June 2019 Southwest Florida Business Today

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Lee airports getting set to take off

TECHNOLOGY AWARDS

Special to SWFBT Submitted By: Karen P. Moore, Publisher

Disaster Services

In this issue we discuss hurricanes as well as other kinds of potential disasters business owners may face.

Commercial Real Estate

A specially focused monthly section exploring the SWFL commercial real estate marketplace.

IN THE NEWS

Fort Myers among top cities to start a business

The personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2019’s Best Small Cities to Start a Business and Fort Myers came in at No. 3 nationwide.

WalletHub released its rankings and accompanying videos, along with its 2019 Small Business Owner Survey.

FORT MYERS See page 3

IMAG announces Fab Lab at annual gala

The IMAG History & Science Center annual gala in March was a time for celebration in more ways than one. The announcement of a generous commitment from Storm Smart and the Rist Family Foundation in support of upcoming additions at the IMAG punctuated a festive and successful fundraising event.

The sponsorship will provide funding for a new science exhibit called Science on a Sphere and for a Fab Lab that provides access to fabrication technology. These new additions will elevate the level of services and experiences provided by the IMAG, in turn significantly enhancing their impact on the communities of Southwest Florida, “It is an honor for us both at Storm GALA See page 15

Photo by Gwen Greenglass Cathy Devine, Holly Wilson and Ann E. Joyce of Chico’s FAS accept the 2019 Transformation Award

Event honors tech leaders The Southwest Florida Regional Technology Partnership continues its mission to “Inspire, Innovate And Inform” as demonstrated at its 11th annual Technology Awards event.

President John LaFreniere noted the organization is experiencing both tremendous growth and support this year. “We are especially proud of the growth we have seen in the development of our programs directed toward working with students to help them achieve their next goal and dream.”

He explained, “We wanted to put a stronger emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programs for local students and are extremely pleased with the success of the programs thus far.”

Ann E. Joyce, Chief Customer Officer and EVP, Technology, Supply Chain and Field Operations at

Chico’s FAS, served as keynote speaker. Joyce pointed out that for not only business survival, but future business success, companies must not only adapt, but embrace the changes that technology disruption creates.

She noted following the customer’s lead now guides Chico’s business decisions versus the company’s prior mindset of leading the customers to their buying decisions,. The company is utilizing technology in innovative ways to accomplish this.

There are five awards categories.

The Innovention Award is given to a company that invented or demonstrated an innovative and creative technology solution: this year’s winner is Cigent Technologies. Vectra Digital and VeraData were also finalists.

Jeff Mulder, executive director of the Lee County Port Authority, recently told a gathering of local business professionals, “When it was constructed in 2005, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) was built to accommodate 9 million passengers—and we’re there!”

According to the Florida Department of Transportation’s recently released results of its 2019 Statewide Aviation Economic Impact Study, RSW and Page Field (FMY) in Fort Myers contribute more than $8.7 billion to the region’s economy annually. The study took place from October 2016 through March 2019. RSW is currently the second-busiest singlerunway airport in the United States. It is also the third-largest airport in the country in terms of land size.

Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) With 4,000 employees and its own fire and police departments, RSW is virtually a “village” all its own. It accounts for 83,290 total jobs when including related-airport activities.

Ben Siegel, deputy executive director of administration at LCPA, shared, “RSW ranks among the top 50 busiest airports for passenger traffic in the U.S. and served nearly 9.4 million passengers in 2018.”

Mulder pointed out that on March 30, RSW served 30,000 passengers, setting the new airport record for

TECH See page 6

AIRPORT See page 13

Carter wins SBDC award

Florida Small Business Development Center at Florida Gulf Coast University officials announced the winners of the 2019 Distinguished Entrepreneur of Southwest Florida Awards at the annual awards dinner on April 30.

The FSBDC awards are held annually to recognize three Southwest Florida small businesses for their innovation, advocacy and business growth.

This year’s awardees include: Distinguished Entrepreneur of SW Florida Ryan Carter, owner of Scotlynn USA Division; Innovator of the Year Brian Rist of Storm Smart; and Advocate of the Year Rafael J. Feliciano, owner of Food Idea Group.

“Our finalists are recognized for being pioneers who think big, take risks and work hard. We recognize the critical role small businesses play in our community through job creation, tax revenue generation and your place in the overall economic AWARD See page 6

Photo by Christine Brady Ryan Carter, right, owner of Scotlynn USA Division, was named Distinguished Entrepreneur of SW Florida at an awards dinner. Last year’s winner, Scott Fischer, left, presented the award to Carter.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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DISASTER SERVICES Make a plan in case of disaster

Photo by Christine Brady The first place team included L-R (front row) Kaili Yap, Hannah VanDress. (back row) Megan Piller, Graham Kupsaw, Zach Taylor and Samuel Bejarano.

Dr. Eric B. Dent, professor of ethics stands with the team.

FGCU hosts ethics competition

Florida Gulf Coast University’s Lutgert College of Business held its third annual high school ethics case competition. The competition was co-sponsored

by Uncommon Friends Foundation and Lee County Schools and attended by high school students from throughout Southwest Florida. The keynote speaker was Brian Rist of Storm Smart Industries, who also provided $500 scholarships to each of the students on the winning team.

Dr. Eric B. Dent, FGCU’s Uncommon Friends Endowed Chair Professor of Ethics, selected a case in which students were faced with a real-life ethical dilemma of a college intern who found her clients were billed for more time than she actually worked and at a higher billing rate.

The winning team consisted of students Kaili Yap, Hannah VanDress, Megan Piller, Graham Kupsaw, and Samuel Bejarano. from Bishop Verot High School and Zach Taylor from Crosspointe Academy, facilitated by

Bishop Verot teacher James Orr. “Seeing the High School students grappling with a real-life ethical dilemma, taking a Saturday to think about ethics, and presenting their solution in a professional manner gave me great hope for the future,” said Dr. Karen Serrell, co-host of the event, Uncommon Friends Foundation board member and Colonial Elementary School teacher.

“Take care of your employees, who will take care of your customers, and the business will take care of itself” was one of the many important ethical points illustrated by Brian Rist in the keynote luncheon speech.

The judges were: Rist, founder of a Storm Smart; Marilyn Stout, chairperson of the Uncommon Friends Foundation and Cape Coral City Councilman; Jennifer Nelson, executive director of the Uncommon Friends Foundation and Cape Coral City Councilman; and Helena Dabrowski, CFO of Sunshine Ace Hardware.

FORT MYERS PAGE 1

investor access and labor costs.

According to the Small Business Owner Survey, more than 7 in 10 small business owners say now is a good time for businesses to grow. About 23 percent of business owners say companies will use savings from President Trump’s tax changes mainly for executive and investor bonuses. 12 percent believe it will go to employee compensation.

To determine the most businessfriendly small markets in the U.S., WalletHub compared more than 1,200 cities with fewer than 100,000 residents across 18 key metrics. The data set ranges from small business growth rates and accessibility of financing to

Did you know ... that SWFBT highlights:

• Breaking Business News • B2B Events Calendar • Photo Galleries • Commercial Real Estate Directory • Professionals who are “Going Places” ... and much more at www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com

Ask an expert Host Tom Conwell

Odds are, you lived through Hurricane Irma as it swept through Southwest Florida. If you’re reading this, you survived it. While the path changed every day for a week as it approached, moving closer each day to Southwest Florida, you had warning, time to prepare, to pack up, secure your valuables, lock up and evacuate.

Unless, of course, you waited until the last minute, threw a pile of stuff into your car, couldn’t find some important papers, didn’t have a full tank of gas and had no place to go. What did you forget? What did you learn? A plan, even a simple checklist, would have helped.

Other disasters may not give you the lead time to prepare once you see them coming. And whether a fire is caused by a lightning bolt or an electrical short, or flooding is the result of torrential rains or a burst water pipe, they can occur with little or no warning. It’s too late then to create a checklist.

As a business owner, could you survive a disaster that destroyed your critical electronic business data? Your client data, your billing, inventory, or employee payroll? What about those

paper documents in that metal file cabinet over there?

Could you operate out of a temporary location if you had to? What would you need?

As hurricane season approaches, is it finally time to

BY EILEEN think about what BUCHANAN you would do?

Guest Columnist The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates that between 40 and 60 percent of small businesses never re-open their doors following a disaster. How you protect yourself, your employees, your property and your critical business data may determine whether you are one of the survivors.

Very few small business owners get excited about the idea of writing a plan.

I’ve never seen “Write Disaster Management Plan” on a business owner’s to-do list.

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Page 4

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JUNE 2019

Managing expectations: Key to business results

Many of the problems in business today—whether in the public, private or non-profit sectors—stem from a lack of understanding of these questions by business leaders and managers: What is management and the management process?

How does a results-oriented management system fit into this process?

Why bother?

What skills are needed to implement the process?

How does one go about implementing the process in a business organization?

Understanding the process is critical to the implementation of business strategy.

Peter Drucker, a management consultant, educator and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation, was a colleague of mine.

He once stated five other questions were critical to the determination of or formulation of business strategy:

PLAN PAGE 3 be long or take a long time to create.

SCORE has a Small Business Disaster Planning Guide free to download from score.org that structures your plan by identifying risks, key business functions and the impact of a disaster, and then of-

What is your mission/purpose?

Who is your customer?

What does your customer consider value?

What have been your results to date?

What is your

BY PATRICK plan?

MONTANA Knowing the Guest Columnist answers to these 10 questions will assist any organization in achieving its objectives, for at the heart of a system of managing for results is managing expectations.

Having taught and trained business executives in this system for more than 30 years, I can attest to its value. In teaching this system, it’s interesting to note many business executives are unaware of the relationships of the management process to delegation and time management.

Theodore Roosevelt once observed,

“the best executive is the one who has the sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, yet has the selfrestraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

It’s amazing how much executives use their cell phones to make or receive calls throughout the day. It tells me these managers are not managing their business or time effectively.

Speaking to business executives on the subject of strategic management assists them in formulating and implementing a strategic plan. It also explains the relationship to the management process, which includes managing time, delegating and managing business expectations.

Dr. Patrick Montana is a former president of the Professional Institute of the American Management Associations and professor of management emeritus at Hofstra University. He now lives in Fort Myers and is president of the Montana AIMS Group. He can be reached at patmontana17@gmail.com.

fers solutions.

Other SCORE pages list and link to disaster preparedness tools and online workshops about Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness. You will find links to federal resources that can help you. All free. So, if it’s finally time to think about it, search SCORE first, and if you want help, contact a SCORE mentor at

southwestflorida.score.org. Our help is free, confidential and for as long as you need it.

Eileen Buchanan is the founder of Fastrak Training, which trained software professionals in government and industry. She is the chapter chair for the Southwest Florida SCORE chapter.

Start www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com PUBLISHER Karen P. Moore PRINT EDITOR & ASSOCIATE WEB EDITOR Jacob Ogles PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Ogles

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Southwest Florida Business Today is to provide the best business-to-business marketplace where business executives operating in Southwest Florida buy and sell goods and services via the exchange of news, advertising and information.

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DISASTER SERVICES

Avoiding intellectual property law disasters

Perhaps nowhere is Benjamin Franklin’s old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” truer than in intellectual property law. All too often, prospective clients come to our firm with intellectual property law issues after it is “too late.” For example, when they have already lost rights after waiting too long to protect themselves.

While there are ways we can help such clients “backBY LUCA fill” to protect their HICKMAN remaining rights, it is Guest Columnist often far more effective and economical to proactively seek protection. Indeed, we often tell clients that intellectual property protection is reminiscent of the old “you can pay me now or you can pay me later” advertising campaign from FRAM oil filters. In intellectual property, we generally find clients either “pay us now” by properly securing rights or “pay us [more] later” after disaster strikes.

To help businesses and individuals avoid such pitfalls, here are some of the most common intellectual property law disasters – and how to avoid them.

Common Disaster 1 – Not Securing a Trademark Registration Discuss the importance of securing a trademark registration and how failure to do so can result in a business becoming “landlocked” in its current geographic area.

Discuss benefits of a trademark registration such as nationwide scope, evidentiary presumptions, increased damages, etc.

Discuss Federal vs. Florida State trademark registrations.

Common Disaster 2 – Not Patenting an Invention Discuss one-year statutory use / onsale bar.

Discuss how a provisional patent application can be used to protect an invention at minimal cost during a one year “trial run” for commercializing the invention.

Common Disaster 3 – Waiting to Register a Copyright The remedies available for copyright infringement differ if infringement occurs before registration versus after registration.

Also discuss the importance of giving proper copyright notice (i.e., using the “©” symbol).

Common Disaster 4 – Improper / Inadequate Employment Contracts In work for hire / assignment agreements, these are needed to ensure that a company owns the creative output from its employees.

Non-Disclosure / Non-Competition / Non-Solicitation Agreements are needed to ensure that employees do not reveal confidential information, do not compete against their employer, and do not steal their employer’s customers.

Discuss proper Trade Secret Notice under the 2016 Defend Trade Secrets Act. Luca Hickman is an electrical engineer and patent attorney who practices trademark, patent and copyright law / litigation at Grimes, an internationally intellectual property law firm headquartered in Bonita Springs. He may be reached by phone at (239) 330-9000 or by e-mail at hickman@gandb.com.

JUNE 2019

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 5

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Page 6

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JUNE 2019

DISASTER SERVICES

Secure your business data before hurricane season hits June 1 should be circled on the calendar of every business owner. Why? June 1 marks the start of hurricane season and preparations should be made in advance of that date to protect a business’s most important assets.

If you ask a business owner what their most important assets are, hopefully they would answer their employees. Employees are the very definition of irreplaceable and the most effort should go into protecting them during hurricane season.

This means acting quickly to evacuate, if necessary. It could even mean operating remotely for a week or two when a hurricane is most likely to hit.

Know your building’s and your city’s evacuation routes and practice them.

In the case employees are stranded at your office building, you’ll want to have an emergency disaster kit ready to go. It should contain the following: battery-operated radio, three-day food and water supply, emergency generator, cellphone, first aid kit, flashlights and batteries, blankets and pillows, toolkit, whistle, tarps, duct tape and emergency contact info.

If a business owner starts to list the next most

important assets as their office space or equipment, that’s where they’d be wrong. Next to people, data is the most important thing to protect in inclement weather. Critical data is what keeps businesses in operation. The potentially irreparable damage to records, documents, film and electronic media could set your busiBY R. MARSHALL ness operations back weeks or STEVENS months, or even end operations Guest Columnist altogether. Properly storing information is key to keeping company records safe from water damage and free of mold or mildew.

Even if your records storage area is safe from hurricane floods, if it’s not temperature-controlled, information can be distorted and become unreadable over time. For business owners, it’s unfortunate when they learn how important the information is only after documents have been damaged and they are no longer able to access the records.

Remember, keeping business records protected

AWARD PAGE 1

TECH PAGE 1

health of the community,” said Lois Knox, FSBDC Regional Director.

Previous winners of the awards include Norman Love of Norman Love Confections in 2012, Pam Oakes of Pam’s Motor City in 2013, Felix Lluberes of Position Logic in 2013, Gary K. Mart of Global Tech LED in 2015, Chris Spiro of Spiro and Associates in 2016, Dr. Aurora Badia of Florida Skin Center in 2017 and Scott Fischer of Scott Fischer Enterprises in 2018.

The winner of the Transformation Award for a business highlighting the use of technology in government, nonprofit, or companies outside the technology sector to address a business or operational challenge is Chico’s FAS. BMP Logic and NCH Healthcare System were also finalists.

Reema Bhatia, Managing Partner at Stickboy Creative, won the Woman in Technology Award, which honors the accomplishments of a Southwest Florida woman in a technology role

and retained for the entire life cycle is crucial, no matter what industry you’re in or the size of your company. This means it’s absolutely necessary to choose a document management company with facilities designed for safe and secure preservation of your critical business documents. Look for a facility in a non-flood zone with fully redundant backup power, designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 150 mph, with temperature and humidity-controlled media vaults.

Hurricanes are one the most damaging things that can happen to your business. Delayed action puts your employees and data at risk. The time to start planning is before the wind starts blowing and the rain starts falling. The time to prepare your business for hurricane season is right now.

R. Marshall Stevens is the co-owner of Stevens & Stevens Business Records Management, a fullservice records storage and information management center that specializes in secure document and data storage as well as document scanning and document destruction. Contact the business at (727) 573-3900.

and recognizes her commitment to diversity in STEM fields. Michelle Borders, Naples Network Services and Priya Janardhanan, Chico’s FAS were also finalists.

New to the awards lineup this year was the introduction of the Technology Student Award which recognizes a high school or college student pursuing higher education or a career in technology. It was such a difficult decision to make this year that the judges recognized three students: Klaudia Fisheku, Florida Gulf Coast University; Elisabet Ortiz, Cape Coral High School; and Sophia Vellozzi, Gulf

Coast High School.

The Partnership Award, which honors a person who has made significant contributions to the SWFRTP, was won by Linda Lyding. Other finalists were Jon Boynton and Dr. Robert Totterdale.

Dr. Chris Westley, Interim Dean of the Lutgert College of Business at FGCU, observed, “So much innovation, so much talent, resides in our technology sector here in Southwest Florida, both in the workplace and the educational setting. It is truly inspirational to be a part of this event this year.”

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Page 7

COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

SWFL tourism agencies are building for the future Special to SWFBT Submitted By: Karen P. Moore, Publisher As another season came to a close, Southwest Florida business community leaders gathered to hear local tourism officials share their thoughts on the future of the region.

Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jack Wert pointed out what grows Collier County today. “Of course, we benefit from a wealth transfer from the north.”

Not surprisingly, he observed, tremendous growth is occurring in both the hotel and attraction development sectors.

“Visitors drive economic activity throughout our community—and not only during season,” he shared. “Collier County is now a year-round desti-

For more business news, visit www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com nation of choice.”

Forging ahead is always at the forefront of Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau Executive Director Tamara Pigott’s mind. Pigott noted that while hotel occupancy was flat from March 2018 to March 2019, revenues should be much higher during that same timeframe. She noted: “February 2019 was Lee County’s highest bed tax collection on record.”

Pamela Johnson, deputy director of the Lee County VCB, also noted, “So far, 2019 is going very well!” She added, “While visitor spending is still higher during season than off season, Lee County visitor numbers are far less seasonal than you might think--and far less seasonal than they used to be.”

Collier Enterprises joins Legacy Partners Collier Enterprises, the Naples-based real estate investment and agribusiness company, has joined Legacy Partners, a privately owned national real estate development firm based in California.

The investment from Collier Enterprises, the developer of The Old Collier Golf Club, Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club, Collier’s Reserve and numerous other well-known Naples area projects, will enable Legacy Partners to broaden its activities as the firm continues to expand.

“The depth and breadth of Legacy Partners’ market knowledge, the talent and skill of its development partners, and the company’s track record of building apartment communities of excellence is quite impressive,” said Collier Enterprises President and CEO Donald E. Huffner.

“We are excited to align ourselves with another quality developer in Legacy Partners as we ex-

pand our investments in national opportunities.”

Legacy Partners has nine rental communities in four western states currently under construction or recently completed. In addition, five new communities are expected to begin construction in 2019, with seven more in 2020.

The firm also provides management services for its own portfolio, as well as for other owners, representing 60 multifamily communities with more than 14,000 apartment homes. Legacy Partners has regional offices in California, Colorado, Texas and Washington, and has recently expanded operations into the southeastern U.S. with a new office in Orlando.

Established in 1976, Collier Enterprises has demonstrated success in planning award-winning real estate projects including residential communities, commercial, health care and office properties, and world-class recreational destinations.

Construction firm hires project manager

Wright Construction Group announced it has struction firm as a project direchired Jack Dillon as senior project manager. In tor, where he managed multiple this role, Dillon will manage the overall direction, projects from the preconstruction completion and financial outcome for assigned phase throughout project compleprojects, as well as provide leadership and mention and turnover. torship to on-site staff.

Dillon is a member of the AmerBringing with him 30-plus years of construcican Water Works Association and tion industry experience, Dillon has completed the American Public Works Assoover $200 million in commercial projects throughciation, and has obtained general Dillon out the region. contractor and underground conSome of the more significant projects he has tractor licenses. been involved with include South Housing Village “We are pleased to have Jack as part of our team,” at Florida Gulf Coast University and High Point said Fred Edman, president of Wright Construction Place in Downtown Fort Myers.

Group. “His impressive credentials, strong leaderPrior to joining Wright Construction Group, ship skills and commitment to quality make him an Dillon spent 15 years working at a national con- invaluable addition to the company.”

Kaley Miller, marketing and communications manager for Punta Gorda Airport (PGD), spoke of commercial development. Companies currently leasing space at the airport include a wide range of aircraft-related businesses like Arcadia Aerospace, Sarasota Avionics and air cargo carriers, such as FedEx. “It’s important to remember that we’re a 100 percent passenger-based niche airport,” Miller noted, “growing incrementally to accommodate the increasing needs of our customers while maintaining our low-cost model.”

Ben Siegel, deputy executive director of administration for the Lee County Port Authority, shared the Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is positioning itself for continuous growth. He noted, “The largest current project is a desperately-needed TOURISM See page 8

Emerald Medical opens Fort Myers, Naples dispensaries Emerald Medical is a new medical marijuana practice for patients with qualifying conditions to receive their medical marijuana card. The practice has offices in Fort Myers and Naples and is locallyowned and operated by longtime Southwest Florida Drs. Robert J. Brueck and Donald W. Ketterhagen.

Physicians Andrew Ferber and Carl Schultz are also among the team of doctors seeing patients in Southwest Florida.

Emerald Medical specializes in compassionate cannabis care.

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Page 8

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JUNE 2019

COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

Beck rebrands to cover wider range of services Beck Construction, established in 2003, will now be called Beck Companies, an umbrella entity that encompasses subsidiary construction, home services, properties and roofing divisions.

Beck Construction, a family-owned and operated construction and home services firm, has customers throughout the state, especially in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties.

Company officials said the evolution will be reflected in the new company name and a new logo.

Construction will still include residential and commercial construction services, and home services will still include electrical, plumbing and HVAC. The properties division will tie renting/selling and managing residential and commercial properties together.

Bryant Roofing — Beck’s commercial and resi-

TOURISM PAGE 7

For more business news, visit www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com

dential roofing company — will also be a division of Beck Companies, with an extended name that reflects that concept and encompasses the Beck Companies brand standards.

Just as the logo unifies Beck with its home-inspired design and new color palette, graphic style and fonts, so will the new name unify the brand, making it clear that this is a multi-disciplined enterprise of significance.

This comes after Beck Companies’ growth and success drove it to hire additional employees, as well as launch its very first website, BetterWithBeck.com, develop its new brand on Facebook and Instagram, and take to the streets with its new vehicle wraps.

These visually tie the overarching brand to all division-level brands, as well as apply the new “Better With Beck” positioning line, which introduces Beck Companies’ points of advantage and sets the tone for memorable division-based messages.

“Beck Companies has general contracting, electrical, mechanical, roofing, plumbing and real estate licenses. We have an extensive product line and are always ready to make repairs, real estate transactions and your vision a reality with our construction division — all Better With Beck!” said Owner Derek Beck.

“Today, with an overarching identity, my team and I can reach our commercial and residential markets without causing our customers confusion or fatigue. What better way to continue our strong reputation and celebrate our rapid growth?”

PROPERTY INVESTMENT

terminal expansion.” It centralizes airport security checkpoints, he explained, making traffic flowthrough more efficient, while allowing better use of airport space. “We are also undergoing a $14-million entire facility update, including ticket counter and gate podium modernization, which has not been done since its opening in 2005.”

So nothing appears to be slowing down the tourism sector of the local economy for the longterm, as tourism officials continue to move ahead, innovating and adapting, regardless of what Mother Nature throws our way.

helping leaders prosper

Photos by Christine Brady The Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association held a special seminar aimed on helping small business owners transition from leasing to owning their own commercial property.

Seminar discusses commercial property

The Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association held a special seminar aimed on helping small business owners transition from leasing to owning their own commercial property. The event, organized along with the Southwest Florida Commercial Alliance, tackled such topics as Industrial, Office and Retail properties, small business property insurance and legal issues, tax issues for buying business property and financing for commercial real estate deals. The event was held May 1 at the Royal Palm Coast Association Education Center.

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JUNE 2019

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 9

COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

Contractor’s innovations take marina construction to new heights Recreational boaters understand that wet slip storage presents a number of concerns, from the potential for sun-related fading and mold growth to hull damage, rust, rot and even easier access for thieves.

Dry storage is preferred, but that, too, poses some challenges. Boaters want to be in the water as quickly as possible, but they often have to wait for a forklift operator to retrieve their vessel from storage, a decades-old process that can damage boats if operators aren’t careful.

Across Florida, the standard design for dry storage facilities hasn’t changed for generations—a warehouse-like structure built with steel framing, sheet metal siding and metal roofing panels. That offers protection from the sun and rain, but hurricanes Michael, Irma and Matthew proved that metal is no match for Mother Nature. Because of that, marina owners must pay higher insurance premiums, often passing those costs onto the consumer.

So what’s the solution?

A bunker-like, reinforced concrete structure built to withstand winds in excess of 175 mph and outfitted with a futuristic, fully automated vessel delivery system.

More than a decade ago, GCM Contracting Solutions built the world’s first all-concrete dry stack storage facility in the world using tilt-up construction at Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club & Boatyard in Naples. Rose Marina in nearby Marco Island later underwent major renovations and redevelopment to also become an all-concrete dry stack.

In 2011, GCM began collaborating with an Austrian-based company to co-develop technology that would automate the storage and retrieval process

for boats. The goal was to create a faster, more reliable system that would replace the traditional forklift or crane method of storing and retrieving boats.

After years of discussions, meetings and planning, ASAR was born. Automation is not new to the marine industry, but GCM’s new ASAR is a fully-automated, dry stack storage solution that

BY ROBERT offers a quick turnaround time BROWN from the storage rack to the wa- Gulf Star Marina rendering.

Guest Columnist ter, space-efficient aesthetically sent the wave of the future for marina construction. pleasing architectural designs and environmentally With nearly 951,000 registered boats in hurricanefriendly electric transport systems. Marina owners prone Florida, according to the Florida Highway will have lower personnel costs due to automation Safety and Motor Vehicles office, building a storage and lower insurance premiums because of excep- facility with concrete offers the best protection for tional wind resistance and fire protection ratings, boat owners and the best return on investment for while boat owners will appreciate the reduced po- marina owners.

The facility being built at Gulf Star Marina on tential for boat damage during transport.

Fort Myers Beach will redefine the marina industry Each ASAR facility is fully customizable in worldwide.

Plans for the 29,000-square-foot smart the design, allowing marina owners to change bay marina, which can accommodate boats up to 40 feet heights and racking configurations. It even allows in length, have drawn international interest and have for storage of vehicles in place of a boat so marina been featured in industry publications near and far. owners do not need to provide as much surface lot It will be the fi rst in the world to feature ASAR’s inparking. novative stacker crane technology, but certainly not Without having to build in extra space for forkthe last. lifts to maneuver, ASAR’s advanced stacker crane technology can increase a marina’s leasable cubic space by an average of 30 percent to 50 percent by Robert Brown is owner and president of GCM Constoring more boats inside a marine facility, thus in- tracting Solutions, Inc., a full-service design-build construction firm based in Fort Myers. For more creasing profits.

GCMContracting.com/Marine or Tombstone5x8 BA Group 2.pdf 2 2/11/19visit 12:04 PM With waterfront real estate at a premium, compact information, ASAR-marine.com, or call (239) 334-8800.

ASAR facilities like that at Gulf Star Marina repre-

Lake Michigan Credit Union Commercial Banking announces the following loans: Church selects architect for design improvements Diplomat Wesleyan Church has selected Art Castellanos of Castellanos + Tramonte Architects to oversee design improvements. The newly remodeled space will include the addition of a porte cochére and updated entrance to accommodate the church’s growing

attendance. Additional office space will also be incorporated into the design along with parking and landscape improvements. Founded 31 years ago, the Cape Coral based church offers children’s ministry, youth group, adult bible study and global missions.

Loan Size ......... $4,500,000 Type of Loan ...... Refinance of a retail center Business............ Developer Loan Size ......... $18,000,000 Type of Loan ...... Construction/Perm ........................ Owner Occupied Business............ 10th Street Collective (various businesses)

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Page 10

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JUNE 2019

COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

New legislation sparks investment opportunities :A new sustainable investment trend is starting among savvy investors that’s both altruistic and beneficial for tax planning: Opportunity Zone Funds.

It’s no secret that the income and wealth gap in America has been widening since the 1970s. This economic disparity has caused many low-income communities to significantly lag behind upper and middle class neighborhoods. However, a new piece of legislation aims to address these inequalities with incentives for private capital to fill the funding gap and jumpstart the economies in these areas.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted in December 2017, provides investors with new tax incentives designed to stimulate long-term private investment in designated economically distressed communities across the United States known as Opportunity Zones. There are OZ’s located in urban, suburban

For more business news, visit www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com

and rural areas.

“Investors who roll over eligible capital gains into investments in designated Opportunity Zone Funds can potentially defer and reduce tax on them, and can eliminate tax on any future fund appreciation if held for at least 10 years. The concept of community development using tax incentives to attract multi-year private investment is not new, however this legislation differs in that it is not subject to a tax credit allocation process, and the amount of tax benefit available to investors is limited only by the size of their own total capital gains,” said UBS Market Head of Florida’s Gulf Coast Greg Kadet.

There is, of course, a risk that the envisioned im-

pact from this legislation won’t be achieved. As of now, there are no government-mandated impact reporting requirements, so measuring success of the program and ensuring capital flows to those areas most in need of investment may prove difficult.

The US Treasury has now released two rounds of proposed OZ regulations and guidance that provide sufficient detail to enable fund sponsors to offer credible investment solutions to market that provide investors with the opportunity to realize meaningful tax benefits and potential societal impact.

“Now is the time to evaluate if investing in OZ’s is right for you,” Kadet said. “UBS financial advisors located across Florida’s Gulf Coast are looking towards the future of tax planning, and stand prepared to help answer your questions on Opportunity Zone Funds.”

Bay Colony Golf Club undergoes $6 million clubhouse renovation Bay Colony Golf Club announced commencement of a $6-million clubhouse renovation. The renovation will include a newly designed golf shop, expansive men’s and ladies locker rooms, lower level grill and lounge, a multi-function casual dining space with folding glass doors to magnify the outdoor views, along with a new member outside services facility, and redesigned outdoor patio among many other enhancements for the benefit of our members.

General Manager Michael Bradfield said, “This renovation completes the final phase of our clubhouse master plan. We have invested over $10 million into our clubhouse over the past two years, which has

enhanced our member experience and strengthened our market position as one of the most exclusive, premier clubs in south Florida. The new dining venue will capture the breathtaking panoramic views overlooking the lake and 18th green along with Naples stunning sunsets.”

Bay Colony Golf Club plans completion of this renovation project by early December 2019. BCBE Construction oversees the construction project. Peacock + Lewis Architecture & Interior Design will be creating a complementary contemporary coastal design to match the upper level, which was completed over a year ago.

Bay Colony Golf Club announced commencement of a $6-million clubhouse renovation.

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JUNE 2019

DISASTER SERVICES How to control your online reputation Part 1 of 2 Online reputations are becoming increasingly important to companies as many consumers base their purchasing decisions on a company’s reputation.

Despite this, many businesses take a passive approach to managing their online standing. We’ll discuss both the importance of your online status and why you should actively manage it.

Your online reputation can be described as how people view your company. Factors like media releases and advertisements form

BY ANDREAS part of your standing.

DOLLESCHAL However, you usuGuest Columnist ally have total control over those elements. Online reviews also form a critical part of your online reputation, and you typically have very little control over how people present your company in their evaluations. People with a negative impression of your company usually share their complaints with between nine and 20 people. Their negative opinions of your company might be preventing other people from using your services. Ninety-one percent of people read reviews when considering whether to use a local company. If you have less than four stars, they probably won’t use your company. That’s why it’s essential to play an active role in protecting your online reputation.

However, what are the best ways of doing this?

Let’s start by talking about how we can help you manage these negative reviews. As we’ve seen, negative reviews can have a significant impact on potential customers and may even cause some of them to avoid your service. You can, however, do some things to reduce the effects of negative reviews. First, you can use our services to create a more effective feedback process. If people feel that you listen to their complaints through an internal process, they may be less likely to leave a negative online review. Building this process may help you effectively reduce the number of negative reviews that are published.

For negative reviews that do get published, you need to engage with the reviewer. Consider their criticism and implement practices that will stop those problems from occurring again. Then, report these changes back to the reviewer and politely ask if they will try your service again. If they don’t experience any problems, you can request that they remove or amend their original review.

Even if they don’t, other people will see that you have made positive changes based on their feedback. That’s why Smargasy Inc. created software that automatically alerts you when a new review is published, allowing you to instantly respond to negative reviews.

Now that we know how to take a more active role in dealing with negative reviews, let’s look at how you can get more people to leave a positive review.

Andreas “Andy” Dolleschal is president and CEO of Smargasy. Contact him at a.dolleschal@smargasy.com or (239) 214-8592.

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 11

Include press releases in your marketing strategy One of the most powerful ways to market your business online is with a press release. It’s simple yet profoundly effective when optimized correctly for newswires, readers and search engines.

So, what exactly is a press release, and what can it do for you?

Press releases are tools to distribute messages from your company, manage crises and create buzz.

Think about the big events you’re planning for your business or the remarkable milestone your business recently achieved. Does anyone know about it? How are you planning to spread the word to gain brand awareness?

“You wouldn’t throw a party without sending invitations, so don’t expect media coverage unless you let the media know what’s going on. A press release essentially tells the media, ‘This is noteworthy, and your audience wants to know about it, so don’t miss out on the story,’” according to Chuck Myron, communications editor at CONRIC PR & Marketing.

One of the primary advantages of a press release is that it allows

you to control the message that will be distributed to the masses.

It’s an opportunity to position your business as a singular source of expertise within your industry, and that can keep the media coming back, time and again.

“Press releases reach a very large audience at very little cost, and they can lead to more coverage from the media and more audience reach at no additional cost,” said Josh Milton, CONRIC PR & Marketing vice president of media relations.

The key to a successful press release is to make sure it is both timely and newsworthy. Press releases should tell significant stories that will make an impression and are “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.” The media expects you to follow a standard format, but it’s important for your press release to reflect the one-of-a-kind voice and personality of your business.

Your press release should be distributed to local, national and international media outlets. The goal is to have your release picked up by as many media outlets as possible.

Your release should include backlinks and search-optimized content to position your information in front of a larger audience.

Why? If you garner media coverage, viewers will want a link to your website, and that increases your web traffic and rankings.

Don’t forget we are living in a social media world. Every day, more and more people rely on social media to get their news.

That’s why it’s imperative to consider digital platforms as you decide how to compose your release.

Press releases are a vital part of an all-encompassing marketing strategy. Our team at CONRIC is excited to help you put one together.

CONRIC PR & Marketing opened its doors in Southwest Florida in 2007. The comprehensive firm provides award-winning creative branding, public relations, digital marketing, graphic design, advertising, writing and publishing services to people and businesses across the region and the country. Call (239) 690-9840 to learn more.

DISASTER SERVICES

LSH offers hand to business facing disaster Part 1 of 2 What do you do when... a hurricane hits?... you’re a victim of identity theft?... all your office equipment is stolen?... your hard drive crashes?... a principal of the company dies suddenly?... an employee steals from you?... an employee sues you for discrimination?... or some other catastrophe?

Contact The LSH Group – your Disaster Recovery Planning Specialists to create your plan to be prepared. Without a plan, businesses are exposed to substantial loss of operations, negative publicity, financial losses, legal recourse, loss of resources and people. Whether man-made or natural, you should have effective tested plan(s).

Companies and organizations need to understand the impacts of their business in the event of an extended emergency or disaster.

Examples of man-made threats include fire, flooding due to plumbing problems, explosions, toxic or hazardous materials, operational failures, equipment failures, transportation problems, facility problems, communication failures, terrorism, civil unrest, sabotage and heating and cooling failures.

Examples of natural threats include flood, water-based incidents, earthquake, hurricane, tornadoes and other wind storms, thunderstorms and hail storms, lightning and electrical storms, snow and ice

storms, natural fires, epidemics and pandemics.

In today’s environment, planning for disruptions, disasters and emergencies is critical. Businesses and organizations need to have a plan.

The LSH Group established its base in Fort Myers and provides the best economic value and highest quality professional consulting

BY LINDA services that utilizes industry best HANWACKER practices for IT and all aspects of Guest Columnist disaster recovery and business continuity planning.

The LSH Group focuses on the planning process to be prepared for when disasters or major disruptions strike your business.

Linda Hanwacker is an industry subject matter expert, guest speaker, author and CEO and founder of The LSH Group in Fort Myers, which has provided professional services with economical solutions for business continuity, IT disaster recovery and emergency management planning for more than 20 years.

Contact her at hanwacker@thelshgroup.com, visit TheLSHGroup.com, or call (239) 466-1170.

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Page 12

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JUNE 2019

DISASTER SERVICES

Do you have a crisis communications game plan?

Every organization, from small businesses to large for building a proactive crisis comcorporations to nonprofits, is vulnerable to a crisis. munications plan: And while large-scale disasters like a hurricane or Engage the marketing and commass tragedy may come to mind, in reality, there are munications team, leadership, opso many scenarios to consider—an employee convicterations and human resources so ed of a crime, an insensitive social media post or a data that all of the key decision makers breach that exposed customers’ financial information. can provide input on operations, A crisis has the potential to disrupt or damage an employee relations and communiorganization and tarnish its reputation, and even imcations. pact donations and revenue. The inability to handle a Outline the scenarios and concrisis has put many companies out of business. That’s BY HOLLY sider the crisis situations that are why crisis management should be a priority for ev- BOLDRIN most likely in your industry or reery organization, and that starts with the pre-crisis, or Guest Columnist gion. planning, phase.

Assess the organization’s vulWhen preparing your crisis game plan, it’s impor- nerabilities. For example, if you’re in the restaurant tant to consider that there are three types of crises: industry, foodborne illnesses or product recalls should First, an immediate crisis is an event that happens sud- be considered. In the banking or financial industry, denly, such as a mass tragedy; second is an emerging technology and privacy breeches come to mind. crisis, or a situation that can be anticipated and miniMitigate risks by ensuring the company has proper mized at early stages, such as a financial scandal or security measures and training exercises in place. discrimination lawsuit; and third is a sustained crisis, Once operational concerns are addressed, move one that persists over time because it generally wasn’t to the communications planning phase. This involves handled properly from the beginning. The BP oil spill, preparing draft letters or statements for the company’s for example, is one that started as an immediate crisis, target audiences, which may include customers, doand then became a sustained crisis as it continued. nors, board members and employees. Additionally, Navigating through a crisis can be filled with road- draft contingency statements for the media in advance, blocks, especially if you are unprepared. From our ex- as well as talking points for social media communicaperience assisting clients, here are a few best practices tions, frequently asked questions and even an offline

website may be necessary. Key leadership should be briefed on how to activate the communications plan if the situation escalates to the point of notifications. Key spokespeople should be identified and trained on how to respond to inquiries, including bridging techniques for media relations. Depending upon the scenario, additional support roles and even a command center or hotline should be factored into your communications planning.

Once you have a crisis communications plan in place, it should be reviewed and even rehearsed at least one time per year. This is an opportune time to make any necessary updates to the messaging or revisit training with the key team members.

At Priority Marketing, we have helped many of our clients develop crisis communications plans. While some have never put their game plan into action, others have been fully executed and their businesses have survived, and even thrived in the face of a crisis.

To download our complimentary crisis communications tip sheet, visit www.prioritymarketing.com/ toolkit.

Holly Boldrin is director of public relations at Priority Marketing, a full-service marketing, advertising, public relations and digital marketing agency based in Southwest Florida. Contact her at holly@prioritymarketing.com.

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2008

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Business Smarts Begins with SWFL Business Today.

1981

The Letter Box, Inc. It Pays To Advertise!

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The Southwest Regional Manufacturers Associa�on (SRMA) connects local manufacturers with resources they need.

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2005

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SERVING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SINCE 1949 Fort Myers: 239.334. 2195 • Cape Coral: 239. 542.3148 www.PaveseLaw.com

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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DISASTER SERVICES

PCA members handle disaster needs before and after Preferred Commercial Alliance members can help you in all phases of your business’ life, including business owners who meet your business needs before and after natural disasters. PCA member business owners are licensed, bonded and insured and have a vast amount of experience in their individual industries. These are a few of our business members who can help you with your natural disaster service needs, including but not limited to, hurricane season.

Debra Newell is co-owner of Newell Lawn Care, a family-owned and -operated business, open since 2000. The company is a full-service landscape company that provides lawn maintenance, irrigation, pest control, landscape designs and installation, as well as removal of trees and plants. The Newells and their team will accommodate you and your business when it is time for quick decisions and moving fast, as when a disaster hits. They are ready to assist with your horticulture cleanups, removal of down or dangerous trees—all of which is necessary in getting your business up and running after a natural disaster occurs.

Steve Darby with TDM Consulting offers more than 35 years of experience in civil and structural engineering. Inspection and design of structural damage is crucial to return your business to the condition it deserves, as well as being safe and secure. TDM Consulting specializes in site engineering, construction engineering, structural engineering and water management/drainage. The firm also provides certifications and inspections. The TDM team understands the complexities of the permitting

AIRPORT PAGE 1 number of passengers served in a single day.

According to LCPA, approximately 80 percent of passenger deplanements are visitors whose spending contributes to the airport’s economic impact. The airport’s current single 12,000-foot runway can support a full range of commercial aircraft and provides nonstop service throughout the U.S. with international service to Canada and Germany, along with supporting air cargo activity.

While current projects revolve around terminal expansion, modernization and interior design improvements, there are also projects in the works to accommodate future growth.

New air traffic control tower and runway According to Siegel, the construction of a new traffic control tower is an $80-million project to be located midfield between the existing runway

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process and will help you get through the process in a timely and efficient manner.

Margie Tann, owner of Florida Insurance and Financial Services, has provided exceptional service in commercial and residential insurance for over 30 years. Margie has observed that most business owners do not check their coverage until they have to pay their premium—if they check at all. While hurricane season seems to put that concern right up front in people’s minds, if a storm is already looming, it’s too late to take action with your insurance coverage.

Making sure your property is properly covered, knowing your deductibles and knowing if you have enough business income to continue paying your business bills when you suffer a business interruption; these are just a few items you need to address BEFORE disaster strikes. With her years of experience and the ability to write insurance with most Florida markets, Margie can answer your questions and give you the coverage you need at a competitive premium, giving you the “peace of mind” you deserve.

Bill Staggs, owner of Office Pride of SWFL, helps his customers with all sorts of emergencies.

The company has many good business connections within the community, so company personnel can step in and resolve almost any emergency situation.

The biggest way Bill’s team members can help, however, is by being observant when cleaning your

and the future parallel runway. Both the permitting process and required surveys are underway for the control tower.

Mulder stated, “Construction on the new tower starts this summer and is scheduled for a 2021-22 completion.” The new tower must be completed before work can begin on the new parallel runway project.

Mulder noted, “We have permits for the new runway; we’re just working on getting the Federal Aviation Administration’s go-ahead.”

According to Randy Krise, current chair of the LCPA Airports Special Management Committee, which serves as a liaison between the Lee County Commissioners and LCPA management, “The 9,100-foot parallel runway is a $260-million project that adds infinitum, the number of jobs it will bring to the region.”

Skyplex Boulevard and Skyplex According to Siegel, LCPA owns 1,100 acres of vacant land on the Daniels Parkway side of the airport and 800 acres on the Alico Road side.

facility. For example, his crew members report even minor plumbing leaks because these could reflect anything from minor plumbing pipe leaks to toilet leaks to major roof damage. Crew supervisors then report the noted issues to the office and in turn the office reaches out to that facility about the issue. This not only saves time, but more importantly, money. As the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Steve Bray from Titan Restoration And Construction says, “No matter the source of your water woes, the team at Titan Restoration And Construction has the skills to extract, remove, and clean up any water damage that has caused you and your business grief.” The company does damage repairs by rebuilding as needed after a fire and/or water disaster. The team begins by cleaning out and eliminating areas that are beyond repair or restoration so that they can be replaced with completely new materials. Unfortunately, in many cases, mold can become a problem but not for Titan Restoration and Construction as they also do mold remediation. It is important to know that mold can never be eliminated, as it exists everywhere. The best any company can do is to find mold and its spores both indoors and out, then to exercise control and containment.

The Preferred Commercial Alliance (PCA) of Southwest Florida is a team of local professionals you can trust for all your commercial needs. Members specializing in your business natural disaster needs can be reached at (239)234-1792. Learn more at www.preferredcommericalalliance.com.

“Skyplex improvements are coming,” he shared. “Skyplex Boulevard, which links Daniels Parkway and Skyplex, opens in late 2019.”

Siegel pointed out that Skyplex property is for sale, not for lease.

“With the 800 acres of available land off of Alico Road, the access and infrastructure is in place and ready-togo for non-aviation commercial development.”

Krise noted, “Airport expenses are not ad valorem; we pay our own way so we can also make money.” He added, “So new companies coming into Skyplex are a good source of revenue for LCPA. These are great companies like Gartner and Alta Resources, who will also add to our local economic activity while continuing to grow and prosper themselves.”

Page Field Airport (FMY) Page Field is a designated FAA reliever airport for RSW. It has only general aviation and business traffic and is one of the largest general aviation airports in the state. In 2018, the airport handled 98,555 operations,

averaging 270 per day, according to the FMY Master Record.

The most recent FDOT study showed Page Field’s economic activity annual contribution as $385 million, almost four times what it contributed in 2014, and the airport is currently responsible for more than 3,328 jobs.

Nearby Page Field Commons, owned by LCPA, recently added larger company tenants like Aldi and RaceTrac, Mulder noted. Also according to Mulder, Ace Hardware will be opening a national call center in the airport’s former commercial terminal building.

To keep up with market, Mulder added, “A new 25,000 square foot multi-use hangar is opening this month to meet the needs of new aircraft.”

In conclusion, Mulder pointed out, “Airports have a positive economic, social and cultural effect on a population that has access to a comprehensive transportation system. We are part of a global society and RSW connects our community to the world.”

SWFBT May 2019 copy.pdf 2 5/16/2019 8:37:58 AM

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The Letter Box, Inc. 936 Country Club Blvd.

Cape Coral, FL 33990

Page 14

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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DISASTER SERVICES

Sheriff’s office is “ready aware” when disaster strikes Many types of disasters can affect businesses and damage, and have a continuity their employees. These include natural and humanplan in place. Know your evacucaused disasters. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office ation zone. Encourage employees works with businesses to prevent disaster as well as to put together a hurricane kit for responds after a disaster has affected the workplace. their families and plan for either When a natural disaster such as a hurricane ocevacuation or sheltering. Do not curs, deputies and call-takers help with evacuations, forget the pets and any special field phone calls from the public and work with busimedical needs like prescription nesses to prevent fights over supply shortages and refills. looting after the disaster is over.

For more information to preThey check on the well-being of residents, report BY KIM pare and respond to a natural dithe location of power lines that are down and help SWANSON saster, visit www.leegov.com. clear the roadways for business vehicles to do their Guest Columnist Human-caused disasters such recovery work. Deputies can be seen directing traffic as criminal activity (robbery, burat intersections where the traffic lights are inoper- glary, vandalism) and active or targeted violence can able and guarding public shelters. affect a business when a fight breaks out in the parkWe work together with other agencies such as the ing lot or a terminated employee uses violence while Red Cross, National Guard and the Lee County Pub- targeting a supervisor. lic Safety Emergency Operations Center employees Our Business Crime Prevention Specialist, Dr. to make sure the citizens impacted by a hurricane are Kim Swanson, invites you to be a BIZWatcher! The not injured and have access to supplies.

BIZWatch program encourages businesses to be With hurricane season approaching, businesses watchful, report suspicious activity and offers emneed to prepare their employees and property. Have ployee and management training on how to recoga plan detailing things to do for securing the proper- nize, report, and respond to workplace violence as ty, update employee emergency contact information well as many other topics. Business identity thieves so they can be checked on, protect the building from and scammers are targeting your business.

GALA PAGE 1 Smart and the Rist Family Foundation to be part of IMAG’s latest expansion,” said Brian Rist, Storm Smart Executive Chairman and President of the Rist Family Foundation. “We feel both the Science on a Sphere and Fab Lab will provide an entirely new and different experience at IMAG for years to come.”

A Fab Lab is a collaborative space for learning, problem-solving and creating through using off-the- shelf, industrial-grade fabrication and electronics tools operated by open source software and programs. The concept was born out of a college course taught by professor Neil Gershenfeld at M.I.T. and has grown to a worldwide network of over 1,000 labs.

The Fab Lab will expand and strengthen the impact that the IMAG

e t a br e Cel

Swanson can teach you how to recognize the signs and respond if disaster happens. She also can conduct a security survey of your business followed by a report that provides options to consider for making your business less of a target for criminals. Female employees can feel vulnerable especially when doing money exchanges, working after dark, being alone with a stranger in a residence or office, and dealing with clients who have life altering problems.

The SAFE Woman basic self-defense class for female employees gives them tools for protection and escape while increasing their situational awareness.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit can help you prepare and respond to natural or human-caused disasters through the many programs designed for both your customers and your employees.

Sheriff Carmine Marceno says, “Disasters can bring out the best or the worst in people. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will always be there when you need us the most. You can count on it!”

Dr. Kim Swanson has worked at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for 24 years as a deputy and is the agency’s Business Crime Prevention Specialist. She has a PhD in Business Administration.

has in advancing STEM education, but furthermore it will introduce many children, who otherwise would not receive such exposure, to interdisciplinary learning, and the integration of STEM concepts into meaningful realworld applications.

Beyond augmenting educational offerings, the lab will offer memberships to area entrepreneurs and smallbusiness owners providing cost-effective prototyping and an environment

that supports creative inquiry, collaboration and knowledge creation. Additionally, the lab will provide members of the public access to explore their interests and potentially invent a new product, becoming an entrepreneur in their own right.

Much like the evolution of the personal computer, which democratized access to advanced computing technology, Fab Labs are democratizing access to manufacturing technology.

TOURISM & BUSINESS!

J

oin the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau in celebrating the value of tourism and the community collaborations that propel the economic engine of Lee County.

To foster and applaud alliances between the tourism industry and the business community, the 2019 Chrysalis Awards will honor recipients in the following categories:

• Business Development • Eco-Innovation • Cultural Achievement

• Education • Sales & Marketing • Business Tourism Leader

FRIDAY | JUNE 14 Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa 10:30 a.m.

Trade Show

Featuring Industry Trends, Products & Resources 11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Awards Luncheon

$45/pp General Seating $250 Trade Show Booth Registration

REGISTER TODAY! www.FortMyers.org/Events • (239) 332-2930

— Event & Table Sponsorships Available — Presenting Sponsor

Tradeshow Sponsor Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JUNE 2019