February 2018 Southwest Florida Business Today

Celebrating 10 Years

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Collier building to meet the future

By Karen Moore Publisher, SWFBT

Naples commercial real estate professionals in January gathered to hear the latest commercial development updates from Collier County Planning Commission Chair and Hearing Commissioner Mark Strain. Strain’s career spans more than 40 years in construction, development planning and land use in Collier County. His work experience includes all aspects of land use, from feasibility, due diligence and land acquisition to complete project planning and permitting at all levels of government, to manag-

ing the installation of miles of roads and infrastructure, as well as vertical buildout. He has participated in a broad range of projects including: commercial and industrial; single and multi-family; high-rise residential; and mixed-use community projects.

Appointed to the Collier County Planning Commission in 2001, he was elected chair in 2005 and has retained that post for the past 13 years.

In 2013, he became Collier County’s first Hearing Examiner, working under contract for the Board of County Commissioners.

“There has been a tremendous influx of business in Collier Coun-

ty,” he shared with the assembled group, “and Hurricane Irma actually increased our capacity two times.” Collier County, he pointed out, is the largest county in Florida at 2,305 square miles. He added: “In 2017, the year-round population was 365,000—with another 75,000 added during season.” Of the county’s 1.5 million acres, however, 78 percent is set aside for preservation (including a portion of the Everglades). He was careful to point out that everything he presented “today” could clearly change “tomorrow.”

COLLIER See page 11

CREATING THE VALUE OF TOURISM Commercial Real Estate

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

IN THE NEWS Bonita Chamber earns its fourth five-star designation

The Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce announced it earned Five-Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the fourth consecutive time. This designation, the highest possible, ranks the Bonita Chamber among the top 1 percent of Chambers in the nation.

“Accreditation validates a chamber as having programs that benefit their local economy and for positively influencing action in their community,” said Raymond P. Towle, vice president of the Federation Relations & Institute for Organization Management. “We

Pictures courtesy Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau A mother and daughter go shelling by the Fort Myers Beach Pier.

Lee County’s tourism numbers continue to rise

CHAMBER See page 9

Hodges University selects John Meyer as new president

The Hodges University Board of Trustees on Dec. 15 appointed Dr. John Meyer as the university’s new president. The appointment was made in conjunction with Hodges’ ongoing strategic directives to ensure academic quality for a diverse student population and drive innovation to meet the needs of the larger Southwest Florida community.

“We are pleased to have John assume this central leadership role,” said Hodges University Board Chair John Agnelli. “We believe that as an alumnus of Hodges University, his deep understanding of the student body and the PRESIDENT See page 11

By Karen Moore Publisher, SWFBT

Tables dot Sanibel Harbour Resort during a special event.

For the sixth year in a row, Lee County tourism enjoyed recordbreaking numbers, according to Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau Executive Director Tammy Pigott.

She also shared the numbers are “not in” as yet to show the precise effect of Hurricane Irma on the 2017 numbers.

In 2016, the tourism industry created nearly 58,000 jobs: one in five jobs in Lee County, in fact, are tourism-related. The bed tax in 2016 generated $39.7 million.

Seventy-three percent of Lee County tourists come from other regions of the United States while 27 percent come from other countries.

Of those countries, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany, in that order, are the top three markets.

Pigott pointed out: “Unlike the commonly held belief that Lee County tourism numbers fluctuate greatly between ‘season’ and ‘off-season,’ there is very little fluctuation in the numbers from one season to the next.”

TOURISM See page 11

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

FEBRUARY 2018

Commerce Department awards state disaster recovery grants The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding $943,000 in grants to support five disaster economic recovery coordinator positions that will work to support economic recovery efforts in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

“The Commerce Department is working diligently to provide aid to local businesses and communities after this year’s tragic hurricane season,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.

“Along with the efforts of local partners, the entire Administration has endeavored to ensure that American communities will not be left behind after a devastating disaster strikes.”

The investments include: • $200,000 to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council of Fort Myers; • $200,000 to the Northeast Florida Regional Council of Jacksonville; • $200,000 to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council of Bartow; • $174,704 to the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council of Orlando; • $168,000 to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council of Pinellas Park.

The grants will go toward the hire of a Disaster Recovery coordinator for each locality who will support enhanced recovery efforts by helping coordinate the efforts of local governments, economic development organizations and individual business.

This project will also provide direct assistance in navigating and accessing the myriad of resources, available from multiple participants, to aid in recovery and resilience activities.

During a meeting of the Florida Cabinet, Gov. Rick Scott recognizes Jon Bucci with the Governor’s Young Entrepreneur Award. Bucci is the founder and CEO of Apex Property Restoration, a carpentry, repair and assembly service company operating in Southwest Florida.

Jon Bucci wins Young Entrepreneur Award

During a meeting of the Florida Cabinet, Gov. Rick Scott recognized Jon Bucci, 23, with the Governor’s Young Entrepreneur Award. Bucci is the founder and CEO of Apex Property Restoration, a carpentry, repair and assembly service company operating in Southwest Florida. Apex Property Restoration was founded in 2012 and currently employs 13 Floridians. Bucci is also co-founder of Inari Industries, a technology startup company, and soon will open Bucci studios, a health and day spa.

“I’m proud to present Jon with the Young Entrepreneur Award today,” said Scott. “It’s great to see

a young entrepreneur follow his dream of building a business here in Florida. His determination and hard work will continue to lead him and his business to future success.”

“I’m honored to be recognized by Governor Scott with the Young Entrepreneur Award,” said Bucci. “Apex Property Restoration strives to provide our clients with the best carpentry, repair, and assembly services in the Naples and Fort Myers areas. I’m proud of my team and the success we have seen and I’m grateful for the support the community has shown us.”

FINANCIAL REVIEW

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He was president of International Business Machines (IBM) from 1914 to 1956.

While your product may be unique, your problems with sales and marketing are not. If you are a one-person startup business, you must wear many hats. In my capacity as a SCORE counselor, I have met with many entrepreneurs who have a wonderful idea but lack the business acumen to achieve success.

We all have certain strengths and weaknesses.

You sound like one who is very detail-oriented and highly skilled in the field of technology. By your own admission you are less confident in your ability to develop a viable marketing plan and unsure of how best to present the concept to a potential customer.

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sary to be a successful sales professional.

There is no greater teacher than the lessons learned through trial and error. After each unsuccessful sales call, critique yourself to determine what you could have said or done differently that may have resulted in a positive outcome.

When I first started out in the insurance business many

BY GRAY years ago I was quite selfPOEHLER conscious about my youthGuest Columnist ful appearance and worried I would not be taken seriously. A mentor suggested I join a local Toastmasters Club, an organization dedicated to develop confidence with public speaking.

It was a turning point in my sales career.

The keys to becoming a successful sales person are to know your product, believe in your product and have faith that your product will be of benefit to others.

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FEBRUARY 2018

TaxBird launches to serve Snowbirds

Residents of high-tax states can track their residency status with TaxBird, a mobile application developed in Naples that warns users when they are overstaying for tax purposes.

Launched in October, TaxBird is ideal for anyone who owns homes in different states because it automatically tracks how many days you spend in each state.

Once downloaded to a smartphone, the app runs in the background, tracking your location in Simon real time. Come tax time, it generates a report that’s valuable to your accountant and, in case of an audit, provides substantiation of your whereabouts.

“TaxBird lets you easily see the days you’ve spent in each Ochs state and how many you have left,” says Jim Simon, cofounder of ware2now, a Naples resident and the co-developer of TaxBird.

Tracking your residency more important now because of the recently enacted federal tax reform, which caps the amount that you can deduct in state and local income, sales and property taxes to $10,000.

The TaxBird app can be downloaded from iTunes (an Android version is being developed) and from a link on TaxBird’s website, www.taxbird.com. After a free 30-day trial, a subscription costs $19.99 annually.

Simon and partner Brian Ochs created TaxBird after Simon used an old-fashioned spreadsheet program to keep track of the time he spent at his homes in Naples and in Westport, Conn. Florida doesn’t impose a state income tax but Connecticut’s rate is as high as 6.99 percent.

“Recent state elections suggest state income taxes will continue to rise, so TaxBird is an essential taxplanning tool for high-net-worth individuals who own homes in multiple states,” says Ochs.

Currently, seven states don’t impose a state income tax on residents.

These include Florida, Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Tennessee is scheduled to become the eighth state with no income tax by 2022 after it eliminates taxes on dividends and interest. New Hampshire doesn’t tax wage income, but it imposes a 5-percent tax on interest and dividend income in excess of $2,400 or $4,800 if married and filing jointly.

TaxBird could be especially useful for estate-planning and tax professionals who can recommend it to their clients. The company will be an exhibitor at the 52nd Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning in Orlando, Jan. 22-26, an event that bills itself as the nation’s largest gathering of estate-planning professionals.

Simon and Ochs are successful entrepreneurs who founded Spire, a data marketing and analytics company focused on grocery retailers and consumer packaged goods. They sold Spire in 2014 to Datalogix, which was acquired a year later by Oracle.

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 3

FINANCIAL REVIEW What lessons have been learned from disasters?

There are many lessons that are learned from various industries and different types of disasters. They tend to all have some important lessons that are learned when it comes to business continuity, emergency management and disaster recovery planning. The top 10 lessons learned are: 1. For IT, utilize cloud service providers who have their facilities located in multiple geographical areas other than where you are 2. Assume your organization will be the last one that will be back in operation. When there are wide spread outages, “best efforts” for recovering is the term frequently used.

3. Consider the safety and personal needs of your employees. Personal needs of employees take precedence when an event occurs, even when an employee is asked prior to an event. Plus, hospitals may not be available for those who are injured.

4. Have enough generating power and facilities to meet long-term needs. Identifying your facility’s critical loads is important. Understand the costs and risks associated with utility power interruptions, production losses and downtime.

5. Plan for outages that may last anywhere from a few hours to an extended time of weeks or 30 days.

While other back-up electrical supply alternatives may exist, they can often take longer to engage and have shorter supply capabilities, have higher costs, lower reliability or no reasonable refueling options during an event.

6. Have an alternative source of food and water, as well as a plan to get it. If an outage goes over several

days, supplies will be used up and will need to be replenished.

7. Frequently test readiness.

BC/DR (business continuity/disaster recovery) plans must be tested.

If they are not tested, then it is like having no plan at all. It is important that these plans be exercised periodically to ensure they will operate as designed in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

8. Supply-Chain Management.

Contract for reliable providers of

BY LINDA resources, including considering HANWACKER alternate suppliers for products Guest Columnist and services.

9. Communication before, during and after is important. It is how everyone will know what to expect, what to do, how to do it and when.

10. Documentation of all this information is key.

Keeping it being readily available is critical for those who need to know. In general, and repeatedly, the lesson learned from major disruptions or disasters is that communication is key.

Linda Hanwacker, CEO and founder of The LSH Group in Fort Myers, 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 (239) 466-1170 or hanwacker@thelshgroup.com, or visit www.TheLSHGroup.com.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

FEBRUARY 2018

Planning for the unthinkable, a mass casualty situation

By Clifford “Chip” Olson Guest Columnist

Editor’s Note: The first half of this column appeared in the January 2018 edition of Southwest Florida Business Today, but under a misleading headline. The full column appears below.

The mass casualty events of Las Vegas, Texas and around the world have many of us thinking, are we safe in our day to day activities? Due to these events, we have started implementing a plan for our property managers based on an adoption of publications from Home Land Security Dept., FEMA and hospitals So, what is a mass casualty event?

A mass casualty incident is an incident with multiple victims which will overwhelm the resources of the responding agencies or the area hospitals. This could be a shooting situation, a vehicle accident or an explosion.

Historically, multiple factors such as ease of access, inadequate escape paths, inability to identify threats and poor communication have made it easier for these incidents to occur. A plan for a mass casualty event often identifies these site vulnerabilities. The assessment process provides an opportunity to work with community partners to identify, correct and prevent problems.

It also fosters communication with those that would be involved in a crisis situation.

Key findings based on a Home Land Security Department Report • Incidents of targeted violence are very seldom sudden impulsive acts.

• Most attackers did not threaten their targets prior to the attack.

• Individuals who engaged in targeted violence lack a specific profile.

• Attackers typically have difficulty coping with losses or failures. Many had considered or attempted suicide.

• Attackers typically feel bullied or injured by others prior to the attack.

• Most attackers had access to and have used weapons prior to the attack.

• Despite prompt law enforcement responses, most shooting incidents were stopped by means other than law enforcement interventions.

• Most attackers engaged in some behavior prior to the incident that caused others concern or indicated a need for help.

• Prior to the incidents, other people knew about the attacker’s idea and/or plan to attack.

Your assessment team needs to be brainstorming scenarios (what/where/ when) as a focus for evaluating security. Scenarios can help focus your attention on useful questions such as prevention, actions needed, communications and escape routes.

So, what does a property manager do to be in written form, with copies placed to lessen the possibility of a mass casu- in with the property manager and on alty event? property. This ensures the information A property manager needs to build a can be retrieved quickly if a crisis takes plan and involve the right people. Rela- place. tionships need to be built in advance so The assessment needs to be done in that emergency responders and others layers of security. Consider the first layer are familiar with your properties and or- the natural or constructed barriers which ganization. include the neighborhood, street, curb There likely is plenty of talent among and public sidewalk. The second layer your staff, building maintenance depart- would be from the public sidewalk to the ments, volunteers, tenants or organiza- edge of building. The third layer is the tion who can contribute ideas. Involve building exterior and interior areas. local law enforcement to provide inforYour assessment team needs to be mation on crime patterns and history. Re- brainstorming scenarios (what/where/ quest to have them all assist in a property when) as a focus for evaluating security. walk-through. Other sources for infor- For example: What if someone brought a mation and planning can come from fire weapon to a tenant’s business intending departments, emergency management to settle a grievance with another tenant departments, hospitals, custodial staff or fellow worker? Scenarios can help and what other properties and companies focus your attention on useful questions are doing. such as prevention, actions needed, communications and escape routes. Also, Assess and Correct Vulnerabilities how would staff or law enforcement reEfforts to reduce the vulnerability act and instruct people to implement proto an incident will be more effective if tective actions? they are based on a thorough property A standard approach for assessing assessment by your team. Site assess- each area is needed. In each space, stand ments should be completed annually to or sit and thoroughly observe the area, keep up to date. The assessment needs considering it from the viewpoints of to includes walking the neighborhood both people who will be using the space and grounds, interactions with tenants, and a person who intends harm. Docuconducting online research, and interact- ment potentially problematic conditions ing with local law enforcement. It also you observe. means inspecting the property, talking The assessment should include special to tenants, reviewing policies and proce- events and activities, both onsite and offdures and the building’s operational sys- site, and the added challenges they may tems. Consideration of situational risk pose. Special events can sometimes cause factors such as valuables on site or social emotional controversy, media attention, activities in the community needs to be exposure and transportation issues. incorporated into the assessment. DurAfter identifying potential vulnering this assessment, the Team needs to abilities from the assessment, it is imthink about human interactions and ask- portant to develop a plan or strategy for ing “What if” questions. enhancing protective measures. These The results of a site assessment need strategies may include simple changes

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such as modifying landscaping, improving lighting, or adding signs. Additional improvements could also be addition of security technology, enhancing locks, window protection, or communications systems. In addition to physical changes, updated policies and procedures should be established and incorporated into the emergency operations documents.

Effective planning creates a sense of responsibility and awareness among building occupants and staff. When people are security-conscious they should regard safety and security as their personal responsibility. When alert to lapses in security they should take steps to correct these potential problems and make the property manager aware of them.

Everyone needs to be observant, make reasonable evaluations of the potential for harm, and when needed, warn others and get help. It is important for the property occupants and users who are being protected to understand that security also depends on them and that technological solutions are only effective when people support them.

A successful plan needs the attitude of shared responsibility to extend beyond the walls of your property and involve the whole community. This includes tenants, neighbors, social service organizations, local business, first responders, community leaders, and others. Because security begins and ends with the people, effective security plans must build partnerships and promote awareness.

If the unthinkable happens The property manager can provide or help the First Responders with Building and safety plans. Assistance will be needed for immediate traffic flow, location of staging areas and assistance with the walking wounded.

Until help arrives, begin assisting wounded that are closest to you. Solicit the help of bystanders and/or uninjured victims. They can be utilized to control bleeding, help maintain an open airway or hold the victim still. Remember this is a crime scene and local authorities will direct you on procedures.

A plan is just a piece of paper unless practiced and everyone is aware of what is needed to be done in times of crisis. If the Property manager assess, plans, practices and informs lives may be saved.

Clifford “Chip” Olson is owner of RE 1 Advisor. He wrote a guide for Emergency Management for Property Managers that will be available in early 2018.

He can be reached at (239) 280-0733 or chip@re1advisor.com.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 5

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

Florida Realtors set legislative priorities for new session

Assignment of Benefits reform AOB was designed to help property owners streamline repairs to their home. But a growing number of contractors, such as water remediation companies and roofers, have been inflating the cost of repairs. When insurers contest the claim, the contractors file a lawsuit. Insurers often settle the lawsuit but the litigation costs are passed on to all policyholders.

“Realtors are going to make it clear that drastic reform of the Assignment of Benefits process is needed to cut down on the abuse that drives up insurance premiums for property owners,” said 2018 Florida Realtors Public Policy Committee Vice Chair Tim Weisheyer. “In just 10 years, we have

“

Every session, Florida Realtors stands ready to support homeownership initiatives and defend the private property rights of Floridians throughout the state.

– Christine Hansen, 2018 Florida Realtors President

“

As the 2018 Florida legislative session begins, it offers a prime opportunity to resolve ongoing issues impacting property insurance, vacation rentals, affordable housing and business growth, according to Florida Realtors, the state’s largest professional trade association.

“Every session, Florida Realtors stands ready to support homeownership initiatives and defend the private property rights of Floridians throughout the state,” said 2018 Florida Realtors President Christine Hansen, broker-owner with Century 21 Hansen Realty in Fort Lauderdale. “This session is no different as we work to educate lawmakers on growing AOB abuses, private property rights associated with vacation rentals, affordable housing needs and the benefits of further reductions to Florida’s business rent tax.”

Florida Realtors’ top priorities for 2018 are:

seen 405 AOB cases balloon to 28,000, and the average AOB insurance claim is 50 percent more than non-AOB claims. These are sobering facts that really demonstrate the need for legislative action.”

Business rent tax reduction The 2017 Legislature took a big first step in growing Florida’s economy by lowering the sales tax on rent to 5.8 percent. Small businesses, which make up almost 99 percent of all Florida employers, are disproportionately impacted by the tax. Further reductions to this tax will provide businesses with the capital needed to expand, hire, improve benefits and raise salaries.

“There is no doubt that last year’s reduction to the business rent tax will help small businesses throughout the state, but we still have a lot of work to do if we want to lift this burden off our economy,” said 2018 Florida Realtors President-Elect Eric Sain.

“Millions of workers and their families benefit from a lower business rent tax and that’s why we are going to be back at it again this year, urging lawmakers to reduce it even further.”

Vacation rental fairness Online platforms have significantly expanded the ability of homeowners to rent their property. In response, local governments around the state are establishing new ordinances, inspections and fees designed to discourage vacation rentals, often at the expense of private property rights.

“Innovative vacation rental tools have opened up new revenue sources for Floridians throughout the state, bringing increased flexibility and prosperity to their lives,” Sain explained. “Unfortunately, local governments see vacation rentals as a disruption to the community and are trying to discourage the practice by infringing on people’s property rights.

We are urging the Legislature to step in and prevent property rights from being undermined.”

Increase affordable housing funds A 2017 report from the National Association of Realtors ranks Florida as the sixth least affordable housing market in the nation, discouraging news for a state looking to grow its economy. To encourage people to move to Florida, build lives here and contribute to the economy, the state housing trust funds need to be directed to as many programs as possible to help people buy homes.

“In support of our original position from 1992, Realtors will continue to advocate for as much funding as possible for affordable housing,” said 2018 Florida Realtors Treasurer Cheryl Lambert.

“These trust fund dollars positively impact our communities by giving thousands of Floridians the ability to achieve the American dream of homeownership.”

Wright Construction breaks ground on fire station Wright Construction Group has started construction on the City of Cape Coral Fire Station No. 11, located on Burnt Store Road North. An official groundbreaking ceremony took place in January with Sweet Sparkman Architects, executives from Wright Construction Group and city officials.

This is the first fire station built in Cape Coral since Fire Station No. 1 was completed in 2009.

The 9,000-plus-square-foot fire station will require over six feet of fill material to be hauled to the site to raise it above flood elevation, just over four feet above Burnt Store Road. The new $3,750,000 station will include two apparatus bays, stretching over 77 feet in length. Seven bunk rooms will serve as sleeping quarters for crews when they are on duty. A full backup generator, along with a large capacity diesel storage tank, will provide power during any storm event.

A complete well and septic system were also required, since there are no utilities in this part of Cape Coral. A 32,000-gallon storage tank will

PRIME MEDICAL RETAIL OFFICE Wright Construction Group has started construction on the City of Cape Coral Fire Station No. 11, located on Burnt Store Road North. supplement the fire protection system.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

FEBRUARY 2018

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

Cape Coral named top ‘Boomtown’ In its fourth annual study, SmartAsset delved into unemployment, GDP, migration and housing data to uncover the top American boomtowns of 2017, and Cape Coral ranks in the number one spot.

In order to find the top 10 boomtowns of 2017, SmartAsset looked at data for 581 cities across five metrics: unemployment rate, unemployment rate change, housing unit change, population change and GDP growth. This study last year had a top 10 littered with cities from across the country. This year, Florida dominates, with eight cities in the top 10.

One feature of any boomtown is a large influx of new residents.

Relative to its population only one

Big Sky SE wins Walmart contracts

Big Sky Southeast has completed construction of four Walmart additions throughout the state of Florida and has begun construction on a fifth, announced Christopher Carr, co-founder and managing partner of the Cape Coral-based contracting company.

That includes two Southwest Florida locations, The projects include: • Walmart (Liquor Box) – Naples • Walmart (Liquor Box) – Fort Myers (4770 Colonial Blvd., corner of Colonial and Six Mile Cypress — under construction) • Walmart (Liquor Box) – Bradenton • Walmart Neighborhood Market (45,000 square feet) – Homestead • Walmart (Liquor Box) – Destin The 6,000-square-foot, groundup additions include construction of a new foundation, masonry walls, structural steel, manufactured curbs, steel deck, roof system, gutters and downspouts, doors, interior finishes, fire protection, plumbing and mechanical services, as well as electrical services. Known as the ‘liquor box,’ the additions will house a new stand-alone liquor store concept and include a separate entrance, retail sales area, shelving and refrigeration, as well as a walkin beer cooler.

“Retail construction projects are one of our specialties,” said Carr.

“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to partner with such a high-caliber retail provider and be given the chance to showcase our talent and expertise.”

city (Bend, Oregon ranked 12th) has seen a larger net migration than Cape Coral. Overall Cape Coral has seen an influx of net migration equal to 2.9 percent of its population. At the same time the economy has been growing tremendously.

From 2012 to 2016, the GDP of Cape Coral grew 5.2 percent.

The rest of list in order includes: Largo; Palm Coast; Franklin, Tenn.; St. Petersburg; Spring Hill; Riverview; Town ’n’ Country; Round Rock, Tex.; and Tampa.

None of the top 10 boomtowns from last year made the top 10 this year. This is not necessarily a bad sign for those cities, but shows how difficult it can be to maintain longterm economic growth.

November housing market returns to normal Home sales in the Naples area increased 3 percent in November year over year, according to the November 2017 Market Report released by the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island).

The report also showed heightened activity in the singlefamily home market in November where sales of properties priced above $300,000 increased by double digits.

Local brokers analyzing the Market Report said they were pleased with the high-end market’s closed sales activity in November, which experienced a 21 percent increase in single-family home sales and a 22 percent increase in condominium sales in the $2 million and above price category.

“November was a good month for both buyers and sellers,” said Lauren U. Melo, licensed real estate broker with Florida’s Realty Specialists. “Sellers are pricing homes to sell and there were 521 homes sold in the month of November despite the effects of Hurricane Irma. This is only 51 fewer homes than sold in November 2016.”

These observations were also recognized by Mike Hughes, Downing-Frye Realty vice president and general manager. “Buyers and sellers have good reason to be confident as there are many positives on both sides of the fence,” he said. “Sellers should get their properties on the market now and buyers should move quickly as multiple offers could occur as a result of the tight inventory.”

The November Market Report showed the overall median closed price rose 9 percent to $330,000 compared to $303,000 in November 2016, and overall pending sales in November increased 2 percent to 728 compared to 713 last year. More impressively, pending sales for homes valued at $1 to $2 million increased by 30 percent in November to 61 from 47 last November.

“There were 116 cash transactions for properties below $300,000 in November,” said Melo. “This was higher than expected and may indicate the return of investors to the market.”

The report also showed that a 12-percent decrease in single-family inventory during November led to a subsequent 9-percent increase in the market value of singlefamily homes. The Naples Beach area saw a 28-percent increase in its median closed price to $975,000 from $762,000 in November 2016.

“The luxury market has gone wild,” said Phil Wood,

NABOR® TRANSACTIONS:

November 2017 compared with November 2016

OVERALL INVENTORY

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

OVERALL PENDING SALES

728

7%

5,322

15% 2%

CLOSED SALES

MEDIAN CLOSED PRICE

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

OVERALL

SINGLE-FAMILY

CONDOMINIUM

521

9%

271

101

1%

250

18%

$330,000 9%

President & CEO of John R. Wood Properties. “November had a 63-percent increase in pending sales for singlefamily homes over $1 million. This is a clear indication that high-end buyers continue to find Naples a desirable location for investment.”

The NABOR November 2017 Market Report provides comparisons of single-family home and condominium sales (via the Southwest Florida MLS), price ranges, and geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary.

As pointed out by Cindy Carroll, of real estate appraisal and consultancy firm Carroll & Carroll, the November report showed a high concentration of condominiums available in the $300,000 and below price category (1,228).

“Even though they appear to be a more affordable option, condominiums often have obstacles during the buying process like 55 and older age restrictions or high annual fees,” she said.

Despite these challenges and a 2-percent decrease in inventory in November, condominiums in both the $300,000 and below and the $2 million and above price categories saw inventory rise by 4 percent.

Geographically, sales activity for single-family homes in the North Naples market is heating up as evidenced in the 21-percent increase in pending sales during November.

Also hot are condominiums in the Naples Beach area, which saw an 11-percent increase in pending sales during November.

ADVERTISING IN SWFBT’S CCIM RE PAGES

REALLY WORKS!

Wednesday 12/28/16 - A quiet business �me for commercial real estate. My cell phone rang. It was Barb Monahan, a long-�me CCIM in Naples who just commi�ed to par�cipate in the 2017 CCIM branding program.

She said, “Hi Karen. I was wondering - when did the newspaper get delivered?” I replied, “Yesterday.”

She was very quiet, then said, “Wow! I’m up north celebra�ng the holidays with family, but just got a call off the ad I placed with you. That was really quick!”

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FEBRUARY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 7

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

What’s hot in real estate?

Though Southwest Florida was hard-hit by Hurricane Irma as the category-five storm tore through the state in early September 2017, the SWFL market remains hot, the area is recovering and deals are getting done. A few sectors are outperforming the rest, namely: industrial, office and retail.

The Industrial market has been strong with rental rates and sales prices increasing. Additionally, several speculative industrial buildings are under construction for the first time since the recession.

These projects have the potential to bring up to 2 million square feet of space to the market.

The Office market has stabilized, but still suffers from vacancies in older buildings. As is true on the national stage, medical ofBY MIKE DOYLE fice remains hot, with sale Guest Columnist prices per-square-foot ranging from $220 to $526 and an average of $325-per-square-foot through the 3rd Quarter 2017.

The Retail market continues to grow, despite the rising number of big-box closings. The demand for credit-rated, net-leased retail investment properties still exceeds the supply. Restaurants, dollar stores and grocery stores are the major players in new development. As we enter the seasonal months, the September 2017 numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the Cape Coral/Ft. Myers MSA had over 313,500 people employed and an overall jobless rate of only 3.5 percent.

All in all, we are fortunate to live in an area with increasing job growth.

Mike Doyle of LandQwest Commercial Real Estate Service is a past president of both the Southwest Florida CCIM District and Commercial Investment Professionals. He can be reached at (239) 333-4361 or at mdoyle@lqwest.com.

Brookwood Financial was awarded the exclusive leasing assignment for their newly-acquired office portfolio to Randal Mercer and Brandon Stoneburner of CRE Consultants.

CRE awarded exclusive leasing agreement Brookwood Financial, has awarded the exclusive leasing assignment for its newly-acquired office portfolio to Randal Mercer and Brandon Stoneburner of CRE Consultants.

The 421,321-square-foot, Class A office portfolio includes 15 individual buildings in three locations: Riverview Corporate Center and Bonita Executive Center, in Bonita Springs and Renaissance Center, located near Daniels Parkway and Interstate-75 in South Fort Myers.

Mercer and Stoneburner have handled the ongoing leasing and management of the assets for the past six years and have been instrumental in the recovery and revitalization of the assets which at the time of offering, had an average combined occupancy of 84 percent at closing.

The portfolio closed on Nov. 6, trading from sell-

er AIG to Brookwood Financial in a strategic valueadd acquisition which represents Brookwood’s first office purchase in the Southwest Florida market.

The new ownership has committed to enhance the properties with beautification efforts, capital improvement projects and a comprehensive plan to boost leasing efforts using innovative technology including 3D tours of vacant suites, interactive floorplans, virtual office staging software, and other state-of-the-art tools designed to enhance the visitor experience when searching for space.

“We are proud that Brookwood Financial, a true leader in institutional investment, continues to trust our firm to manage leasing on its behalf, and we look forward to an ongoing partnership and unified goal to increase tenancy, and add value to the portfolio’s assets,” Mercer said.

Pinchers opens new restaurant location in Venice The family-owned and operated restaurant Pinchers announced it is open for business on Venetia Bay Boulevard in Venice. Located in the former home of Robbi’s Reef, Pinchers management said guests will be able to get fresh seafood year-round delivered daily to Pinchers direct from Gulf waters via their own picking house, Island Crab Company,

on Pine Island.

Tony Phelan opened the first Pincher’s in Bonita Springs in 1997. Today, Phelan Family Brands owns and operates three restaurant concepts, including Pinchers, Deep Lagoon Seafood and Texas Tony’s Rib and Brewhouse, and employs over 800 team members.

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Page 8

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

FEBRUARY 2018

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

Collier BIA announces Associate and Builder of the Year

The Collier Building Industry Association announced the 2017 Associate and Builder of the Year Awards at The Club at Olde Cypress Country Club in Naples.

Jimmy Martin, vice president of operations for Raymond Building Supply, was presented the CBIA 2017 Associate of the Year award. “Jimmy Martin is an individual who inspires and motivates others through his own actions.

He is passionate about his family and

an asset to our community,” said Kathy Curatolo, CBIA executive vice president. She cited how Martin is a major contributor and volunteers at CBIA’s annual “Toys for Joys for Girls and Boys” program, providing transportation (both pick-up and delivery of toys in RBS trucks) and storage for toys in RBS warehouses. He assists with sorting, delivery and handing out toys to more than 800 children at Pinecrest Elementary in Immokalee and Shad-

owlawn Elementary in Naples.

The 2017 CBIA Builder of the Year honor was presented to Dave Dunnavant, who has served on CBIA’s board and in two officer positions. “Under Dave Dunnavant’s governance, CBIA has built exceptional relationships with County Commissioners in 2017,” said incoming president Antony Fortino. “His sharp wit and methodical approach to issues of concern in our industry has provided a great many ac-

complishments for CBIA.” At Peninsula Construction & Engineering, Dunnavant is responsible for overseeing all construction management, from design to permitting to completion. He brings over 30 years of project management experience including estimating, purchasing, scheduling, field coordination, and financial management and has been instrumental in the development of several high profile communities in the area.

Deadline approaches for Realtor scholarship opportunity

The Student Scholarship Program offered through Florida Realtors Education Foundation provides real estate-related educational scholarships. The application deadline for this year’s program is March 5.

“Our Realtor members across the state are investing in Florida’s future by helping young people realize their dreams for college,” said Mary McCall, 2018 chairman of Florida Realtors Education Foundation. “Florida Realtors Education Foundation’s Student Scholarship Program is one way that we give back to our communities. We feel privileged to be able to provide much-needed financial support to young Floridians struggling to continue their education.”

With the program now in its ninth year, Florida Realtors has awarded a total of $1,306,300 in scholarship funding, which helped 790 students go to college or university. This student scholarship pro-

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gram is open and available to students whose parents are Realtors or are licensed real estate practitioners, or whose parents are employed by any local Realtor board/association or by Florida Realtors, as well as any Florida student currently enrolled at a school (including home-schooled students or those attending a charter school.) It is based on an application form, which can be found on Florida Realtors’ website at www.floridarealtors.org/AboutFar/ Scholarships/index.cfm Any Florida high school senior who will be attending an undergraduate college or university, any student currently enrolled in an undergraduate college or university (any major), or any student pursuing a graduate degree is eligible.

There are no limitations as to location of the college or university attended, provided the applicant indicates the intent to return to work in Florida after

graduation. Proof of the student’s legal Florida residency is required.

Scholarships start at $1,000; the number of scholarships and dollar amounts awarded may vary each year and is determined by the Education Foundation’s Board of Directors. Criteria to be considered include, but aren’t limited to: academic achievements, financial need, relationship to the Realtor family and contributions to family, school and community. The Foundation’s Board of Directors has sole and absolute discretion over all decisions as to whether an applicant qualifies.

The Florida Realtors Education Foundation Scholarship application is only available online at floridarealtorsfref.fluidreview.com/. Please note that applications may not be mailed or faxed in for this scholarship. Only the applications submitted through this website will be eligible for review.

R.D. Johnson completes renovation for Lee Health R.D. Johnson Construction has completed construction management services for the third-floor renovations of the GE building on Metro Parkway in Fort Myers, owned by Lee Health to house its corporate staff.

An ongoing project, R.D. Johnson is working floor-by-floor to renovate the space. Starting on the third floor, R.D. Johnson completed an interior renovation of the 23,000-square-foot space, upgrading the office facility with a contemporary design and efficient modular wall partitions.

The project was successfully completed by the R.D. Johnson Construction team, led by Aaron Harder as project manager, Chrissy Zimmerman as project manager assistant and Ron Roker as job superintendent. The project architect was Burt Hill of Pollock Krieg Architects.

We Care About SWFL Commercial Realtors With dedicated space for informa�on: • On our website with a Commercial Real Estate sec�on & directory • In our quarterly Commercial RE Market pullout in both the print & digital versions of SWFBT • With zoned and full-run inserts • With guest column opportuni�es • With digital marke�ng op�ons For more informa�on, call Karen at (239) 770-7527

The renovated Lee Health Corporate Office on the third floor includes office space, above, and meeting space, left.

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FEBRUARY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 9

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Let your marketing strategy guide your website design When was the last time you looked at your website?

It can be overwhelming to think about the changes you need to make. Creating a new website can be even more overwhelming.

You may feel that you are unqualified or unsure of yourself when it comes to either technical decisions or design decisions. But, as a business owner, you do know your marketing strategy. Let your marketing strategy be your guide to making those decisions.

I recently consulted with a company that sells insurance. Its head IT guy loved the look of a motorcycle website he recently discovered. For that reason, he wanted a full-width slider with beautiful sleek dark photos.

It didn’t take long for me to convince him that we didn’t need a full-width slider taking up all the “prime real estate” on the homepage. I simply had to put it in terms he could understand experientially.

“Let’s say you were ready to purchase a Ducati Multistrada 950. You go on Ducati’s website, what do you want to see? Big beautiful photos showing every detail of the bike, and all the technical specs listed underneath, right?”

“Yeah!”

“So, let’s say you need to get insurance for your new ride. Do you want to see big beautiful pictures of the policy and your insurance agent with his wife and kids on the beach, or do you just want to find the right insurance for the best price and click the Buy Now button?”

CHAMBER PAGE 1 applaud these organizations for advancing the principles of free enterprise.”

The purpose of the U.S. Chamber’s Accreditation Program is to facilitate continuing excellence in the chamber industry and to foster a pro-business environment across America.

“Oh. Yeah, I see what you mean.”

You can see how easy it is to get sidetracked from your marketing strategy into a vortex of cool design. Asking yourself these simple questions will keep you on the right track: • What are your customers thinking and feeling when they are looking for the solution you provide?

• What action do you want

BY NATALIE LEEKE people to take as a result of Guest Columnist viewing your website?

• What’s the conversation between you and the customers you deal with in person?

Some things to consider when determining the style and graphical content of your website would be: • Are your buyers visually motivated? Do you have (or do you need) professional photography?

• Do the images and colors evoke the emotions that your customer wants to have when purchasing your products or services, such as excitement or trust, or would they prefer a clean simple layout that would remove emotion from their decision?

• Do the graphical elements and typefaces set the tone for what your future customers expect to receive and expect to pay?

The national Accreditation process is an extensive self-review that calls for participants to assess their organization in nine areas: Benchmarking, Communications, Facilities, Finance, Governance, Government Affairs, Human Resources, Program Development and Technology. The Accreditation applications are reviewed by a committee of U.S. Chamber board members, which makes the final decision.

Technology can be overwhelming, too. Your geeky cousin may be singing the praises of AMP or explaining how removing all the keyword meta tags from your header can improve your search ranking. It’s over your head, so you take their word for it. (By the way, neither of those ideas would apply well to a small local business.)

Make your marketing goals clear first, then ask questions about what technology will support those goals. This will allow your tech providers to use their knowledge to give technology a solid supporting role in your website rather than letting the latest flashy gimmick take the lead.

In my opinion, the top three things you want to consider when it comes to technology are: • Your hosting provider’s speed • The website’s speed on both desktop and mobile • Does everything work? For example, do you receive the messages submitted on the email form on your contact page? Can you complete an order?

You can get a good idea if your load speed is acceptable by going to developers.google.com/pagespeed.

Get clear on your marketing goals first. Communicate them to your tech and design providers. Then their knowledge will help you reach those goals.

Natalie Leeke is a website consultant and owner of GRIP Websites, a Fort Myers-based technology and marketing company. Contact her at (239) 938-5850 or natalie@gripwebsites.com.

Chambers can apply for Accreditation every five years. The Bonita Chamber earned Five-Star Accreditation in 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017.

“This Five-Star Accreditation reaffirms that we are maintaining our status as an innovative, relevant business organization,” said Tiffany Esposito, president and CEO of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce. “We are honored to be listed

among such accomplished organizations, and pride ourselves on implementing the vision of the Accreditation program by creating positive change in our community.”

The Bonita Chamber is the only Chamber of Commerce in the region with any level of Accreditation. It announced its Accreditation to members at the Jan. 11 Business After Hours event at Rehmann CPAs and Consultants.

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Page 10

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

FEBRUARY 2018

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Details on the newly passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law at the end of 2017. The majority of these provisions became effective on Jan. 1. This new Act impacts a majority of taxpayers, and our firm, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., P.A. would like to provide some explanation on these changes.

Tax Changes for Individuals: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act contains the following 7 tax brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%.

There are new standard deduction amounts and they are: $24,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, $18,000 for heads of households, and $12,000 for all other individuals. The additional standard deduction for elderly and blind taxpayers was unaffected by the bill.

The Act repeals all personal exemptions. However, it does create a new nonrefundable $500 credit for qualifying dependents who are not qualifying children, subject to income-based phaseouts.

Itemized deductions: • Medical expenses: The bill would reduce the threshold for deduction of medical expenses to 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income for 2017 and 2018.

• State and local taxes: Individuals will now be able to deduct up to $10,000 ($5,000 for married taxpayers filing separately) in state and local income, sales tax or property taxes.

• Mortgage interest: The home mortgage interest deduction would be modified to reduce the limit on acquisition indebtedness to $750,000 (from the current-law $1 million) on new or recent loans.

• Home equity loans. The interest deduction for home equity loans or lines of credit is repealed if not used for home acquisition or improvements.

• Charitable contributions: The Act increases the income-based percentage limit for charitable contributions of cash to public charities to 60 percent from the current

50 percent limitation.

• Miscellaneous itemized deductions: All miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2 percent floor under current law are repealed, including tax prep fees, investment management fees, unreimbursed employee business expenses, etc.

• The Act repeals the incomebased phaseout of itemized deductions.

Other provisions impacted

BY JONI NORTON by the new Act include future Guest Columnist alimony, moving expenses, passthrough business income deductions, and the 529 plan.

The alternative minimum tax is also impacted. For tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017, the AMT exemption amount would increase to $109,400 for married taxpayers filing a joint return ($54,700 for married taxpayers filing a separate return) and $70,300 for all other individual taxpayers. The phaseout thresholds would increase to $1 million for married taxpayers filing a joint return and $500,000 for all other individual taxpayers.

When it comes to individual health insurance, this Act eliminates the penalty imposed on taxpayers who do not obtain minimum essential health insurance coverage starting in 2019.

This Act increases the amount of the child tax credit to $2,000 per qualifying child. The maximum refundable amount of the credit would be $1,400. The threshold at which the credit begins to phase out would be increased to $400,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return and $200,000 for other taxpayers.

This Act doubles the estate and gift tax exemption for estates of decedents dying and gifts made after Dec. 31. The basic exclusion amount would increase from $5 million to $10 million and is indexed for inflation.

Tax Changes for Businesses: For businesses, this Act increases the maximum amount a taxpayer may expense under Sec. 179 to $1 million and increases the phaseout threshold to $2.5 million. These amounts would be indexed for inflation after 2018.

The Act extends and modifies bonus depreciation, allowing businesses to immediately deduct 100% of the cost of eligible property in the year it is placed in service, through 2022. The bill would also remove the requirement that bonus depreciation is only available for new property.

For passenger automobiles placed in service after 2017, and for which bonus depreciation is not claimed, the maximum amount of allowable depreciation is $10,000 for the year in which the vehicle is placed in service, $16,000 for the second year, $9,600 for the third year, and $5,760 for the fourth and later years.

Other provisions impacting businesses from this Act include: elimination of the domestic production activities deduction, revised deductibility of entertainment and meal expenses, repeal of the corporate alternative minimum tax, changes to the net operating loss rules, and the creation of a new employer credit for paid family or medical leave.

Additionally this Act creates a new flat C corporate rate of 21 percent, effective Jan. 1 to replace the current graduated system corporate tax rates.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act includes many additional changes and details related to those discussed in this article.

It is recommended that you contact your local accountant and/or business consultant for guidance on this new law. Should you have questions for our firm, MNMW, you can reach us at (239) 433-5554.

Joni Norton is a partner at Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co. Contact her at (239) 433-5554.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Insurance lessons learned from Irma

As of Jan. 5, the Florida Insurance Commissioner reports that 877,843 Hurricane Irma claims were filed worth an estimated $7.2 billion in insured losses. The good news is that 83.4 percent of those claims are closed. The bad news—over 32 percent of those claims were closed with no payment made. If you do the math, that means almost 450,000 claims were not paid, which makes for a lot of very upset property owners as 83 percent of all Irma claims were submitted by residential property owners.

What lessons have we learned as a result of Hurricane Irma? Plenty. We learned that tile roofs did not fare well as compared to well-maintained shingle roofs (regardless of age). We learned the difference between a hurricane deductible and an all other perils (AOP) deductible. We are still learning that policy language interpretation may come into play when trying to determine how wind-driven rain is treated when it is associated with a hurricane. We learned because Irma impacted the entire state, insurance companies were scrambling to find qualified, licensed adjustors—many of whom came from other states. You know how we all hate late night phone calls from area codes we don’t recognize? In many cases, those were our out-state adjusters trying to get in touch with us.

We also learned something about the recovery time from catastrophic loss events. Did you know that the average primary recovery period—when most of the remodeling and repairs are done—is about 14 months? The time from a storm’s landfall and the

BY GRAY DAVIS beginning of the Guest Columnist restoration period is about three months. It takes a long time just to start the recovery process. Some communities are still recovering from Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina.

We learned that when a ‘field adjuster’ completes the initial survey and submits photos of the damage to the ‘inside’ or ‘desk’ adjustor, the field adjuster closes his/her file. That does not mean the claim is closed forever. Claims are also often reopened if the initial loss assessment is LESSONS See page 12

SWFBT GETS RESULTS!

“This was my first year adver�sing in SWFBT and it has been a great experience. Receiving a call from someone who, when I asked how she had found out about me, said she was reading SWFBT in her Doctor’s office and saw my ad. I rarely expect such quick return on adver�sing investments but that one ad led to more than one client in Naples for me! So, looking back, I am glad I invested in my ad in SWFBT, and I know that the professional standard that Karen Moore keeps will lead to even more success in my future!”

Bernade�e Collier AAA Fort Myers

FEBRUARY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

COLLIER PAGE 1 With that said, he shared that several new “vertical developments” are currently in various stages of the building process. These include Mystique at Pelican Bay, the Ritz Carlton, One Naples and Kalea Bay. Combined, these projects provide over 1,000 prime residential units.

“Heritage Bay, off Immokalee Road, is going gangbusters!” Strain exclaimed. “There’s 228,000 square feet of commercial space available which could include, as of this moment, Home Depot or Lowes, a Memory Center, a RaceTrac gas station,

two restaurants, a car wash and dental offices.” This is just one project of several cropping up along or near Immokalee Road, including the proposed Arthrex hotel project, which allows the firm to house its conference attendees on property close to its world headquarters.

There is further commercial development going on along Pine Ridge Road. Moreover, still in the early stages, with zoning planned to be completed in February or March, Strain said, the new sports park will be erected between U.S. 41 and I-75 along Collier Boulevard.

The development of the sports park opens up innumerable economic development growth oppor-

Page 11

tunities, with 1.5 million square feet available currently planned for commercial use.

Strain went on to cover other topics of interest to the commercial real estate community, including: commercial developments underway at Gateway; the intersection of Collier Boulevard and Route 41; and the intersection of Davis and Santa Barbara Boulevards. He talked about several commercial development trends he has observed, including: the number of brew pubs and microbreweries cropping up; the rapidly growing number of self-storage facilities; and the variety of multi-family projects currently either planned for or already in-process throughout the county.

PRESIDENT PAGE 1

Picture courtesy Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau A view of the Sanibel Harbour Resort during a dinner party at sunset. is also sponsoring a national sweepstakes with National Geographic Traveler to build the Lee County brand and attract more visitors.

To build on this “flattening” of the numerical differThe final piece of the marketing strategy Pigott ences between seasons, Pigott stated: “We are transition- shared includes a business-to-business marketing caming to an ‘always-on’ marketing approach.” This means paign that speaks directly to meeting planners. “We the LCVB will maintain a more consistent year-round know that a large number of our residents start out as marketing presence. Pigott said one way the LCVB is visitors to the area who then become repeat visitors who going to achieve this end is via the use of more video. then become residents,” she said. “Many of the firstOne way that video will be utilized is for creating “in- time visits are business-meeting-related. We want to structibles” i.e “How to make beach bread.” The LCVB build on that.”

TOURISM PAGE 1

Hodges and Southwest Florida culture is a winning formula to ensure quality education in alignment with our mission, values and goals into the future.”

Meyer brings more than 20 years of education experience, most recently as Hodges executive vice president of academic affairs, with past engagements that include dean of School of Business and Technology at Florida Meyer SouthWestern State College and program chair of the management program at Hodges University.

Meyer holds a Doctor of Business Administration in management from Argosy University Sarasota and a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Hodges University.

“I am very optimistic about Hodges’ focus on workforce-oriented higher education,” said Meyer. “We have a real opportunity to expand what it is we are doing, how we do it, and the kinds of things we offer to greater impact Southwest Florida and beyond and make a measurable, positive difference.”

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

LESSONS PAGE 10 incorrect or additional damage is discovered.

Perhaps the most important thing we learned is that we really need to know what is and is not covered in our insurance policies. Agents often hear stories about neighbors comparing their claims status and payments and denials with other neighbors. Just like a fingerprint or a snowflake—no two insurance policies are exactly alike. However, all home owners’ insurance policies will tell you to take steps to mitigate further damage and in all loss situations—take pictures and save receipts.

There are several free apps out there that you can use to take inventory and keep before and after pictures. That could be the difference between getting a claim paid—or not.

Finally, many of us learned that restoration companies and contractors are critical to the process and just like insurance policies, no two are exactly alike. In many cases, your insurance company will recommend these service providers to you after having vetted them in advance.

Gray Davis is the agency executive for BB&T – Oswald Trippe, based in Fort Myers with locations in Cape Coral, Naples, Miami and Weston. Contact him at (239) 433-4535.

FEBRUARY 2018

Set goals for your business in the new year Other business owners often ask me how I have managed to build my business in Southwest Florida to include three offices. I tell them it takes hard work, planning and most of all—a positive attitude.

I moved to Naples from New York and opened my first dental office in Bonita Springs in 2006. I really didn’t know many people in Southwest Florida but knew I needed to be successful to provide for my family. As a single mom, I felt the urgency to be successful. It took long hours and a lot of planning but after a few years, I opened my second office in Naples in 2013 and my third in Fort Myers in 2014. Today, I have over 20 employees and feel they are part of my extended family.

Keeping a positive attitude through whatever is thrown your way is the key to staying focused and on track for success.

The actual action of setting goals is one of the most important steps in achieving them. Here are three tips I find helpful: 1. Write down and share your goals with your staff and managers. Ac-

cording to the research by Dominica University, studies show if you write your goals down, you increase your probability of achieving them by 44 percent.

2. Keep your goals to a minimum. This

BY DR. SONIA helps in making ROCHA them attainable.

Guest Columnist Setting far too many goals for your company may become overwhelming and cause you to lose focus. Stay focused with a positive attitude of ‘can do.’

3. Set SMART Goals. This stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

While setting goals is important, setting impossible goals just leads to frustration and demotivation. Be realistic.

The goals you set also need to be relevant to your overall strategy and vision.

If they’re not, they can distract.

Make sure your business goals are as specific and clear as possible. Setting a specific date when the goal should be reached is also key; this allows you to put the right plan in place to achieve them.

Your business goals also need to be measurable. If goals can’t be measured how will you know whether you were successful or not. When I wanted to open my second office near my home in Naples, I set out to find an office space, made the necessary arrangements to get the equipment I needed, hired staff—all while having a grand opening date in mind.

My best advice is to not be afraid.

Be conscious of your words as negative attitudes don’t build success. Try to be positive with all aspects of your business this year—starting with your words and your goals. Positive people attract positive people, and positive people attract business.

Dr. Sonia Rocha is the owner of Tower Dental Arts. For information, call (239) 566-9700 or visit www.drsoniarocha.net or www.towerdentalarts.com.

New airport commissioners in Charlotte

The growing world of “mobile” demands that you be wherever your customers, clients, members and prospects expect you to be.

The board of commissioners for the Charlotte County Airport Authority has elected its 2018 officers. The board of commissioners includes five members, each elected for a four-year term.

James Herston will serve as chair; Robert Hancik, vice chair; Kathleen Coppola, secretary/treasurer; and Paul Andrews, assistant secretary/treasurer.

Herston served on the Authority board since 2008 representing District 5. He is CEO and president of Herston Engineering Services. Herston also serves as chair of the Charlotte Harbor Community Redevelopment Agency, vice chair of the Charlotte CountyPunta Gorda Metropolitan Planning Organization and a governing board member of the Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory

Council.

An accredited airport executive, Hancik represents District 2. He is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Missouri Airport Managers Association.

With a background in real estate and market research, Coppola has served more than 26 years on the board representing District 4. The 40-year Charlotte resident has a long history of community involvement.

Andrews has a military and aviation background. He is a broker associate with a Graduate Realtor Institute designation and represents District 3.

Pam Seay, attorney and full professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, continues to serve on the board as the District 1 representative.

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