Gulfshore Business October 2023

BUILDING MOMENTUM

Despite difficulties, construction is booming in Southwest Florida

Making the most of the modern workplace

WEATHERING THE STORMS

Structural resiliency, whether rebuilding from hurricanes or starting from scratch

FIRST FAIR EVERYWHERE

Chris Cifatte

Lois Thome

Matt Devitt Chief Meteorologist

CONTENTS / FEATURES

32 Building Momentum

Despite difficulties, construction is booming in Southwest Florida

Weathering the Storms

Structural resiliency, whether rebuilding from hurricanes or starting from scratch

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Heidi Rambo Centrella

Digital Editor Adam Regan

Associate Editor Kaitlin Regan

Senior Editors Tim Aten, David Dorsey, Nancy Semon

Assistant Editors Katiuska Carrillo, Samantha Roesler

Copy Editor Steve Gill

CONTRIBUTORS

Artis Henderson, Beth Luberecki, Melanie Pagan, Justin Paprocki, James Raia, Aisling Swift, Sheldon Zoldan

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THE BIG TIME

Summer is officially over. The roads are packed, traffic is a daily adventure and there seems to be an abundance of activity everywhere we look. The twist, though, is that Season hasn’t actually gotten started yet—our current bustle is the result of an incredible construction boom.

In “Building Momentum” on p. 32, David Dorsey and Tim Aten check in on the progress of and plans for several highlights of the many, many projects in motion for Lee and Collier counties, as well as Charlotte, which is poised for substantial residential expansion. Prices are high, sourcing materials can be tricky and new state law isn’t making labor personnel any easier to find, but those obstacles don’t seem to be deterrents; from Cape Coral to Babcock Ranch, industrial facilities to health care complexes, luxury condos to long-delayed resorts, the business of building is at full throttle throughout the area.

Development is to be expected considering the phenomenal increase in

population from new neighbors moving to the Sunshine State daily. Of course, that’s only part of the picture. It’s certainly true that Southwest Florida is growing by leaps and bounds, but a large portion of the building underway in the area isn’t new construction; it’s ongoing efforts to rebuild after the appalling devastation of Hurricane Ian. How much rebuilding? Lee County recently added 23 new jobs to its community development department, in part to help deal with the more than 45,000 hurricane-related permit applications that were filed between Oct. 1 of last year and June 30.

While we can and do hope that future storms are less severe and less direct in their aim, it’s an unfortunate fact of life in this coastal paradise that hurricanes will come again, and again. Structural resiliency is top of mind for residents and builders alike, as Beth Luberecki writes in “Weathering the Storms” on p. 46. “I’m all for being next to the water,” as longtime local architect Joyce Owens puts it, “but … if you’re going to invest in those locations, then invest so you’re designing your properties with Mother Nature, and not against Mother Nature.” In location, design and materials, Floridians are finding more ways to safeguard structures against storm damage—while the impulse to get back to normal and rebuild things as they were is understandable, incorporating lessons from past destruction benefits the present and future community.

I hope you enjoy this issue, and these remaining weeks of comparative calm before tourism kicks back into high gear. Active as the area currently is, we all have much busier days and months in store. Season is only the beginning; the future is coming, and for Southwest Florida, it’s going to be big.

HEIDI RAMBO CENTRELLA EDITOR IN CHIEF

Katiuska Carrillo

Tim Aten

David Dorsey Penny Fisher Harriet Heithaus

Heidi Rambo Centrella Samantha Roesler

By Artis Henderson

LAND DEAL

The largest land deal on Fort Myers Beach since Hurricane Ian closed in July.

Landon Bay Homes paid $38.2 million for about 10 acres of land that had been the 144-room Outrigger Beach Resort and Charley’s Boathouse Grill restaurant. Both were destroyed Sept. 28, 2022, by Hurricane Ian. About 3.6 acres of the beachside land will be redeveloped at 6200 Estero Blvd., as well as the other acre across the street that had been the restaurant.

NewsBites

COMING NEXT MONTH

One of Southwest Florida’s biggest draws is its vicinity to the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. With Season gearing up this month, will the Gulf still have its allure to tourists? Multiple challenges threaten the Gulf of Mexico and business owners are worried. Read more in next month’s Gulfshore Business about the changes in our waters, such as aftereffects from Hurricane Ian, red tide, the seaweed scare and rapid sea level rise.

LEE COUNTY

COLLIER COUNTY / LEE COUNTY / CHARLOTTE COUNTY

GENERATIONS IN THE WORKFORCE

In July, Intelligent.com surveyed 1,243 business leaders about their experiences with recent college graduates (classes 2020-23) entering the workforce.

HOT TIP FOR ENTREPRENEURS

IS SOCIAL MEDIA NECESSARY?

“Absolutely. When you launch a business, you have friends and family who spread the word, but let’s be honest. How much can they help you? Yet if you post a video that gets 10,000 views— mostly from strangers—and those views drive traffic to your website, that helps a lot. For me and a lot of other small businesses like me, it’s crucial.”

— Ruby Campos, Cleansing Essentials

40% of business leaders believe recent college grads are unprepared for the workforce.

COLLIER COUNTY

GREAT WOLF LODGE

Collier County’s Great Wolf Lodge is expected to open October 2024. The East Naples resort and indoor water park is projected to generate $5 billion in spending in the region and $150 million in tax revenue for the county over 30 years.

The 20-acre property sits between Paradise Coast Sports Complex and the Uline distribution center in eastern Collier County. The resort will offer a 90,000-square-foot water park with 500 suites, along with a 60,000-square-foot family entertainment center, which includes a ropes course, mini-golf and an arcade.

The resort is anticipated to bring 600 jobs to the area. Great Wolf Lodge pledged a total of $500,000 over 10 years to invest in bringing new people to the Southwest Florida market and training local professionals wanting to break into the hospitality industry.

94% of those business leaders say they avoid hiring recent grads at times

Work ethic and communication skills are the top reasons why business leaders think recent grads are unprepared.

NewsBites

PROMOTION

LEE COUNTY MANAGER

53% of viewers say Barbie improved their opinion of women in the workplace.

AUTHORS, ARTIST

Gulf Coast Writers Association’s Storm Stories—Hurricane Ian, an anthology of personal experiences during the storm as recounted by local residents and photographers, is now available for purchase in paperback, hardcover and e-book versions. Local artist Leoma Lovegrove painted the artwork for the cover, as well as contributing her own storm story describing the destruction to her home and businesses on Matlacha. The foreword to the anthology of stories, poems and photos is written by Robert N. Macomber, a well-known author of naval historical fiction and Pine Island resident.

Dave Harner started his new position as Lee County Manager in August after serving as a county employee for 32 years. He was unanimously voted into the position by the county commissioners in June. Harner has worked his way up within the county, starting as a maintenance worker in the parks and recreation department before

earning his master’s degree in public administration from Florida Gulf Coast University. He also served as parks and recreation director and most recently as deputy county manager. Harner will oversee a $2.6 billion budget and about 2,800 employees.

The commissioners approved Harner for a fiveyear contract with an annual salary of $270,000, a 12% raise from when he worked as deputy county manager. He will also receive $500 a month to use his personal vehicle for county business.

74% of conservative men say Barbie improved their view of women in leadership positions.

Percentage of people who feel women make the best leaders jumped from 20% before watching the film to 29% afterward.

2 in 3 say the movie made them more aware of patriarchy in the workplace.

62% say the film led to self-reflection.

COLLIER COUNTY / LEE COUNTY / CHARLOTTE COUNTY

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office wants to increase the number of women in law enforcement to 30% by 2030. Currently, the department is 15% female, with 65 women deputies. Nationally, women make up 12% of sworn law enforcement officers and 3% of law enforcement leadership.

Fort Myers Broadcasting Company, the parent company of WINK News and an affiliate company with Gulfshore Business, purchased an $18.5 million building for its future new home and broadcast center. The 57,260-square-foot building and adjacent 5.6-acre parking lot, 12641 Corporate Lakes Drive, previously had served as home to a Comcast service and dispatch center.

Essential to Your Business Helping Clients Find Resolution to Business Conflicts

Since 1976, Bond has worked with Collier County entities in litigation matters, from arbitration to jury verdicts in simple and complex cases. For more information go to bsk.com.

Andrew Reiss

Trendlines HOUSING HEAT WAVE

Florida’s market may be a bit too warm

By Justin Paprocki

The housing market continues to be hot in Florida—perhaps more than it should be.

Nine of the top 14 most overpriced housing markets are in the Sunshine State, according to an analysis by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University. The data looks at actual home sales in a particular metro area compared to its historical projection of prices—giving buyers a sense of whether a particular market is potentially over- or underpriced.

The Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area ranked sixth nationwide in the latest data. The average price of $381,809 is about 42% over its expected price of $268,548.

Like housing nationwide, costs started to soar in the early days of the pandemic. The good news: The Cape Coral-Fort Myers market may have peaked in July of last year, when it was 52% overvalued.

CATERING TO THE COMMUNITY

After success with his first two Synergy Suites, Naples developer Frank Stier purchased two former ASG Technology buildings, and transformed one into office suites and the other into Synergy Medical Suites.

As Om Holdings 704 & 708 LLC, Stier purchased the twin 45,000-squarefoot, three-story buildings at 704 and 708 Goodlette-Frank Road N. from New York hedge fund manager Jonathan Shechtman’s Florida Office Property LLC for $11 million in November 2020. The 704 building was built for Allen Systems Group in 2004 and 708 was constructed 1½ years later. The offices, which are connected by a porte cochere

By Aisling Swift

Styling accommodations and creative leasing fill a new pair of Synergy Suites and feature 132 parking spaces, are on 5 lush, serene acres featuring mature trees and a lake.

Stier is employing the same office-rental concept he used for Synergy Suites-Eleven Ten at 1110 Pine Ridge Road and the Synergy Suites-Fifty Fifty-One at 5051 Castello Drive, where he provides offices, meeting rooms, shared spaces, utilities, Wi-Fi, cafe and kitchen areas, free coffee, mailboxes, printing, copiers and other necessities as part of a monthly lease that’s affordable for startups and businesses.

“The key is we’re catering to the community,” Stier says, adding that he received approval from the city of Naples to operate a school on Synergy Suites-704’s first floor and to operate a medically designated building, Synergy Medical Suites. “It’s hard

to find buildings in this area that are newer-construction quality with hurricane-impact windows that weren’t flooded and have full backup generators. It’s a sizable investment.”

Physicians, therapists, nurses, psychologists, massage therapists, aestheticians and other entrepreneurial tenants—“It makes sense to have everybody in those services consolidated into one building,” Stier says. “We’re seeing that trend in hair salons, such as (J. Lee) Salon Suites. I was meditating and the idea came to me. By multitenanting the office, I saw the opportunity to switch from office to service-related.”

The medical designation quickly lured Meliora Healthcare, Stepping

Naples developer Frank Stier purchased two buildings on GoodletteFrank Road N. for $11 million in November 2020 that have been transformed into office suites and Synergy Medical Suites.

Spaces

Stones Kids Therapy, Vision Quest and a group of NCH gastroenterologists and pulmonologists. And some of the 704 medical, therapy and wellness-related tenants, such as Crossroads Behavioral Health Center, will move to 708, which, under the medical designation, features hard floors and no carpeting.

Brandon Stoneburner, Colliers International’s executive managing director for office services, chose Benjamin Moore’s light Olympic Gray to brighten both buildings’ old Tuscan-style lobbies. The outdated reception area was removed, and orange tile floors were ripped out and replaced with wide-plank white-oak floors and new molding. Stoneburner selected contemporary furnishings from Arhaus Furniture, Restoration Hardware and Lumens for both buildings’ lobby areas on each floor. Other cosmetic changes include adding LED lighting to brighten the buildings, as well as adding motivational artwork and nature paintings.

“The renovations have been a huge success,” Stoneburner says. “The Meliora lease is the largest signed in Collier County this year.”

For 704, Stier hired custom commercial builder BUILD—which renovated his ultra-contemporary and zen Eleven Ten—to convert 2,950 square feet on the third floor for Florida Gulf Coast University Academy, providing a spacious, carpeted meeting and lecture room featuring 10-foot ceilings, rows of long wooden conference tables and black faux leather chairs with a large screen, monitors and audio-visual capabilities for lectures and teleconferencing. The conference tables

The twin 45,000-square-foot, three-story buildings feature 132 parking spaces and sit on 5 acres with mature trees and a lake.

Craig Hildebrandt

feature recessed power ports and data connectivity.

The lobby, once a dark wood-paneled reception area, is spacious and bright, featuring potted plants and plush dark gray couches flanking a modern chrome and white table on a geometric-style gray and white rug. Similar eating areas were added on each floor, where tenants have access to full kitchens and cafe areas with coffee, cappuccino and espresso makers and vending machines. Ample windows provide serene views of the lake and wooded area.

Among tenants are marketing firms, a telecommunications firm, financial businesses, Intersoft Electronics, an Ayurveda practice and Transcendental Meditation of Naples and Fort Myers.

Stepping Stones Kids Therapy, which provides speech and occupational therapy and applied behavioral analysis, took over the first floor of Synergy Medical Suites, while Meliora leased the second floor. A pale green sea-glass divider separates Stepping Stones’ entrance from the lobby and elevators accessing the second and third floors. Stepping Stones also leased the first floor of 704 for administrative offices and half for its SSKids Academy, a new private elementary school for children with behavioral and developmental challenges.

Synergy Medical Suites’ 15,000-square-foot third floor, which features a spacious lobby, offers 57 offices for health care and therapy services.

“This building would be dead in the water if it were just offices, because it would be vacant and really struggling,” Stier says of obtaining the medical designation. “By catering to the community, we’ve been able to accommodate these services.”

Makers

FINDING ITS SPACE

AMF thrives within the custom roofing industry

By Justin Paprocki

Architectural Metal Flashings has found its niche—and has thrived in it. While businesses struggled during a pandemic and multiple hurricanes, the Cape Coral-based manufacturer of custom metal roofing products has established itself as a regional leader in the industry.

The Florida Small Business Development Center at Florida Gulf Coast University recently awarded owner Jeffrey Bonk with an Innovator of the Year Award. The award honors the ability not just to adapt to turbulent times, but to expand in the face of adversity. Supply-chain issues hit AMF like most other businesses, but it managed to expand its number of suppliers and cycle through them so its production process didn’t meet significant delays—a crucial component to success when

Architectural Metal Flashings, a Cape Coral-based manufacturer of custom metal roofing products, had its fair share of struggles through the pandemic and hurricanes, but owner Jeffrey Bonk recently received an Innovator of the Year Award for his ability to adapt and expand.

Makers

With about 15 employees at its 10,000-square-foot facility in North Cape Industrial Park, Architectural Metal Flashings serves clients from Sarasota south to Marco Island and is looking to grow elsewhere in the state.

demand was soaring in the area. “We were able to keep all of our personnel employed and continued to grow,” Bonk says.

AMF employs about 15 people in its 10,000-square-foot facility in the North Cape Industrial Park. Bonk, an Army veteran who grew up in Fort Myers, has about 20 years’ experience in the industry, and his father, Scott, was in the commercial roofing industry. Bonk spent time in the Pacific Northwest before returning home and opened up AMF in 2016. The area was growing quickly, and builders needed a quick turnaround on roofing supplies. “There was such a need in the area we decided to open up the business,” he says.

He found success almost immediately, including becoming a preferred manufacturer for Babcock Ranch. Speed has been a key component of the company’s success, he said—AMF can now turn an order around as quickly as 48 hours. It serves clients from Sarasota south to Marco Island, but has started to look at growing elsewhere in the state. “Ultimately, our goal is to serve our base,” he says, “but we are looking to expand.”

A JOINT MAKEOVER

Longtime employees become joint owners of Salon Adrian

By Artis Henderson

October is National Women’s Small Business Month, and we’re checking in with a local powerhouse duo celebrating two years of entrepreneurship this month. Emily Hart and Alana Wilkinson bought Salon Adrian in Fort Myers in October 2021, going from longtime employees at the salon to its owners. “We had been talking about it for years,” Wilkinson says. “And then it was like, ‘Oh crap. This is really happening.’”

The pair had worked in the salon industry for most of their adult lives and at Salon Adrian since the early aughts. But making the transition from employees

to owners still felt dramatic, even when—from the outside—most things looked the same. “It was a slow build-up, until one day we were on our own,” Hart says.

The pair’s approach to becoming small business owners is one that many entrepreneurs could emulate. For starters, they stuck to an industry that they knew well, one where they had years of experience and expertise. It was also a business they felt passionate about. “If you’re not emotionally invested in your business, it’s not going to go anywhere,” Hart says.

Another advantage: Both women felt confident in their partnership. “We’re very lucky,” Wilkinson

says. “I would not be able to do this without her.”

“I trust her 100%,” Hart says. “And she does the same. We’ve been best friends forever, and we’re a good team.”

In fact, their attorney had a hard time drawing up their contract: “Who’s going to be the controlling partner, and who’s going to get 49%?” he asked. Both women shook their heads. “We’re 5050,” they told him. “And if there’s a dispute?” he wanted to know. “We’ll figure it out,” they said.

At the salon, the pair surround themselves with like-minded employees and meet regularly to talk about the business. They hold a monthly management meeting, a monthly salon staff meeting and monthly one-on-one meetings with every staff

Kelly Jones

“IF YOU’RE NOT EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN YOUR BUSINESS, IT’S NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE”

– Emily Hart

Emily Hart and Alana Wilkinson bought Salon Adrian in Fort Myers in October 2021, shifting from longtime employees at the salon to its owners.

Kelly Jones

Emily Hart and Alana Wilkinson each have years of experience in the salon industry and are confident in their partnership, which is split 50-50.

member. In these one-onone meetings, they don’t shy away from talking numbers. “It makes things easier when someone knows where they are and where they need to go,” Hart says.

They’ve also created a staff culture that emphasizes goal setting. “We talk about goals all the time,” Wilkinson says. “When they’re successful, we’re successful. When they’re doing well, the salon is doing well.”

But the emphasis isn’t entirely on numbers and goals. “We try with all of our employees to have a very safe and open workplace,” Hart says. “When issues come up, we encourage communication.”

And although they didn’t set out to have a women-only staff, it’s been a dynamic that has worked well for the pair—and for their salon. “I love surrounding myself with creative, supportive women,” Hart says. “We all think the same way, and that’s what ultimately makes us successful.”

Economic Commentary

SHORT-TERM BENEFITS, LONG-TERM COSTS

Does Fed policy make life better tomorrow as well as today?

By Victor V. Claar

It isn’t hard to make the argument that the most important prices of all in a market economy are the prices of loans. Given that it’s saving by households that funds business projects of all kinds and over a broad variety of time horizons, then interest rates—which are, after all, the prices of loans between households and firms—should coordinate the saving plans of households with the investment plans of firms.

The data is clear: Economies grow over time when entrepreneurs discover what we need even before we know it, and financial markets make entrepreneurs’ visions profitable— for both savers and borrowers—when interest rates help families figure out

how much to save and for how long. They also help firms decide whether their prospective idea is worth financing at prevailing interest rates, given how long they will need use of the loan amount.

In short, financial markets are how we finance the development of new technologies, improve on existing production techniques and acquire the new tools and machines necessary to use these new ideas—whether simple or profound. And all of these activities can lead to longterm job creation in occu-

pations that may not currently exist.

Despite the critical role loan markets play in longterm economic development by coordinating households’ saving plans with firms’ investment projects, we don’t let interest rates work as well as they should. Why? Because we, as a society, have given the Federal Reserve System the power to manipulate interest rates in ways that serve the Fed’s short-term goals rather than to let rates work like any other price in any other market.

How is it that the Fed isn’t serving our longterm social goals when it seems that is exactly what it should be doing? The answer lies in the Fed’s dual mandate, a charge by the U.S. Congress to the Fed to simultaneously pursue just two short-term goals: maximum employment and price stability.

Of course, these sound like admirable goals. Who wouldn’t want both maximum employment and price stability at the same time? And I think we would all welcome more price stability than we’ve had in the last few years.

Yet the Fed possesses one tool to pursue its mandate: interest rates. In short, if the Fed is more worried about inflation than recession, which has been the case for the last couple of years, it raises interest rates, thereby discouraging borrowing while simultaneously incentivizing saving.

And if the Fed is more con-

cerned about the possibility of layoffs and recession than inflation—as it was for the decade following the Great Recession of 2008-09—then it keeps interest rates low. So, firms and families borrow more than they otherwise would, and families have little incentive to save since it doesn’t pay. And in that same period, the Fed kept its target interest rate so low that it hovered around 0%.

What’s the consequence of using an interest rate policy to ensure maximum employment and price stability in the short run? We all get distract-

The Federal Reserve System has the power to manipulate interest rates in ways that serve the Fed’s short-term goals instead of let rates work like any other price in any other market.

ed from the plans we would be making if interest rates were free to play the vital role they should play in a market economy: Helping us to figure out how much to save, how much to borrow and whether to invest in long- or short-term business projects.

I agree that maximum employment and price stability are important. But such outcomes should be the healthy vital signs of a flourishing economy that, over time, leads to ongoing enrichment and opportunities for all. When Congress charges the Fed with its dual mandate, Congress tempts the Fed’s Open Market Committee into playing the economy like a video game, manipulating interest rates to make the scoreboard look good today. And disregarding the longterm possibilities we missed out on as a consequence.

Victor V. Claar is associate professor of economics in the Lutgert College of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University. He chairs the board of the Freedom & Virtue Institute in Fort Myers and serves the James Madison Institute’s George Gibbs Center for Economic Prosperity as its adjunct director.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

Despite difficulties, construction is booming in Southwest Florida

By David Dorsey and Tim Aten

Nick Shirghio

There’s the owner’s suite split apart from two other bedrooms, with the gourmet kitchen, den and living room in between. There’s a pool being finished behind the house, and a view of the Sunfish Canal, which feeds just to the north into the Gator Slough Canal.

There’s a two-car garage, a walk-in pantry and a laundry room full of storage cabinets, the better to appease transplanted Northerners who no longer will have their typical attic and basement storage space.

Toto, owner of Toto Custom Homes, bought five adjacent lots earlier this year and went right to work, trying to satisfy a seemingly unquenchable thirst to build, build and build some more across Southwest Florida … despite interest rates that keep climbing and costs that are doing the same.

Though trending downward, inflation persists for numerous reasons, including challenges to finding labor and supplies.

The trend of new construction in the region, despite its difficulties, only will intensify as newcomers continue flocking to the area, and investors continue securing properties to rebuild along the coastal

areas that were devastated by Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022.

As Gulfshore Business explores different facets of construction and development across the region, Toto shows one corridor that keeps filling in with new construction of single-family homes.

Northwest Cape Coral

The northwest portion of Cape Coral, off Burnt Store Road, continues to fill with new homes similar to the ones Toto has been building.

“First and foremost, I think it’s because the prices of property, not too long ago, were very affordable,” Toto says. “Because it was underdeveloped as opposed to the southwest. And I think people are now seeing the growth in northwest Cape Coral that’s making it even more attractive.”

More shopping centers are starting to take shape along the corridor, he said. Toto’s own new office building is at 2612 Santa Barbara Blvd., a corridor full of retail and office space—that’s a type of environment that has yet to take off along Burnt Store Road.

Toto recently forged a business alliance with Ed Stratton of Stratton Mortgage for financing. Toto

WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS STACKED ON THE LEFT LOT, AND A NEARFINISHED HOUSE ON THE RIGHT, JIM TOTO OPENS THE DOOR OF THE CANAL-FRONT, GULF-ACCESS HOME FOR A TOUR.

Brian Tietz

Toto Custom Homes functions as a one-stop shop for home buying, with Toni Ann Toto assisting customers as a Realtor, Jim Toto serving as the home builder and Ed Stratton working for the buyer on financing (also pictured, Toto Custom Homes Sales Consultant Ryan Smith).

Custom Homes now functions as a one-stop shop for home buying, with Toni Ann Toto assisting customers as a Realtor, Jim Toto, her husband, serving as the home builder and Stratton working for the buyer on financing.

“Your office space—such as doctors, attorneys, dentists, child care, stuff like that—is coming,” Toto says of northwest Cape Coral. “That tells me that the residential growth was outpacing the commercial. They didn’t have the amenities here like they do in the southwest, like Del Prado and Santa Barbara Boulevard.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, lots in this region were selling for $60,000 to $80,000. Now, they are going for $225,000 to $500,000, depending on the location and whether they come with a seawall.

Toto said he still kicks himself for not buying more waterfront land to develop before the pandemic. He lives in northwest Cape Coral, works there, invests there. His company is building 17 homes this year. He would like to boost that number up to 40, but he doesn’t want to get too big, either.

“My name is on the company,” Toto says. “My name is there, because I care. I want to oversee my jobs. I want to oversee every single project that we’re doing. I need to make sure that when someone walks into that house, that it’s perfect.”

The northwest Cape stands out from other areas in that independent home builders—and buyers who don’t want to be paying homeowner’s association fees— can thrive there.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, lots in Southwest Florida were selling for $60,000 to $80,000, but now they are fetching $225,000 to $500,000 depending on location.

“I see it as a diamond in the rough, really,” Toto says. “That’s why I invest all my eggs here. There’s so much Gulf access here. The amount of Gulf access here— we as a family love it.”

THE BIG THREE, PLUS ONE

Home builders Lennar, Pulte Homes and D.R. Horton—nicknamed “the Big Three”—continue to dominate in Southwest Florida. But they are running out of land on which to build in Lee County, other than off Corkscrew Road, where thousands of homes are already being planned and built. That means the strategy for the future shifts to Charlotte County, said Darin McMurray, the regional vice president for Lennar.

“You think about Charlotte County,” McMurray says. “And now Charlotte almost reminds me of Lee County many, many years ago, when we were just a regular town. Now, Lee County has boomed. Where else are you going to go? You’re going to go a little bit north. I think Charlotte County is going to be a great little county to be in. And it’s led by Babcock Ranch.”

At Babcock Ranch, a few more than 2,500 homes have been built of a planned 19,500.

“It’s like a little city,” he says.

But there’s another development in play, and it’s near Charlotte County’s economic center.

Murdock Village, off U.S. 41, has the West Port development. It’s about 2,400 planned homes on 452 acres with a planned 200,000

BUILDING MOMENTUM

square feet of adjacent commercial development.

“It’s really the heart of Charlotte County,” McMurray says. “It’s really a center hub. Babcock Ranch is doing great. You think about Corkscrew Road—Cameratta Properties has done a great job. And now you have to think about what’s coming up with Kingston (east of Estero). Corkscrew Road is a great growth area.

“And then you look at Daniels Parkway. We’ve got Timber Creek. We’ve got that community coming up, as well.”

While the Big Three tend to build homes as part of large-scale developments, Christopher Alan Homes has found a niche in those but also in smaller projects.

Spun off in 2017 from a company that used to do contract work for Lennar, Pulte Homes and D.R. Horton, Christopher Alan Homes has ascended to fourth place for building homes in the region and 108th across the country. It builds about 500 homes a year and has found a foothold in those same two growing Charlotte County communities, said CEO Ian Schmoyer.

“The big guys are constrained,” Schmoyer says. “Everybody’s after land right now, especially the nationals. We’re a small company. So, we’re heavy into spot lots or gathered lots, which in Southwest Florida are readily available. It still seems like everybody is moving here. So, I don’t think you’ll see much in terms of a price decrease.”

Fewer homebuyers are taking upgrades these days, Schmoyer said, as they are looking to cut costs.

“Generally, what we’re seeing in that 1,500- to 1,800-square-foot range, it’s still selling very well with less spec options,” Schmoyer says. “More of a standardized home. They want fewer options. They may not be upgrading to level four granite throughout the house, because they want affordability. That’s one thing we’ve struggled with, is affordability.”

Because of that affordability factor, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres home building would continue to surge, he said.

“Affordability,” by the way, has been redefined these days to about $290,000, a price that remains out of reach for many.

“Cape Coral is very strong,” Schmoyer says. “I think Lehigh is still a strong market. And then anywhere along the Corkscrew corridor. Spot lot builders and the nationals are investing heavily into Lehigh, because it is a more attainable price point. You’re seeing a lot of people from the East Coast purchasing in Lehigh.”

Another thing influencing affordability, or lack thereof, has been a labor shortage.

“Finding labor has been hard lately,” Schmoyer says. “The supply chains were starting to fix themselves after COVID. Then we got hit by the hurricane, which did not help. It’s affected a lot of contractors through our trade partners.”

NEW LAW DRIVES LABOR SHORTAGE

The new Florida law, Senate Bill 1718, limits social services for un-

BUILDING MOMENTUM

documented immigrants and invalidates driver’s licenses issued to them in other states. It also requires hospitals receiving Medicaid dollars to ask for a patient’s immigration status.

Even before the law’s enforcement, which began July 1, the chain reaction of undocumented workers leaving Florida had started, said Luis Gomez, co-owner and general manager of Caloosa Cooling, an air conditioning repair business.

because we tried to do things the right way,” Gomez says. “That being said, I can tell you the amount of employees coming to interview is less. It’s affecting other industries and putting pressure on other businesses. The type of employees that we need access to has to be more technical. They’re a tradesman that have to have had formal training. There are offers out there for more money. That makes it tougher for us to keep up with those.”

Construction President Mark Stevens, Partner and Executive Vice President Dan Adams and Superintendent Drew Norris have their focus on Hope Preserve, where they are building medical facilities, an office complex and their own corporate headquarters.

struction projects, ranging from multimillion-dollar mansions in Collier County and Boca Grande to an industrial park complex not far from its own headquarters.

Matt Price, CEO of Seagate, said the rising interest rates and construction costs and labor shortages haven’t stopped Seagate from proceeding, but it has caused the company to be even more careful with vetting its clients.

“Now, it has been becoming increasingly difficult,” Gomez says. “It has become very, very difficult to find employees. We have seen a massive migration of employees out of the state. I don’t know if it’s because of their family situations or what.”

Caloosa Cooling did not lose many employees, he said, but attracting new ones has been a challenge.

“We were very fortunate that we didn’t lose many employees,

Raising wages sometimes means having to raise prices, and Caloosa Cooling did not want to have to do the latter, Gomez said.

“It’s tougher to stay competitive,” Gomez says. “That’s where the challenge lies for us. There’s no crystal ball here.”

Industrial Surges but Shifts Seagate Development Group, headquartered off the east side of Interstate 75 just north of Alico Road, has about 50 active con-

“We used to do a lot of design-build leases for people,” Price says. “But with what we’re seeing, and because of the interest rates, the developer has to make money. A lot of the deals we’re doing now are for owner-users. They’re putting their own money into it.

“We’re able to work with a lot of clients like that and make it work for them. We have a lot of banking relationships. We’re a one-stop shop, and we’re problem solvers. If somebody needs to do something, we can figure it out for them.”

Construction costs aren’t the only thing rising, either, he said.

“Fill, you need for the piece of ground,” Price says of filling in the land prior to con-

Stevens

Nick Shirghio

struction to prevent flooding. “That number is a big number now. It used to cost $20 for a buildable square foot. That number is getting closer to $40 now, just for ground and infrastructure. That’s a big number when you start extrapolating.”

Spec is short for speculation, meaning constructing a building with the hope someone will lease or buy it later. Seagate has focused on getting its deals done prior to construction, rather than building on spec.

At Alico Trade Center, Seagate is building about 200,000 square feet of industrial space. There will be six new buildings for six clients:

California Closets, Beacon Roofing Supply, Trend Moving & Storage, Gulf Coast Aluminum, Velocity Engineering Services and Ten-8 Fire and Safety.

“It’s little things that you run into in the process,” Price says of his company’s projects. “Our biggest thing lately has been permitting—permitting has been an issue. We can only do our best. You don’t want to cry wolf too many times on projects, because everybody wants their projects to move forward. There’s certainly a frustration that things are not happening as quickly as they used to in the construction business.”

In Lee County, the government voted Aug. 1 to add 23 new jobs in its community development department to help deal with permitting volumes.

From Oct. 1 last year until June

30, the Lee County staff accepted more than 70,000 permit applications, and more than 45,000 of them were hurricane-related.

Medical Row Off Metro Parkway

With Southwest Florida continuing to grow, so does the need for an increase in medical care.

That expansion in health care has been happening near the region’s center.

Stevens Construction, which has built hospitals and other medical facilities throughout Florida, believed so much in Hope Preserve’s concept as a medical and Class A office complex that it began buying and building there— not just for clients, but for its own corporate headquarters.

“This location is perfect because of its proximity to Gulf Coast Hospital, which continues to expand,” said President Mark Stevens, who founded Stevens Construction in 2003. “The land here has become much more centrally located than it was 10 to 15 years ago. It’s close proximity to I-75, and we’ve got access south (on Michael G. Rippe Parkway), we’ve got access north, we’ve got access east and west. Then, to have a clean slate of land at Hope Preserve—it’s attractive because it’s all new. You’re not confined by any other neighboring parcels or other constraints. You don’t have to buy a building and renovate it.”

So far, Hope Preserve comprises 46.5 acres. Stevens Construction has built almost 128,000 square feet of medical and office space on it, including its own

Paramount Surgery Center, which is being constructed by Stevens Construction, will house six operating rooms and space for two future operating rooms at 146631 Hope Center Loop, next to Orthopedics Specialists’ 60,000-square-foot medical office.

20,000-square-foot headquarters, with 7,000 square feet being leased to Raymond James.

Just next door to the south is the 28,000-square-foot Radiology Regional Building and the 60,000-square-foot Orthopedic Specialists of Southwest Florida headquarters. There’s also the 20,000-square-foot Paramount Surgery Center.

On Aug. 18, Stevens Construction paid $3 million for the remaining 7.75 acres, which is planned for 85,000 to 100,000 square feet of medical uses and other office space. Stevens Construction also paid $2.2 million for the 5.82 acres just across Metro Parkway, which is planned to be a future hotel and more medical uses. LSI Companies brokered both of those deals.

With rising interest rates and costs, Stevens said he wasn’t in a hurry to start building there yet.

“I think there’s going to be as much demand for professional space as for medical,” Stevens says. “I have a lot of faith in this area. Moving here put us in a better position to take on other projects, as opposed to being over at our older location at Whiskey Creek.”

Hurricane Ian also presented Stevens Construction with five additional projects, including the remodeling of the Green Flash restaurant on Captiva, the reconstruction of The Island Cow restaurant on Sanibel and the rebuilding of a Sanibel resort.

“Even if you take the hurricane out of it, it’s still a booming area,” Stevens says.

Tourism and Hospitality Projects Accelerate

The 785-room Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor in Port Charlotte and the 254-room Margaritaville Beach Resort project on Fort Myers Beach have been planned, and delayed, for years.

Now, they are poised to lead a post-pandemic and post-Hurricane Ian revival of tourism in the area—and likely will spark construction of new resorts to follow, especially on Fort Myers Beach, said Tom Torgerson, co-CEO of TPI Hospitality, which owns Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers. It is expected to open by January 2024.

“It was extremely challenging,” Torgerson says of planning and getting to groundbreaking—and then resuming after the storm. As of Sept. 28, 2022, construction was about 85% finished.

“Because we weren’t watertight, it didn’t help us in a lot of ways,” Torgerson said of the storm surge. The exterior walls, however, held up just fine.

“We had a setback with the loss of some materials and dealing with supply-chain issues. We still are working hard. Insurance is probably going to cover about 85% of our losses. We probably have to cover about 15%.”

He said seeing the project through to its almost completed state has been gratifying—and, he also hopes, inspiring.

“And also, a great opportunity for those with the wherewithal to follow through,” Torgerson said. “Fort Myers Beach is going to go through its renaissance. I never thought I’d see it in my lifetime. Now I know I will.

“Fort Myers Beach will be developed as a district instead of each new development having to stand on its own. Way different from the Sunseeker Resort. Fort Myers Beach is going to be a community-wide district of entertainment and action and beach. Real beach. There’s nothing else in Southwest Florida like this. I don’t know if I’d call it a Key West or what, but it’s going to be its own unique district.”

He acknowledged, “The demographics are going to change. It’s going to have to. The price of real

estate is going to change. There’s nothing you can do to stop that. It’s going to be wealthier. But high-energy. Filled with people who love to live life. Fort Myers Beach will be unique in and of itself.”

More Accommodations

In Collier County, a few hotels are under construction, and more are in the permitting pipeline. The Ritz-Carlton, Naples relaunched with major renovations in July after the beachside resort was shuttered for more than eight months because of storm surge damage from Hurricane Ian. Resort additions include new restaurants, a new lobby and an additional tower of suites.

Nick Shirghio

The hurricane caused construction delays for another waterfront resort: The Four Seasons hotel being built as part of the redevelopment of the historic Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. The Athens Group and MSD Partners acquired the nearly 125-acre Naples Beach Club property on the Gulf to build 185 luxury residences with upscale club amenities, in addition to a 216-room hotel and resort that will be managed by Four Seasons.

Construction is progressing on AC Hotel Naples 5th Avenue, a new three-story hotel by Marriott that is targeted to open in December on the Naples Square property across from Bayfront at Goodlette-Frank Road and U.S. 41 East. The 150-room hotel will include

BUILDING MOMENTUM

The 254-room Margaritaville Beach Resort project on Fort Myers Beach, slated to open in January 2024, is expected to lead a post-pandemic and post-Hurricane Ian revival of tourism in the area, along with the 785-room Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor in Port Charlotte.

the Limón Rooftop Bar, a groundfloor cafe and lobby, a rooftop swimming pool and 2,500 square feet of meeting space. The hotel is a short walk from the new Gulfshore Playhouse, itself under construction.

Also under construction is The Perry Hotel Naples, a seven-story hotel targeted to open in 2024 next to The Bay House restaurant in North Naples. The developer is FOD Capital, headquartered in Key West, where the family office investment fund has another hotel and marina. The new

160-room hotel will have a seventh-floor open-air rooftop bar and 75-seat restaurant, said Lee Rekas, FOD’s vice president of sales and marketing. “The hotel will face the Cocohatchee River with direct channel access to the Gulf of Mexico and Wiggins State Park, and a riverwalk through its nature conservation area to a waterfront pier and eight-slip marina for watersports and excursions,” she says.

Construction also began this summer to convert an existing hotel on U.S. 41 in North Naples into a Compass Hotel by Margaritaville, which is targeted to open before the end of the year.

The Compass Hotel Naples is replacing the Staybridge Suites Naples, says Kelly Basham, regional director at TPI Hospitality, the Minnesota-based developer and hotel management company that also is behind the Margaritaville Resort under construction on Fort Myers Beach. “There will be no structural changes to the existing hotel, however many cosmetic changes bringing on a new, fresh feel to the area,” Basham says.

Intended to have a boutique hotel look and feel, the Park Shore location will be the first all-suite hotel in the Compass portfolio and feature 120 fully equipped suites in a tropical setting inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s classic, “Margaritaville.”

Luxury Residences

Many more luxury condominiums and apartment complexes are rising from the ground in the Naples area.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

Since breaking ground last fall, Ascent at Metropolitan Naples residences are taking shape at Davis Boulevard and U.S. 41 East in East Naples. The first occupants are expected to be able to move in next fall. When Metropolitan Naples is completed, the joint venture will include restaurant and retail space with six stories of garage parking below 270 residential units, which will have some 2,133-square-foot penthouses. Amenities will include concierge services, an infinity pool and sundeck, a two-story fitness center and a pet spa. While just outside the Naples city limits, the Collier County project visually extends the city and serves as a catalyst expected to spur further growth in the Bayshore Gateway Triangle community redevelopment area.

Heading east on U.S. 41 in that same CRA district, Marea Apartments started moving in its first tenants in March, and its fifth and final building is expected to be completed by the end of October. Marea has 300 units with one, two and three bedrooms in four-story buildings and freestanding garages near the intersection of Airport-Pulling Road and the East Trail. Its amenities include a clubhouse with a fitness center, a resort-style saltwater swimming pool, a gourmet demonstration kitchen, a pickleball court, a dog park and electric vehicle charging stations.

More luxury condominiums are under construction at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Naples on the northeast corner of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Gulf

Shore Drive in North Naples. The rebranded One Naples redevelopment project is on 6 acres across Gulf Shore from Vanderbilt Beach and across Vanderbilt Beach Road from The Ritz-Carlton, Naples beachfront resort. The new condo complex will have 128 luxury residences among a pair of 12-story buildings known as the Tower Residences, two mid-rise buildings called the Bay Residences and a fifth mid-rise building called the Park Residences with an adjacent 22-slip marina.

Numerous other luxury condominium and apartment projects are in varying stages of construction throughout Naples and Collier County.

Eastern Sprawl

New retail centers are rapidly being built to provide more amenities to serve Collier County residents living east of Collier Boulevard. Naples-based Barron Collier Companies, or BCC, is behind the development of three of those commercial projects.

The Plaza at Founders Square is nearing completion as the last multiunit commercial piece in the center of Founders Square, a mixed-use development on the southeastern corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard. BCC partnered with Trinity Commercial Group and Metro Commercial to develop more than 50 acres that had hosted a wholesale plant nursery for decades.

Sunshine Ace Hardware launched there this spring as the anchor and first business in a strip that will also be home to the first

At Davis Boulevard and U.S. 41, Ascent at Metropolitan Naples is taking shape with the first residents expected to move in next fall. The 270-unit luxury building will include concierge services, an infinity pool and sundeck, a fitness center and a pet spa.

area location of Oar & Iron Raw Bar & Grill, a new upscale concept from a Boston-based restaurant group. In between these two endcaps will be a Cuban restaurant, a dental office and health-related businesses, such as Hand & Stone massage and facial spa, Restore Hyper Wellness and Spenga workout studio.

BCC also recently went vertical on Collier County’s easternmost retail center, which broke ground this spring on Ave Maria Boulevard in the fast-growing, master-planned community of Ave Maria.

The 22,482-square-foot retail center, also to be anchored by a location of Sunshine Ace Hardware, will feature an NCH immediate care center, a Dunkin’ drive-thru, a Cold Stone Creamery ice cream shop, a pizzeria and other small businesses. Dolben Company

“Retail follows rooftops. We kind of hit this critical mass level where now commercial is underserved. And we have a list of people trying to open businesses, and now it’s just us trying to keep up with the demand,” says Cee Cee Marinelli, vice president of commercial real estate for the Barron Collier Companies.

An additional development, Arthrex Commerce Park, is underway off Oil Well Road near the Arthrex Manufacturing Inc. plant in Ave Maria, Marinelli said.

“It’s about 150 acres of undeveloped land. And there we have plans for a 300-unit apartment complex that we will be joint venturing on. We’ve sold 15 acres for an assisted and independent living facility. There’ll be a substantial medical campus, as well as additional industrial and retail outparcels that we’re

working right now to currently design and permit the infrastructure. So, probably within 18 months, we’ll start seeing some construction down there, as well,” she says.

BCC also has a hand in developing a new commercial project near the so-called Randall Curve area on the western edge of Immokalee Road just north of Randall Boulevard in Golden Gate Estates. A new McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant, NCH medical offices and a self-storage building are under construction just north of The Randall at Orangetree, a mixeduse development that will include

400 apartment units, an Aldi grocery store, another retail strip and outparcels, such as 7-Eleven and Brickyard Car Wash.

Another retail development on the north side of Oil Well Road will break ground soon on former citrus grove acreage fronting the Orange Blossom Ranch residential development immediately east of Palmetto Ridge High School. Shoppes at Orange Blossom will include a new Publix supermarket, another 400-unit apartment complex, medical offices and several other restaurant and retail opportunities on nearly 40 acres.

WEATHERING THE STORMS

Structural resiliency, whether rebuilding from hurricanes or starting from scratch

By Beth Luberecki

WEATHERING THE STORMS

Sean Niesel’s grandparents purchased Shalimar Cottages & Motel on Sanibel in 2005. Their original plan was to tear everything down and build condos, but they fell in love with the property the way it was.

Niesel got married at Shalimar and joined the family business about five years ago. But everything changed on Sept. 28, 2022, when Hurricane Ian swept through and destroyed every structure on the site.

“We had a good thing going,” says Niesel. “Then Ian wiped it completely off the map.”

The family plans to rebuild the longtime lodging option on Sanibel, working with Architecture Joyce Owens in Fort Myers and its namesake principal architect. During her years of overseeing projects on the coast, Owens learned that structures in Southwest Florida need to be both strong and smart. And that approach should help Shalimar Cottages & Motel embark on a new era of business.

“Joyce really thinks of every aspect of building,” says Niesel. “What we plan to build is going to last the test of time.”

Benchmark GC will oversee the project, which is expected to break ground in January and have a 15to 19-month build time. “Yes, it will look different now,” says Niesel. “But you do what you can to keep things moving in the right direction. Some sacrifices have been made, like moving the buildings farther from the beach, raising the

Shalimar Cottages & Motel on Sanibel lost every structure on its site thanks to Hurricane Ian, but plans to rebuild are underway and it is expected to break ground in January, with a 15- to 19-month build time.

Sean Niesel’s grandparents purchased Shalimar Cottages & Motel on Sanibel in 2005 and he joined the family business about five years ago. He is working with Joyce Owens of Architecture Joyce Owens to rebuild stronger and smarter.

buildings higher, having duplexes instead of single cottages … We are extremely proud of what Joyce Owens has designed, and we feel confident it will withstand the hurricanes that are sure to come.”

As Niesel points out, hurricanes are a fact of life in these parts and a major consideration of living and working on the coast. And whether the storms remain occasional threats or become more frequent and/or intense due to climate change, many people aren’t easily going to give up their waterfront views and easy access to the beach or their favorite fishing spots.

There’s no way to build coastal homes or commercial

structures that are 100% guaranteed to withstand every hurricane that comes ashore. But there are many steps property owners can take to build or rebuild the most resilient structures possible.

“I’m all for being next to the water,” says Owens, who works with both residential and commercial clients. “But I have a mantra now that I’ve been talking about for several years: If you’re going to invest in those locations, then invest so that you’re designing your properties with Mother Nature, and not against Mother Nature.”

That includes taking steps such as designing elevated waterfront homes so they’re structurally perpendicular to

Brian Tietz; Architecture Joyce Owens LLC

WEATHERING THE STORMS

the beach. “If you can, build so that water can just flow right underneath,” says Owens. “You’re going to be a lot better than trying to put something in Mother Nature’s way.”

Michael Savarese, a professor of marine and earth sciences at The Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University, says Ian’s storm surge reinforced how important dunes are to the hurricane resiliency of an area. “Dunes are a critical line of defense, the fortress wall, if you will, that stands between the surge and the development behind it,” he says.

Because Southwest Florida’s dunes tend to be smaller than those on the state’s east coast, the protection they offer is more limited, especially if structures are built right up to the approved coastal setback lines. “Our fortress walls are low, so if you build right behind them, you’re at greater risk during times of even moderate surge,” Savarese says.

Learning from past storms is important, and the tougher building codes that began implementation after the devastation of Hurricane Andrew keep proving their worth. Newer, concrete-block buildings tended to withstand Ian’s winds and storm surge better than older, wood-framed structures.

“It’s clear the codes worked [after Ian],” says Mark Stevens, president of Fort My-

Dunes are our fortress wall when it comes to storm surge and since our dunes tend to be smaller, the protection they provide is limited, says Michael Savarese, a professor of marine and earth sciences at The Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University.

ON THE INSIDE

a less expensive medium-density fiberboard.

“An MDF product sort of acts like a sponge when water touches it,” says Chris Hensley, vice president of Theory Design in Estero, which offers residential and commercial design services.

“You’re much more likely to be able to remove and reinstall real wood versus an MDF product.”

a half an inch of water. So many people only take in a little bit of water, so you can preserve an entire set of cabinets like that.”

The same kind of thinking goes for upholstered furniture. Choosing a sofa or chair with legs instead of a skirt that goes all the way to the floor can pay off should your home or business take on a small amount of water.

And washable performance fabrics that resist mold and water aren’t just for the lanai.

You’ve got the walls, windows and roof in place. What can you do on the interior of your home or business to help you bounce back quickly after a storm?

Tile or concrete floors can handle water much better than wood. And sometimes that can be a less expensive option than going for hardwood flooring.

But for baseboards and door jambs, you do want to choose solid wood over

Instead of opting for cabinetry that goes all the way to the floor, Hensley recommends having cabinets built with metal or plastic legs that can be covered with what’s called a toe kick, something that’s only a small markup in price. “If you had an inch or two of water [after a storm], you can throw away the toe kick that covers those legs and air it all out,” he says. “And you don’t have all of your cabinets soaking up water just because you took in

“Everyone always thought of something like Sunbrella fabrics as being a little more plastic-y or tougher feeling or as an outdoor-only fabric,” says Hensley. “But now they are making performance fabrics that would be indistinguishable from your typical interior fabrics.”

– Beth Luberecki

Florida Gulf Coast University; Brian Tietz; Artis Henderson

Chris Hensley vice president of Theory Design in Estero

Stevens Construction President Mark Stevens and Executive Vice President Dan Adams specialize in commercial, hospitality and health care construction, including working with Bob Cunniff of Orthopedic Specialists of Southwest Florida for its headquarters in Hope Preserve. Nick Shirghio

WEATHERING THE STORMS

ers–based Stevens Construction, which specializes in health care, commercial and hospitality construction. “If you go to Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach, the structures that were nonconforming to the new codes are the ones that suffered the damage.”

Owens agrees. “It’s always better to build new if you can afford it, instead of investing the money in older wood buildings,” she says. “But if you do renovate, you really want to upgrade to the current codes.”

Opting for impact-resistant windows and doors, metal roofs and generators placed above the flood plain are basic first steps toward increasing a structure’s hurricane resis-

tance. “There are always ways to harden existing structures, to add shutters to a home that has some age on it or do the same thing with a commercial building,” says Stevens. “If you’ve got a roof that is older and on the verge of needing replacement, do that sooner [rather] than later if you can afford to do that.”

But property owners can take things even further if they have the budget for it. For example, homes built with insulated concrete forms, or ICF, can prove even stronger than those constructed with concrete blocks.

Marc Devisse, founder and president of custom homebuilder and remodeler Tri-

Marc Devisse, founder and president of Tri-Town Construction, has been seeing an increase of interest in insulated concrete forms despite them being more expensive for materials and labor than concrete block construction.

Dennis Wright; David Dorsey; Brian Tietz

Town Construction in Fort Myers, is seeing increasing interest in ICF homes, although it does drive costs up since both the materials and labor required for ICF are more expensive than for concrete block construction. “But the structure of the building is something you can never upgrade in the future,” says Devisse. “If you’re building and you’re on a budget, my recommendation is toning the interior finishes back but not skimping out on the structure.”

Elevating a structure more than the minimum flood requirement also can increase resiliency. Bill Reiman, vice president and director of construction for Marco Island–based custom homebuilder R.K. Reiman Construction, said some clients are willing to pay the additional costs of raising a home an additional

WEATHERING THE STORMS

foot for the peace of mind that comes along with it. “Everybody is always going to want to be on the water—you can’t beat it,” he says. “That’s never going to change, so if it requires building the house higher and bringing in more dirt, that’s just what we have to do.”

After a storm like Ian, there’s a desire to get back to “normal” as quickly as possible, whether

that means reopening a business that provides important jobs or services to the community or being able to return to a much-loved family home. And while all of that is important, FGCU’s Savarese hopes everyone in the region also takes time to assess and learn from what transpired.

“In less critical situations, it could be a mistake to rebuild back too quickly, and just put things back to the way they were—and find out five years down the road they’re as susceptible to the problem again in the future,” he says. “Yes, you need to get people back to work; you need to protect their livelihoods and homes and health. But there are other aspects to rebuilding or restoring a community that could be done more thoughtfully and over a longer period of time, so that things are done well.”

BUILDER & DEVELOPER PROFILE

WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS

HOLIDAY PARTY PLANNING GUIDE

BUILDER & DEVELOPER PROFILES

Alessio Companies

Founded in Illinois, Alessio Companies opened it Southeastern United States headquarters in Fort Myers, Florida in 2021 –bringing smart development to Southwest Florida which benefits the entire community.

With projects under development throughout the Midwest, Alessio is honored to have the opportunity to bring its vast experience to Greater Fort Myers. No matter the scope of scale of the project – Alessio sees its projects all the way through to the end.

Alessio Development Florida hit the ground running upon opening its Southeastern United States Headquarters in Fort Myers, Fla in the Spring of 2022. Included in the list of projects Alessio has undertaken are; the purchase and restoration of the Historic Richards Building in Downtown Fort Myers, 158 acres of raw land on the corner of SR 82 and I-75 with a projection of over 200 million dollars of increased property value upon project completion, and the purchase and complete redevelopment of Royal Palm Square shopping plaza into a proposed mixedused, walkable, vertical project with nearly one billion dollars of investment – the first of its kind in the City of Fort Myers.

Alessio Development Florida moves dirt, builds for the future, and transforms communities and lives. Amateur hour is over.

CFS Roofing & Mechanical Services

CFS is a full-service roofing and HVAC contractor in Southwest Florida with Corporate Headquarters in Fort Myers and offices in Naples and Sarasota. Since 2009, CFS has built a reputation as Southwest Florida’s most trusted Roofing and Mechanical contractor. CFS specializes in new construction, replacement, repairs, and maintenance.

CFS’s reputation can be attributed to owner David Crowther’s vision, experience, and hands-on engagement with his team. It’s an exciting year at CFS, with growth to over 300 employees and sales exceeding $60 million. David attributes this success to commitment to customers and partners to provide the best possible products and experience.

239.561.2600

cfsroofing.com

Christopher Alan Homes, Your Hometown Florida Builder

Christopher Alan Homes is built by and from experience, made successful by the hard work of its team members. They build sturdy, comfortable homes designed for an easy, relaxed way of living. A builder-owned company, Christopher Alan Homes is driven by strong values and a commitment to providing homeowners with the highest quality homes at attainable prices.

Christopher Alan Homes is Southwest Florida’s largest privately owned homebuilder and fourth largest single-family homebuilder. The company is a preferred builder in Babcock Ranch, Burnt Store Village and West Port. They also build on scattered homesites in Charlotte, Sarasota and Lee counties in Southwest Florida, and Melbourne and Palm Bay on Florida’s East Central Space Coast.

855.44.MYCAH christopheralanhomes.com

PBS Contractors

The timing is perfect to start your luxury renovation project. Beginning now grants you access to abundant resources, from permits to top-tier materials, free from delays or compromises. PBS Contractors’ strong supplier and subcontractor relationships promise an efficient renovation process.

Engage PBS Contractors early to ensure expert guidance and impeccable standards. Their experienced team offers innovative insights and efficient project management for success.

Early action prevents scheduling conflicts, which is crucial for condominium renovations. With PBS, anticipate a seamless experience guided from concept to execution. Their dedication to quality craftsmanship ensures your luxury renovation surpasses expectations.

239.643.6527 PBScontractors.com

Unprecedented Growth. Unlimited Opportunity.

Seagate Development Group’s remarkable rise in the real estate industry is a testament to the visionary leadership of its founders and the unwavering commitment of the company to excellence and innovation. Established in 2015 by William Price, James Nulf, and Matthew Price, Seagate has undeniably showcased its prowess across various dimensions of real estate development, leaving a significant mark on the industry.

Seagate Development Group’s remarkable rise in the real estate industry is a testament to the visionary leadership of its founders and the unwavering commitment of the company to excellence and innovation. Established in 2015 by William Price, James Nulf, and Matthew Price, Seagate has undeniably showcased its prowess across various dimensions of real estate development, leaving a significant mark on the industry.

The company’s integration of services across the entire development process sets it apart. With a sizable workforce of nearly 300 employees, Seagate possesses the capability to manage a wide range of tasks involved in real estate development. From land acquisition, entitlements, and design to permitting, construction, interior design, sales, leasing, and property management, Seagate’s comprehensive approach ensures a cohesive and efficient journey from conception to completion.

The company’s integration of services across the entire development process sets it apart. With a sizable workforce of nearly 300 employees, Seagate possesses the capability to manage a wide range of tasks involved in real estate development. From land acquisition, entitlements, and design to permitting, construction, interior design, sales, leasing, and property management, Seagate’s comprehensive approach ensures a cohesive and efficient journey from conception to completion.

William Price Chairman of the Board

James Nulf, Jr. President, Partner Matt Price CEO, Partner

Matt Price CEO, Partner

James Nulf, Jr. President, Partner

William Price Chairman of the Board

Waltbillig & Hood

Waltbillig & Hood General Contractors, LLC is a full-service General Contracting and Construction Management firm based in Naples, FL. Waltbillig & Hood has earned a reputation as one of Southwest Florida’s leading and most trusted general contractors. The firm specializes in various types of healthcare and commercial construction projects ranging from medical offices and acute care hospitals to multi-family and senior living developments, storage facilities, automotive dealerships, retail, office, and industrial facilities.

The company’s strong reputation and consistent growth can be traced to groundwork laid in 2016 by its founders, Jay Waltbillig and Brian Hood. Veterans of the Florida construction industry, both shared the vision of creating a company that would excel beyond the highest levels of professionalism and integrity. Founded on the principles of Humility, Innovation, Leadership, and Trust, Waltbillig & Hood believes that serving the people around them will inspire and deliver the best results possible for everyone involved.

239.494.4002 wh-gc.com

Proud to Build Southwest Florida

As the premier hospitality builder in Southwest Florida, we’ve had the privilege of managing construction for the most signature projects in our region and throughout the country. From Great Wolf Lodge to the Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort, to Sunseeker Resort

Charlotte Harbor and beyond — we’re building dreams into reality.

BUILD YOUR BUSINESS.

A one-stop-shop for all your business needs, Sunshine Ace Hardware provides business customers with bulk purchase discounts and a host of value added services. However, what really sets Sunshine Ace Hardware apart is the customer service. Companies large and small save time and money with Sunshine Ace Hardware!

Construction has continued to grow in Florida over the last year, while at the same time, we have experienced an increased demand for skilled labor. B&I works with local technical schools, high school programs, and apprenticeship curricula to help educate, train, and recruit tradespeople. B&I’s success is ultimately measured by the satisfaction of customers. Our goal is to deliver an excellent product through a collaborative process that enables every member of the project team to be successful.

239.332.4646 bandiflorida.com

WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS

Banking with Purpose Celebrating Women in Banking

As the oldest locally owned and managed community bank in Lee County, Edison National Bank/ Bank of the Islands offers a wide range of services for business customers, nonprofit organizations and individuals of all ages.

Led by Founder and President Robbie Roepstorff, a successful female entrepreneur and 2022 Women in Business honoree, Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands was established in 1997 with a highly experienced team of female banking staff, providing customers with a personal approach that instilled confidence, encouraged long-lasting relationships and fulfilled customers’ banking needs.

More than 26 years later, the bank’s team of businesswomen continues to set an example for the banking industry and community, contributing outstanding vision and professional expertise to each endeavor. The bank holds the highest “5-Star Superior” rating by BauerFinancial as a recommended banking institution.

With offices strategically located in Fort Myers, Sanibel Island and Captiva Island, Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands is an independent community bank with an undeniable interest in the future growth and well-being of the area, serving businesses and families for the long term. Banking is customer-focused with personalized solutions, meaningful relationships and exceptional service to exceed customers’ expectations at every encounter.

Equal Housing Lender, Member FDIC

239.446.1800

EdisonNationalBank.com

“We Make It Our Business to Suppor t Women in Business.

Like Thomas Edison, we believe there is always “a better way.” Supporting women in the banking profession is one way we’ve followed this advice from the beginning. With bank founder and president Robbie Roepstorff at the helm, we began Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands with many strong businesswomen on board in 1997, and we have continued to value and support our female banking staff ever since. Most importantly, we’re proud to say many of our customers are strong female business owners and professionals in the Southwest Florida community!

Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands customers enjoy:

•free online and mobile banking

•no-fee access to their account funds at any Publix® Presto! ATM

•free bill pay services for personal account holders

•courier and cash management services for business clients

•streamlined processing for all loans including commercial and residential mortgage loans

Anjali Van Drie, MA, BCBA, LCSW Co-Founder and Vice President Family Initiative in Cape Coral

Anjali Van Drie Co-Founder and Vice President of Family Initiative in Cape Coral is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst as well as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is inspired to change the nature of how people think about autism, and it shows in everything she does.

Van Drie oversees all clinical programming across the State of Florida including 15 individual programs and 70 clinical and administrative staff. Leading FI, which provides community-based support and evidence based clinical services to children and young adults on the autism spectrum for more than 8 years, she has seen significant changes over this time.

“When we launched Family Initiative with our flagship program, ASD Social Skills Playgroup” says Van Drie, “the CDC reported 1 in 101 children being diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Today, the ratio is 1 in 36. Since its inception, we have served over 800 unique children. I love being part of an organization that is driven to redefine how people think about autism. Every day we get to help change lives for families- from those who have just received a diagnosis to those who have been on this journey for many years.”

This past year, FI served over 1800 families. This includes almost 100 families who receive Applied Behavior Analysis or Occupational Therapy, and each one has increased their goals and made positive outcomes. “The earlier we can provide interventions, the better. Maintaining a full continuum of care is the goal. Launching and leading Family Initiative has been a dream come true.” Says Van Drie.

239.910.0712

FI-Florida.org

Co-Founder and Vice President of Family

“I am driven to redefine how the world thinks of autism. Launching and leading this organization is my passion, my life’s work and a dream come true.”

Anjali Van Drie BCBA,

Moran Wealth Management®, a prominent registered investment advisor (RIA) in Southwest Florida, credits much of its success to the exceptional female team members who make up over 60% of their 42-person staff, seven of whom are equity partners. These women play integral roles across all facets of the business, from advice and planning to practice management, administration, strategy, research, and client relations.

Since its establishment, Moran Wealth Management® has been a platform where the skills and knowledge of its female team members have been at the forefront, setting the stage for its current achievements. Among the notable female equity partners are Christina Shaw, CIPM, CQF, serving as the Chief Trading Officer; Ryan Frank, CFP®, ChFC®, as Vice President; Angel Nurse in the role of Senior Vice President and Client Relationship Manager, and Ashley Buboltz, IACCP®, as Chief Compliance Officer.

Kylen Moran, Chief Marketing Officer, vocalizes the influence of female leadership in their clientcentric approach, stating, “At Moran, we believe that the strength of our female leadership translates directly into our ability to understand and cater to our clients deeply. Our team, rich with diverse perspectives, is committed to crafting financial paths

that are as distinct and remarkable as each client we serve.”

Chief Strategy Officer, Chelsea Ganey, sheds light on the distinctive advantage of being an Independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and how it meshes seamlessly with the firm’s female leadership. She shares, “Our RIA independence isn’t just a business model; it’s a commitment to honoring the unique insights our female leadership brings forward. It allows us flexibility and authenticity in crafting investment solutions that are profoundly attuned to our clients’ aspirations.”

Chairman, CEO, and CIO, Tom Moran, expresses his recognition and admiration for his female team members, saying, “The thriving essence of Moran Wealth is deeply rooted in the contributions of the talented women who form our backbone. Their daily efforts not only propel us forward but add a depth and richness to our client experience that is truly invaluable.”

At Moran Wealth Management®, the presence of empowered female leadership is not just a statistic; it is a vibrant reality that brings about continuous growth, innovation, and client satisfaction, solidifying its reputation as a true leader in the financial sector.

239.920.4440

MoranWM.com

Moran Wealth Management ®, LLC is a registered investment adviser. For additional information about Moran Wealth Management® , LLC, including its services and fees, request the firm’s disclosure brochure using the contact information above or visit adviserinfo.sec.gov Moran Wealth Management® is a separate entity and not affiliated with any other entity or practice that uses the same name.

CELEBRATING OUR FEMALE LEADERS

Angel Nurse

Senior Vice President Client Relationship Manager

Christina Shaw, CQF, CIPM Chief Trading Officer

Kylen Moran Chief Marketing Officer

Chelsea Ganey, CFA Chief Strategy Officer

Ryan Frank, CFP®, ChFC® Vice President

Ashley Buboltz, IACCP® Chief Compliance Officer 5801

Moran Wealth Management®, LLC is a registered investment adviser. For additional information about Moran Wealth Management®, LLC, including its services and fees, request the firm’s disclosure brochure using the contact information above or visit adviserinfo.sec.gov

Moran Wealth Management® is a separate entity and not affiliated with any other entity or practice that uses the same name.

“It’s clear that Raymond James strives to empower, uplift and inspire women in the financial services profession. Because Raymond James equips our people with quality tools and resources, our female advisors are positioned to successfully grow their businesses. That, and our advisors have access to support from within the Women Financial Advisors Network – which promotes collaboration, networking and business development right across the firm.”

Francine A. Payson, ChFC® Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Fort Myers, FL

Kara Martin Thorn, CFP®, CRPC® Vice President, Wealth Management CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Fort Myers, FL

Dana Ragiel, AAMS™, MBA Financial Advisor Naples, FL

Dianne S. Townsend, CFP® Senior Vice President, Investments CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Naples, FL

– Pam McComas, CFP® Complex Manager, Suncoast Complex Managing Director Cell: 801.712.9987

Driving Impact Through the Power of Education

Noemi Y. Perez, President & CEO The Immokalee Foundation

An Immokalee native, Noemi Perez is the students she supports. Each year, more than 1,300 students are empowered through the Foundation’s outof-school education and professional development programs so they can achieve a meaningful career and financial independence.

Under Noemi’s leadership, the impact on our students’ lives is extraordinary.

• 100% high school graduation rate for students we support

• 100% postsecondary enrollment

• 93% earn an advanced postsecondary certificate or degree

• 89% work in their field of study, surpassing the national average

Noemi continues to prove that many of Southwest Florida’s most powerful pathways to success begin in Immokalee.

239.430.9122 ImmokaleeFoundation.org

Career Pathways

With the support of the community, individuals, and businesses, The Immokalee Foundation is preparing the next generation of leaders to assume vital professional roles throughout Southwest Florida.

Beginning in middle school, Immokalee Foundation students enter our Career Pathways program — a comprehensive educational approach that breaks new ground in preparing students for well-paying, in-demand professional careers in Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management, and Healthcare.

Support Southwest Florida’s future workforce by becoming a mentor, hosting a career panel, sponsoring an event, or donating. Call 239-430-9122 or visit ImmokaleeFoundation.org

Concierge Bookkeeping and Advanced Financial Reporting for Southwest Florida Businesses

Jennifer M. Cail, CEO of Medrano & Cail Booking Professionals

Expert bookkeeper Jennifer M. Cail is on a mission to transform how Southwest Florida’s entrepreneurs operate and scale their businesses. Jennifer believes that bookkeeping is the best tool to help ambitious entrepreneurs run the business of their dreams! With monthly support calls, advanced financial reporting, and a 24-hour guaranteed response time, Medrano & Cail Bookkeeping Professionals provides the most comprehensive, white glove support. We become a partner in your success, helping you achieve more, while worrying less about your company’s finances.

239.677.5888 medranoandcail.com

Larisa Zadorecky Director of Human Resources Naples Airport Authority

Larisa Zadorecky’s passion for driving organizational performance is evident daily in her role as Director of Human Resources at Naples Airport Authority, where employees report they enjoy a culture of compassion, respect, and well-being. Her commitment to meeting goals – both organizationally and individually – creates a high-performing and culturally diverse workplace, helping the Airport achieve its recognition as a 2023 Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida. Larisa holds a master’s in business administration, as well as several industry-related designations, and she’s a Leadership Collier 2019 graduate.

239.643.0733 flynaples.com

Naples Luxury Real Estate Group

Jo

Ellen Nash, President

Jo Ellen Nash, President of Naples Luxury Real Estate Group, has spent 40 years marketing exceptional homes in exceptional places. Jo Ellen spent 22 years in the Vail Valley, building a boutique real estate business focused on Colorado’s luxury resort market.

Nash has served more than 2,200 families and is a recognized leader in marketing. She was the first Realtor in North America to be certified as a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist. Her mission here in Naples is to deliver extraordinary marketing and services that make it easy for her clients to buy and sell, including her complimentary modern coastal makeovers!

239.537.4785

JoEllenNash.com

WE BELIEVE THAT BETTER SERVICE ALWAYS WINS!

• We believe your mother was wrong. The world does revolve around you.

• We believe that when you hire us, you should rest easy and let us work our magic.

• We believe that a bowl of apples and new towels should not be called staging. It should be called a bowl of apples and new towels.

• When we stage your home, we bring everything but the kitchen sink. Our modern coastal makeovers are amazing and there is no extra charge!

BEFORE

We deliver what you expect and then some. We remain small so our clients get the attention they deserve, yet have the power of a large global network behind us! Call Jo Ellen at 239-537-4785 for a confidential consultation, request our Seller or Buyer Guide, and scan the code for our recent property transformations.

HOLIDAY PLANNING GUIDE

DeRomo’s La Fontana Banquet Room and their Private Dining Room are the perfect venues to host any event. Both of these marvelous spaces exude modern elegance and classic Italian style, enhancing the ambiance from beginning to end. Our experienced, creative staff can help make all the details memorable, assisting you with everything from food and bar selections to seating arrangements and more. The Banquet Room accommodates up to 100 guests. Choose the Private Dining Room for intimate gatherings up to 25 guests. For offsite events, our catering team brings the DeRomo’s experience to your location. Our menu packages can be customized to match the theme and occasion, including:

• Holiday Parties

• Awards Banquets

• Fundraisers

• Retirement Parties Network Events

• Company Celebrations

And Many More!

Contact our catering director at 239-325-3583 for details.

(239) 325-3583

DeRomos.com

WHO CUT THE CHEESE(S)?

Two Foodie brothers growing up in Fort Myers were looking for a niche to employ their combined skills. One is a formally trained chef, the other has extensive restaurant and wine industry involvement.

“We grew up exposed to great food and dining experiences from a young age” said Alex Dessak, this is a natural extension of our upbringing.

Jeff chimed in, “We were talking about what was missing and much needed in Fort Myers. We recalled one of our favorite things to do when our parents took us on frequent New York City trips was to visit the famous Murray’s Cheese shop on Bleecker street.”

Jeff continued “We were like kids in a candy shop, only it was CHEESE he joked”.

The brothers wanted to emulate that and especially offer all their cheeses fresh cut in the European tradition. They will gladly let you sample anything you’d like to try. They delight in helping expand your horizons with new flavor profiles and cheeses you might not otherwise try.

They offer a variety of of cheese and charcuterie boards using only top shelf ingredients, both to enjoy in store with a wine or craft beer of your choosing, or to go. They

also deliver within certain parameters.

Giving back to the community is a high priority, and have delivered over 100 meals to hospital staff during the pandemic, as well as worthy organizations like Community Cooperative and Gulf Coast Humane Society.

“We support local businesses whenever we can, and hope you will too” said Alex.

Stop in when you can, you are in for a treat!

(239) 313-6001

GoldenRind.com

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD ... WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL GIFT FROM THE GOLDEN RIND.

MULTI YEAR FINALIST IN THE “BEST OF THE GULFSHORE”

We are a family-owned gourmet market that offers delicious cheese and charcuterie boards, highly curated wines and beautiful gifts and gift baskets that will have a lasting impact! Only the highest quality, freshest ingredients are featured.

Are you a boater or fly private? we can provision your vessel to your specifications. Choose a board from available offerings or create your own customized version.

We also offer private parties in an intimate setting – host your own Holiday Party, Birthday, etc. in our beautiful store.

PARTY LIKE

The Fort Myers Beach Pirate Ship is the perfect group outing. It can accommodate up to 90 people for your private affair. Charters are tailored to your needs and desires with games, music selection, jokes, mutiny, sword fights, treasure hunts, and more! Grab life by the helm and book your private charter now! Your group will never forget the experience! 239-765-7272. (239)

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT / CRE / NEW & EXPANDING

HUMAN RESOURCES

Examining Efficiency

Making the most of the modern workplace

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By Melanie Pagan

Human Resources

EXAMINING EFFICIENCY

Making the most of the modern workplace

By Melanie Pagan

Productivity starts with positive morale. However, nearly 30% of U.S. workers say they’re likely to switch jobs within the next year, citing struggles with flexibility, boundaries, technology and connectedness, according to “The Future of Time” study fielded by Adobe Document Cloud.

With four primary generations in the workplace (Gen X and millennials as today’s typical top executives), increased adoption of hybrid work environments and inflation altering the economy, business owners can benefit from dialing into employees’ most pressing needs that affect productivity. We paired more survey results with expert input and ideas from local leaders.

Malleability Matters

78% of millennials say they’d switch jobs for a better worklife balance

(Compared with 74% Gen Zers, 66% Gen Xers and 50% baby boomers)

Flexibility is crucial for professionals, such as Angela Bell, partner at Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and Public Relations, a millennial parent of young kids. While she feels most focused in the office, her team can come and go when needed. “We totally understand the dynamics of raising children and other priorities in your life,” she says.

It’s not always about family affairs. For Gen X workers including Lee Golden, senior vice president, director of business development and commercial loan officer at Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, seeing customers outside the office makes all the

difference. He says the most significant thing he craves in his schedule is “flexibility with my role to be able to work on business development activities, visit my clients and not just be tied to an office from 8 to 5.”

HR by Karen owner Karen Shepherd said it’s more of an integration of work and life than a specific balance that makes a difference in morale. That means making “reasonable accommodations” when outside obligations pop up.

“You build trust when you build a work-life integration. You’re not worried when someone is going to be a little late. You’re not worried they might have to leave at 3 o’clock to get to their son or daughter’s baseball game,” Shepherd says. “If leadership does not want to lead with compassion, empathy and heart so there can be a worklife integration, they will have constant turnover.”

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank; Getty

Lee Golden, senior vice president, director of business development and commercial loan officer at Sanibel Captiva Community Bank

Nearly 30% of U.S. workers say they’re likely to switch jobs within the next year, citing struggles with flexibility, boundaries, technology and connectedness, according to a study fielded by Adobe Document Cloud.

Human Resources

Respect Boundaries

41% of U.S. workers say it’s challenging to set work and personal boundaries

Communicating expectations can alleviate an employee’s pressure to respond if their boss sends an email after hours.

“You have to be cognizant and have a conversation if you work like that,” Shepherd says, giving an example: “I work late. That is my choice. I may send you an email after 5 o’clock, but you don’t need to respond to it.”

Conversely, employees should be able to ask for clarification around expected replies. “If they can’t have an open conversation and talk to leadership, that’s a whole other ball game issue,” Shepherd says.

Digital Decisions

54% of U.S. workers say they’d switch jobs for better tools to be more effective at their jobs

If employees are expected to work on the go, they must be able to do so easily.

“Software is really important for us to be able to work effectively,” Bell says. “All of our staff have dedicated laptops and a Resonate connection so they can access their workstation.”

Communication of expectations, playing to people’s strengths and getting to know an employee’s story without bias are a few ways local professionals increase their productivity.

Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold; Raymond James & Associates; Getty

Angela Bell, partner at Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and Public Relations

Play to Strengths

53% of workers say they’d like to spend more time pursuing passions and what they love

For Geoff Hunter, a millennial branch manager at Raymond James & Associates, enhancing company culture means playing to people’s strengths. He said he notes patterns of what team members do and don’t like. If it’s a necessary task, he’ll offer training. Otherwise, he’ll restructure duties.

“I’m a firm believer that if you’re passionate and enjoy what you do, you do it better, and you’re more productive and happier in general. I think happy people make for quality work,” he says.

“Too often managers make employees lead with their weaknesses versus their

strengths, and I would much rather have a job where I could continue with my superpowers than take on something that could be challenging that’s a weakness for me,” Shepherd says.

Bypass Bias

While data and workplaces are partially divided by generations, Shepherd said that shouldn’t be the place to put focus. “Everyone has a story. Don’t create bias because of their age,” she adds. Instead, she advised to stay curious about a person’s story and ask questions to know what they need to work their best. “Being productive is really so much more encompassing than anyone realizes,” she says.

Geoff Hunter, branch manager at Raymond James & Associates

Business Spotlight

PRAVADA’S SUCCESS STORY

A personal approach to small business leads to big results

By Sheldon Zoldan

Marlene Thompson had never listed owning a business on her bucket list, but recessions destroy and create opportunities in unexpected ways. Thompson went from personal leave, to being jobless, to consulting, to starting her own company—Pravada Private Label—thanks to the 2008 recession. Fifteen years later, she has 47 employees and a new building that the company has already almost outgrown in south Lee County’s Alico Business Park.

Pravada makes moisturizers, cleansers, toners, shampoos and conditioners for private label companies.

Thompson started Pravada in Toronto, after working as a marketing executive for American Express, Citibank, Bell Canada and the

Royal Bank of Canada.

“I never thought I would be an entrepreneur,” she says. But Thompson found herself doing consulting work for the Ontario Center of Excellence, an investment arm of the Ontario government, after losing her job to the recession.

She began writing a business plan for a nail salon that wanted to franchise its business. The nail spa was making its scrubs and lotions in its kitchen, which wasn’t cost effective. Thompson couldn’t find a manufacturer in Canada, and when she went looking in the U.S., she couldn’t find a manufacturer willing to spend time helping startups or small and mid-size customers.

“I had an inkling of an idea that maybe there was a market there, and started doing some research on it and spent a few years building the business plan, and— lo and behold—started Pravada,” she says.

She had three criteria for starting a company: It had to have recurring revenue, be as recession-proof as any business can be and be fun.

Thompson is having fun filling products for about 1,000 active clients, mostly small to mid-range companies. But Pravada does have some larger clients: One had an order of 50,000 units of vitamin C serums and another for 2,000 bottles of shampoo and 2,000 of conditioner. Thompson doesn’t reveal the names of her clients because of confidentiality agreements, she said.

Pravada offers 250 formulas from which companies can choose. Some of the manufacturing is done at the Alico Road site, some is contracted out. It also works with clients who want to add fragrances or develop their own formulas. Her customers range from spas and online retailers to those who sell through Amazon, Walmart,

“GIVEN MY BACKGROUND IN MARKETING, I FIRMLY BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST MARKET THEIR PRODUCTS.”

— Marlene Thompson

The 2008 recession is credited for Marlene Thompson’s decision to launch Pravada Private Label, making moisturizers, cleansers, toners, shampoos and conditioners for private label companies.

Business Spotlight

Instagram and other social media sites. They generally find Pravada through the internet, she said. Sales reps explain the process.

“Private label skin care isn’t something you can really go out and cold call,” Thompson says. “If someone is not interested in it, it’s hard to convince them to start a line of skincare.”

Pravada allows companies to start small—filling orders as small as 12 units. “Given my background in marketing, I firmly believe everyone should have the opportunity to test-market their products,” Thompson says.

And Pravada does more than fill formulas; it’s a full-service provider that works closely with its clients to figure out what they want and to put together a line of products, down to helping create labels via its graphics design department. “We want them to be successful,” Thompson says. “If they’re successful, we get a lot of repeat business, and that’s how we get the much larger runs.”

Stephen Aikman’s company is a perfect example. Aikman started a skin care company near Toronto about a decade ago, and knew he couldn’t compete with large companies, such as L’Oreal, he said.

Why Pravada?

The names of private label companies sounded the same; they were traditional, Thompson said, and she wanted a fun and foreign-sounding name. She liked pravado, in Spanish, but besides meaning private, it meant rubbish in the street. She played around with the letters and turned it into Pravada.

Companies can test-market products with smaller orders—as few as 12 units—through Pravada.

“What Marlene was able to do was to help us grow at the pace that we could without over-extending ourselves,” he says. “We didn’t have to go and buy 30,000 units. We were able to start smaller and build our brand, build our reputation. Because of what she’s done for us, we went from this small, little business to the number one skincare company on Amazon Canada.”

Bigger companies have gobbled up Aikman’s busi -

A FamilyAffair

Thompson’s daughter Lauren is director of business development; her son Kyle is manager of technical operations; and her husband Glenn helps with finances and business/facility expansion.

O Canada

Thompson is from Colorado, so how did she end up spending more than 30 years in Canada?

She was on a cruise with her mother when she and her husband met—he was from Toronto. They’ve been married for 40 years, and have been on one other cruise.

ness twice in the past four years, he said.

Taking care of customers similar to Aikman is working. Thompson wouldn’t reveal the company’s revenue, but she said 2023 has been

a good year—Pravada has added 10 employees so far.

The company moved to Naples in 2015 because much of its growth was coming from the U.S., and there were sometimes delays exporting products because the FDA regulates cosmetics, Thompson said. Shipping across the border was expensive for clients, making it the number one competitive disadvantage. Pravada could have picked anywhere, she said, as her husband had just sold his

company and was semi-retired. She selected Naples because of the lifestyle.

“We knew we wanted somewhere warm,” she says. “We had been to Naples on vacation and love it. It was a ‘Why not?’ decision.” The company closed its remaining office in Canada in 2022 after the pandemic. It quickly outgrew its Naples facility and couldn’t expand it, so she picked Alico Road for relocation because it’s closer to Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres where many of its employees live.

Private equity firms are snapping up some private label companies, but Pravada won’t be one of them, Thompson said. The executive who worked in the corporate world of Fortune 500 companies for 30 years and never thought about owning a company of her own is happy with her decision: “I really love running my own business.”

Commercial Real Estate

By Adam Regan

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

Zemel Land Partners

LLC purchased a 339acre residential property at 26901 Zemel Road in Punta Gorda from Mark L. Lindner, trustee of an unrecorded land trust under agreement from Feb. 1, 2004, for $4.25 million. William Rollins, CCIM, ALC, and Hunter Ward, CCIM, of LSI Companies Inc. represented the buyer and seller.

Tamiami Punta Gorda Wash LLC purchased 3.03 acres of land at 38853897 Tamiami Trail in Punta Gorda from MMJ Investments Inc. for $1,050,000. Gary Tasman and Lane Boy of Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property Southwest Florida represented the seller.

COLLIER COUNTY

9045 Strada Stell Court

LLC purchased 3,241 square feet of office space at 9045 Strada Stell Court, suites 106-108, in North Naples from John A. Summerfield, trustee of the John A. Summerfield Trust, for $1.4 million. David J. Stevens, CCIM, and Clint L. Sherwood, CCIM, of Investment Properties Corp. represented the buyer and seller.

LEE COUNTY

Takoda Land Group LLC (Neal Communities of SWFL LLC) purchased 345 acres of land at 12850 N. River Road and 17900 and 18420 Owl Creek Drive in Alva from Talon Ventures LLC for $5.5 million. Stan Stouder, CCIM, of CRE Consultants represented the buyer and seller.

Best Supply Properties

LLC purchased 12,746 square feet of industrial space at 8031 Mainline Parkway in Fort Myers from JCT Mainline LLC for $4,377,850. Chase Mayhugh, SIOR, CCIM, and Justin Ankney, CCIM, of Mayhugh Commercial Advisors represented the buyer and the seller.

3350 Hanson

LLC purchased a 25,000-square-foot industrial space at 3350 Hanson St. in Fort Myers from Ozinus Hanson LLC for $2.45 million. Chase Mayhugh, SIOR, CCIM, and Justin Ankney, CCIM, of Mayhugh Commercial Advisors represented the buyer.

QI for OX Inc. and QI for MHS Far Hills Ltd. purchased the 9,000-square-foot retail commercial center at 2400 Palm Ridge Road on Sanibel from Arthur and Sandra Corace for $2.35 million. Michael J. Frye, CCIM, with RE/ MAX Realty Group Frye Commercial Group— Commercial Division represented the seller, and Zachary Hanson with Cornerstone Coastal Properties and Joe Crimaldi with Crimaldi & Associates represented the buyer.

13320 Metro Parkway LLC purchased a 44,196-square-foot industrial building at 13320 Metro Parkway in Fort Myers from iHeart Operations Inc. for $4,4250,000. Gary Tasman and Shawn Stoneburner of Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property Southwest Florida represented the buyer and seller.

Bryer Properties FL LLC purchased Hammock Cove Office Park, which consists of three buildings totaling 17,000 square feet and a vacant office pad at 4660, 4670, 4680 and 4690 Cardinal Way, in East Naples from Hammock Cove LLC for $5 million.

Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the buyer, and Rob Carroll of Investment Properties Corp. represented the seller.

Lucky Eight LLC purchased a 9.35-acre commercial property at 13701 Fiddlesticks Blvd. in south Fort Myers from 13701 Fiddlesticks LLC for $1.8 million. Justin Thibaut, CCIM, of LSI Companies Inc. represented the buyer and seller.

Wayne Moomijian purchased 9,315 square feet of industrial space at 3744 Ironbridge Blvd. in Fort Myers from K.P. Properties of Florida LLC for $1.75 million. Chase Mayhugh, SIOR, CCIM, and Justin Ankney, CCIM, of Mayhugh Commercial Advisors represented the buyer.

3756 Ironbridge Holdings LLC purchased 9,246 square feet of industrial space at 3756 Ironbridge Blvd. in Fort Myers from K.P. Properties of Florida LLC for $1.75 million. Chase Mayhugh, SIOR, CCIM, and Justin Ankney, CCIM, of Mayhugh Commercial Advisors represented the buyer.

Boral Properties & Management VII LLC purchased four office condos at Offices at Coconut Point, 23160 Fashion Drive, units R217, R218, R219 and R220, in Estero from Coconut Point ST LLC for $1,581,400. Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the seller.

New & Expanding

By Adam Regan

COLLIER COUNTY

Freeze Play Inc. leased a 3,800-square-foot space in Cameron Commons, 8855 Immokalee Road, units 13-15, in Golden Gate Estates from Cameron Partners LLC. Bill Young and Biagio Bernardo of Lee & Associates NaplesFort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

Oley Kinser Concierge

Wealth LLC leased 3,000 square feet of office space at 4501 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 300N, in Naples from FLP 4501 LLC. Clint L. Sherwood, CCIM, and Rob Carroll, CCIM, MAI, of Investment Properties Corp. represented the lessor and lessee.

Tom McAuley leased a 1,757-square-foot office space in the 1100 on 5th building, 1100 Fifth Ave. S., Suite 401, in Naples from 1100 5th Ave LLC. Dave Wallace, CCIM, SIOR, and David Wallace of CRE Consultants represented the lessor and lessee.

Techy leased 1,470 square feet of retail space at 6345 Naples Blvd., Suite A-2, in North Naples from Shelbourne Towers LP. Tara L. Stokes of Investment Properties Corp. represented the lessor, and Michael Mogerman of Forefront Commercial represented the lessee.

Chiromed Injury

Clinic LLC leased a 1,464-square-foot space at Hammock Cove, 4670 Cardinal Way, Suite 301, in East Naples from Bryer Properties FL LLC. Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the lessor and lessee.

Southern Sunday LLC leased a 1,200-squarefoot space in Tanglewood Marketplace, 4910 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 112, in Naples from Tanglewood Naples LLC. Bill Young and Biagio Bernardo of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

LSI Companies Inc. leased a 1,186-squarefoot space at Collier Commercial Building, 851 Fifth Ave. N., Suite 303, in Naples from Naples 5th Ave SAA LLC. Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the lessor, and Alexis North of LSI Companies Inc. represented the lessee.

Gilgan Family Holdings Corp. leased a 4,500-square-foot industrial space in Collier Park of Commerce, 2960 Horseshoe Drive S., units 400-600, in Naples from Helios Colliers, LLC. Dave Wallace, CCIM, SIOR, and David Wallace of CRE Consultants represented the lessor and lessee.

Cornwell Consulting LLC

leased 1,447 square feet of office space in Anglers Plaza, 870 Bald Eagle Drive, units 1B and 3B, on Marco Island from Peter and Carmela Gagliano. Dave Wallace, CCIM, SIOR, and David Wallace of CRE Consultants represented the lessor and lessee.

Anytime Fitness

leased a 4,000-squarefoot space at Shoppes of Estero, 21740 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 109, in Estero from Shoppes of Estero SAA LLC. Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the lessor, and Patrick Fraley and Lauren Griswold of Investment Properties Corp. represented the lessee.

COUNTY

Florida Sirius Dog LLC

leased a 7,650-squarefoot space at 14621 Ben C. Pratt Six/Mile Cypress Parkway, Suite 1, in Fort Myers from DJW Alliance LLC. Michael Mahan of Lee & Associates NaplesFort Myers represented the lessee, and Kim Daugherty of Trinity Commercial Group represented the lessor. Mr. Jackpot leased a 3,023-square-foot space at 2469 Edison Ave. in Fort Myers from Scott’s Wespack Meats. Tiffany

Luongo and Joey Gulino of SVN Advisors represented the lessor.

Keep Lee Co. Beautiful Co. leased a 1,438-squarefoot professional office at 4300 Ford St. in Fort Myers from Ford Street Properties LLC. Alexis North, CCIM, of LSI Companies Inc. represented the lessor, and Donna Marrero Zaldivar of SVN Commercial Partners represented the lessee.

LEE

By James Raia

Horsepower

LEADER OF THE PACK

The refined, quietly stylish 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450

By James Raia

Despite different names and manufacturing locations, as well as conflicts with another automaker, the currently titled Mercedes-Benz GLE series has been around for 27 years and counting. The 2024 GLE 450 represents the midsize luxury crossover sport utility segment at its best.

The two-row, five-passenger family hauler is slotted between the smaller GLC and the larger GLS, and shares platforms with the latter in the manufacturer’s trio of vehicles offered to keep up with the ever-increasing popularity of SUVs.

Formerly designated with M-Class nomenclature, the manufacturer began using the GLE name in 2015 after BMW complained. It felt Mercedes-Benz using M-Class designation was too sim-

ilar to its high-performance M Series, which began with its racing division in 1972.

The GLE was originally made in Germany, then for four years in Austria for European distribution. Since 2015, the SUV has been made in Alabama.

With a handsome exterior and spacious, well-designed interior, the GLE 450 features a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. Also new for 2024 is the GLE 400e 4Matic, a plug-in hybrid, which adds another strong option to the current generation of the SUV that debuted in 2020.

While not a new generation, the 2024 model sees several changes and upgrades. The interior design and materials now are reminiscent of the uber-luxurious, up-market Mercedes-Maybach. Ambient lighting, chrome accents on air vents and black trim give the SUV extra touches of elegance. The GLE exterior styling also has been tweaked with a revised front bumper design, updated and restyled grille, lighting elements and restyled wheels.

Unless optional thirdrow seating is ordered, the GLE 450 is comfortable, with a good chunk of headroom and legroom for all involved. Some SUVs have problematic entry and exit; Mercedes-Benz addressed it with a sidestep on both sides of the vehicle. Unfortunately, it’s static, narrow and awkwardly positioned—the platform offers more of an opportunity to get a foot stuck than to assist with entering or exiting. It’s the

Facts & Figures

Acceleration: 0-60 mph, 5.3 seconds

Airbags: 7

Fuel economy: 19 mpg city, 26 mpg hwy

Horsepower: 375

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $63,800

Manufacturer’s website: mbusa.com

Warranty: Bumper to Bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Powertrain, 4 years/50,000 miles; Corrosion, 4 years/50,000 miles; Roadside Assistance, 4 years/50,000 miles

only subpar feature of the vehicle, which otherwise is an ideal example of what to do right in an SUV.

Plenty of choices are available in the luxury SUV segment, but several additional features help the GLE 450 to the front of the pack. Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto is cable-free for the first time in 2024 models. A programmable height setting for the power tailgate is also new.

Convenience upgrades include digital assist. Say “Hey, Mercedes” and the

voice command works well, if perhaps being too sensitive to any mention of Mercedes in a conversation. There’s also parking assist, which helps negotiate steering the vehicle in parallel and perpendicular spaces.

Further, there’s a welcome appeal to having a top-line audio system in a quiet car. The GLE represents the best of quiet SUVs, and features a 13-speaker Burmester

offering. The 590-watt surround-sound system is enhanced with Dolby Atmos. It’s a worthwhile option in the regular models, and standard in the AMG lineup.

Throughout the lineup, safety considerations have always been a Mercedes-Benz signature. The GLE comes standard with automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection and blind-spot monitoring with rear

cross-traffic alert. It’s also available with adaptive cruise control.

Considering the quality of the segment, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 does the marketplace well. It’s priced at the plateau, where buying one vehicle over another is more about personal choice and brand loyalty than nuance. Consumers loyal to Mercedes-Benz will remain so, and will not be disappointed with the new SUV. Newbies should give the vehicle strong consideration.

Wellness

PERSONAL CONTROL

The appeal of Pilates via one-on-one sessions

By James Raia

Contrology has come a long way. It’s been about 100 years since early practitioners tied springs to hospital beds to allow patients to tone their muscles. Not quite as long ago, iconic American choreographer Martha Graham practiced its principles and taught core exercises to dance students.

For most of its tenure, the full-body exercise program has been known as Pilates, the namesake of its founder Joseph Pilates, the occupational multitasker—boxer, circus acrobat, inventor and hospital nurse.

The mind-body endeavor has expanded into several formats and philosophical approaches.

Like aerobics, jazzercise and spin classes, Pilates can be practiced in group settings or pursued as a private, meditative practice.

Nancy Dengler, a lifelong dancer and longtime Pilates and yoga instructor, knows well the benefits of group and private training. She offers both as the owner of Pilates Loft in Fort Myers, helping students pursue improvement goals in four areas—high-performance training, injury prevention, physical therapy and fitness.

Dengler, who has been teaching Pilates for 16 years and opened her full-time business in 2012, recommends not skipping the private room. “It’s where you can make a profound impact and help them move more safely through the class and feel better at home.”

One example, she details, is the one-on-one ability to identify a common issue, a pelvic rotation or an “upshift.” A specific muscle can be addressed as “short and tight,” or “slightly overstretched.” The individualized attention to pinpoint an individual’s specific issue

Stella Paschall; Getty

“... PRIVATE TRAINING IS OFTEN THE BEST DELIVERY TO ADDRESS THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS COMPREHENSIVELY, SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.”

— Nancy Dengler

Nancy Dengler, Pilates Loft owner, has been teaching Pilates for 16 years and recommends students not skip the private session, which is where individual issues can be identified.

Wellness

isn’t emphasized in group sessions. “It helps the person get back into better alignment,” says Dengler, a longtime daily practitioner of Ashtanga yoga. “When they go back into a group training, they’re strength training their best alignment.”

Wendy Stone moved from Massachusetts to Florida five years ago and brought along her 20 years of Pilates experience. She owns The Pilates Firm in Naples and specializes in private session instruction in her studio or virtually.

“Whether you are an athlete, weekend warrior or simply wishing to gain greater mobility, strength or to minimize aches and pains, the Pilates Firm instructors are ready to train and educate you to achieve your fitness goals,” Stone says.

While accommodating duo or trio training, the business emphasized that its “niche is private training, focused on alignment and form.” Stone and her two colleagues don’t offer traditional group training.

Glen Fargo, a massage therapist for more than 30 years, opened the first Pilates studio in Naples in 2001. Like other teachers, Fargo is certified, and he’s also studied neurology. He specializes in rehabilitation from joint replacements, chronic pain, osteoporosis,

Pilates in SWFL

The Pilates Loft, Fort Myers Nancy Dengler nancy@pilatesloftllc.com pilatesloftllc.com 215.622.3092

The Pilates Center, Naples Glen Fargo pilatescenternaples@gmail.com pilatescenternaples.com 239.659.5252

The Pilates Firm, Naples Wendy Stone wendys@pilatesfirm.com pilatesfirm.com

781.844.4082

While there are benefits to both group and private Pilates sessions, Nancy Dengler recommends private training to help clients move safely through the group class and feel better at home.

stability and balance problems, multiple sclerosis and respiratory conditions.

“Pilates can be a very beneficial form of rejuvenation,” says Fargo, who owns The Pilates Center. “It changes the way your body looks, feels and performs in day-to-day tasks by emphasizing the power of breathing techniques and control of body movement.

“Pilates exercises focus on several different muscle groups to offer a full-body workout, all while focusing on the flow and sufficiency of movement through exercises.”

Pilates for Active Aging

Dengler also stresses the importance of meeting the diverse needs of the active aging community. For the 50-plus individual looking to advance their golf or tennis game, or the independent-living senior seeking injury and fall prevention, the needs are similar and range from balance improvement and stability to strength, mobility and focus.

“The delivery is bespoke, and private training is often the best delivery to address the individual needs comprehensively, safely and effectively,” she says. “It absolutely caters to the individual’s body.”

Weekend Getaway

CENTRAL FLORIDA’S CROWN JEWEL

Emerald Cut remains one of the state’s most remarkable natural places

By Artis Henderson

The state of Florida is crisscrossed with natural springs, places where cool, clear water flows directly from the earth into streams and rivers. These springs make for great exploring by kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Ask those in the know where the most spectacular place to paddle is in Central Florida, and the answer is Emerald Cut, part of Rock Springs Run, which feeds into the Wekiva River Basin.

Just 30 minutes north of Orlando, this spectacular stretch of spring-fed wilderness offers emerald waters and a stunning glimpse of pristine Florida. Look for white-tail deer, Florida black bears, river otters, turtles, alligators, great egrets, herons and bald eagles. With a variety of choices for both experienced and novice paddlers, Emerald Cut is the perfect outdoor weekend destination.

Emerald Cut, which is part of Rock Springs Run and feeds into the Wekiva River, is an ideal outdoor weekend destination. The spring makes for great kayaking and paddleboarding.

Weekend Getaway

Put In

King’s Landing (5722 Baptist Camp Road, Apopka; 407.886.0859; kingslandingfl.com) is a privately owned recreation company in Apopka that offers an array of options for those who want to spend the day on Rock Springs Run. Enthusiastic paddlers can choose the five-hour guided tour, which begins a quarter-mile from the spring head and moves 8 miles down the run, passing through Emerald Cut and moving into the tannin-infused waters of the river. For a less-intense—but no less scenic—adventure, opt for the two-hour guided tour. It offers all the highlights and natural beauty of Emerald Cut, without the sore biceps. Want to skip the guide? King’s Landing also offers kayak and paddleboard rentals for self-guided paddles down the river. And visitors also have the option of bringing their own gear and paying a self-launch fee.

After Dark

For a particularly memorable cruise down the river, try the after-dark kayaking experience with King’s Landing. The two-hour guided tour starts at sunset and offers a unique take on the wilderness around the springs. Watch a variety of nocturnal creatures come out at dusk, and be prepared for a take on wild Florida that’s dramatically different from the daytime version.

Stay the Night

For the true outdoor experience, pack a tent and stay at one of King’s Landing’s primitive camp sites. They offer cold outdoor showers, fire pits and access to an old-fashioned swimming hole. It’s not the most luxurious stay, but it makes for a grand adventure. On Saturday nights, join the community firepit beside the river. It begins at dusk, and it’s BYO s’mores.

Need something a touch more civilized? The Ritz-Carlton Orlando (4012 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando; 800.576.5760; ritzcarlton.com) is only a 30-minute drive away. With stylish rooms, a championship golf course and a spa, it’s a luxurious place to unwind after a long day on the river. Make a reservation at the resort’s Michelin-starred restaurant, sip handcrafted cocktails at the bar—and be sure to book one of the resort’s signature massages. It’s the perfect remedy for all those sore muscles from a day spent paddling.

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, just a 30-minute drive from Emerald Cut, provides a Michelin-starred restaurant, golf course and spa after a day spent exploring the outdoors.

TALES OF THE SILVER KING

A century of searching for tarpon in SWFL

By Justin Paprocki

In the depths of the Boca Grande Pass swim the Silver King. Tarpon have populated the waters of Southwest Florida for ages. The large, silvery fish can stretch up to 8 feet long and weigh close to 300 pounds. They are powerful, tough and known for their acrobatic flips out of the water once snagged on a rod and reel. Sport fishermen from around the world have traveled to the Gulf waters to tangle with the Silver King.

In 1885, Forest and Stream magazine (which evolved to become Field and Stream) ran a story about

a New Yorker named W.H. Wood, who caught a 93-pound tarpon in the Caloosahatchee River. It sparked an interest in Southwest Florida as a fishing destination.

The Boca Grande Pass, with its 80-foot depths, attracts thousands of tarpon in the spring and summer months. As railroads reached into Southwest Florida, nearby Gasparilla Island and its small village Boca Grande became a luxury vacation destination. Visitors from the north would make the trek, many seeking to fish the nearby waters.

Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, who had winter homes in Fort Myers, often bragged of their big tarpon catches. Collier County’s namesake, Barron Collier, once dubbed Boca Grande the “tarpon fishing capital of the world.” And it still holds true today. Tarpon fishing remains a big attraction to the area, and if you’re up for the challenge, the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament annually, with winners getting tens of thousands for the biggest catch.

Korunda Pain Management Center

“Striving to deliver the highest quality of comprehensive care for those suffering with chronic or acute pain.”

(239) 591-2803

4513 Executive Drive, Naples, FL 34119

(1/2 mile East of I-75 off Immokalee Road by Quail Creek/Longshore Lakes)

Accepting Medicare and most commercial insurance plans

SPINE AND JOINT PAIN SPECIALISTS

Medical Education

• University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ, 2006

SCOTT FUCHS, DO Physicians Regional Medical Center

8340 Collier Blvd., Suite 307

Naples, FL 34114

Board Certification & Advanced Training

• Double Board Certified by American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Subspecialty of Pain Medicine

• Medical College of Virginia, Pain Medicine Fellowship, Richmond, VA

• Temple University, Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Philadelphia, PA

• Castle Connolly’s National Top Doctors, 2023

Medical Education

• D.O. West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg, WV 2018

VIDUR GHANTIWALA, DO

661 Goodlette Frank Road, Suite 103 Naples, FL 34102

Board Certification & Advanced Training

• Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation by American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

• Fellowship trained in Pain Medicine

• University of Vermont Medical Center, Pain Medicine Fellowship, Burlington, VT

• Larkin Community Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency, Miami, FL

Medical Education

• M.D. University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia, 1996

ZDENKO KORUNDA, MD

4513 Executive Drive, Suite 101 Naples, FL 34119

Board Certification and Advanced Training

• Board Certified in Pain Medicine by American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

• Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, Pain Management Fellowship

• Cleveland Clinic Health System, Cleveland, OH, Internal Medicine Residency

• Castle Connolly’s National Top Doctors, 2012-2023

TREATMENTS SUPPORTED BY THE LATEST RESEARCH

Back and Neck pain

Leg and Arm pain

Joint pain

Spinal Stenosis, Lumbar & Cervical

Facet Syndrome

Osteoarthritis

Herniated Discs

Tendonitis and Bursitis

Neuropathy

Cancer pain

Shingles

Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain

Fibromyalgia

Headaches

Degenerative Disc Disease

Kyphoplasty and Vertebroplasty

Spinal Cord Stimulation

Epidural and Facet Injections

Radiofrequency Ablation

Joint Injections

Non-surgical Sports Medicine

Regenerative Medicine and Platelet-Rich

Plasma Therapy

Physical Therapy

State-of-the-Art MRI Imaging

SI Joint Fusion

Interspinous Spacer Placement

Minimally Invasive Lumbar

Decompression

Basivertebral Nerve Ablation And more

Please visit our website at www.korundaPMC.com