feeder lines, we G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 6 7

have been hardening since 2006. The neighborhood lines, those are the ones closest to the customers.”

Those are the most difficult to maintain because there are so many of them. The biggest issue under normal circumstances is interference from vegetation growth. But because they can be put underground, they are being put underground. Slowly but surely.

“In 2018 through 2021, they were selecting individual neighborhood lines,” Gaddis says. “We were doing one neighborhood at a time. Now, we’ve changed that methodology. Now, we’ll select the entire feeder’s lines.

And every neighborhood that is spun off that feeder, we’re doing them collectively. That makes things more efficient; we’re not having to move equipment across town all the time. We’re doing full communities instead of individual circuits.”

Phil Flood lives off McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers, where his street had underground power lines installed in early 2021. “They were really good to work with,” Flood says of the FPL workers and contractors. “They gave us their cell numbers. They told me we could call them any day or any time. They did the entire street. They came to us and offered to do like it must be cost-effective. It will be interesting to

 

see how many power outages we had before and how

POWER SUPPLY

many after. The street behind us, they still have the

Transformers convert higher-voltage electricity

above-ground power lines.”

to a reduced voltage for customer use.

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gulfshorebusiness.com

Provided; Brian Tietz

it. We all agreed. It seems to be worthwhile. It seems

_N O T E S F R O M T H E UNDERGROUND

THE FUTURE IS NOW The model of one street with power lines below ground and the next street above ground won’t be the case moving forward with the new methodology, which is happening right now in that Port Charlotte neighborhood.

As the Ditch Witch springs to life, Sergio Rendon, president of RIS Underground, supervises. His company, with between 70 and 80 employees and contracts with FPL, has been installing underground power lines for 11 years now. “You can drill in any direction you want,” Rendon says. “We can go as deep as we see fit.”

India Monahan is at the site, as well. As a project manager, she helps coordinate about 200 FPL employees and contractors as they work the various projects.

This Port Charlotte project will convert about 200 homes, moving about five miles of wiring underground.

Monahan said that most FPL interactions occur during the challenging times of restoring power, so it felt good to be serving communities and interacting with neighbors during the good times of burying power lines instead of the bad times following storms. “It’s a win for the customer,” Monahan says. “We’re giving them a more reliable service.”

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 6 9

Sinelab

2022 7 0 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Business is a broad concept containing immense variety, but in an area as vibrant and vital

as Southwest Florida, any specific category of it—from commercial real estate to catering—

is likely to have plenty of competition. And in every aspect of enterprise, big or small, one

company will be the very best. We asked our readers to help identify those standouts, and

we are immensely pleased to present the results of the 10th annual Gulfshore Business Best

of Business poll.

Thousands of readers voted online via SurveyMonkey.com, which required participants

to provide their name and email address so each respondent could only cast one ballot.

For each of the 34 categories, listed in alphabetical order by business type, we present the

winner and finalists—we offer our thanks to you readers who shared your opinions, and our

congratulations to all the local businesses listed in the following pages, who are Southwest

Florida's Best of Business for 2022.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 7 1

_B E S T OF BUSINESS

ACCOUNTING FIRM WINNER Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company P.A. FINALISTS HBK CPAs & Consultants Hissam & Associates Inc. COMMERCIAL BANK WINNER Sanibel Captiva Community Bank FINALISTS Cogent Bank FineMark National Bank & Trust TRUST COMPANY WINNER FineMark National Bank & Trust FINALISTS Northern Trust The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company 7 2 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 7 3

FINALISTS

FINALISTS

Brown & Brown Insurance

Aloia Roland

Private Client Insurance

Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman,

Services

Rice & Purtz P.A. Roetzel & Andress

PAYROLL COMPANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FINANCIAL ADVISORY

WINNER

FIRM

Integrity Employee Leasing

LAW FIRM WINNER

WINNER

FINALISTS

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes &

Advanced Wealth Advisors

ADP

Holt P.A.

Paychex FINALISTS

FINALISTS

HBKS Wealth Advisors

CORPORATE &

Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman,

Southern Oak Wealth

BUSINESS LAW FIRM

Rice & Purtz P.A.

Management

Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP

Wolf, Metzger & Maurillo

WINNER

Livingston Law P.A.

Wealth Management Group

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes

Pavese Law Firm

& Holt P.A.

Roetzel & Andress

HEALTH INSURANCE BROKERAGE WINNER Brown & Brown Insurance FINALISTS Affiliated Workers Association BKS Partners COMMERCIAL INSURANCE BROKERAGE WINNER Iron Ridge Insurance Services

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_B E S T OF BUSINESS

LAND USE & ZONING

TAX LAW FIRM

LAW FIRM WINNER WINNER

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes &

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes &

Holt P.A.

Holt P.A. FINALISTS FINALISTS

Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman,

Aloia Roland

Rice & Purtz P.A.

Pavese Law Firm

Roetzel & Andress

LITIGATION LAW FIRM

TRUST & ESTATE LAW FIRM

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

WINNER

LAW FIRM

Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman,

WINNER

Rice & Purtz P.A.

Barbara M. Pizzolato P.A.

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes &

FINALISTS

FINALISTS

Holt P.A.

Aloia Roland

Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman,

Boy Agnew Potanovic Miller

Rice & Purtz P.A.

FINALISTS

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes &

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes &

Aloia Roland

Holt P.A.

Holt P.A.

WINNER

Pavese Law Firm LABOR & EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM WINNER Boy Agnew Potanovic Miller FINALISTS Aloia Roland Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt P.A. G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 7 5

_B E S T OF BUSINESS

PUBLIC RELATIONS

COMMERCIAL

FIRM

ARCHITECTURE FIRM

WINNER

WINNER

Priority Marketing

Studio+

FINALISTS

FINALISTS

CONRIC pr + marketing

BSSW Architects

Pushing the Envelope

MHK Architecture & Planning SchenkelShultz Architecture

ADVERTISING AGENCY ENGINEERING FIRM WINNER Priority Marketing

WINNER Velocity Engineering Services

FINALISTS LIV Digital Marketing

FINALISTS

Pushing the Envelope

Hole Montes Quattrone & Associates

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM

WINNER DeAngelis Diamond

WINNER SchenkelShultz Architecture

FINALISTS PBS Contractors

FINALISTS

Stevens Construction

OFDC Commercial Interiors Studio+

7 6 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

_B E S T OF BUSINESS

COMMERCIAL HVAC

BUSINESS HOTEL

CONTRACTOR WINNER COMMERCIAL REAL

WINNER

ESTATE AGENCY (Leasing)

B&I Contractors

Hilton Naples FINALISTS

WINNER

FINALISTS

Crowne Plaza Fort Myers at Bell

Fischler Property Co.

Crowther Roofing and Cooling

Tower Shops

Pro-Tec Plumbing & Air

Luminary Hotel & Co.

RE/Max Realty Group

IT SERVICES

CONFERENCE /

SVN Commercial Partners

CONTRACTOR

MEETING CENTER

COMMERCIAL REAL

WINNER

WINNER

ESTATE AGENCY

Entech

Caloosa Sound Convention

FINALISTS

(Purchase)

Center & Amphitheater FINALISTS

WINNER

CRS Technology Consultants

FINALISTS

Fischler Property Co.

Naples Network Services

Crowne Plaza Fort Myers at Bell Tower Shops

FINALISTS

Hilton Naples

LSI Companies SVN Commercial Partners COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR WINNER B&I Contractors FINALISTS ACRA Electric Titan Electrical Services of SWFL 7 8 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 7 9

_B E S T OF BUSINESS

OFFICE SUPPLY COMPANY WINNER Marco Office Supply FINALISTS CopyLady OFDC Commercial Interiors VENDING / COFFEE COMPANY WINNER Stan's Coffee & Food Service FINALISTS Aroma Coffee Service Narrative Coffee Roasters BUSINESS LUNCH WINNER Shula's Steak House FINALISTS BrickTop's Lake Park Diner The Capital Grille 8 0 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 8 1

_B E S T OF BUSINESS

PRIVATE DINING ROOM WINNER Shula's Steak House FINALISTS Angelina's Ristorante The Capital Grille CATERER WINNER Crave Culinaire FINALISTS Artichoke & Company G3 Catering NETWORKING RESTAURANT / BAR WINNER Fort Myers Brewing Company FINALISTS Bar Tulia Shula's Steak House The Veranda G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 8 3

JOIN US

I N C E L E B R AT I N G T H E 2 0 T H A N N I V E R S A RY O F

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 AT 6:00PM | HYATT REGENCY COCONUT POINT RESORT AND SPA VISIT gulfshorebusiness.com/40under40 FOR TICKETS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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___ A U G U S T

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GULFSHORE BUSINESS SPECIAL SECTION

RI SI NG STA R S IN LAW GULFSHORE BUSINESS AUGUST 2022 85

RISING STARS

SPONSORED CONTENT

Conroy, Conroy & Durant, P.A. Reputable: CC&D has four attorneys who are board certified in real estate law by the Florida Bar. In addition, each partner has achieved an AV-rating by Martindale-Hubbell, demonstrating the highest level of professional excellence and ethics.

Reliable: Over the years we have not only developed procedures for the various types of real estate transactions, but also established relationships with local companies involved in real estate transactions, both of which allows us to provide our clients with reliable and prompt service.

Accessible: Each real estate transaction has a legal team comprised of an attorney, paralegal, and legal assistant, which lends itself to an increased level of communication and availability.

The attorneys and staff at CC&D are proud of our commitment to excellence in real estate.

Conroy, Conroy & Durant, P.A. • Residential and Commercial Real Estate

Conroy, Conroy & Durant, P.A. (“CC&D”) is a boutique

• Real Estate Finance

solutions for over 27 years. Founded by attorneys with

• Construction Law

real estate law firm which has focused on real estate deep roots in the community, CC&D has grown to help our clients navigate Naples’ increasingly competitive

• Condominium Law • Corporate Law • Landlord Tenant Law

and sophisticated real estate market. Whether seeking representation in the purchase or sale of commercial or residential property, our team of lawyers has experience handling complex real estate transactions with integrity.

Focused Real Estate Solutions

2210 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Suite 1201 Naples, FL 34109 (239) 649-5200

Conroy, Conroy & Durant, P.A.

Fax: (239) 649-8140 naplespropertylaw.com

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Matthew L. Brust, Esquire, LL.M.T. “Helping make my clients’ dreams a reality is the best part of my career,” shares Cape Coral native Matthew Brust. As a corporate tax attorney at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, he works with startups and business owners to determine the most tax-efficient method to implement their business needs and goals. In fact to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in Southwest Florida, Matthew cocreated Henderson Franklin’s new program, Startup Bootcamp.

Matthew L. Brust, Esq., LL.M.T. Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. 1715 Monroe Street Fort Myers, FL 33901 239.344.1100 henlaw.com matthew.brust@henlaw.com

Matthew also routinely handles complex multi-million dollar mergers, acquisitions and other business transactions. Through his strategic counsel, he helps clients find the most efficient and effective structure for their transaction. Matthew is also a blogger on the Southwest Florida Business and IP Blog.

Matthew received his undergraduate degree from Webber International University, his J.D. from the Florida Coastal School of Law, cum laude, and his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Practice Areas Business & Tax Planning Mergers & Acquisitions

Whether You’re Starting, Buying, or Selling a Business, We’ll Help You Handle the Unexpected.

Guiding clients to a successful start-up, or negotiating the purchase or sale of a client’s business are a few reasons why Matthew chose to become a business and tax attorney.

With an LL.M in Taxation, he knows that these transactions are complex – with many moving parts – and need to be reviewed with the utmost attention to detail. Handling the unexpected is what our clients expect from us – just as we’ve done since 1924.

Matthew L. Brust Business & Tax Planning

Where Tradition Meets the Future. henlaw.com • 239.344.1100 Fort Myers • Bonita Springs • Naples • Sarasota* BUSINESS & TA X • BUSINESS LITIGATION • CONSTRUCTION • DIVORCE, MARITAL & FAMILY • EMPLOYMENT HEALTH CARE • INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY • LAND USE, ZONING & ENVIRONMENTAL • MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS R E A L E S TAT E • TO RT & I N SU R A N C E • W I L L S , T R U S T & E S TAT E PL A N N I N G • WO R K ER S’ CO M PEN SAT I O N *By appointment only

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Practice Areas Civil Litigation Personal Injury Litigation

Practice Areas Personal Injury Family Law Civil Litigation

Education J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law

Education J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law

B.A. in Economics, University of Florida

M.S., University of Florida Decision and Information Sciences B.S., Florida State University Management Information Systems

Benjamin Lusk

Benjamin Lusk is a partner with Lusk, Drasites & Tolisano, P.A. and practices in the areas of civil litigation and personal injury litigation. Prior to pursuing his legal career, Benjamin proudly served in the United States Navy. He then received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Florida and his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Benjamin enjoys spending free time with his family, sailing, and taking his dog to the beach.

Mark Drasites

Mark D. Drasites is a partner at Lusk, Drasites & Tolisano, P.A. Mark grew up here in Fort Myers and has been working for the family firm in one fashion or another since he was old enough to walk and talk. Mark’s practice areas include family law, personal injury and civil litigation.

In his free time, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife, Lauren, as well as their three boys, James (18 months), Luke (8 months) and Austin (8 months).

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Javier A. Pacheco A partner in Porter Wright’s Litigation Department, Javier Pacheco is certified by The Florida Bar as a specialist in Business Litigation Law. He serves clients in complex matters involving construction, real estate, trusts and estates, intellectual property, employment litigation and creditors’ rights. A native Spanish speaker and writer, Javier has helped clients resolve disputes and conduct internal corporate investigations across Latin America.

Javier A. Pacheco Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP 9132 Strada Place, Third Floor 239.593.2968 jpacheco@porterwright.com

Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021, Javier also has been honored by Florida Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars Edition for 13 years. Javier is committed to serving others throughout his community. He has served on director boards and committees of various non-profit agencies throughout Southwest Florida, coaches competitive youth soccer and also started a soccer program at Youth Haven of SWFL Youth Shelter. Javier also coaches the mock trial team at Immokalee High School.

Javier attended The Ohio State University (B.A, magna cum laude) and Case Western Reserve University School of law (J.D., magna cum laude).

At Porter Wright, we’re driven to create client-focused strategies. Our clients’ greatest challenges motivate us to reach new limits, align the right resources and deliver inspired outcomes.

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Michael Shemkus Michael Shemkus focuses his practice on helping families navigate the local legal system. Whether you need representation for divorce, custody, or support, contact Michael for answers and a clear plan to get you through the process with confidence.

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Passionate. Helping families in their most critical, challenging moments, with fairness, dignity, and dedication. Offering a variety of family law services, Sharon Love strives to help families resolve their most contentious disputes.

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9 0 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

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p_94 Dragon Horse goes bicoastal

2

B. BUSINESS 2 BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY GROWTH & EXPANSION C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E STAT E NEW & EXPANDING

 ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Marine Mom

AUGUST 2022

ENTREPRENEURIAL BALANCING ACT Brian Tietz

p_96

By Artis Henderson

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 9 1

Business 2 Business TECHNOLOGY

AUGUST 2022

By Kaitlin Greenockle

Creating a CyberSchool FSW ENDOWMENT GUIDES STUDENTS TO A GROWING INDUSTRY Between 2020 and 2030, the cybersecurity industry is expected to grow by 33%, which is much faster than average.

That’s according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which also reports that the median pay for a job in the cybersecurity field in 2021 was $102,600 per year. There are currently 58,181 people employed in the field in Florida, with 36,612 cybersecurity jobs open, according to data from cyberseek.org.

While many of these job openings are due to turnover or retirement, demand is also expected to be very high since cyberattacks have increased and analysts are needed to come up with innovative solutions to prevent hackers from stealing critical information. There is also the growing usage of cloud services by small- and mid-sized businesses, which is increasing the need for information security analysts. The health care industry also has been expanding its use of electronic medical records, likewise creating a higher demand for analysts to create safeguards and protect perAs the industry is projected to grow, Brian and Kim Rist and the Rist Family Foundation made a $2 million commitment to Florida SouthWestern State College to establish the Rist Cyber Institute within the college’s School of Business and Technology. This $2 million commitment will

CYBERSECURITY INCREASE “Almost everything we use now is a smart device connected to the internet.”

—Mary Myers

be used to enhance the cybersecurity program, including 9 2 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Getty; Provided(3)

sonal patient information, according to the bureau.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT It’s donors like the Rists who have allowed FSW to expand and serve the Southwest Florida community.

—Jeff Allbritten

equipment, technology and additional instructional staff. The Rist Cyber Institute

The Rists are honored to be a part of

also will house two computer labs, a hard-

the growing innovative programs at FSW.

ware/software lab, a maker space for stu-

They also are supporting FSW’s Respira-

dents to experience new technology and a

tory Care Program with a $500,000 com-

cyber room, FSW officials said.

mitment. “We feel the need to support

“The Cybersecurity program at FSW

programs like the cybersecurity program,”

will increase the skill level of students

says Brian Rist. “It gives young adults the

entering the ever-growing cybersecuri-

opportunity to use their specialized skill

ty workforce in Southwest Florida,” says

sets that aren’t typical in other programs

FSW School of Business and Technology

offered. Our hopes are for these students

Dean Mary Myers. The program also will

to stay local and be beneficial to the South-

give the college the opportunity to offer

west Florida community.”

continuing education for IT practitioners in the field.

“OUR H OPES AR E FOR THESE ST UDEN TS T O STAY LO CAL A N D BE BE NE F I C IA L T O T HE S OUT H WEST FL OR I DA COMMUNITY.” —Brian Rist

and protecting our community, she said.

Because of this funding, FSW will be able to offer experiences to its students

The new program was approved by the

that wouldn’t have been possible oth-

curriculum committee and will launch in

erwise. “This is like putting icing on the

fall 2022. The curriculum for this program

cake,” Myers says. Instead of just having

is defense-oriented, Myers said, meaning

schoolwork and curriculum, students will

students will learn how to protect serv-

now be able to attend cyber conferences

ers, routers and networks. The advisory

and competitions, and hear from industry

community board discussed needs in the

leaders.

community and in the workforce, and one

It’s generous donors like the Rists who

of the biggest current needs is for cyberse-

have allowed FSW to expand and serve the

curity workers, which led to FSW adding

Southwest Florida community and work-

this program.

force for more than 60 years, said FSW

Myers believes the industry is growing

President Jeff Allbritten.

so much because almost everything we

“As the world continues to change,

use now is a smart device connected to the

and the skills and technology needed

internet. “The opportunities for hacking

to keep up with these changes continue

are growing, growing, growing,” she says.

to evolve, it will be these generous FSW

People are used to turning on their phones

supporters who will continue to help us

without anything bad happening, but the

provide the world-class learning envi-

people who work in cybersecurity are the

ronment that our local workforce needs,”

ones making sure nothing bad happens

Allbritten says.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 9 3

Business 2 Business

AUGUST 2022

G R O W T H A N D E X PA N S I O N

By Kaitlin Greenockle

Dragon West NAPLES-BASED DRAGON HORSE AGENCY GOES BICOASTAL What began as notes on the back of a Panera Bread nap-

with their expertise and visions aligning, this fleshed-out

kin in 2015 is now a successful Naples-based business—so

idea from a napkin launched in January 2016.

successful that it’s expanding to Santa Monica, California.

They first set up shop in Koester’s kitchen, where they

Dragon Horse Agency co-founder and chief strate-

worked for a year and a half. They started by naming their

gy officer Patrick Blake Renda and his co-founder Julie

company, designing a logo and deciding on their compa-

Koester used to record a radio show, “Life with Moxie,”

ny’s structure; “Everything you need to do to build the

on Naples talk 98.9, and after recording they would grab

foundation for a successful company,” says Renda.

birth of an agency.

Their creation, Dragon Horse Agency, provides business strategy along with advertising and marketing ser-

By October 2016, they had landed three major clients: LeeTran, MaidPro and the Boathouse on Naples Bay. “We were off and running. Building client by client, service by service,” says Renda.

vices for its clients. Renda, who has extensive experience

When they were just starting to build up their compa-

seeking out investment opportunities for businesses in

ny, it was just Renda and Koester, and neither of them

both public and private markets, started to see how the

were taking a paycheck; everything went right back into

marketing business was changing. “I saw the opportuni-

the company. By July 2017, they were ready to move out of

ty; where marketing was going. It was moving toward a

the kitchen and purchase office space. They found a space

data-centric model, digital and social media,” Renda says.

in the Fifth Third Center at 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road,

Koester has been a professional researcher/copywrit-

signed the paperwork that morning and were moved in

er for more than 20 years, is a former professor of psy-

and working by that afternoon. “That was a big day. It was

chology, spent 15 years in retail as an owner and operator

a milestone,” says Renda.

and was the founding board chair for Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples.

Renda had met Koester through mutual friends and from being involved with the same organizations, includ-

Now Dragon Horse Agency has grown to about 25 clients and 15 employees. It has two office locations in Florida and recently opened a location in Santa Monica, California, at the 100 Wilshire Building.

ing the Naples International Film Festival. He had a tre-

“Given Los Angeles’ depth and diversity of industry,

mendous amount of respect for Koester, and expressed

resources, talent and top universities, DHA’s presence in

his idea for a business opportunity. Koester agreed—and

Los Angeles will allow Dragon Horse to expand and also

9 4 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Brian Tietz; Provided

lunch at Panera Bread and strategize their ideas for the

 

BICOASTAL PRESENCE Within seven years, Dragon Horse went from operating out of a kitchen to multiple offices.

enhance our platform, offering the best and most comprehensive products and services to our clients, while bolstering our unwavering commitment to excellence and delivering the exceptional in terms of quality, professional expertise, reach and cost,” Renda says.

The new location will sit right in what is considered the epicenter of the creative capital of the world, some even referring to it as Wall Street west, Renda said. Once they realized the potential in L.A., it became an objective for Dragon Horse to open an office there in order to expand its services and brand.

“It was very serendipitous, the planets aligned,” says Koester, noting that they also have clients in L.A. and have been building their clientele in southern California.

When they started the search to hire a director of business development, they searched for several months nationally and internationally. They interviewed multiple people who were very talented, but they ultimately hired an individual who had both marketing and enterprise sales experience. It just so happened that their hire was from the L.A. area.

Dragon Horse Agency works to attract the best talent possible, and is proud of its growth and its team. “We have a terrific family of dragons and baby dragons,” Renda says. “We have one of our staff members who has been with us for five years, starting as an intern, and has now grown to be our social media manager. She has grown in her capability and professionalism—now she has her own office at headquarters. That is the kind of culture we promote here at Dragon Horse.”

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 9 5

Business 2 Business ENTREPRENEURSHIP

9 6 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

AUGUST 2022

By Artis Henderson

gulfshorebusiness.com



A NATURAL With no experience, Cooper built her own business, thanks to her husband's hobby.

Marine Mom CAROLINE COOPER’S ENTREPRENEURIAL BALANCING ACT Running her own business comes naturally to Caroline Cooper, who owns Cooper Canvas and Boat Works in Cape Coral. The oldest of four, she’s always been “the bossy one.”

As she puts it, “I like having things done my way.”

Cooper, 44, is originally from Marseille, in the south of France. She’s a pastry chef by training. When her husband began buying and fixing up boats as his hobby in Cape Coral, he started ordering expensive marine cushions. Finally Cooper told him, “Let me get a little sewing machine, and I’ll try to make you one.” She didn’t have any experience with sewing or marine canvas, but what she did have was a mathematical brain trained to work with precise measurements from her days as a pastry chef. She took apart one of the cushions from her husband’s boat, copied the design and recreated it. “It turned out pretty OK,” she admits.

Soon, she was making more and more cushions. “My Brian Tietz

husband was fantastic,” she says. “He bought me a bigger, better sewing machine.” Around this time, she became pregnant with her first baby. As she headed toward three G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 9 7

Business 2 Business ENTREPRENEURSHIP



BALANCING ACT Owning her own business was now or never, despite Cooper's first baby arriving a month early.

months of maternity leave from her day-to-day job as a manager at West Marine, she thought, “If I’m going to have my own business, it’s now or never.”

That’s how she came to launch her marine canvas shop while she was still pregnant. “I jumped on boats quite often with a Brian Tietz

big belly,” she remembers, laughing. “It was a balancing act.”

Though her daughter arrived a month early, Cooper knew she

Thank You! SPECIAL THANKS to the Gulfshore Business readers who voted for Roeztel & Andress as finalists for Best Corporate & Business Law Firm, Best Intellectual Property Law Firm and Best Tax Law Firm.

Proudly serving the legal needs of individuals and businesses in Southwest Florida for over 32 years.

• Banking & Financial Services • Business Litigation • Community Association Law • Corporate & Transactional • Land Use & Zoning • Real Estate Law • Wealth Transfer and Succession Planning 850 PARK SHORE DRIVE I TRIANON CENTRE, 3RD FLOOR I NAPLES, FL 34103 2320 FIRST STREET I SUITE 1000 I FORT MYERS, FL 33901

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couldn’t step away from her fast-growing company. “I already had customers lined up. I was not losing them.” She took a long weekend off when her daughter was born, then immediately went back to work with her new baby beside her. “Sometimes you just have to make it happen,” she says.

Now, 12 years later, she runs a successful business with nine employees, all but one of them women. She caters to her

Business 2 Business ENTREPRENEURSHIP



PAYING IT FORWARD With flexible hours and kids allowed in the office, employees have a good work-life situation.

employees, telling them to come in early if they want to work their hours so they can pick their kids up from school and don’t have to pay for daycare. When the kids need to stay home from school, Cooper has them come to the office. “They’re my shop good work-life situation. “I felt lucky with my daughter,” she says. “I could actually have both work and my baby with me.”

Brian Tietz

buddies,” she says. She likes the idea of paying forward her own

IT'S NO MAGIC ACT Cooper’s advice for entrepreneurs is honest and pragmatic.

There’s no magic to owning your own business, she says. Just hard work. “You’re working 24/7, on the weekends, on holidays. Your phone is always going. You think you’re going to take your two-week vacation and nobody is going to bother you? Ha!”

Empowering better business performance through collaborative innovation and security.

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Business 2 Business

AUGUST 2022

C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E S TAT E

By Adam Regan

CJK 2050 Commerce LLC, Capital 1031 Exchange Co. LLC as qualified intermediary for CS 2050 Commerce LLC, FA 2050 Commerce LLC, HA 2050 Commerce LLC and TC 2050 Commerce LLC purchased a 30,000-square-foot flex space at 2050 Commerce Ave. in Immokalee from Staffordshire Properties USA Inc. for $3.57 million. Felipe Arcila of KOVA Commercial Group represented the buyer and seller.

Aegean Estiatorio Inc. purchased 10,500 square feet of restaurant space at 8990 Fontana Del Sol Way in North Naples from P.D.K.N P-3  Nighthawk Group 765 LLC purchased approximately 20,000 square feet of retail and office space at 765 Fifth Ave. S. in Naples from GCS Mom’s LLC for $27 million. David J. Stevens, CCIM, of Investment Properties Corp. represented the seller, and Rob Carroll, CCIM, and Patrick Fraley, CCIM, also of IPC, represented the buyer.

LLC for $4,675,000. Patrick Fraley, CCIM, and David J. Stevens, CCIM, of Investment Properties Corp. represented the buyer and seller.

1973 Elsa LLC purchased 3,096

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

COLLIER COUNTY

OB 4 LLC purchased a 95-acre

Genesis Naples LLC purchased

agricultural property at 28000

and I-75 in Naples from Frank

1973 Elsa St. in North Naples from

V. Kralik Rev Trust for $4 million.

1973 Elsa Street LLC for $1.1 million.

Kermani represented the seller,

Christine McManus, CCIM, SIOR, of

Tract 92, a 4.18-acre commer-

and Vukobratovich represented

Investment Properties Corp. repre-

Amidship Road and 28100

cial site at Pine Ridge Road and

the buyer.

sented the buyer and seller.

Jones Loop in Punta Gorda from

Interstate 75, in North Naples

Franklin L. Sutton, Catherine E.

from Frank Clesen & Sons Inc.

The Augusterra Group LLC

LEE COUNTY

Floyd and John David Manely as

for $4,734,000. Fred Kermani,

purchased 0.73 acres of vacant

co-trustees of the Hannah M.

CCIM, AIA, of CRE Consultants

land at 331 Eighth St. S. in Naples

Murano Cobblestone DE LLC

Sutton Declaration of Trust for

represented the seller, and

from NDTL LLC for $12 million.

purchased the 318-unit Murano at

$2.75 million. Randy Thibaut, ALC,

George Vukobratovich of Welsh

David J. Stevens, CCIM, and Rob

Three Oaks apartment complex at

of LSI Companies Inc. represent-

Companies represented the buy-

Carroll, CCIM, MAI, of Investment

17171 Three Oaks Parkway in Fort

ed the seller.

er. Genesis also purchased Tract

Properties Corp. represented the

Myers from Murano at Three Oaks

93, a 4.03-acre site at Pine Ridge

buyer and seller.

Associates for $122.5 million.

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gulfshorebusiness.com

Provided

square feet of commercial space at

Butters SA LLC purchased

Duplexes Resort Park LLC

Turnstone 6 Mile LLC purchased

DSSBB LLC purchased a

274.24 acres known as Airport

purchased 24 acres at 1322 NE

a 2.4-acre commercial property

30,908-square-foot, 34-unit

Interstate Commerce Park,

12th Ave. in Cape Coral from CC

at 14790 Hope Center Loop in

newly updated waterfront hotel,

16200 Ben Hill Griffin Parkway,

Properties Investors II LLC for

Fort Myers from Hope Hospice

along with a 10,000-square-foot

and 9830 Interstate Commerce

$4.2 million. Bob O’Connor and

and Community Services Inc. for

fully functioning movie theatre

Drive in Fort Myers from YBFH

Michael Price, ALC, of LandQwest

$1.45 million. Justin Thibaut, CCIM,

that features Gulf Shore access at

Real Estate LLC for $40 million.

Commercial represented the seller.

and Christi Pritchett, CCIM, of LSI

6530 and 6425 Estero Blvd. on Fort

Companies Inc. represented the

Myers Beach, from Gulfview Manor

buyer and seller.

LLC for $19 million. Patrick Fraley of

Derek Bornhorst, SIOR, CCIM, Bob Johnston, SIOR, Jerry

Best Box Ft Myers FL Tamiami

Messonnier, SIOR, and William

LLC purchased a 9.74-acre

Bradford, CCIM, SIOR, of Lee &

commercial site at 15805 S.

InvenTrust Properties purchased

Tyler Manring and Eric Manring of

Associates Naples-Fort Myers

Tamiami Trail in Fort Myers from

the 62,958-square-foot Bay

Compass represented the seller,

represented the buyer, and Gary

Yellowstone Property Developers

Landing retail center at U.S. 41

and Steve Boge with William Raveis

Tasman and Shawn Stoneburner

LLC for $3 million. Tom Woodyard

and Bay Landing Drive in Bonita

represented the buyer.

of Cushman & Wakefield

of Woodyard & Associates

Springs from Barron Collier Co.

Commercial Property Southwest

represented the seller, and Adam

for $10,425,000. Anthony Blanco

321 Ave T Realty Corp. purchased

Florida represented the seller.

Bornhorst of Lee & Associates

of The Shopping Center Group

a 10,400-square-foot flex space at

Naples-Fort Myers represented

represented the seller.

1749 NE 10th Terrace in Cape Coral

Investment Properties Corp., and

the buyer.

from Heartland LLC for $1,175,000.

Philip Josberger of KOVA

 Reserve at Coconut Point LLC purchased The Reserve at Coconut Point, a 180-unit apartment complex with 163,800 square feet of rentable space, at 22980 Vista Edera Circle in Estero from Coconut Point Holdings LP for $71.7 million. Jamie May of JBM Institutional Multifamily Advisors represented the buyer and seller.

Commercial Group represented the buyer.

Alico Coffee Realty LLC purchased the 7,000-square-foot retail strip center at 10993 Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers from EBCP 11021 Colonial LLC for $3.5 million. The building just east of Interstate 75 and west of State Road 82, was fully occupied at the time of sale with a tenant mix including AT&T, Majestic Nails and Spa, Best Budz Smoke Shop and MÜV Dispensary. Bob Pekol of LandQwest Commercial represented the buyer, and Rokki Rogan, CDPE, of LandQwest represented the seller.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 1 0 3

Business 2 Business

AUGUST 2022

N E W & E X PA N D I N G

By Adam Regan

COLLIER COUNTY Plumbing Nerds leased a

from Halstatt LLC. Bryan Flores

AVG Intermediate Holdings LLC

Naples from JCS Naples Holdings

12,432-square-foot flex space

with KOVA Commercial Group

leased a 3,318-square-foot

LLC. Todd Sabin of KOVA Commer-

in Rail Head Commerce Center,

represented the lessee.

space in The Pavilion, 8979 Tami-

cial Group represented the lessee.

ami Trail N., Unit 32, in North Na-

1400-1402 Rail Head Blvd., in North Naples from Old 41 Flex

Truist Bank leased 9,826 square

ples from Regency Centers. Brent

360 Hair Salon LLC leased 1,706

LLC. Randal Mercer of CRE Con-

feet of space in the SunTrust

Westerfield of Lee & Associates

square feet of retail space at Ever-

sultants represented the lessor,

Building, 801 Laurel Oak Drive,

Naples-Fort Myers represented

green Plaza, 1848 Airport-Pulling

and Joyce Haas of Gulf Coast

suites 100 and 200, in North

the lessor, and Kaleigh Baumlin

Road S., in Naples from Airport Road

Realty represented the lessee.

Naples from American National

of Franklin Street represented

Naples LLC. Todd Sabin of KOVA

Insurance Co. Thomas Webb,

the lessee.

Commercial Group represented the

Oracle America Inc. leased 11,494

CCIM, MSRE, and Michael Mahan

square feet of office space at

of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort

The Beverage Box Drive Up leased

Poinciana Professional Park, 2640

Myers represented the lessor.

2,513 square feet of retail space

Golden Gate Parkway, in Naples

lessor and lessee.

LEE COUNTY

at 1480 Airport-Pulling Road N. in Coastline Cabinetry & Custom Mill-

 RRC Royal Management LLC leased a 12,953-square-foot medical office property at 3530 Kraft Road, Suite 100, in Naples from Kraft Office Center LLC. Justin Thibaut, CCIM, and Christi Pritchett, CCIM, of LSI Companies Inc. represented the lessee, and Adam Palmer, CCIM, and Laura Cari of LandQwest Commercial represented the lessor.

work LLC leased a 26,611-squarefoot space in Southwest Florida Business Center, 7916 Drew Circle, suites 4-6, in Fort Myers from Carroll Partnership LLP. Derek Bornhorst, SIOR, CCIM, Bob Johnston, SIOR, and Jerry Messonnier, SIOR, of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

SelfieSQ leased a 2,600-squarefoot office in Bonefish Grill Plaza, 900 SW Pine Island Road, units 208 and 209, in Cape Coral from Coral I LLC. Jeff Forsythe, CCIM, and Brock Rasmussen of Lee & Associates

lessor and lessee.

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gulfshorebusiness.com gulfshorebusiness.com

Provided

Naples-Fort Myers represented the

 Naples Soap Company Inc. leased 1,300 square feet of retail space at 2273 First St. in Fort Myers from Bradford Arcade Properties LLC. Gary Tasman and Gretchen Smith of Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property Southwest Florida represented the lessor and lessee.

K&E Medical Training Center LLC

Aztek Communications of

212, in Bonita Springs from

Island Road, in Cape Coral

leased 2,453 square feet of office

South Florida Inc. leased a

Klingler Properties B LLC. Dave

from Pine Island Cape Coral FL

space at 1469 Colonial Blvd., Suite

2,000-square-foot space in

Wallace, CCIM, SIOR, and David

LLC. Jessica McEvoy and Tom

200, in Fort Myers from Lago Cap-

Country Lakes Business Center,

Wallace of CRE Consultants rep-

Strauss of LandQwest Commer-

ital Investments Inc. Todd Sabin

5701 Country Lakes Drive, Unit 10,

resented the lessor and lessee.

cial represented the lessee.

of KOVA Commercial Group repre-

in Fort Myers from EB Proper-

sented the lessor and lessee.

ties Inc. Derek Bornhorst, SIOR,

Burnt Store Donuts leased an

Lyons Real Estate Inc. leased

CCIM, Bob Johnston, SIOR, Jerry

1,800-square-foot retail end

1,476 square feet of office space

Dimsum King Fort Myers LLC

Messonnier, SIOR, and Meaghan

cap at the northwest corner

at 4575 Via Royal, Unit 206, in

leased 2,400 square feet of

Schmitt of Lee & Associates

of Burnt Store Road and Pine

Fort Myers from Alesco Corporate

retail space at 9990-9994 Uni-

Naples-Fort Myers represented

Island Road in Cape Coral from

Center LLC. Gary Tasman and

versity Plaza Drive in Fort Myers

the lessor and lessee.

Island Pearl 1 LLC. Bob Pekol of

Gretchen Smith of Cushman &

LandQwest Commercial repre-

Wakefield Commercial Property

sented the lessee.

Southwest Florida represented

from Sena Realty LLC. Gary Tasman and Gretchen Smith of

Compass Capital Manage-

Cushman & Wakefield Commer-

ment Group LLC leased a

cial Property Southwest Florida

1,898-square-foot office space

Crumbl Cookie leased 1,800

represented the lessor.

in Beachway Professional Center,

square feet of retail space in

3301 Bonita Beach Road, Suite

Cape Commons, 1519 NE Pine

the lessor and lessee.

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W E A T H E R

A U T H O R I T Y

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Flavor on the go

Explore SWFL

AfterHours

U N W I N D | H O R S E P O W E R | W E L L N E S S | N E W & N O T E W O R T H Y | W E E K E N D G E TAWAY

Lavish Beyond Luxury THE 2022 MERCEDES-MAYBACH p_108

Provided

By James Raia

AfterHours HORSEPOWER

AUGUST 2022

By James Raia

Lavish Beyond Luxury THE ULTRA-DELUXE 2022 MERCEDES-MAYBACH S 580 Like sports cars and economy vehicles, what defines a luxury car is blurred via marketing materials and manufacturers’ whims. An ultra-luxury car may be easier to pinpoint, since fewer are made. The 2022 Mercedes-Maybach qualifies without any squabble.

After its long, tumultuous tenure, Maybach ceased as a standalone manufacturer in 2013. Two years later, it became a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz. Beginning in 2021, Daimler began to make ultra-luxury editions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Classic and GLSClass using the name Mercedes-Maybach.

The 2022 edition is available in S 580 and S 680 trims. The reviewed S 580 features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8; the S 680 has a 12-cylinder engine, but the siblings share nearly all other characteristics. Both trims have all-wheel-drive and nine-speed automatic transmissions.

And as a top-line luxury sedan, the Mercedes-Maybach’s standard equipment list stretches the limits of belief. Air suspension allows the raising and lowering of the car to the proper height. Spa-like comfort reigns with ventilated heated and massaging front and rear seats with memory settings. Four-zone climate control with a fragrance atomizer, a rear neck heater, a heated steering wheel and heated armrests are in the comfort mix. Two front and two back pillows attach to the headrests. Backseat passengers get the best of it: An optional small refrigerator ($1,100) rests between the two seats and can hold two champagne flutes ($3,200).

If eating and drinking on drives are important and further expense isn’t an issue, how about the Executive Rear Seat Package PLUS? It includes a four-place setting for the entire vehicle (two-passenger rear seats), a center console with dual folding tables and heated and cooled rear cupholders. It’s another $6,000.

FACTS & FIGURES Acceleration: 0-60 mph, 3.9 seconds Airbags: 15 Fuel economy: 15 mpg city, 24 mpg hwy Horsepower: 496 Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $184,900 Manufacturer’s website: mbusa.com Price As Tested: $231,100 Warranty: Bumper to bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Powertrain, 4 years/50,000 miles; Corrosion, 30 years/ unlimited miles; Roadside Assistance, complimentary

Technology is state-of-the-art, centralized with a 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. The navigation system has augmented reality driving directions, a head-up display, a rear entertainment system with individual monitors, six USB-C ports and a 30-speaker Burmester premium audio system.

Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping with automated Provided

lane-change assist, forward collision mitigation, evasive steering assist and rear and cross-traffic automatic braking are among the dozen-plus added safety features.

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Powerful, smooth and quick, the

right. Perhaps the vehicle’s design team

Driving an elongated 5,300-pound

Mercedes-Maybach resembles a plush

consulted with the art director of a

sedan with a V8 engine and nearly 500

apartment on wheels. The front seats

glossy architecture magazine?

horsepower isn’t for the economical-

are spacious, constructed from top-

With its stunning interior, nothing

ly minded. And ultra-luxury almost

grade materials complemented by up-

less would be expected for the May-

always means ultra-pricing. But the

scale painting and wood trim. It’s de-

bach’s exterior presence. Two-tone

 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 580 costs

tailed in silver aluminum fanned walnut

paint palettes may be polarizing, but the

TITLE GOES far less than many competitors; Bent-

wood trim open pore, and it adds $3,200

combination of the Obsidian Black Me-

HERE AND HERE ley and Rolls-Royce have more pres-

to the car’s nearly $50,000 of options.

tallic body and Cirrus Silver top and six

tigious badges and far heftier prices.

The hand-crafted Manufaktur leath-

trim is an eye-catching homage to gang-

er package ($8,000) makes a cruise

ster vehicles of yesteryear. The upscale

Which gives the second-year S 580 here.

in the limousine-esque beast feel just

paint costs $12,750.

Other info goes here

and here and here and

a new title — it’s a value-priced, ultra-luxury sedan.

G U LGFUSLHFOSRHEO B RU E SBI U N SE ISNSE A SU S GMUAY S T 22022 022 109

AfterHours

AUGUST 2022

WELLNESS

By James Raia

Relaxed Awareness THE LEGACY OF TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION Twelve years after he began teaching the

sey family medicine physician who now

meditation technique now called Tran-

lives on Marco Island, is the director

scendental Meditation, the movement

of Naples/Fort Myers Transcendental

by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi gained its

Meditation Center in Naples (tm.org).

greatest mainstream prominence. Its

He offers free introductory talks to area

founder met the Beatles.

organizations and groups, and details

world title translates to “great seer,”

what he recommended in his 40-year medical career and TM teacher tenure.

had already traveled the globe for more

“The TM technique is a simple, natu-

than a decade before meeting the band

ral, effortless scientific technique that

in 1967. The former university physics

allows the mind to easily settle down

student taught in his native India and

and experience one’s essential nature,

lectured from Africa to New Zealand

which is a state of consciousness,” says

and Argentina to Singapore.

DiChiara. “It’s described by physiolo-

After meeting with the Maharishi, the

gists as restful alertness. It is profoundly

Beatles and their wives and partners be-

simple to teach, learn and practice—yet

gan studying with him. They first trav-

remarkably effective.”

eled to Wales and then, more famously, to

DiChiara believes TM is “an effortless

India. The Maharishi became their spiri-

technique for recharging mind and body,

tual adviser. He described TM as “the

creating a brighter, more positive state

unified field of all the laws of nature.”

of mind.” He concurs with devotees who

The group’s embrace of the Mahari-

believe the meditation form helps alle-

shi’s teachings prompted a media blitz in

viate stress and anxiety, improving brain

North America. He was a guest on NBC’s

function and cardiovascular health.

“Today” and “The Tonight Show” with

“It is a deeply restful, relaxing and

Johnny Carson. The Maharishi appeared

blissful experience, but more impor-

on the covers of Life, Newsweek and Time

tantly, it has holistic benefits in every-

magazines. He lectured at Harvard and

day life,” DiChiara says. “The extensive

Yale and in Royal Albert Hall.

scientific research on the TM technique

Dr. Frank DiChiara, a former New Jer-

Provided

The Maharishi, whose honorific one-

has shown significant results in the im-

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provement of an individual’s creativity and intelligence, overall health and social relationships.”

“For me, when I was in high school, my family was like, ‘She’s so confident; it’s changed her life,’” says Aisling Swift, a writer in North Naples and a longtime TM practitioner. “I was a musician, and I just shook on stage. I choked off my windpipe and I just couldn’t play. It (TM) really, really helped relax me.

It was recommended by several musicians for stage fright, and it helped me throughout college.”

In the acknowledgment of its 60th anniversary in 2019, the Maharishi Foundation USA, a nonprofit educational organization headquartered in Fairfield, Iowa, announced that 10 million people had learned Transcendental Meditation. The American Heart Association has recommended the discipline be considered in clinical practice.

Practice is recommended for two 15- to 20-minute sessions twice a day. While sitting in a comfortable position and breathing through the diaphragm in a relaxed way, a mantra is repeated. Accepting and focusing on thoughts and sensations is paramount to success.

When the Maharishi first began traveling throughout the world, he wrote: “I had one thing in mind, that I know something which is useful to every man.”

Transcendental Meditation teachers today follow the same approach.

“It is the one tool or modality that anyone can own 

HEALTH BENEFITS Some believe the meditation form helps alleviate stress and anxiety, improving brain function and cardiovascular health.

and utilize for a lifetime of creating self-sufficiency, and therefore it has been particularly rewarding for me as a physician to impart this knowledge,” says DiChiari. “I consider it a privilege to continue to teach Transcendental Meditation.”

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 1 1 1

AfterHours

AUGUST 2022

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

By James Raia



$110 yakima.com Y

&

W

N

O R T

H

NEW O T E

Cookout Companion Space is usually at a premium for campers, RVers, hikers, off-road adventurers and anyone who appreciates cooking outdoors. The OpenRange Camp Kitchen is essentially a basecamp in a box.

Like a pocketknife with myriad functions, the new Yakima product offers a lot in a small package. The base model ($749) includes the OpenRange Camp box with a lantern hook and organizing shelf. The deluxe option ($1,199) features a wood side table with cutting board, collapsible wash basin with drain hose, metal cook side table with flexible fuel hose, a hanging fuel canister pouch and the CookOut two-burner stove.

A kit is available separately with adjustable legs that telescope from 20 to 33 inches in height. Bamboo and metal side tables and a two-burner propane stove with integrated push-button ignition are also available individually for $149 each.

When not in use, the ensemble is contained in a roto-molded enclosure with a rubber door seal; well protected from the weather, dirt and animals. The portable kitchen is geared toward use with Yakima-specific vehicle racks, but it’s also perfect for carrying in a trunk or truck bed. It’s 31 inches long, 18 inches tall and 18 inches wide and weighs 31 pounds.

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Provided

FLAVOR ON THE GO FROM THE OPENRANGE CAMP KITCHEN

TEXT “GB” TO (239) 498-8500 FOR A

FREE

SUBSCRIPTION

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S BEST VIEW OF BUSINESS

AfterHours

AUGUST 2022

W E E K E N D G E TA W AY

By Artis Henderson

Pedal to the Metal HIT THE GAS AND VISIT SEBRING FOR RACING EXCITEMENT A quick two-hour drive up the middle of the state, through cow pastures and citrus orchards, will put you at one of the busiest raceways in North America. Sebring International Raceway was established in 1950 and is known as the birthplace of American endurance racing. Today, it still hosts the 12-hour endurance classic race under the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, plus other events such as drag racing and the Porsche Carrera Cup. The track has a packed schedule, with more than 300 events every year.

GRAB A SPOT IN THE STANDS Admission to Sebring International Raceway (113 Midway Drive, Sebring; 863.655.1442; sebringraceway.com) includes access to the Gurney Terrace, an open-air viewing area overlooking the pit road and the front straight. Spectators can bring their own seats, drinks and snacks— a slightly more upscale experience, Club Sebring offers an enclosed suite on the second level that

Provided

charcoal grills are even allowed at the track. For

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gulfshorebusiness.com



SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY The track, established in 1950, is known as the birthplace of American endurance racing.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2022 1 1 5

AfterHours W E E K E N D G E TA W AY

overlooks the front straight. With an open bar and catered meals, it’s a step above the hot dogs and boiled peanuts of general seating.

GET BEHIND THE WHEEL Sebring’s racing schedule has enough events to satisfy every kind of car enthusiast. For those who like to be behind the wheel, the Florida-based Performance Driving Group Provided

(800.453.5506; performancedrivinggroup.com) hosts regular meetups at Sebring. Though the group’s events don’t

YO U ’ R E I N V I T E D TO

The Gala You’ve Been Waiting on for More than 3,345 Years

PRESENTED BY

* BENEFITING THE IMAG HISTORY & SCIENCE CENTER

S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 2 2

|

6:30 PM to 10:00 PM

|

T K T S : t h e I M A G . o rg

* Everywhere the Glint of Gold Gala is the 100TH Anniversary Celebration of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb by archaeologist Howard Carter in November 1922. Born circa 1341 BCE, King Tutankhamun was the 12TH pharaoh of the 18TH Egyptian dynasty who reigned from 1332 to 1323 BCE when he died at age 19. The IMAG History & Science Center, in association with The Origins Museum Institute, presents Tutankhamun: Return of the King opening October 2022.



BEHIND THE WHEEL Take your track-ready car for a spin at the raceway, or rent a car to feel what it’s like to race.

involve racing or being timed, they give folks with trackready cars a chance to take them for a spin in a legit race environment. You’ll find Porsches, Mercedes, Mustangs and Corvettes, plus a number of hot rods. Performance Driving Group has special sessions just for beginners, which includes classroom time and an instructor in the car. If you’re not ready to take that Taycan off the mean streets of Naples, the group has cars available for rent; try out the C7 Corvette Stingray or the SS Camaro 1LE.

Best Accounting Firm Finalist!

We are grateful for the relationships we have built over the last 40+ years and want you to know how much we appreciate our team, client, and community partners.

Thank YOU for voting for us!

We are honored to be recognized as a finalist in the category of Best Accounting Firm!

Growing With Our Clients Since 1979 Accounting With Heart

We are more than just accountants. We are experts in tax, litigation support, business strategy and specialized consulting. More than that, we are people, we are a team, and we work together with you, to provide world-class, premium services that are entirely tailored to your needs.

Specialized Services & Consulting in: Accounting & Bookkeeping • Family Mediation • Non-Profit • Tax • Information Technology CFO/Controller • Human Resources • Marketing & Public Relations • And so much more!

Contact Us Today!

8961 Conference Drive, Fort Myers FL 33919

(239) 433-5554

www.Markham-Norton.com

AfterHours W E E K E N D G E TA W AY

STAY THE NIGHT Though Sebring can be done in a day, it’s worth a weekend trip. For the full motorway experience, stay onsite at Seven (150 Midway Drive, Sebring; 888.738.3601; sevensebringhotel.com), the raceway’s hotel situated at Turn 7 on the Sebring International Raceway circuit. Seven bills itself as “comfortable, yet classy” and features motorsports history throughout plus two on-site restaurants, a pool and a fitness Provided

center. On race days, the place buzzes with the excitement of the track.

2022 GIVING GUIDE: BUSINESS GIVES BACK Don’t miss out on the

Giving Guide, showcasing

Southwest Florida’s nonprofits and their important missions.

For more information visit: gulfshorebusiness.com/givingguide GIVING GUIDE:

Business Gives Back

P R E S E N TE D B Y

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COMFORTABLE, YET CLASSY Stay over at the raceway’s hotel, which is situated at Turn 7 and features motorsports history.

GRAB A BURGER AND A BEER Seven’s restaurant, Apex (150 Midway Drive, Sebring; 888.738.3601; sevensebringhotel.com), gets consistently rave reviews. People claim it serves the best burger in Sebring. The bar is also popular with the racing crowd. Its beer menu skips the trendy craft brews in favor of classic favorites, including Pabst Blue Ribbon and Miller High Life, but the cocktail menu is more inventive. Our favorite? The Sebring Breeze made with gin, fresh lime juice, elderflower liqueur, basil and soda water. It’s the perfect nightcap after a long day at the track.

TEXT “GB” TO (239) 498-8500 FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S BEST VIEW OF BUSINESS

AfterHours

AUGUST 2022

UNWIND

By Justin Paprocki

Nocturnal Excursions NIGHTTIME IS THE RIGHT TIME TO EXPLORE SWFL These days, the best time of day is after dark. Afternoon showers have cooled off the hazy heat and local residents, at least the ones who haven’t fled north, get a brief respite. But what to do? Southwest Florida offers a variety of activities once the sun goes down; it’s just a matter of knowing where to look.

The Corkscrew Swamp Night Walks are a popular way to get acquainted with nocturnal wildlife. Small groups take guided tours of the sanctuary along its boardwalk. Nighttime is when the owls, insects and other swamp creatures tend to speak up, so expect to see and hear a totally different side of the swamp.

Make sure you plan your tour well in advance; groups are limited. So, spots tend to fill up fast (corkscrew. audubon.org). The Naples Botanical Garden also son; Sunset Wednesdays keep the gates open until 8

set Tour by Adventure Paddle Tours (adventurepaddletours.

p.m. so guests can enjoy the early evening with din-

com) is a four-mile paddle that ends with a glorious sunset in

ing deals at the Fogg Cafe (naplesgarden.org).

the distance.

If sunsets are your thing, plenty of cruises offer

Of course, Southwest Florida has plenty of nightlife activities,

early evening trips, such as the Pure Florida sunset

but for a unique dining experience, try the Full Moon Chef’s

cruise that drifts along Gordon Bay in Naples (purefl.

Dinners at the Catch of the Pelican at Naples Grande Beach Re-

com) or the Sunset Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise by

sort. Timed to coincide with each month’s full moon, these pri-

Adventures in Paradise off Sanibel (adventureinpar-

vate, outdoor events each have a unique, multi-course dinner.

adiseinc.com). For an even more intimate evening

As with many of these nighttime events, tickets sell quickly, so

on the water, try a kayak tour. The Rookery Bay Sun-

plan ahead (naplesgrande.com).

1 2 0 G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

gulfshorebusiness.com

Provided

keeps its doors open late for weekly events in-sea-

of

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e’re one of just a few true community banks in Southwest Florida. Our customers are more than account numbers to us – they’re our partners, neighbors and friends.

We offer all the same services and benefits of a big box bank – but better with fee-free products like personal checking accounts, mobile and online banking, Zelle® and more.

And whether you’re looking for a residential or commercial loan, with us, you get a local partner and advocate to guide you through the process.

For over 19 years, we’ve provided smart, thoughtful banking solutions, while remaining devoted to serving the community we all love and we plan to continue for decades to come.

8 convenient SWFL locations 239-472-6100 | www.SanCapBank.com NMLS #411904