Gulfshore Business June 2025

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

As extreme weather becomes the norm, local communities invest in resilience

[ PLUS ]

BEST PLACES TO WORK IN SWFL 2025

WINNER!

Best Places to Work

4 Years in a Row

Our family-owned business has been providing career opportunities and adding economic value to our local economy since 1958. This stability and long-term sustained growth has been due in large part to the outstanding team we have maintained and the core values to which we hold each other accountable. These values serve as our guiding principles for how we treat our customers, interact with one another, and conduct ourselves at work. These Core Values were inspired by our company’s founders, Anne and Don Q Wynn, and we continue to live and work by them daily.

Rising to the Challenge

By Brian Tietz

PUBLISHER Carin Keane

PRESIDENT Jim Schwartzel

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Heidi Rambo Centrella

Managing Editor Kaitlin Regan

Digital Editor Adam Regan

Senior Editors Tim Aten, David Dorsey, Therese McDevitt, Nancy Semon

Copy Editor Steve Gill

CONTRIBUTORS

Artis Henderson, Justin Paprocki, James Raia, Bill Wasinger

ART

Creative Directors Scott Glick, Jerry Pomales

Photo Editor Mary Rich

ADVERTISING

Associate Publisher Chris Renstrom

CIRCULATION

Director of Audience Development Kerri Nolan

PRODUCTION

Production Manager Martha Leavitt

ADMINISTRATION

Advertising Services Manager, Subscriptions & Distribution Kathleen Hill

READER SERVICES

Office Address

26101 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134

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MAKING THE WORKPLACE TRULY WORK

For many of us, the workplace is where we spend most of our daylight hours. It’s where decisions are made, challenges tackled and goals pursued — often while under tight deadlines and trying to meet high expectations. Along the way, we’re not just completing tasks; we’re helping to build a culture. That culture can shape our daily lives and influence our overall well-being, which is why being part of a healthy, supportive workplace matters so much.

This month, Gulfshore Business is proud to spotlight the Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida for 2025, as recognized by Best Companies Group. This distinction goes to 21 standout businesses that have each made an exceptional commitment to their team. The selection process includes a twopart survey of employers and employees, with BCG analyzing the results to determine which companies truly stand out. Curious who made the cut? Turn to page 52 to see the company profiles. And while we weren’t part of choosing the honor-

ees, we extend our congratulations to these outstanding examples of corporate culture within our communities.

Another thing that should be on your radar this month: Rainy season has arrived. While that’s a welcome break from the recent drought, it also means the potential for severe weather returns. Southwest Florida knows the risks all too well, having endured some of the nation’s most powerful storms: Charley, Irma, Ian and, most recently, Milton. These destructive events have turned the region into a proving ground for disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure.

From burying power lines to investing in flood mitigation and raising homes, local governments, utilities and private companies are stepping up. But experts agree — there’s no one-size-fits-all fix when it comes to storm resilience.

In “Rising to the Challenge” (page 26), David Dorsey explores a wave of entrepreneurship focused on climate adaptation and flood prevention. Startups and established firms alike are finding creative ways to reduce stormwater risks and protect communities. With natural disasters causing an estimated $368 billion in global losses in 2024 alone, the stakes are high. The message from innovators, scientists and local leaders is clear: Resilience depends on proactive, localized solutions.

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, it’s becoming a blueprint for smarter, stronger, more livable communities.

HEIDI RAMBO CENTRELLA EDITOR IN CHIEF

In the239

MAKERS

THE SHAPE OF A LIFE

Sculptor Joel Shapses flows with his talents

p_12

By Justin Paprocki

Cape Coral down payments decrease

Homebuyers across the U.S. put down more money than ever in 2024, setting a new record for both down payment size and percentage of purchase, according to a report from Realtor.com.

However, pandemicera boom states, such as Texas and Florida, saw double-digit declines, with down payments falling as much as 16.5% year over year. Cape Coral topped the list with a 31.2% decline in down payments in 2024. Buyers in the city put an average of 13.3% down with a median down payment of $21,328. The report states the decline is due in part to stagnant or falling home prices.

Spo t News

“You

don’t get people sticking around if you don’t hold true to your values as a company and you’re not consistent in your actions and how you treat each other.”

— Elyse Lipman, Lipman Family Farms CEO

Coming next month

Gulfshore Business looks back at the 2024-25 tourism season. How did Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties’ tourism tax revenues fare? Did restaurants and hotels see more guests? What did Southwest Florida International Airport traffic look like? Find out these answers and more as Senior Editor David Dorsey dissects everything that is SWFL tourism.

LEE COUNTY

WATER LEVEL STATIONS

Charlotte County is starting the 2025 hurricane season with new technology to monitor water levels more effectively. The county recently installed five continuous water level stations, a first for the area, though other counties have used similar technology. These sensors will track water levels, storm surges and flooding and also can be used by boaters for recreational purposes. They are being placed in locations such as Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Lemon Bay and Boca Grande.

2nd best small city to start a business

Fort Myers checked in as the second-best small city to start a business in a study by personal finance website WalletHub comparing the business-friendliness of more than 1,300 small-sized cities. The data set of 18 key metrics ranges from the growth rate of the number of small businesses to investor access and labor costs. Fort Myers posted a total score of 60.92, ranking fifth overall in access to resources, 69th in business environment and 188th in business costs. Fort Myers has one of the highest numbers of investors per capita in the country, leading to the number of small businesses in the city growing by more than 22% between 2016 and 2022. It ranks in the top 100 for office-space affordability and the number of startups per capita.

Great Wolf Lodge occupancy

Great Wolf Lodge South Florida hosted more than 200,000 guests since opening in September in the Naples area, General Manager Jason Bays said during an April Board of Collier County Commissioners meeting. In March, Bays said occupancy was more than 90% and is expected to surpass 85% in summer. The 500-room resort includes its expansive water park and adventure park with many dining and entertainment options. Great Wolf’s 22nd location in the nation and the first in Florida broke ground in July 2022 on 20 acres in the City Gate commerce park.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

LEE COUNTY

COLLIER COUNTY

Workforce housing Spo t News

TERMINAL EXPANSION

DeAngelis Diamond is expected to break ground on the Punta Gorda Airport Terminal expansion this month. The firm will lead the construction phase, enhancing the existing Bailey Terminal to accommodate growing passenger demand and improve operational efficiency. This $44 million project is a collaboration among the Charlotte County Airport Authority, AECOM and DeAngelis Diamond. The expansion will add about 50,700 square feet of new space, including hold rooms, public circulation areas, restrooms and concessions. About 28,250 square feet of the current Bailey Terminal will be renovated.

Naples Comprehensive Health is planning a 250-unit multifamily apartment development off Immokalee Road to serve as workforce housing for some of the health care system’s more than 4,000 employees. The system received a $3.5 million gift from Naples philanthropists Jeff and Judy Henley to cover costs associated with the development, architectural design, engineering and construction plans for the workforce housing units on land behind the NCH Business Center. Mara Hammond, NCH chief impact officer, said 30% of the NCH workforce is driving more than an hour each way to work because they can’t afford to live in Naples — where rent has increased by 50% over the last two years — resulting in more than $88 million in payroll leaving Collier County.

Bonita Estero Rail Trail

Bonita Springs City Council voted in April to pledge a total of $17 million for the acquisition of the right of way for the Seminole Gulf Rail corridor designated for the future Bonita Estero Rail Trail. This is an increase of $12 million on top of the $5 million Council previously approved. Village of Estero previously allocated $15 million in its 2024-25 capital improvement plan, while Collier Board of County Commissioners pledged $900,000 in January. The total funds pledged for the corridor now stand at nearly $33 million, bringing the project closer to the $70.4 million needed to secure phase one of the rail corridor.

Provided

MAKERS

THE SHAPE OF A LIFE

By Justin Paprocki

When Joel Shapses was in dental school at Temple University, he sculpted a tooth out of marble. It was the combination of two of his passions; the New Jersey native minored in sculpture during his undergraduate days. The sculpture ended up being a hit on campus, and it even won him an award at his first-ever art show.

He had a successful career in dentistry, establishing his practice in Fort Lauderdale. But he kept sculpting. He moved to Naples about 17 years ago and runs Joel Shapses Gallery & Studio in the Naples Art District. He’s won more than 70 awards for his sculpture, and his work has been collected worldwide, among the most notable being the abstract pieces commissioned for Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Michigan and New York.

Sculptor Joel Shapses flows with his talents

Kevin Bires

From chiseling marble teeth in dental school to exhibiting internationally, Joel Shapses has carved out a second career defined by creativity and innovation.

works in his gallery and studio in the Naples Art District, where he still carves stone most days and shares his expertise with aspiring sculptors.

Kevin Bires

Joel Shapses

With more than 50 years of experience sculpting, Shapses still is working in his studio most days, carving stone or trying something new, such as the recent sculpture that consisted of painted canvases connected into cubes.

He sells primarily through the Naples shop (joelshapsesstudio.com) and through online galleries that stretch his appeal worldwide. He occasionally does commissions, but most of his work comes from his own artistic vision. Shapses enjoys the challenge of trying something new — and hopefully a potential buyer finds it as appealing as he does.

“I’m always thinking outside the box,” he says.

He teaches sculpting, as well, working with students at the Marco Island Center for the Arts. His advice: Have trust in yourself. “Anything is possible,” he says. “If you have talent, it will flow through your fingertips.”

TRE NDLINES HIGHS AND LOWS

By Justin Paprocki

Florida is among the least stable housing markets in the country, according to a new study looking at market volatility over the last 25 years.

Overall, home prices in the state, as well as in Southwest Florida, have tripled since 2000. But, according to a study by Construction Coverage, the last 25 years have seen a lot of ups and downs in the housing market.

The study looked at the volatility of each state’s housing market, noting the likelihood of owners experiencing a 5% or greater drop in the value of their home. Florida residents faced a 33% chance of experiencing a 5% or greater drop in value of their home since 2000. That placed it among the 10 least-stable housing markets nationwide.

SWFL’s housing market is anything but stable

Cape

Coral-Fort Myers

Gorda Florida

ECONOMIC COMMENTARY

SUNK COSTS IN DECISION-MAKING

The

curious case of self-checkout systems

By Piyush Shah

In the world of business, change is often heralded as a virtue — an indicator of growth, adaptability and progress. Yet, paradoxically, businesses sometimes become trapped in their own decisions, even when those decisions lead to unintended consequences. Nowhere is this more readily evident than in the rollout of automatic self-checkout systems in retail stores. What was supposed to be a cost-saving measure has turned into an unexpected showcase of inertia in decision-making, as companies double down on flawed strategies instead of pivoting.

The self-checkout system seemed like a simple solution to a costly problem. Top management viewed the cost and administration of entry-level labor as problematic. According to a study by the Loss Prevention Research Council, replacing four traditional checkouts with automated self-checkouts can lead to savings of about $5,000 per week. For a retail chain with about 1,000 stores nationwide, these savings are expected to be about $5 million per

week. After all, fewer employees at the registers meant reduced expenses, which, in theory, would boost the bottom line. To achieve this, retailers such as Walmart, Target and Kroger invested heavily in technology: expensive hardware, complex software and artificial intelligence capable of handling various types of purchases. It was an upfront cost that management believed would pay dividends by reducing labor expenses in the long run.

However, things didn’t unfold quite as planned. While the number of human cashiers decreased, another, less visible cost started to rise — theft. It

turned out that the automated systems were not as foolproof as anticipated. Shoppers found ways to exploit the technology, either intentionally or unintentionally, leading to an uptick in inventory shrinkage. Reports have indicated that stores with self-checkouts see more than 20% increase in shrinkage. Losses began to erode the expected savings from labor reduction.

Faced with these new challenges, one might think that management would reconsider the viability of the self-checkout systems. But instead of acknowledging that the initial decision might have been flawed, retailers chose to double down on their investments. To combat the rising theft, they poured more resources into improving the technology. Walmart invested in enhanced AI capabilities and added more sophisticated cameras. Target implemented tighter restrictions, such as limiting the use of self-checkouts to transactions involving fewer than 15 items.

These responses, while seemingly proactive, were indicative of a deeper issue: the inability to pivot away from

a failing strategy. Instead of acknowledging that self-checkouts might not be the ideal solution, businesses became entrenched in the idea that they could fix the problem by layering on more technology and policies. This behavior is a classic example of the “sunk cost fallacy”: the tendency to continue investing in a decision simply because so much has already been invested, even when it becomes clear that it may not yield the desired results.

This inertia in decision-making often leads businesses down a path of ever-increasing expenses. The

cost of adding cameras, developing more sophisticated AI and enforcing stricter policies ends up being higher than the savings originally promised by reducing the number of cashiers. The initial problem of labor costs is simply replaced by another problem — one that is arguably more complex and more difficult to control.

So, what can businesses learn from this? Perhaps the most important takeaway is the need for adaptability and the willingness to acknowledge when a strategy isn’t working. The self-checkout saga is a reminder that

Self-checkout systems can lead to thousands in savings a week. For some retail chains, that number can be in the millions, however, reports indicate that stores with selfcheckouts see more than 20% increase in shrinkage due to theft.

no decision should be considered irreversible, especially when it starts leading to unintended consequences. Instead of falling victim to the sunk cost fallacy, businesses must create a culture where course corrections are seen as a strength rather than a weakness. True innovation isn’t just about implementing new ideas; it’s also about having the courage to abandon them when they prove ineffective.

—Piyush Shah, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of supply chain management in the Lutgert School of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University.

INNOVATION

SOUL POWER

Hyperion Motors’ hydrogen-powered dream car

By Artis Henderson

Angelo Kafantaris is an old-school car guy. He’s the founder and CEO of Hyperion Motors, makers of the world’s first 1,000-mile alternative-fuel vehicle, the XP-1. Unlike most other alternative fuel vehicles on the market, the XP-1 taps into the growing interest in green hydrogen and uses hydrogen fuel cells to power its prototype.

Kafantaris — who grew up fixing cars with his father and who has a deep and abiding love for Detroit — is unapologetic about his fascination with legacy automobiles.

“In the U.S., we have an anthropomorphized relationship with cars,” he says. “There are masculine cars. There are feminine cars. We talk about cars making noises, having smells and giving off vibrations. To me, it’s the ultimate product.”

In the last few decades, Kafantaris said, the automotive industry has lost its way. Though electric vehicles are arguably better for the environment, they’ve sacrificed

Angelo Kafantaris, founder and CEO of Hyperion Motors, believes the automobile industry has lost its way in the last few decades. While electric vehicles are better for the environment, he says they lack the elements that traditional car lovers enjoy. This is why he started Hyperion in 2011.

Hyperion XP-1 by Hyperion Motors LLC

Category: The Future of Personal Flight & Drive

Place: Silver

“We’re using space fuel. It should feel like a spaceship.”

—Angelo Kafantaris, CEO and Founder of Hyperion Motors

Hyperion unveiled the XP-1 in 2020, the world’s first 1,000-mile alternative-fuel vehicle that uses hydrogen fuel cells for power.

Hyperion team with NASA personnel at NASA Glenn Research Center

the elements that traditional car lovers enjoy — the noise, the vibration, the sense of power. Outside of quick acceleration and the ability to move people from place to place, electric vehicles have nothing to do with the power and verve of a gas-powered car. “EVs are almost soulless to true car people,” Kafantaris says.

In response to the perceived soullessness of electric vehicles, Kafantaris founded Hyperion in 2011 in Columbus, Ohio. The company relocated to California in 2015 to take advantage of California’s growing investment in hydrogen infrastructure for personal vehicles, and Hyperion unveiled the XP-1 in 2020. Several of Hyperion’s investors are based in Naples, said Edison Awards’ Executive Director Frank Bonafilia. This year, the company was a finalist at the Fort Myers-based Edison Awards, which honors excellence in innovation.

Kafantaris has a background in mechanical engineering and industrial design — including a stint at Mattel, where he worked on the Hot Wheels line — and he brings an appreciation for both form and function to his design process. “To create a truly remarkable product, the end result needs to not only work beautifully but be aesthetically pleasing, as well,” he says. “This means touch and feel, as well as viewer interface.”

The XP-1’s striking design features a carbon fiber titanium chassis, adjustable solar air blade, high-voltage fuel cells, ax-

Hyperion

The Growing Hydrogen Economy

According to a 2023 report released by Deloitte, the global value of the green hydrogen market is expected to reach $1.4 trillion by 2050. The same report predicts the hydrogen industry

will support 2 million jobs around the world each year between 2030 and 2050. This will lead to a significant reduction in cumulative carbon emissions — 85 gigatons, according to the report, which is

more than twice the amount of global CO2 emissions produced in 2021. But this forward-looking green hydrogen economy comes at a steep cost. Deloitte estimates that more than $9 trillion of

investment is needed in the global hydrogen supply chain to achieve these results. Of that $9 trillion, $3.1 trillion would need to go to developing economies.

Hyperion XP-1’s design features a carbon fiber titanium chassis, adjustable solar air blade, highvoltage fuel cells, axial flux motors and a two-ring exhaust that produces a blue-flame effect.

Too Good to be True?

Advocates tout the benefits of green hydrogen for both the economy and the environment, but is the United States ready for hydrogen as a fuel

vehicles? Not yet, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Though the Energy Policy Act of 1992 classifies hydrogen as an alternative fuel, are currently too costly to appeal to most consumers. Plus, key infrastructure is lacking. The administration says the United States only vehicles, and all of those are in California. And though California is leading the way in increasing accessibility, hydrogen fuel for a mass audience is still

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ial flux motors and a two-ring exhaust that produces a blue-flame effect. Kafantaris calls it “the perfect compromise between zero emissions and automotive traditions.” It has all the components that make cars exciting to people, both aesthetically and mechanically.

Plus, he said, it feels like a spaceship.

Kafantaris acknowledges that the United States has a ways to go before it reaches zero emissions, but Hyperion is doing its part to move the nation one step closer to a green hydrogen economy. He refers to the XP-1 as a lightning

strike: a brilliant, captivating piece of machinery meant to tease the imagination and bring traditional car lovers to the world of alternative fuels. “We have everything that an electric car offers without — pardon my French — the boringness.”

The Hyperion team grand opening at its R&D campus in Orange, California

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

As storms grow more intense, local communities invest in resilience — from infrastructure upgrades to flood defense systems.

By David Dorsey

Brian Tietz

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Some of the greatest minds from across the country and around the world gathered in early April for the Edison Awards in downtown Fort Myers. And at this celebration of innovation and technology, one discussion devoted itself to resiliency in the face of hurricanes.

They could not have picked a better place.

Shortly after the turn of the century in Southwest Florida, sustained winds of 76 to 173 mph devastated swaths of Charlotte County in 2004 from Hurricane Charley. Less than two decades later, in 2022, a 15-foot storm surge submerged Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island in Lee County from Hurricane Ian.

In between, in 2017, Hurricane Irma brought 142 mph winds to the Naples Airport and a 10-foot storm surge to the Ten Thousand Islands of Collier County.

These measurements of science and data, pulled by WINK News meteorologist Zach Maloch, help tell the tale — but they do not explain the toll on humanity. Leaders of companies that develop infrastructure — housing, power, water, sewer, digital connectivity, flood mitigation and more — are working to lessen that toll in the face of what scientists know from data to be a changing climate and rising sea levels.

Constructing buildings that are more durable and higher, especially in coastal and flood-prone areas, will be the new normal.

Private enterprise and publicly funded infrastructure projects already have reshaped the future of Southwest Florida, with many more on the way. Communities both inside and outside the area have proven to be something akin to testing laboratories, with success shared beyond their borders.

New Times, New Government Actions

In Cape Coral, the city of more than 200,000 residents created a new position with hurricane resiliency in mind. Former fire chief Ryan Lamb shifted in October to become Emergency Operations Center director. During the previous two years, he had been filling both roles, with assistance from Deputy Fire Chief Michael Russell in firefighting.

“Being a fire chief and emergency management director is two full-time jobs,” Lamb says. “Especially as we’ve seen Irma and Ian, COVID-19, all these disasters that continue to present to our community. It takes full-time effort in emergency management just to continue a focus there.”

The full-time role gives Lamb time to focus on the new projects, he said.

“Here we are, two years afterward, when we have millions of dollars of grants and other projects coming in, where there’s enough work and highlevel work.”

White Pelican Villas is planned for completion in February 2026. Owner Tony Lapi hired architect Joleen Darragh and Stevens Construction to design and build 22 beach-front units off West Gulf Drive on Sanibel Island with hurricane resiliency and aesthetics in mind after Hurricane Ian destroyed the original Beachview Cottages in 2022.

AN OUNCE OF FLOOD PREVENTION

The leader of a home remodeling company that had bought its new headquarters one year prior watched in dismay as ground flooding from a vicious June 2024 rainstorm seeped through the building, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

Annalisa Xioutas, president and founder of FFI contracting, was dismayed but not deterred. She decided, pretty much then and there, to prevent the next mess by starting a new company. Flood Smart was born one year ago.

“A happy accident,” says Xioutas. “We saw the need, because we experienced it ourselves.”

Flood Smart sells Garrison Hammerhead flood control systems, a brand of aluminum

planks and fencing that can withstand up to 6 feet of rising waters.

“We’ll make sure all of their barriers are in place,” Xioutas says. “We’re local, and we’re super dedicated to our area.”

Xioutas isn’t alone in starting a business geared toward flood prevention. Floodproofing, founded in 1997, began by selling Smart Vent Engineered Flood Vents, products that can be placed in crawlspaces, enclosures or garages to protect a home’s foundation during a flood. The company expanded in 2018 and has been growing steadily ever since.

Owners of low-lying, existing homes and businesses, such as in historic downtown Fort Myers and Naples, are turning to further

advancements in technology to fortify buildings lying in the way of hurricane-induced storm surge.

The need for such fortifications has created business opportunities, as well. Flood Smart and Floodproofing are just two companies that offer products designed to mitigate flooding.

“It’s not just a Florida problem,” says Tom Little, president and CEO of Floodproofing, headquartered in Mount Royal, New Jersey. “It’s a coast-to-coast issue or a worldwide issue. The precipitation levels that we’re getting with these rainfall events, it’s never

been seen in history over the past 10 years.”

Last year, Little visited a Naples home fortified with Floodproofing products, and could see the success in action in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

“We had a project in Naples,” he says. “Right there in the Gordon Drive area. And we call, when our products do their job, we call them saves. Right? They save the building. We’re a goalkeeper. We did our job. Nobody scores. The flood water didn’t win; we won. And so, the saves are important, because it shows. Our products are performance tested in

the United States. They’re made in America.”

But there’s one test that will do more for these barriers than any laboratory can, Little says: “There’s no test like Mother Nature.”

Flood Smart began as an offshoot of FFI Contracting Services, founded in 1999. Xioutas bought the company during the Great Recession in 2008. Her original intent was remodeling distressed properties in foreclosure.

“I figured out how to scale it and capitalize on it,” Xioutas says of her first company’s mission in rehabilitating homes. “We were in 30 states.

“After 2015-16, our foreclosures were going away, and the market

had stabilized. I went and reinvented, because there was no way the team I had could keep doing just foreclosures. When everyone was doing really poorly, we were killing it. When the pendulum swung the other way, we needed to look at something else. We downsized dramatically and shifted to doing local work. We went to more of a local model and have not looked back since. This has been a wonderful community for us.”

It wasn’t Hurricane Ian in 2022 or Milton and Helene in 2024 that prompted Xioutas to start the new offshoot company. It was the flood event of June 2024.

“We were sitting in a

BY THE NUMBERS

conference room watching the water,” Xioutas says. “The water starts coming in through the walls. We’re like holy you-know-what. Are you kidding me? What do you do at that point? Everyone was in a fire drill, getting everything off the floor. It was a nightmare. And we couldn’t keep the water out. It felt very helpless. You just can’t control anything.

“I can’t raise the building. I’m not going to tear it down. I’m not going to lift it. At this point, I’m not going to sell it. We had just set up our business. I’m not just going to bail. We want people to stay here. I had to find a solution that would work for me first.”

Flood Smart, a company born after its parent company flooded in June 2024, sells flood control systems, aluminum planks and fencing that can withstand up to 6 feet of rising water.

In terms of wind speeds and storm surge, here are some of the most ferocious hurricanes to have battered Southwest Florida over the years.

Wind gusts

Hurricane Charley, Aug. 13, 2004: 76-173 mph

Hurricane Irma, Sept. 10, 2017: 74-142 mph, with peak gusts recorded at Naples Airport

Hurricane Ian, Sept. 28, 2022: 70-140 mph, with peak gusts recorded in Cape Coral

Hurricane Milton, Oct. 9, 2024: 60-80 mph, with peak gusts recorded in North Port

Highest storm surge

Hurricane Ian, 2022: 15 feet at Fort Myers Beach

Unnamed hurricane, 1873: 13 feet at Punta Rassa

Hurricane Donna, 1960: 12 feet in Collier and Lee counties

Hurricane Milton, 2024: 10 feet at Manasota Key

Hurricane Irma, 2017: 10 feet at Ten Thousand Islands, Collier County

Hurricane Wilma, 2005: 8 feet in southern Collier County

Hurricane Charley, 2004: 7 feet at Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach

Source: WINK News Meteorologist Zach Maloch

BEYOND THEIR BORDERS

Longboat Key, a 10-mile-long island and Gulf coastal town of about 7,500 residents near Sarasota, spent $49 million in a deal with Florida Power & Light installing underground power lines. The project began in 2019 and ended in July of last year, just in time for the heart of hurricane season.

Last October, those underground lines straddling Manatee and Sarasota counties got put to the test. They were submerged by 6 to 8 1/2 feet of storm surge from Hurricane Helene.

“A lot of our transformers, the new ones, were underwater,” says Isaac Brownman, who was promoted during the storm’s aftermath from public works director to assistant town manager. “The good news is that the vast majority of them fired back up and didn’t need replacing. That was a testament to the FPL underground systems. The underground system was a much more resilient system, pre- and post-storm.

“It’s much faster than to get up on a pole and restring wires.”

Even if the transformers went out — and many of them did not — it’s still much faster.

“We’re very pleased,” Brownman says. Coastal areas in Lee County have yet to bury most power lines. But Ryan Oullette, vice president of operations for Wilco Electrical, which contracts with FPL, said change is coming across Florida.

“The paradigm shift from overhead lines to underground is in the midst [of happening],” Oullette says. “It’s already begun.”

But Oullette issued a note of caution: Burying power lines isn’t a cure-all.

“Any catastrophe, such as the size of Hurricane Ian, is going to cause destruction whether the power lines are overhead or underground,” he says. “The fact is a catastrophic 30-year storm, no matter the

ESTERO GETS PROACTIVE ON FLOODING

The Village of Estero began some highlevel work in a lowlying area. Last year, the village paid the Lee County School District $15 million for a 72-acre property sandwiched between Interstate 75 and Three Oaks Parkway. It’s surrounded by housing developments that flooded during Hurricane Irma.

Estero is building a 25-acre pond for flood mitigation, with $5 million slated to come from the federal government and $1.7 million coming from the village.

The land had been slated to become 400 to 600 housing units. Instead, it will be used to store and transport excess rain runoff along the Estero River, away from existing homes.

“It is mundane to the community at large,” Estero Village Manager Steve Sarkozy says. “But to those neighbors

who experienced the flooding … when you’re looking at a high-density, high-traffic development option versus mitigating flooding in a tight area, it’s a baby step in helping the overall livability of our community.”

Estero is also doing a vulnerability study focusing on the older part of town, near Broadway Avenue, where aging septic tanks outnumber the sewers of the newer, gated communities.

“That’s going to identify where the environmental vulnerabilities are,” says David Willems, Estero’s public works director.

“That’s going to look at rainfall flooding, storm surge flooding, wildfires, sea level rise. That’s going to identify where the village is vulnerable.”

From there, Estero would continue to be proactive to mitigate future weather events.

Electrical vice president of operations

level of infrastructure — there’s going to be damages incurred during those large storms.”

That said, Oullette is finding the underground lines are more resilient to a weather event.

“Another major pro is the restoration time is cut significantly when they’re underground,” Oullette says.

“I’m speaking from a contractor’s perspective. Our restoration times, I believe 95% were restored in the threeweek period after the storm. The cost of the investment [is exceeded by], in the long term, the reliability factor and the resiliency. Power losses are less frequent. The system and the equipment last longer. So, the initial investment depreciates less.”

“ Power losses are less frequent. The system and the equipment last longer. So, the initial investment depreciates less.”

—Ryan Oullette, Wilco Electrical vice president of operations

SANIBEL NOT READY FOR UNDERGROUND

While Florida overall is in the midst of moving power lines underground, experts say it is not a cure-all. Underground lines are more resilient to weather events, but with catastrophic storms, damage will occur regardless.

Sanibel Island uses Lee County Electrical Cooperative, or LCEC, as its power provider. LCEC provides power for more than 240,000 customers in the region, but does not have an undergrounding program for entire communities. The cooperative spent about $205 million on replacing damaged infrastructure after Ian. That included replacing power lines both above and below the ground on Sanibel, with a majority of those lines above ground.

Ryan Oullette

Wilco

LCEC has a different philosophy from FPL when it comes to undergrounding lines.

Denise Vidal, executive vice president and CEO of LCEC, said underground power lines work well for aesthetics, but they do not work so well near water.

“Undergrounding can work well in a wind event,” Vidal says. “Because the lines are underground, they’re going to avoid wind debris falling into them and taking the power out. It doesn’t work well in a flood event. We’re talking about barrier islands and areas that flood really badly. With Ian, underground is not your friend. Electricity and water just do not mix.”

Equipment gets corroded from the salt water in particular, she said.

“On Sanibel, we’re having to go through and replace all of our underground utilities,” Vidal says. “It’s going to take a lot longer to restore it. The city required every restoration service to have a concession to make sure it was safe to reconnect the underground service to their meters. It just takes longer in a flood event to restore and replacements have to occur, because corrosion is eventually going to be a factor.”

Protecting underground power lines in PVC piping doesn’t work as well as it would seem, she said.

“Even if you have PVC, water is going to get in,” Vidal said. “When you have 12 to 15 feet of surge, the water is going to get in. Just underground in general, it’s 12 times more expensive than overhead.”

“Undergrounding can work well in a wind event … It doesn’t work well in a flood event … With Ian, underground is not your friend. Electricity and water just do not mix.”

—Denise Vidal, executive vice president and CEO of LCEC

FPL GOING UNDERGROUND

Florida Power & Light provides power for more than 680,000 customers in the region. Unlike Lee County Electrical Cooperative, FPL has a program in place to expand undergrounding.

After Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, FPL created a program to expand undergrounding power lines. Six dollars of every customer’s bill goes toward funding the Storm Se-

FORGING AHEAD

Natalia Moudrak Climate resiliency leader for Aon Lee County Electrical Cooperative spent about $205 million to replace damaged infrastructure after Hurricane Ian, including both aboveground and underground power lines.

“ In 2024, globally, the natural disasters caused $368 billion in losses. Only 20% of that figure was insured. Hurricane Milton caused $110 billion in damage. What’s more concerning to me is it seems like the trend of costs of damage is not going to go away as a function of time. For the ninth year in a row, that $300 billion mark was exceeded. ”

— Natalia Moudrak, climate resiliency leader for Aon, a BritishAmerican company that advises governments

on strategies

All area governments should get proactive, not reactive, with future hurricanes in mind, said Natalia Moudrak during a hurricane resiliency discussion at the Edison Awards.

Moudrak is a climate resiliency leader for Aon, a British-American company that advises governments on strategies. She said the onslaught of storm-related damages forces open the door to prepare for future storms.

“In 2024, globally, the natural disasters caused $368 billion in losses,” Moudrak told the audience. “Only 20% of that figure was insured. Hurricane Milton caused $110 billion in damage. What’s more concerning to me is it seems like the trend of costs of damage is not going to go away as a function of time. For the ninth year in a row, that $300 billion mark was exceeded.

“What is driving the losses? It’s not just climate change. There are many other factors: higher volume properties, aging infrastructure, persistent loss of nature that cannot protect communities, lagging adoption of good knowledge.”

That’s the bad news.

“In concert with these losses, there’s a theme that’s emerging,” Moudrak says. “And it’s a theme of hope. And we’ve seen some developers embrace new technologies in new communities.”

Moudrak had one sitting next to her. Syd Kitson,

founder of Babcock Ranch, bought 91,000 acres in 2006, then sold 73,000 of them back to Florida for preservation. Kitson is developing the rest to be geared toward resiliency. Not losing power during hurricanes Irma and Ian shows the plan to be working, he said.

“We want this new town to work hand-in-hand with the environment,” Kitson says. “We want to be leaders, not followers. So, we put together a series of initiatives to do it right. The return on our investment was ten-fold.”

Initiatives need to happen, said Carmichael Roberts, fellow panel member and co-founder of Material Impact Fund, which seeks to build transformative technologies that solve real-world problems.

“Forget for a minute about the humanitarian side and doing what’s good for our planet,” Roberts said to the audience. “Even if that wasn’t important — I’m an entrepreneur, and I don’t apologize for that.

“This is save-the-world stuff.”

cure Underground Program. But installing of those lines for the most part takes place away from the coast, unless a town such as Longboat Key approves and funds a project on its own.

“I think it’s really important to talk about the context of undergrounding and how we go about it,” says Shawn Johnson, communication specialist for FPL. “We use a data-driven approach. There won’t be a point where we underground everything. That’s due to a couple of different reasons; we’re undergrounding neighborhoods to make it easier for our crews to access them better.”

Overhead transmission lines, the large structures seen along major highways, will remain above ground because of their size and the heat they generate, Johnson said. Those have been fortified in recent years, with 96% of the transmission lines running along more durable steel and concrete poles and structures instead of wood.

“The second piece of it, we do keep in mind the flood plain and using that as an approach,” Johnson says. “It may not make sense to underground in floodprone areas. We’ll still strengthen that grid by maybe replacing the older wooden poles.

“Say you have poles about 100 feet apart. We might reduce it to 50 feet. The idea being that you put another pole in the center of it. It’s reducing the distance. If there’s a portion of the line that went down, we can restring that line.”

PROXIMITY TO WATER DOES, DOESN’T DETER

The Town of Surfside, just north of Miami Beach and located along the Atlantic Ocean, began the first of a three-phase project to bury its power lines this year. The first phase will cost about $12 million.

After Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, FPL created a program to expand undergrounding power lines. Six dollars of every customer’s bill goes toward funding the Storm Secure Underground Program.

Although LCEC and FPL have some of their Southwest Florida power lines buried, neither company has plans to do additional undergrounding in areas prone to storm surge.

They are wise not to do so, said Ted Kury, director of energy studies at Warrington College of Business Administration at the University of Florida. Power lines generate heat, which brings challenges to placing them underground. Add surging stormwater to the mix, and that compounds the challenge, he said.

“In flooding, you’ll see the ground shift,” Kury says. “The underground power lines are typically in a conduit of some sort. There’s a greater chance that it will crack. But the bottom line is: Even power lines under rivers are subject to water incursion and cause problems.

“It’s important to remember that one of the challenges we face in storm hardening is there’s no way to insulate the power lines from interactions with the environment. If power lines were above ground, you don’t have to worry about water incursions, but you have to worry about falling trees and falling debris. If power lines are below ground, now you’ve got to worry about water incursion. Wherever power lines are located, there is going to be some risk. There is no place that you can put power lines that completely insulates them from interactions with the environment. The choice of where you

Florida Power & Light provides electricity to more than 680,000 customers in SWFL, and it has been expanding underground power lines and fortifying transmission lines.

locate your power lines — it’s as simple and as complicated as that.”

Kury works with island countries in the Caribbean, as well as Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, to help them fortify their electrical grids.

“There is no one best solution,” Kury says. “It depends on where you

“ If power lines were above ground … you have to worry about falling trees and falling debris. If power lines are below ground … you’ve got to worry about water incursion. Wherever power lines are located, there is going to be some risk. ”

Ted Kury, director of energy studies at Warrington College of Business Administration at the University of Florida

are. It depends on the threats that are most prevalent in your area. Every area is going to be different. Every area is going to have different considerations.”

Sanibel received a $124,000 state grant to conduct a hurricane resiliency study. Further studies to look at undergrounding power lines could be on the table in the future, said Sanibel City Council member Holly Smith, but with the overhead power lines all replaced post-Ian, she said it’s not the most pressing issue the island faces as it continues its recovery.

LIFTING HOMES ON SANIBEL

Hurricane Ian pushed Sanibel Island to the brink. Unless home and business owners reacted to the hurricane’s aftermath by rebuilding with resilience, Mother Nature always would have other ideas.

The residents of Donax Village, about a mile from the Sanibel Causeway and just south of Periwinkle Way, had just put the finishing retouches on renovating and rebuilding, two years after Hurricane Ian inundated the nine duplexes and two cottages off Donax Street with 5 feet of storm surge waters

and muck. And then Hurricane Milton arrived.

Storm surge wrought by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, 2024, did not breach Donax Village’s homes, which were elevated by 3 feet off the ground level. But it sure came close, said Phillip Hurley, board president of the Donax Village Condominium Association.

“We’re raising all 11 buildings,” Hurley says of a near-unanimous decision among the homeowners. Only one of the 17 property owners did not want to spend between $150,000 and $200,000 per owner

After Hurricane Ian, building codes in many areas changed.

On Sanibel, local government approved a 10-feetabove-sea-level minimum for floors of new buildings, and many residents are lifting their homes.

to lift their homes by an additional 7 feet.

“It came about, obviously, because we had complete devastation,” Hurley says. “We all did a complete gut and rehab, from roof to sub floor. Water, plumbing, everything had to be replaced.”

Donax Village had just finished those renovations, too.

“A week and a half later is when Milton hit,” Hurley says. “We just escaped flooding again by just inches. It was probably the most somber meeting. We pushed through it and got everything

rebuilt. And then we all looked at each other: ‘I can’t believe this is happening again.’ If that were to have happened, it would have been devastating. We don’t know how the community would have stayed together.”

On Sanibel, the local government has a 45-foot height limit and recently approved a 10 feet above-sea-level minimum for the floors of new buildings. New construction will have to adhere to those codes, and existing buildings will be grandfathered into the old codes. But existing buildings will

not be immune to storm surge.

Donax Village hired Davie Shoring, a Tickfaw, Louisianabased and Florida-licensed contractor, to lift the homes.

GEM Home Services, founded four years ago in Cape Coral, will assist by disconnecting and reconnecting all utilities, plus building 10 feet worth of stairways for residents to again access their front doors.

“We did a lot of this work before Ian,” says Greg Kerle, a sales manager for Davie Shoring. “Once Ian hit, that’s when everything took off. It changed everybody’s lives down here. At that point, you don’t have much of a choice. Once you get a couple more storms coming in, like Helene and Milton, knocking a house down and rebuilding a house is three times the cost of what we do.”

Davie Shoring, which does work in Florida from Crystal River on south to Key West, begins by digging around

the house. Depending on the home’s size, the company will use between 30 and 90 jacks to raise the home.

“We drive brand-new block about every 4 feet under the foundation of the house,” Kerle says. “Once we get all of those in, all the way around the foundation, that’s when we lift the house up. About 4 feet. We put the new columns on the new foundation.

“If somebody has a single-story house and wants to go up 20 feet, we’ll put them up 20 feet. You just have to engineer it that way.”

Joe Jablonski, president of GEM Home Services, has his team do work at the beginning and end of the project.

“They do all the heavy work,” Jablonski says of Davie Shoring. The two companies plan to work together on more projects moving forward. “We disconnect and reconnect. It’s disconnecting the AC units and reconnecting them. You have to drain the system and put new copper in. The electric has to be disconnected. And then LCEC comes in, and our electricians reconnect to the power. When the building gets lifted, we swing over back to the house

and reconnect them to the meter. As far as plumbing goes, we have to disconnect the toilets. We put the extensions in to the water lines and reconnect them.

It’s a pretty simple process; not a lot can go sideways.”

Just as Ian changed building codes on Sanibel, it also changed Jablonski’s workload.

“Work volume has increased probably tenfold,” he says. “We have been working nonstop, six days a week, since Ian.”

Hurley and his neighbors are hoping to have the project done in time for 2025 hurricane season, which officially begins June 1.

“Ours is a pretty slick opportunity for them, because we’re already elevated,” Hurley says of the contractors. “It makes it less extensive and less laborious. It’s going to be a unified lift system that jacks up the home. It’s a very gentle process. They use hydraulics.

We don’t have to move anything; we don’t have to take our wine glasses off our shelf.”

In early 2022, about six months before Ian hit, Hurley and three other neighbors bought their Sanibel homes, not knowing what they would be getting into. Most of the homes were built in 1978, so the new owners renovated them, only to have the renovations ruined a few months later.

“We all came together as a community,” Hurley says of Ian’s aftermath. “I think it’s an impressive display of private initiative. The idea is resiliency and sustainability. It’s the future of living on a barrier island. I don’t think there’s going to be any new homes built that aren’t elevated.

“It’s not just an investment. They’re our homes. Yes, we’re trying to protect our investments. But we want to live there. Ultimately, we’re trying to keep Sanibel viable.”

HAILING A SUCCESS STORY

Ave Maria celebrates 20-year milestone

By Tim Aten

On

the 20th anniversary of its groundbreaking, the community of Ave Maria celebrates amazing growth and the potential for success beyond its founders’ dreams.

The small town in Southwest Florida was founded in 2005 by Ave Maria Development LLLP, a partnership of Naples-based Barron Collier Cos. and the Ave Maria Foundation, a Catholic-centric organization led by Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s Pizza and Ave Maria University.

The Collier County destination was created from scratch on mostly farmland. Fields of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and other vegetables were developed into an unincorporated community between the rural residences of Golden Gate Estates and the wildlife preserves and swampland of Florida’s midsection.

After receiving final government approval in April 2005, developers didn’t waste any time breaking ground on Ave Maria with a big ceremony that month. It would be more than two years, though, before the first resident moved in on June 30, 2007.

Rocky start

The timing couldn’t have been worse for a real estate venture.

“It was only a very brief period of time before the real estate world came to a screeching halt,” says Blake Gable, CEO of Barron Collier Cos.

An incredible crisis gripped the real estate market in 2007 and 2008. The bursting of a housing bubble dunked many mortgagees underwater, causing a surge in foreclosures. The drastic decrease in home values led to the Great Recession.

“When you build a utility plant, when you build infrastructure, when you build amenities expecting a certain level of sales, then you get a fraction of that — it was problematic,” Gable says. “Everybody knows the challenges we faced. There were a lot of really, really good people that are kind of doing what we do, usually on a smaller scale, that didn’t make it through the recession unscathed. So, we were fortunate that we were able to do so.”

Ave Maria faced an uphill battle from the onset. The community started taking residents in 2007, just as the real estate market crashed, leading to the Great Recession.

Barron

Collier Cos.

HAILING A SUCCESS STORY

“Once the world kind of stabilized, we were able to get a little bit of momentum. Things changed and we’ve been very fortunate.”

— Blake Gable, Barron Collier Cos. CEO

HAILING A SUCCESS STORY

Ave Maria Development owes its survival to its strong partnership, which began with a letter of intent in early 2002.

“When you’re in business for a little bit longer now like I have been, you really come to appreciate the value of good partners,” Gable says. “We’ve been legally partners with them, handshake partners since April of ’02, legal partners since July of ’03, and I will tell you I can’t remember one single disagreement. We’ve had differing thoughts on things over the years, but we’ve never had a disagreement. Even in the worst of times, we laid out what we were doing to try to fix things — and for a long time, there were just things we couldn’t fix.”

Today, Gable regrets his placement of Ave Maria’s Town Center, which surrounds the architecturally striking Ave Maria Catholic Church.

“I take full responsibility for it. I’m the one who chose the location [for the town] and I chose the location for the Town Center because it’s right in the middle of that piece of property, which seemed like a logical place to put it,” he says. “In hindsight, you probably wouldn’t build three miles of road to get to the Town Center; you’d do something differently. But, then again, we made the decisions through the lens of the times. I am 100% responsible for a lot of those decisions. There’s a lot of things that I would do differently. We took off a huge bite and it was a very large risk. In hindsight, with a little bit of age and experience, and hopefully, a tiny bit of wisdom thrown in there, I would have done things a little bit differently.”

After the recession receded, it was all systems go for Ave Maria.

“Once the world kind of stabilized, we were able to get a little bit of momentum. Things changed and we’ve been very fortunate,” Gable says. “We’re blessed to be in a part of the world that people find attractive.”

Holy cash cow

Although some may assume Ave Maria is a Catholic town since its name is a Catholic prayer, it is a diverse community, and was intended to attract people from all backgrounds.

Ave Maria shares its name with a traditional Catholic prayer meaning “Hail Mary” in Latin. Because of the community’s roots with a Catholic-based university and a landmark Catholic church in the middle of its Town Center, it’s easy to see why Ave Maria has been mistaken for a Catholic town. But it’s a lot more than that.

“People out there are diverse, and that’s the way it always was intended,” Gable says. “If you were going to build a Catholic town, you wouldn’t have an Episcopalian in charge of the whole thing, which is what I am.”

Barron Collier Cos.

Ave Maria groundbreaking

HAILING A SUCCESS STORY

Gable originally made this statement on national television when media reports brought early attention to the town after founder Monaghan made a couple of offhand comments. Gable still bristles at the religious recoil, which he said was fabricated by the national media.

“On the face of it, it’s absurd, not to mention illegal,” he says. “That was never anything that was real.”

Ave Maria Development also thought Collier County’s 5,000-acre cap on towns was unrealistic. Earlier this year, the partnership successfully petitioned the local government to amend its growth management plan to remove the cap, potentially allowing Ave Maria to grow larger than originally planned.

“When the rules were put in place, that cap was an arbitrary number. I’m not sure where it came from,” says Gable, happy that the cap is gone. “I think it just allows us to plan the community the way it organically wants to grow, as opposed to try to jam a plan into a village or a hamlet or whatever we call those things. That doesn’t really serve any purpose other than that’s kind of how we thought things maybe were going to go 25 years ago when the rules were put in place.”

Ave Maria already has surpassed expectations. For many years, it has been one of the top-selling master-planned communities in the United States. Promoting itself as “a big kind of small town,” Ave Maria’s record-breaking home sales propelled it to the highest-ranking community in Collier County.

“The largest master-planned communities in the country are all around Las Vegas and Phoenix and Houston and Dallas — and The Villages is its own thing — and, obviously Lakewood Ranch outside of Tampa and Sarasota, so for us to be in the top 20 consistently over the last number of years when we’re in little old Naples, Florida, I think it’s a testament to what we’ve done,” Gable says. “I wouldn’t be honest if I said that I ever thought that we would get there, but now that we’re there, I like it and appreciate it because it shows that the market, the families that are buying out there, the people who are trusting us with what is often a family’s largest investment decision, they have trust in what we’ve done and what we’re going to continue to deliver.”

Barron Collier Cos.

“I think it just allows us to plan the community the way it organically wants to grow.”

— Blake Gable, Barron Collier Cos. CEO

Originally having a development cap of 5,000 acres, Ave Maria’s partners successfully petitioned local government to drop the cap, allowing the community to grow.

HAILING A SUCCESS STORY

“We had finally met that milestone where bigger retailers are interested and we kind of made it over that hump.”

— Cee Cee Marinelli, Barron Collier Cos. vice president of commercial real estate

Continued growth

Ave Maria has sold about 5,300 homes. Considering that it has entitlements for 11,000 homes and the probability for more, the town is not halfway complete yet.

Following residential rooftops in Ave Maria, commercial businesses and other amenities have grown significantly in recent years. The Collier County School District expects to break ground in June on an elementary school in the family-friendly community.

Launching last year, Midtown Plaza was another turning point for the town. Sunshine Ace Hardware signed on for a large space in the center of the new retail strip on Ave Maria Boulevard, said Cee Cee Marinelli, vice president of commercial real estate for Barron Collier Cos.

“When they committed to Ave Maria, you knew we had kind of met that critical mass of population that could sustain a bigger box, a national brand. So, we’ve always kind of been waiting,” Marinelli says, noting that hospitality chains Dunkin’ and Cold Stone Creamery quickly followed with units in Midtown Plaza. Other restaurants and retailers round out the mix.

“We had finally met that milestone where bigger retailers are interested and we kind of made it over that hump, sustaining some of these bigger retailers and service providers.”

Both Gable and Marinelli also are excited to see health care providers coming to fill local needs. Naples Comprehensive Health recently opened an immediate care center in Midtown Plaza, and the regional health care provider has future plans in Ave Maria.

“Their freestanding emergency room will eventually lead into a 100-bed hospital campus in eastern Collier,” Marinelli says. “I think health care is going to fill a gap.”

Now the developer has to faithfully keep up with the demand and build the next retail center and spaces for some bigger players. Vacant land abutting developed areas of Ave Maria will be used to expand the community. Most notable are the more than 540 acres near Ave Maria’s entrance off Oil Well Road that have been a sod farm operated by Collier Family Farms.

Ave Maria has entitlements for 11,000 homes and has sold about 5,300 homes, leaving the community not even halfway complete.

“A significant portion of the sod farm will be dedicated to commercial,” Marinelli says. “I think that’s where we’ll eventually see some of those bigger box, mid-box retailers.”

Permitting hasn’t occurred yet for the land’s redevelopment, but plans are in the works.

HAILING A SUCCESS STORY

“We are actively planning it,” she says. “We are actively talking to some of these big guys, and they are very interested. We just have to be able to deliver it. It will be a couple of years.”

About 20% of the property — about 100 acres — will be developed for commercial. Single-family homes and multifamily residential units are planned there, as well, Marinelli said.

Across the street, a 300-unit apartment complex is planned near the main entrance of Ave Maria at Ave Maria Boulevard and Oil Well Road. The multifamily project is proposed to have five four-story apartment buildings with a clubhouse, fitness center, resort-style pool, tot lot and dog park, plans show.

Another irregular parcel has more than 325 acres to be developed on the town’s northeastern edge. “That will be a mix, as well, with residential and some commercial,” Marinelli says. “But that’s well into the future. The sod farm and Arthrex Commerce Park are our main focus at the moment.”

The commerce park currently includes the Arthrex plant, which manufactures the Naples-based company’s medical devices and surgical instruments; and Dialum Glass, a Chile-based company building a 90,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and its U.S. headquarters near Arthrex. Opportunities for additional industrial development will be available there.

“We’re working on that connecting road from Ave Maria Boulevard to Arthrex Commerce Park Drive, so there will be an internal connection. As soon as we can get that infrastructure in, which probably will be next year, that will open up another 50 or 60 acres that we can develop in smaller sites,” Marinelli says.

Expect more service-related businesses and contractors to land off Oil Well. The idea is to create spaces for businesses with specialties to fill needs, such as auto repair, air conditioning and swimming pool supplies, Marinelli said.

“We’re excited about where we are, but we’re even more excited about the future,” she says. “I think there’s going to be a lot of fun projects as we move forward over the next few years.”

Frequently following rooftops are commercial properties, and Ave Maria is no different. Businesses and amenities have significantly grown in recent years, with more planned.

Barron Collier Cos.

CELEBRATING THE BEST PLACES TO WORK

IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

PRESENTING SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

June 12th 6:00PM, Naples Grande Beach Resort

Gulfshore Business 2025 Best Places To Work In Southwest Florida Awards Celebration

Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida 2025

In general, no two businesses are exactly alike. A law firm may have little in common with a logistics company; a restaurant chain and a retail hardware chain are rarely linked. There are different workspaces and disparate customer bases. But regardless of clientele or commodity, there are 21 businesses in Southwest Florida that all have one thing in common: They’ve each earned the distinction of being one of the Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida.

While companies are most often judged by their bottom line, these businesses are being recognized for going above and beyond for their employees. Though they all take different forms, the difference is made in how each honoree takes care of the people who help their business function.

To earn recognition as one of the Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida, local companies pay a fee to apply to Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, an independent research firm focused on identifying and recognizing great places to work. BCG then administers a two-part survey — one for employers that details company policies, practices, benefits and demographics, and another for employees that includes an in-depth set of 77 statements they are asked to respond to on a scale of 1 through 5. This survey section also includes two open-ended questions and seven demographic questions.

The data collected is analyzed by BCG to determine the Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida; Gulfshore Business does not participate in the survey or selection process.

Eligibility is open to any publicly or privately held business, government or nonprofit entity with facilities or operations in Southwest Florida and a minimum of 15 full-time or part-time employees working in the region or reporting to a local regional office. Eligible participants must also have been in business for a minimum of one year. To find out more about the process, or to apply for future consideration, please visit BestPlacesToWorkSWFL.com.

The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company

CITY: Sanibel

WEBSITE: sancapbank.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 2001

CEO: Albert D. Hanser

INDUSTRY: Financial Services

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 63

Established in 2001, The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company offers wealth management, investment management, estate administration and financial planning to individual investors, multigenerational client families, business owners and nonprofit organizations — it’s now one of the largest private trust companies in Florida. Founder and chair Albert D.

Hanser noted that since its inception, the firm has always been committed to doing the right thing.

“Rule No. 1 is the client comes first. Rule No. 2 is don’t forget rule No. 1,” Hanser says. “Our employees are able to freely apply their talents to benefit the client, and have the opportunity to excel. We believe that if you take care of the employees, the employees take exceptional care of the clients.”

To help care for its employees, The Trust Company holds employee outings in each market for team building and networking, as well as periodic corporate-wide retreats to maintain and cultivate the employee culture. It also provides a generous health insurance package and ample vacation days and sick days, and donates

$100 to the charity of each employee’s choice on their birthday. And going beyond financial advice and estate planning, the company’s employees have helped their clients secure doctor’s referrals, found safe hotel rooms during approaching hurricanes, sat with them in the hospital, helped when immediate family members weren't available and even traveled out of state to provide assistance.

The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company has also been voted Best Financial Planner and Best Trust Company in the Island Reporter’s Community Choice Awards, named a Best Place to Work by Tampa Bay Business Journal and given Community Choice Awards by the Tampa Bay Times, Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News. Brian Tietz

Alpha Foundations

CITY: Virginia Beach, Virginia

WEBSITE: alphafoundations.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 2002

CEO: Joshua Joyce

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 42

Alpha Foundations, a Groundworks company, provides foundation solutions to homeowners and businesses in Fort Myers and beyond. While it specializes in fixing and protecting residential and commercial properties from foundation, water and concrete issues, the company also strives to provide a solid base for its employees.

“All employees are eligible for ownership in the company. And as an employee-owned company, every team member has a stake in our success, creating a culture of commitment and shared achievement,” a company spokesperson says. “The Employee Ownership Program provides a unique opportunity for all our employees to share in the value we will create together as a company. It also helps to bring us together even more as a team.”

To support its employees’ physical and financial well-being, professional growth and personal development, the company offers a variety of perks, including leadership development training with Echelon Front — led by former U.S. Navy SEALs — designed to equip employees with elite leadership skills. In addition, the firm provides a 401(k) match program to help employees build a secure financial future, and the Dave Ramsey Financial Wellness Program to provide expert guidance on managing finances effectively.

Alpha Foundations encourages continuous learning for its employees via free audiobooks from a customized library, which allows them to expand their knowledge anytime, anywhere. Employees can also take part in paid community service hours to give back to the causes they’re passionate about. Yearly employee appreciation events include Tribe Tour, which provides employees with brand-new Red Wing boots, and Serve & Support, a company-wide event where employees and their loved ones come together for food, fun activities and giving back to local communities.

DeAngelis Diamond

CITY: Naples

WEBSITE: deangelisdiamond.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1996

CEO: David Diamond

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 164

DeAngelis Diamond is an award-winning construction management company committed to embracing change and innovation while building a better future together for its communities, clients and team members. And to do that, company CEO and co-founder David Diamond said the company focuses on developing a culture and work experience to attract top talent who share that passion.

“We know it’s really our people that make us a great company, and it’s our mission and culture that attract the best people. It’s a culture where high performers can achieve their best work,” Diamond says. “We challenge ourselves to think differently and create solutions that exceed expectations. Our team members are passionate about their work and constantly seek more efficient and effective ways to solve problems.”

Beyond its distinctive culture, the company has established the DeAngelis Diamond Wealth Builder Program to help team members earn enough to invest and save for a comfortable retirement through 401(k) matching up to 10% of an employee’s salary. The firm also provides generous paid time

off, as well as the day off for employee birthdays, Veterans Day off for military veterans and two days to volunteer at a charity of the employee’s choice.

In 2024, the DeAngelis Diamond Team Impact, a volunteer organization of DD team members, served more than 2,400 hours engaging in local initiatives, forming community partnerships and addressing the challenges facing our neighbors. In addition, 2% of the company’s annual profits are donated to the DeAngelis Diamond Foundation to support local organizations in the communities it serves and beyond. That includes organizations focused on addressing hunger, clean drinking water, education, physical and mental health and the fight against human trafficking.

Because we are builder-owned, we don’t answer to shareholders. We focus on your needs, simplify your homebuying process, and make everything just right from the day we hand you the keys until long after you’re settled. You can trust that we put all the thought and

Priority Marketing

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: prioritymarketing.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1992

CEO: Teri Hansen

INDUSTRY: Marketing/Public Relations

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 64

Priority Marketing, a full-service marketing, advertising public relations and digital marketing firm, was established 33 years ago by founder, President and Chief Creative Officer Teri Hansen. Many companies encourage balance between work and family; for Hansen, it was the reason for starting her own business.

“I established Priority Marketing at my dining room table — shortly after the birth of my daughter — because I wanted to prioritize my family,” she says. “Our leadership team established core company values to serve as a guiding light for our growing team. Values like initiative, collaboration, integrity, passion, resourcefulness, responsiveness, creativity, accountability and more help define our company culture and overall character. These factors helped create a workplace culture where people want to work, and some team members have spent 15, 18, 20, 25 and even 29 years with the company.”

That longevity at Priority Marketing is encouraged by an employee recognition program that recognizes employee “light bulb moments.” Kudos and recognition tied to the firm’s core values are noted for each team member and prize drawings are held monthly. Team members who receive the most recognition throughout the year are also honored.

Priority Marketing provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes free or low-cost medical, dental and vision care plans, life insurance and short- and long-term disability programs. The company also offers a guaranteed 401(k) with a matching plan, guaranteed profit sharing, a pension plan, generous paid time off and more.

In addition, the firm supports nonprofit organizations and charitable causes through donated or discounted services, has provided event services to dozens of nonprofit organizations and has helped raise more than $150 million to date to support their missions.

Wright Construction Group Inc.

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: wcgfl.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1946

CEO: Fred Edman

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 64

For nearly eight decades, Wright Construction has been working to build and expand Southwest Florida. But the company has worked equally hard to build a family-oriented work culture and caring workplace environment.

“By treating our clients with respect and great care, the Wright team can provide quality products while developing long-lasting relationships based on trust. Because of this culture, many employees have been with us for over 20 years,” says Fred Edman, president. “Everything our team does is built around an uncompromising commitment to safety, quality, timeliness and value. Our goal as an employer is to listen to our team members’ needs, encourage them to dream, support their growth and empower them to succeed.”

In addition to supporting its employees, Wright Construction also encourages employee engagement and giving back to the community. The company supports several K-12 school and university fundraisers, the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Gigi’s Playhouse, the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples and the American Cancer Society.

Finally, though developing a family-oriented work culture has been one focus for Wright Construction, its core principles of safety, quality, timeliness and value drive everything the company does. Put it all together, Edman said, and you have the recipe for a successful, and loyal, team.

“There are no egos here; just servant-oriented, hard-working people that care about each other and our clients. We don’t want to just be safe, we want to ensure safety is happening. We don’t just want to have quality, we want to have the highest level of quality,” he says. “We talk through these things regularly as a team. It’s that team effort that has led us to complete successful projects.”

Christopher Alan Homes

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: christopheralanhomes.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 2017

CEO: Ian Schmoyer

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 61

Since 2017, Christopher Alan Homes has been committed to building quality, attainable homes for people across Southwest Florida. Its stated mission is to provide exceptional value through innovative design, high-quality construction and superior customer service, and the company members pride themselves on a family-like environment founded on teamwork, accountability and a deep sense of purpose where every team member is empow-

ered to contribute to the dreams of its homebuyers.

“What keeps me energized every day is the dedication of our team. Their passion and perseverance is the heartbeat of Christopher Alan Homes,” says Ian Schmoyer, chair, president and CEO. “This is the strongest team we’ve ever had, and I genuinely believe there’s nothing we can’t accomplish together.”

The company motto, “Dreams within reach,” applies to its goal of delivering the dream and pride of homeownership to its clients, as well as inspiring employees to advance in their careers, grow as leaders and achieve goals. Those core tenets foster a positive and collaborative environment that values

the company’s employees as much as its customers.

Led by an employee culture committee that represents all departments, Christopher Alan Homes team members enjoy group activities, outings, team building and volunteer opportunities. Employees are also encouraged to donate their time and talent by actively supporting and participating in projects at food pantries, soup kitchens, local schools and other nonprofit organizations. Employees benefit from competitive compensation packages, including robust medical, dental and vision plans, 401(k) matching, paid time off, home purchase discounts and more.

MORE THAN JUST AN Airport

At the Naples Airport, we’re not just a team; we’re a family. Experience a workplace that cares for your present and invests in your future. Join us on a journey where success knows no limits, and your career takes flight.

JOIN OUR TEAM

• Competitive Salary & Benefits

• Professional Development Opportunities

• Industry Engagement

• Dynamic Environment & Culture

• Tuition & Gym Reimbursement

To join our team, scan the QR code or visit flynaples.com/naacareercenter

Viles & Beckman LLC

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: vilesandbeckman.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1995

CEO: Michael Beckman

INDUSTRY: Legal

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 42

A comprehensive, full-service Florida personal injury law firm established in 1995, Viles & Beckman LLC has strived to form a legacy of compassion, advocacy and excellence. From its work in the courtroom to its volunteer and fundraising initiatives, the firm is united by a shared commitment to changing lives for its clients, its employees and the community.

“Marcus Viles was not only a great business partner, but a true visionary. We spent countless hours together reflecting on what it truly means to be a great employer. For both of us, the answer always began with family,” says Michael Beckman, owner and CEO. “We believed, deeply, that everyone who worked with us should be treated like family — with respect, compassion and unwavering support. While it’s easy to speak those words, living them requires real commitment, a commitment Marcus and I made over 20 years ago. I’m incredibly proud that we’ve honored that promise. We’ve continued to grow this vision, not just preserving it, but strengthening it with every passing year.”

As part of that commitment, Viles & Beckman employees are treated with care, respect and opportunities for growth in an environment where team members are not just colleagues, but collaborators who are celebrated for their unique talents and contributions. Offering structured career development and fostering a culture of inclusivity, flexibility and well-being, the firm prioritizes the professional and personal needs of its team. In addition, through programs such as The Viles & Beckman Foundation, employees are encouraged to engage with the community, creating an atmosphere where purpose and effectiveness go hand in hand.

Brian Tietz; PBS Contractors

PBS Contractors

CITY: Naples

WEBSITE: pbscontractors.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1986

CEO: Tim Dupre

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 23

Founded in 1986, PBS Contractors specializes in custom homes, luxury renovations and commercial projects across Southwest Florida. More than building structures, company officials said their broader focus is on building better lives.

“We build better lives for our team, for our clients and for our community. This purpose underscores everything we do and starts with our team,” says

Tim Dupre, president and CEO. “Our focus is to turn our clients’ dreams into reality, which makes our community a beautiful place to live, work and play. We strongly support work-life balance for our team and encourage them to take time to unplug, spend time with family, take that dream vacation, go fishing or whatever it is that fulfills them and allows them to sharpen their saws.”

In addition to competitive compensation and benefits, including health insurance, 401(k) with matching and paid time off, PBS employees also enjoy a culture of camaraderie and fun marked by organized team-building activities, shared meals and moments of joy to strengthen bonds

and promote teamwork, pride and friendship. The company also supports numerous nonprofits in the community through volunteer work, partnerships and fundraising initiatives. That includes the firm’s signature fundraiser, Russell’s Barbecue, which is held twice a year and brings together the PBS team, partners and the community for great food and connection while raising funds for local nonprofits.

“Community isn’t something we just talk about — it’s something we show up for,” Dupre says. “Whether it’s helping a nonprofit thrive or mentoring the next generation of builders, we believe in doing good alongside doing well.”

Velocity Engineering Services LLC

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: velocityengineering.net

YEAR FOUNDED: 1982

CEO: Christopher Pacitto

INDUSTRY: Engineering

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 24

A full-service consulting engineering firm, Velocity Engineering specializes in structural engineering, forensic investigations, construction observation, reserve studies and a wide range of building science and facility improvement services. The company focuses on forging solid relationships with its clientele while also emphasizing a workplace culture built around collaboration, mutual respect and professional growth.

“What makes Velocity unique is the way we blend high-level technical expertise with a people-first mindset. We’re committed not just to solving problems, but to building long-lasting relationships with our clients,” says Christopher Pacitto, owner and president. “That same philosophy drives how we support our employees. Our team is like a family, and we believe that when our people thrive, our clients benefit, too.”

Highlighting its team as the company’s most important resource, Velocity fosters a collaborative work environment that encourages empowerment, open communication, mutual respect and professional growth. The firm offers mentoring, advancement opportunities, flexible schedules and competitive compensation. In addition, Velocity employees enjoy health, dental and vision insurance, paid time off and holidays and a healthy work-life balance. The company also celebrates anniversaries and birthdays, hosts social events and pays for continuing education courses.

By unleashing the potential of every team member and instilling a sense of belonging, Pacitto said, the individual skills and contributions of all Velocity employees drive the company’s success.

“We have built a reputation for reliability, responsiveness and technical expertise. Our team members are routinely sought after for their input on complex restoration projects and legal cases,” he says. “We are dedicated to building a culture where everyone has the opportunity to do meaningful work and be recognized for their efforts.”

Naples Airport Authority

CITY: Naples

WEBSITE: flynaples.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1969

CEO: Christopher A. Rozansky

INDUSTRY: Hospitality/Travel/Tourism

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 146

The City of Naples Airport Authority, or NAA, is responsible for the operation, development and continuous improvement of the Naples Airport. And it’s also an ideal place for careers to take off.

“We look for extras that make life better for our employees. Offering convenient, on-site health services and providing employee incentives to use them is a recent addition. And we strive to remind everyone how important it

is to care for their physical and mental health,” an airport spokesperson says. “These extras, when combined with our generous benefits, educational opportunities, life-work balance and pro-employee culture, are all part of our strategy to show employees that we truly care about them, their families and their futures.”

Team members at NAA enjoy a supportive environment anchored by competitive pay, outstanding benefits, leadership that truly cares and a culture that values fun, positivity and balance. Beyond the basic perks, NAA also offers employee loans, a robust recognition program, after-hours events for staff and families, frequent

catered lunches, a tuition reimbursement plan and opportunities to attend national and state-level conferences and professional development events.

The support doesn’t stop when the workday ends.

“Last year, in recognition of the importance of personal health, we began offering a lifestyle reimbursement program that reimburses employees for things they do outside of work that will benefit their mental and physical health,” the spokesperson added. “We have made it a point to encourage employees to use the funds in a way that benefits them the most and we are being as flexible as possible in how they do this.”

Gulf Coast Business Bank

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: gcbbswfl.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 2022

CEO: William Blevins

INDUSTRY: Banking

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 26

Based on the core values of trust, integrity, passion, tenacity, accountability, coachability and 24 fundamental behaviors defining those values, Gulf Coast Business Bank, or GCBB, was established in 2022 to focus on the dreams and goals of its clients. While it offers a variety of business and personal lending and deposit products, GCBB also banks on interest in its staff.

“Our board of directors and management team care about every member of the team. There is a consistent effort to demonstrate to fellow colleagues that he or she is important and that their contribution is appreciated,” says William Blevins, president and CEO. “There is a level of respect, compassion and dignity among the staff that is encouraged. No senior manager here flaunts a title. We are all the same working to achieve our stated goals.”

As part of its investment in its team, GCBB pays 100% of dental, medical and vision benefits for every colleague, as well as term life insurance at two times their salary, plus short- and longterm disability coverage. Bank staff also receive a minimum of 20 days of vacation, paid time off and sick leave, the ability to roll over a maximum of five days into the following year and the option of taking their birthday off. Each colleague is also provided eight hours to volunteer for an organization of their choice.

Employees also receive stock options, and GCBB contributes up to 5% of salary in 2025 (increasing to 6% in 2026) to a colleague’s 401(k). Each colleague has a defined incentive plan or participates in a profit-sharing plan.

Suffolk Construction Company

CITY: Estero

WEBSITE: suffolk.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1982

CEO: John Fish

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 169

In Southwest Florida, building requires an emphasis on resilient and sustainable construction. Suffolk, a privately held construction management services company, is developing projects such as the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Naples, Elbert Elementary School and Tampa General Hospital at Babcock Ranch, while also working to develop its employees.

“At Suffolk, we’re combining innovative technology with deep construction and local expertise. Our team members don’t just build structures, we build people that help transform how construction is completed,” says John Fish, chair and CEO. “We’ve created an environment where professionals can grow and help forge a new way for construction."

As part of that environment, Suffolk instills a comprehensive approach to culture that is driven by its people. In an industry that makes ambitious ideas a reality, the company places an intense focus on processes and teamwork throughout every level of the company.

Suffolk team members enjoy career advancement opportunities within a growing national organization. In addition, the company’s two-year Career Start rotational program allows recent college graduates to gain valuable experience and learn the fundamentals of estimating, project management and field operations. Suffolk also offers ongoing professional development and leadership training programs to support continued growth at all career stages and positions.

Through mentorship and training programs, Suffolk demonstrates a strong commitment to its people while fostering a culture that balances professional growth with volunteer opportunities that allow employees to make a meaningful difference in Southwest Florida and other regions across the country. Through its signature projects across Southwest Florida, Suffolk employees have the opportunity to help shape the community and have a lasting influence.

Suffolk Construction; Brian Tietz

HM Restaurant Group

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: hmrestaurantgroup.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1997

CEO: Joe Harrity

INDUSTRY: Hospitality

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 275

The owner and operator of the Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille brand, Dixie Fish Co. and Bonita Fish Co., the HM Restaurant Group is a family-oriented restaurant company with Florida roots, known for the quality, innovation and guest experience in each of its establishments. The company also cooks up a full menu of benefits, a fun work environment and a people-first culture for its staff.

“Our mission is to connect people with great food, exceptional hospitality and legendary guest experiences. We’re proud that our employees embrace that mission every single day,” says Joe Harrity, partner. “We try hard to elevate our people to be their best. We have the best people in the business, so any recognition for HM Restaurant Group is really on behalf of them.”

HM Restaurant Group employees are eligible for health insurance through the company’s group plan, lucrative referral bonuses and employee discounts on food and merchandise. The company promotes a healthy work-life balance with flexible scheduling, and with multiple locations and a growing portfolio

of restaurants, employees are encouraged and supported in pursuing advancement opportunities. Team members also enjoy regular employee appreciation events, performance-based incentives and awards programs that highlight outstanding contributions. For Sanibel employees, the company even provides each employee with $200 per year for toll reimbursement.

In the community, the Doc Ford’s Hospital Drink program donates $1 from each sale of select drinks. That program has allowed HM Restaurant Group to donate $133,000 to Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

Provided 2.6 Million Meals

Moved 681 People from Homeless to Housed

Helped 316 People Pursue Sobriety

Moved 200 People Into Transitional Housing

Guided 531 People Back Into the Workforce

Regardless of what department you work in, we celebrate your compassion, professionalism and dedication to the people we serve.

www.stmatthewshouse.org Food Assistance Homeless Shelters Addiction Recovery Transitional Housing Workforce Development

Stevens Construction Inc.

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: stevensbuilds.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 2003

CEO: Mark Stevens

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 65

Since 2003, Stevens Construction has specialized in construction management, general contracting and design-build services to create spaces that bring clients’ visions to life. Company president Mark Stevens said the Stevens Construction team is the foundation for the firm’s continued growth and success.

“Being recognized as a great place to work in SWFL is so meaningful because there are so many exceptional companies in our community. It is an honor to be included in this prestigious list,” Stevens says. “Additionally, the information gathered to qualify for this award comes from our committed team, who genuinely care about our clients and each other and want to make Stevens Construction even better.”

Stevens also noted that what sets Stevens Construction apart is the company’s process, which includes helping each client navigate the entire development and construction process to help save time and money, create the best construction experience and complete each project on time and on budget.

With a stated mission to “identify, hire and retain the very best people,” Stevens Construction promotes the well-being and professional development of its team members through opportunities for growth and investments in leadership development, as well as work-life balance, allowing ample family time and flexible policies that support a balanced lifestyle. In addition, the company celebrates work anniversaries and milestones and acknowledges daily wins to ensure that every team member feels valued. Finally, Stevens Construction promotes an inclusive environment and strives to foster a collaborative atmosphere where diverse perspectives are encouraged and everyone’s voice matters.

HBK CPAs & Consultants

CITY: Holmdel, New Jersey

WEBSITE: hbkcpa.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1949

CEO: Thomas Angelo

INDUSTRY: Accounting

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 72

A multidisciplinary financial services firm, HBK CPAs & Consultants offers a range of services including tax, accounting, audit, business advisory, valuation, financial planning, wealth management, managed IT, cybersecurity services and more. With a fundamental operating principle of collaboration that brings together diverse expertise to address each client’s unique challenge, HBK strives to live up to its motto: “Working Together Sets Us Apart.”

“This honor reflects HBK’s foundational belief that organizational success and personal fulfillment go hand in hand. By prioritizing respect and integrity in all our interactions, fostering genuine collaboration and respecting the whole person beyond their professional role, we’ve created a workplace where people genuinely want to be,” says Michael DeLuca, principal-in-charge for HBK’s Florida region. “This recognition belongs to every team member who brings our values to life each day and affirms that our values-driven approach resonates with our team members and translates into outstanding client service.”

HBK offers multiple health insurance options with first-day eligibility, dental and vision coverage, retirement plans including 401(k) with employer

matching, tuition reimbursement for advanced degrees, certifications and professional education, and even pet insurance. The company’s commitment to work-life balance is also encouraged through flexible work arrangements (35% of employees currently telecommute) and an unlimited paid time off policy. Family-friendly benefits include parental leave and lactation facilities and flexible hours to accommodate family needs and events.

The company also fosters professional development and growth through the “HBK Advance” model, which goes beyond traditional CPA licensure requirements and provides access to, and flexibility around, advanced learning opportunities. Leadership training sessions, conferences, workshops and seminars are also offered.

Scotlynn

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: scotlynn.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 2010

CEO: Ryan Carter

INDUSTRY: Transportation

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 412

From a humble beginning in 2010 with just four employees to the huge, thriving logistics and transportation company it is today, Scotlynn’s journey has been shaped by hard work, resilience and an unwavering commitment to excellence. And company president Ryan Carter said that success is a testament to the dedication, drive and passion of its people.

“We have so much to be proud of — not just for what we accomplish, but for the outstanding people who make it all happen,” Carter says. “Even in a highly competitive environment, our team members are always willing to support one another. We place great emphasis on recognizing and rewarding achievements, creating a positive and vibrant workplace where every team member feels valued and accomplished."

For Scotlynn, recognizing and rewarding excellence is fundamental to the company culture. To that end, the company celebrates employee achievements through The President’s Club, Extra Mile Awards and Hidden Gems programs. Designed to honor top performers, those who go above and beyond and employees who work behind the scenes, each award winner is highlighted throughout the company and provided extra perks and rewards.

In addition to competitive salary and uncapped commission structure, Scotlynn offers comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plans with company match, paid time off and flexible work arrangements. The company also provides professional development and mentorship programs and sponsors all employee events, including sports outings and team-building activities. To promote employee health and wellness, the Scotlynn headquarters features a fully equipped gym featuring visiting trainers, a walking trail, basketball and pickleball courts and a running club.

Brian Tietz

Sunshine Ace Hardware

CITY: Bonita Springs

WEBSITE: sunshineace.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1958

CEO: Michael Wynn

INDUSTRY: Retail

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 442

When Don Wynn established what would become the first Sunshine Ace Hardware in 1958, it was also the start of a family-owned business that has continued his legacy of service and community support to this day. As the 14th Sunshine Ace Hardware location in Southwest Florida is set to open this summer, the company remains true to its core mission: treating employees and customers like family.

“My grandfather believed that if you took care of your employees and your employees took care of the customers, the business would take care of itself. My family has championed a people-first philosophy, ensuring that company values remain the guiding force behind every decision,” says Michael Wynn, president of Sunshine Ace Hardware. “This has been a successful model for us and it allows us to be helpful to the communities we serve through our hardware stores. As we grow, it is important to us that we continue to stay true to our core values. One of those is to ‘Deliver Sunshine’ into every community that we serve.”

Beyond supporting its employees, the Wynn family extends its commitment by supporting the team and the organizations that influence the communities they serve. The Sunshine Ace Foundation was set up to help employees recover from natural disasters, medical emergencies and housing challenges. Sunshine Ace also supports local charities such as the Children’s Miracle Network and serves as the title sponsor for the Naples Take a Soldier Fishing tournament. The company even has a charity cooking competition, the Sunshine Ace EGGfest, which supports local youth charities.

Serving up the BEST!

HM Restaurant Group, the parent company of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and Dixie Fish Company, is proud to be one of Southwest Florida’s Best Places to Work! Our team excels at connecting people with great food, exceptional hospitality and legendary guest experiences.

St. Matthew’s House

CITY: Naples

WEBSITE: stmatthewshouse.org

YEAR FOUNDED: 1987

CEO: Steve Brooder

INDUSTRY: Nonprofit

(Health and Human Services)

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 340

St. Matthew’s House has been tackling hunger, homelessness and addiction in Southwest Florida since 1987 via a network that now includes a soup kitchen, client choice pantry, three shelters and a 12-month recovery program. To support this mission, the organization uses a special business model that includes thrift stores with delivery service and e-commerce, a restaurant, catering and a hotel. And to keep all these moving parts working takes the commitment of St. Matthew’s House team members, who promote an environment that is supportive, encouraging and empowering, for both the program participants and each other.

“For decades, our organization has been helping our neighbors who are experiencing poverty, food insecurity, homelessness and addiction, and it is because of this talented, caring and passionate team that we can make such a significant impact in our community,” says Steve Brooder, president and CEO. “To date, 938 men and women have graduated from our 12-month residential, faith-based, recovery program and we’re proud that 40% of our nearly 350-member workforce are graduates of our programs.”

In addition to their rewarding shared purpose, St. Matthew’s House employees enjoy traditional employee benefits, as well as some distinctive perks, such as learning and development opportunities, including the St. Matthew’s House Leadership Academy. The organization also offers its team members pet insurance, Bible studies, SMH swag, fellowship events, pastoral care and discounted entertainment.

St. Matthew’s House has been certified as a “Best Christian Workplace” during past applicable employee survey years, and was named a Best Place to Work in Southwest Florida in 2024. The organization was also recognized as one of America’s Best Workplaces for 2025.

Dorcey Law Firm PLC

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: dorceylaw.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 2007

CEO: Joshua O. Dorcey

INDUSTRY: Legal

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 35

Founded in 2007, Dorcey Law has grown into a firm where professionalism and compassion go hand in hand. Known for its work in estate planning, business law, elder law, asset protection and disaster planning, the team protects the future for clients, while the firm protects the future of its team members. And it all comes down to the company’s simple philosophy: Take care of your people — both inside and outside the firm — and the effect will speak for itself.

“It’s always been family first — our clients’ families, and our employee family,” says a firm spokesperson. “Being recognized as a best place to work confirms what we’ve always believed: When you invest in your people, everything else follows. We’re not just processing paperwork. We’re protecting families, futures and everything in between. We’re in this to make a difference.”

At Dorcey Law, teamwork is the engine that drives everything the firm does. To care for that team, the firm offers a flexible and supportive work environment that respects work-life balance. Dorcey Law Firm also provides competitive health benefits and wellness initiatives, ongoing professional development and training opportunities and a people-first leadership team that believes success should never come at the cost of happiness.

In addition, Dorcey Law employees are encouraged to contribute ideas, shape decision-making and be part of something bigger than just their roles, fostering pride and ownership in the firm’s shared achievements. With a clear focus on excellence, trust and respect, Dorcey Law Firm strives to be not just a workplace but a family where each team member is valued and empowered to succeed. This environment translates to satisfied employees, fulfilled clients and a legacy of excellence.

Patty Baker Humane Society Naples

CITY: Naples

WEBSITE: hsnaples.org

YEAR FOUNDED: 1960

CEO: Sarah Baeckler

INDUSTRY: Nonprofit

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 70

Patty Baker Humane Society Naples, or PBHSN, serves thousands of animals in the community each year through sheltering, fostering and adoption programs, while providing medical care through The Yawney Family Veterinary Clinic and the Patty and Jay Baker Mobile Veterinary Clinic. The organization also helps families with crisis boarding and behavioral training ser-

vices, as well as a community pet food pantry. And when it comes to opportunities for employees, PBHSN offers one perk few employers can match.

“Patty Baker Humane Society Naples is a great place to work for many reasons, but mostly puppies and kittens!” says Sarah Baeckler, CEO. “In all seriousness, beyond the ‘decent employer’ basics of paying a living wage and providing generous benefits and PTO, people love working here because we share common goals and passions. We are all crazy about pets and we’re happy to come to work each day. Not only do we get to share in the joy when newly adopted animals hop into cars with their new families,

but we are so fortunate in Naples to be empowered to find solutions that result in keeping animals and families together, too. To me, that is what makes working here so special.”

Benefits offered to PBHSN employees include medical, dental and vision coverage, no-cost life insurance and affordable voluntary benefits including disability, accident, hospital and critical illness. Employees also enjoy 23-33 paid time off days a year, paid parental and emergency leave, a positive work-life balance, staff lunches, 403(b) retirement plan with up to 3% employer match and, most importantly, the opportunity to bring their pet to work.

Storm Smart Holdings LLC

CITY: Fort Myers

WEBSITE: stormsmart.com

YEAR FOUNDED: 1996

CEO: Scot Burris

INDUSTRY: Construction

EMPLOYEES IN SWFL: 433

Since 1996, Storm Smart has provided outdoor enhancements, innovative solutions and hurricane protection to over 100,000 homes across Southwest Florida. Although the business is focused on helping people protect their homes, the company places even greater emphasis on protecting its employees and supporting the community during recent storms.

“Before and after the hurricanes, our team came together to support one another and those in need. Many employees worked tirelessly, even up

until the storm’s arrival, to help others prepare,” says Scot Burris, CEO. “After the storms passed, we encouraged team members to first address their own family needs. Then, they united to assist colleagues and the community. For employees affected by the hurricane, we offered relief grants, interest-free loans and transitional housing support.”

Regardless of season, Storm Smart works to maintain a positive workplace culture by investing in its people. The company emphasizes internal training and promotion, allowing employees to cross-train and gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire process. At the same time, Storm Smart ensures its team members feel valued and appreciated.

To enhance that, Storm Smart employees enjoy a generous paid time off package, tuition reimbursement, professional growth, financial wellness programs and employee incentive referral programs for both recruiting and customers. In addition, the company offers time for volunteer opportunities, cookouts, on-site ice cream socials, a casual dress code and monthly celebrations of birthdays and work anniversaries.

In addition to many company-driven initiatives, Storm Smart sponsors several local events that benefit the communities it serves. Those include the SWFL Wine & Food Festival, the Uncommon Friends Gala, the Harry Chapin Food Bank Hunger Walk and many more.

At HBK, we’re honored to receive this recognition that highlights our commitment to creating a workplace where expertise is shared, collaboration thrives, and clients receive exceptional service. This prestigious award, based on rigorous independent research and employee feedback, reflects our commitment to creating a place where people love what they do and who they do it with.

AfterHOURS

HORSEPOWER / WELLNESS / UNWIND / BACKSTORY

HORSEPOWER DIAMOND MINDSET

Polish and price define the Rolls-Royce Cullinan II p_82

By James Raia

HORSEPOWER

DIAMOND MINDSET

Polish and price define the Rolls-Royce

By James Raia

About a decade ago, an automotive cataclysm occurred. Within a short time frame, three manufacturing monoliths — Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce — decided to introduce sport utility vehicles. Purists declared it was heresy, but the trend didn’t stop; Ferrari debuted its contribution in 2022.

Albeit in small numbers, the foursome has added to the ever-expanding SUV industry dominance. About 9 million of the 16 million new cars sold in the United States in 2024 were SUVs.

For 2025, the Bentley Bentayga, Ferrari Purosangue, Lamborghini Urus and Rolls-Royce Cullinan are still among us, rare beasts all. They can’t possibly be family haulers, thanks

to the never-ending list of perfectly worthy options with price tags a few hundred thousand dollars less. And what possible cargo is carried in the opulent small apartments on wheels? Are the original appeals of SUVs still relevant?

The Purosangue and Cullinan are the options with starting prices of more than $400,000, with the latter carrying a heavier responsibility. The Ferrari model’s name is Italian for a thoroughbred horse. The Rolls-Royce breaks from the carmakers’ traditional vehicle nomenclature referencing ghosts; it’s named after the largest rough diamond ever found.

Prestigious from its debut, Rolls-Royce has a tumultuous history of uber-luxury,

Cullinan II

lean times and litigious owners. It was first designated the “best car in the world” by Autocar magazine in 1907, three years after the brand debuted. The company badge is the combination of West London auto dealer Charles Stewart Rolls’ last name and the vehicle made by Henry Edmunds at Royce Ltd. in Manchester, the Royce 10. The alliteration of the brand’s name and its cars’ status morphed into a superlative. A high-end appliance may be described as the “Rolls-Royce of coffee makers” or the “Rolls-Royce of refrigerators.” Who knows if Rolls-Royce is flattered or takes offense?

With its few updates, including 23-inch, seven-spoke aluminum wheels, the Cullinan — launched in 2018 as the world’s first super-luxury SUV — is now the Cullinan II for 2025. It features all Rolls-Royce requisites. It’s massive and powerful, boasting a 6.7liter, twin-turbo V12 engine. It advances with an eight-

FACTS & FIGURES

Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph, 4.5 seconds

Airbags: 8

Horsepower:

563 (592 Black Badge model only)

Gas mileage: 12 mpg city, 20 mpg hwy

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $410,350

Priced as equipped:fully $475,350

Manufacturer’s website: rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Warranty: Bumper-to-Bumper, 4 years/unlimited miles; Drivetrain, 4 years/unlimited miles; Complimentary maintenance, 4 years/ unlimited miles

Rolls-Royce

speed transmission and is standard with all-wheel drive.

The Cullinan II is exquisitely adorned with topline materials and packed with cool and wonderfully unnecessary features, all exuding class. Carbon fiber umbrellas are hidden inside driver and passenger front door panels. They’re released with a push-button lever and locked back in a nonuse position and dried with an in-door air mechanism. There’s the fiberoptic light-laden headliner in a constellation of buyer’s choice. Upholstery made with bamboo and lambswool carpeting provides additional opulence.

There’s also the brand’s signature, the jumbo-sized Spirit of Ecstasy hood orna-

ment above the front grille. It’s the polished stainless steel motor mascot represented by a woman leaning forward with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Cloth extends from her arms to her back, resembling wings. In recent years, the adornment has been reduced to 3 inches tall and is mounted on a springloaded mechanism designed to retract instantly into

the radiator shell if struck from any direction. It’s also upgradable, with 24-carat gold plating and illuminated frosted crystal versions as costly options.

With all of its luxuries and its longstanding status, what would Rolls-Royce represent if it also wasn’t the most expensive production or close to it? The Cullinan II costs nearly twice as much as the Bentley Bentayga and

Lamborghini Urus. Its starting price is slightly less than the Ferrari Purosangue.

Unlike other Rolls-Royce models, the Cullinan II’s exterior relies on a bulky design and is void of any contours and subtleties. It’s 17 1/2 feet long and 6 1/2 feet tall. It weighs 7,283 pounds and takes command on the road with a powerful silence. It’s what Rolls-Royce has always done best.

WELLNESS

SLUMBER SCIENCE

Finding the factors that aid or impair a good night’s sleep

By James Raia

Proper sleep is paramount to well-being, but achieving it isn’t always easy. Stress, improper diet, lack of exercise, caffeine, prescription medications and even too much sleep are among the culprits interfering with optimal rest.

Sleep experts study various symptoms, from snoring to sleep paralysis, morning headaches to drowsy driving and dry mouth to choking. They help patients achieve what Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, M.D., uses as a motto for her practice: “Sleep well to live well.”

The Medical Director of Sleep Medicine at Fort Myers-based Millennium Physician Group, Abbasi-Feinberg has more than 30 years of experience as a sleep medicine specialist and neurologist. She relocated to Southwest Florida in 2019 after 20 years of practice in North Carolina.

“Many factors contribute to poor sleep, including stress, social media, constant access to entertainment, excessive light and noise and a busy schedule,” says Abbasi-Feinberg, a national speaker on sleep disorders and member of the board of directors for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “With so many demands, it can be difficult to prioritize sleep. People need to recognize that sleep isn’t just ‘down time.’ It is a crucial

“Many factors contribute to poor sleep, including stress, social media, constant access to entertainment, excessive light and noise and a busy schedule.”

—Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg

period for learning, regeneration, healing and recovery.”

David Clarke, M.D., is president of the Portland, Oregon-based Association for Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms, a nonprofit dedicated to ending the chronic pain epidemic. He believes there is a connection between adverse childhood trauma that causes stress (which continues into adulthood) and sleep issues.

“There is evidence we are living in a more stressful world for a variety of reasons these days,” says Clarke. “There can be so many distractions. One of the common impacts of stress among my young patients is that they become the kind of people who are

trying to fix everything, trying to solve everyone’s problems and make everything better for those who are close to them. They are just going nonstop trying to achieve that, and the result of that can be a stress level that interferes with sleep and a lot of other stuff, and all of that can lead to pain and illness.”

Like other sleep experts, Clarke recommends various practices to improve quality sleep — from maintaining a consistent sleep schedule to avoiding heavy meals, caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime. Commonsense guidelines include optimizing a preferred sleep environment by keeping the space cool, dark and quiet. Regular exercise is as important as practicing techniques such as deep breathing, meditation and mindfulness.

A recent study in National Health Statistics Reports, an online publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, associated the increased amount of prescription medications among older adults with sleeping issues. The national public health organization in Atlanta reported 88.6% of adults over age 50 took a prescription medication in the previous 12 months. Among adults age 65 and older, 54% take at least four medications, according to

a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the independent nonprofit health policy organization headquartered in San Francisco.

Brienne Miner, geriatrics and sleep medicine specialist at Yale Medicine and assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, describes sleep issues among adults age 50 and older as “more frequent arousals from sleep,” according to a recent article in AARP The Magazine. The predicament results in increased lighter stages of sleep, and less deep sleep and less rapid eye movement sleep.

Asthma medications, decongestants and blood pressure medicines can interfere with sleep, reports the American Association of Retired Persons. The Mayo Clinic details other health problems that interfere

with proper sleep, including acid reflux, arthritis, chronic pain, dementia, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

Patients’ physicians can determine if adjusting dosages, changing medications or changing consumption times of medications can improve sleep. But common recommendations include eating a well-balanced snack before bedtime and raising pillow positions.

Having a proper snack prevents blood sugar level issues for diabetics; having a more elevated head position while sleeping helps alleviate acid reflux problems.

“Many prescription medications can affect sleep,” says Abbasi-Feinberg. “For instance, certain decongestants can cause insomnia, many blood pressure medications can cause strange dreams and trouble sleeping and many medications used for depression can affect sleep.

“It is always important to review the possible effects of medications on your sleep and discuss options with your physician to adjust the timing of medications, or even consider changing your medications. I often feel like a detective and review all medications and supplements my patients take to better advise them.”

According to a study in National Health Statistics Reports , there is an association between increased medications and sleep issues in older adults. For example, asthma medications, decongestants and blood pressure medicines can interfere with sleep.

Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg

Medical Director of Sleep Medicine, Millennium Physician Group

UNWIND

FOR THE BIRDS AUDUBON

The National Audubon Society turns 120 this year, and we’re celebrating with a highly curated collection for self-styled ornithologists of all feathers.

By Artis Henderson

The Audubon Society was named for John James Audubon, 19th-century naturalist and artist whose Birds of America, first printed in 1827, is still the standard by which contemporary avian artists measure their work. Audubon himself is a complicated historical figure. Born to a French father on a sugar plantation in Haiti, his maternal lineage is still uncertain. He was raised in France but left for the United States at 18 to avoid conscription in the Napoleonic armies. He tried his hand at business for a decade, while dabbling in ornithology as a hobby. After a bankruptcy in 1819, he decided to lean into his artistic skills and birding interests, and set out to document the bird species of North America. His collection of 435 life-sized drawings was first printed in Edinburgh and then London, where it found enormous success.

State Bird Feather Thief

Kirk Wallace Johnson’s 2019 true-crime book about a heist from the ornithological collection at the Natural History Museum in Tring, England, is a captivating read. It explores the obsessive world of Victorian-era fly-tying and the quest to possess the rare feathers needed for the best flies. Fastpaced and riveting, The Feather Thief makes for great reading for birders and nonbirders alike.

The Florida state bird is the northern mockingbird, gray-brown birds with lighter underbellies who are forever mimicking car alarms. Mockingbirds are spread throughout the southern United States, which is why they’re the official state bird of four states besides Florida — Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The fact that other states lay claim to our official bird irritates some Floridians, so every few years there’s a campaign to swap out the mockingbird for a more representative species. In the perennial running are flamingoes, roseate spoonbills, ospreys, wood storks, white ibises, swallow-tail kites and the Florida scrub jay. None of these has unseated the mockingbird yet.

Backyard Birding

Bird bath

Southwest Florida is lucky to have an array of year-round and winter birding opportunities, and we’re luckier still to have Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary virtually in our backyard. With the largest old-growth bald cypress forest in North America, the sanctuary is home to a variety of avian species, including songbirds, wading birds and raptors. The sanctuary is open year-round, so it’s possible to catch a glimpse of both local bird residents and migratory species.

It feels appropriate to toast the Audubon anniversary with a cocktail from The Bevy in Naples. Fresh, modern, with a combination of outdoor and indoor seating in a stylish setting, The Bevy offers an array of delectable drinks. We especially like its take on the classic Negroni.

To make one at home, mix equal parts Tanqueray gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Serve in a tumbler with a single large ice cube and a slice of fresh orange.

Backstory

A PLACE FROM THE PAST

History continues at the long-lived Rod & Gun Club

By Justin Paprocki

The Rod & Gun Club in Everglades City has that true Old Florida feel. That’s because it was actually part of Old Florida.

The quaint getaway, with its wood-paneled bar and taxidermied animals, has been a part of the Florida tourism scene since the beginning, helping put Southwest Florida on the map for travelers.

The property started as a residence built in 1864. Everglades City founder

George Storter Jr. purchased the land and expanded on the house in the 1880s, calling it the Rod & Gun Club. Storter had discovered that wealthy tourists had developed an appetite to hunt and fish the Everglades and was quick to capitalize. Seeing its potential as a private resort, county namesake Barron Collier bought the club in 1922. A year later, it hosted the first Collier County Board of Commissioners meeting.

Soon, it became a haven for presidents and celebrities. Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon all visited. Movie stars such as Burt Reynolds and Danny Glover stayed while filming in the area. To this day, you can still visit the Rod & Gun Club, which serves as a resort featuring fine dining and a boat ramp that leads visitors straight into the Everglades.

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