B2B MARKETPLACE • 239-573-9732 Distributed in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Naples Vol. 15, No. 11 / SEPTEMBER 2022 www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com Celebrating 15 Years TAKE ONE FOLLOW SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BUSINESS TODAY ® ON: Health Insurance Health Insurance MD Policies - Claims - Consultant 239-271-7785 Commercial Cleaning Services You Can Trust CONTACT US TODAY Nikko Conn Nikko@imageoneusa.com Anthony Conn Anthony@imageoneusa.com It’s not a matter of IF, it’s a matter of WHEN! Are You Ready? (239) 789-2267 FREE IMPACT CLEAN WITH DISINFECTION with a new 12-month service agreement Offer expires 9/30/22 ® INSIDE THIS ISSUE tosubscriptioneachinformationSouthwestGetFlorida’sbusinessnewsanddeliveredstraighttoyourmailboxmonth.StartyourSouthwestFloridaBusinessToday.® 573-9732.(239)Call Hoffmann Family buys Hertz Arena, Everblades stash for hemp growers MARKETPLACEwww.swfloridabusinesstoday.com CLEANING MEMBERSHIPS&SEASON,VOUCHER announcesgrowth Fort Myers launches Diversity Committee Young entrepreneurs share ideas, earn awards FOUNDATION SHARK MARKETPLACE CLEANING Entrepreneurs developments Privacy Edison Business Advisors poised for growth South American businesses visit Fort Myers INTERNATIONAL SALUTE TO IN THE NEWS SWFL
The Fort Myers area private sector employment grew 11,400 jobs over the year, an increase of 4.8%. The industry gaining the most jobs over the year was trade, transportation and utilities, increasing by 3,100 jobs. The unemployment rate in the Fort Myers area was 2.9% in June 2022, down from 4.8% reported in June 2021. The Naples area private sector employment increased by 7,600 jobs over the year, an increase of 5.4%. About Business Kick off your business week with “Moore About Business”! Tune in to SWFL PBS and National Public Ra dio (NPR) affiliate, WGCU radio at 90.1 FM, during Morning Edition and All Things Considered to hear SWFBT founder, owner and publisher Karen P. Moore share information and in sights for and about our local business community. Listen to past segments https://news.wgcu.org/karen-moore-1.at Paycheck Protection Program Loan Taxation To receive loan forgiveness so you will not be taxed on the loan, you must complete the simple application and receive approval. Contact your PPP lender ASAP for more info. SWFBT News Updates To get current business news throughout the business day, visit www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com.
Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance receives $1 million from NoVo Northstar Technologies team members take some time to relax at the Bo nita Springs company’s tour and mixer.
SOUTHWEST
Contributing to a sustainable future
JOBS See page 5 Moore
Commercial Real Estate
A specially focused monthly section exploring the SWFL commercial real estate market place.
Arol Buntzman, chair of the Im mokalee Fair Housing Alliance, an nounced the alliance has received a $1 million donation from the NoVo Foun dation to help build a safe, affordable apartment rental community in Immo kalee for farmworker and other lowincome families. The NoVo Foundation was founded in 2006 by Jennifer and Peter Buffett with a mission to foster a transforma tion in global society from a culture of domination and exploitation to one of equality and partnership. The Founda tion supports the development of ca pacities in people – individually and collectively – to help create a caring and balanced world that operates on the principles of mutual respect, collabora tion and civic participation. In a joint statement, Peter Buffett and Buntzman said the lack of safe, af fordable housing is a primary factor in perpetuating the cycle of poverty in Im mokalee.
DONATION See page 20
Submitted by Karen P. Moore, Publisher Special to SWFBT On a recent tour of Northstar Tech nologies in Bonita Springs, employ ees Duane Parker and Elijah Basile described the company, its goals and products.Northstar believes in producing innovative and affordable building solutions to achieve the highest level of sustainability to protect the envi ronment. The company uses technol ogy that outlasts traditional building materials, lowering construction and maintenance costs over the life of the structure.Northstar building systems are de signed and engineered with advanced composite materials (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) which are made up of highperformance resin systems and highstrength, high-stiffness glass fiber reinforcement that allow flexibility to meet project specifications. North star’s patented Composite Building Systems and methods provide finan cial savings. The company’s fiber re inforced polymer (FRP) building tech nology is 75% lighter than structural steel, stronger than structural steel on a pound-for-pound basis, reducing structural requirements, foundations, installation equipment and personnel. Basile noted, “This all translates to lower transportation costs, less equip ment, less workers and a quicker in stallationMoreover,time.”he added, “FRP is ter mite, mold, rust and corrosion-resis tant. It has an impact rating for 250 mph winds and our quarter inch bal listic panel can withstand a 9-millime ter to 45-caliber round from 5 yards away.” FLORIDA’S private sector employment up 19,000 over the year in June Ron DeSantis announced Southwest Florida’s labor force in creased by 19,712 over the year in June. The Fort Myers area labor force in June grew 12,243 over the year, a 3.4% increase, and the Naples area la bor force increased by 7,469 over the year, a 4.2% increase.
Gov.
A look at commercial real estate trends & topics in COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET
The NoVo Foundation was founded in 2006 by Jennifer and Peter Buffett.
NORTHSTAR See page 21
IMPORTANT BUSINESS NOTES
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Northstar welcomesTechnologieslocalleaders
Focus on Manufacturing Area companies are building a better future — one made right here in Southwest Florida.
A look at commercial real estate trends & topics in Southwest Florida
“Cogent Bank continues to expand our personalized services to meet the unique needs of each business,” said Cogent Bank Southwest Florida Mar ket President Brandon Box. “Growing into different, innovative and diversi fied verticals allow our seasoned bank ers to drive results for our clients.”
Cogent Bank expands to include cannabis, blockchain companies
Page 2 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 www.S4JMfg.com(239) 574-9400 ank You SWFL & SRMA SRMA MEMBER ® Don’t forget to post your virtual and in-person B2B events to swfloridabusinesstoday.com/calendarSWFL’smostcomprehensiveB2Beventcalendar
Supporting verticals like Canna bis Banking and Blockchain Enabled Companies allows Cogent to offer innovative solutions and services to diverse clients. The bank continues to move clients and the industry forward by investing in the future of banking. Cogent plans to work with the booming cannabis market to provide banking solutions to growers, manu facturers, distributors, dispensaries and other related industries and pro fessionals. The company leans on years of experience coupled with a Board of Directors and regulatory support to provide the required knowl edge to serve the unique challenges of cannabis-related businesses. Blockchain Enabled Companies are supported by Cogent. The bank has a firm grasp of the risks, dynamics, fund flows, decentralized organiza tions, blockchain integration, protocol development and evolving regulatory landscape behind blockchain-based payments that are crucial to client suc cess in this Keepingvertical.afoot in both worlds, Cogent’s expansion is not limited to nontraditional services. The bank un derstands while the industry may be evolving, it is still essential to support and expand traditional banking ser vices. Cogent now offers Premium Fi nance Lending to insurance agents to help its clients pay for business insur ance premiums ranging in price from $500 to $26 million. The underwriting process is streamlined, and the rates are competitive. Premium Finance Lending provides another valuable product to Cogent’s business clients. Cogent’s Public Finance vertical supports local, county/state govern ments, school districts, and water, sewer and utility authorities. This division serves the financial require ments of the public sector nationally, meeting operational needs and maxi mizing taxpayer dollars with fullservice solutions designed for govern mentTheentities.divisions will continue to drive Cogent’s mission of being client focused and forward thinking, offer ing innovative, high-touch solutions and services.
Defining micro-credentials and digital badges According to Timur, basically, a micro-credential represents some skill that’s useful in the workplace. They are more competency-based than course work or grades. Microcredentials are emerging as a quick, compact, targeted way to instill and certify particular skills, adding value to a resume and empowering individuals to move toward their goals. These credentials vastly ex pand traditional education; they can be earned fast, and they provide em ployers with specific information about the person’s qualifications. A micro-credential can stand alone, become part of a curriculum, or stack with other micro-credentials to demonstrate increasing knowledge. Then she explained, “The digital badge represents mastery of a spe cific competency, something a per son is able to do. You can receive a badge for skills like communica tion, teamwork, critical thinking, an industry-specific competency, or something for changing technology, like artificial intelligence or cybersecurity.” How does the badging process work? “A badge is the digital represen tation of the micro-credential visible to employers and others.” Timur continued, “It’s backed up with a rich set of metadata - this includes information on the issuer, the indi vidual who received the badge, the criteria to earn it, and evidence that the criteria has been fulfilled. This metadata makes digital badges eas ily verified as legitimate, and most importantly, is used in assessing a candidate’s competencies in a very transparent way.
“We started this initiative almost 2 years ago,” Timur stated, “And now we are beginning to see the suc cess of the micro-credentialing pro gram at FGCU. So what is the “Power of And”? Timur shared, “You may have significant work experience, but once you also have micro-creden tials, then you’re verifying specific knowledge, skills and competen cies in a specific area that can take you to the next level. Once you start stacking micro-credentials over time it can give you different career opportunities for not only your same field but perhaps to move from one field to another. That’s why we call it the ‘Power of And.’ These microcredentials give you a competitive advantage—with or without a high er education degree.”
She pointed out, “That is the di rection we are going as a university, in all departments. We are using a micro-credentialing program devel opment approach with area employ ers and this is how we are closing the skills gap.”
At the end of her presentation she exclaimed, “So I have an announce ment!“A year ago I had this audacious idea that we partner across the board with our school district, techni cal colleges, other institutions, ev eryone together, changing the way we do relationships, changing the way we provide education. So then FGCU applied for the federal Eco nomic Development Administra tion’s ‘Good Jobs Challenge Grant.’
Cogent Bank’s entrepreneurial spirit drives innovation within the company by adding diversified prod ucts and services to its already robust lineup. The full-service, commercial bank has launched four new teams focused on Cannabis Banking, Block chain Enabled Companies, Premium Finance Lending and Public Finance.
Recently Dr. Aysegul Timur, Vice President and Vice Provost of Strategy and Program Innovation for Florida Gulf Coast University, spoke to the Southwest Florida Vet erans Business Council. According to Timur, FGCU is committed to meet the needs of regional work force development. In 2020, a group of FGCU faculty and staff collabo rated to propose a micro-credential ing and badging initiative at FGCU, with the goal of addressing skills gaps and smoothing college-to-ca reer pathways for FGCU graduates.
Over the past two years, FGCU has been talking with industry lead ers to identify skills gaps. These conversations focused on indus try specific competencies, but also highlighted needs in core transferra ble skills, and needs to help current employees skill up for workplace change.
“And ladies and gentlemen, yes terday we got the news that South west Florida/FGCU received the $23-million grant. “I am applauding you all for be ing part of it! We will be working to gether even more to determine ways to develop this great workforce in SWFL so that we can see greater economic development in our re gion— because you cannot have economic development without hav ing workforce development.”
Closing the skills gap with Dr. Timur
Submitted by Karen P. Moore, Publisher Special to SWFBT
• Community Impact Award: Teri Hansen
Later on that day, the Greater Fort Myers Cham ber of Commerce hosted its 2022 Board Installation & Awards at the Pelican Preserve Golf Club. The new president and CEO, Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman, was sworn in and his inspiring words got us all excited about the future. The Chamber recognized corporate and individual members for their outstanding contributions to the Chamber and the community.
Talisha Faber, Camilla Tulloch Schlager, Wendy Ta lamo, and Marin Asher
This year’s winners are:
• Small Business of the Year: Fort Myers Brewing Company•Large Business of the Year: Sanibel Captiva Com munity Bank
The North Fort Myers Chamber hosted its delicious event “Celebrity Waiters” at the Gulf Coast Village. What a fun afternoon. A sold-out luncheon, in which the waiters were local celebrities, community leaders and elected officials, including John Albion, Liza King, Lindsay Garza, Kevin Karnes, Dr. Kerry Tucker, Chris tina Schwinn, Lenny Cannova and Doug Daily. I loved the fact we were able to enjoy quality time and get to know more of the celebrity waiters and the local busi ness owners.
With the new Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce
President Brian Hamman
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 3 Call / Text 239.948.PUCK Full, Partial, Flexible Voucher & Group Options ON SALE NOW TICKET PACKAGES BLADES.COM/TICKETS BECOME A PARTNER WITH US TODAY! Mike Dal Lago, Esq. 999 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. Suite 200 Naples, FL 34108 Serving: Naples, Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Tampa & Orlando Restructuring / Bankruptcy | Business Law | Commercial Litigation 239-571-6877www.dallagolaw.com BUSINESS LAW BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING BUSINESS BANKRUPTCY Mike Dal Lago, Esq. Christian Haman, Esq. Jennifer Duffy, Esq. Serving Naples, Ft. Myers, Sarasota & Tampa 999 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. Suite Naples,200FL 34108 4972 Royal Gulf Circle Fort Myers, FL 33966 • Business Formation • Corporate Governance • Fiduciary Duties • Insolvency Matters • Out-Of-Court Restructuring • Bankruptcy Reorganization • Chapter 7, Chapter 11 And Subchapter V Bankruptcy Cases • General Corporate Counseling RESULTS.INTEGRITY.KNOWLEDGE. (239) 571-6877 www.dallagolaw.comAccoladesinclude:NaplesIllustrated Special to SWFBT Submitted by Marilyn Santiago I am dedicating this edition of Sunshine’s Selfie Sta tion to a pair of Chambers of Commerce that are not only incredibly active in our community, but celebrated milestones and special events all in one day.
Sunshine Selfie: Celebrity waiters and Chamber accolades
• Entrepreneur of the Year: Troy Churchill • Nonprofit Excellence Award: Hope Hospice • Young Professional of the Year: Maria Espinoza Congratulations to all and thanks for inviting me. It was a lot of fun. Marilyn Santiago is president of Sunshine Integrated Solutions, a lifestyle marketing/PR consultancy firm providing creative solutions, media strategies, tal ent and production services in English and Spanish for advertising agencies, local and corporate clients. She is also co-owner of CARP, which creates archi tectural elements from strong polyresin for the con struction industry. Contact her at (239) 939-0034 or Sunshineatyourservice@gmail.com.
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John Albion; North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Wendy Murray and Liza King
FGCU SOARING EAGLE
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Arthrex, a global leader in minimally invasive surgical techniques, and Sky tron, a health care safety and efficiency company specializing in capital equip ment, announced a partnership to offer a broad array of total room solutions designed to address the future needs and challenges of operative care facilities.
Sept. 14
Arthrex and Skytron announce partnership to address facility needs
Southwest Florida architect Joyce Owens is the recipi ent of AIA Florida’s 2022 Gold Medal award, recognizing her leadership and impact as an architect.
MANUFACTURING
The Gold Medal is awarded by a jury of former win ners to an individual who has a profound impact on the architecture profession and demonstrated noteworthy leadership within the AIA, as well as notable accomplish ments in the community.
DeRossett designed a patented, colorcoded product, Improkeys, that sim plifies that learning process.
DeRossett
“Arthrex and Skytron share a com mon goal to improve surgical quality and patient care. This partnership allows us to offer the most advanced technol ogy and operating room infrastructure in one package, a comprehensive suite of complementary products that will help surgeons treat their patients better,” said Arthrex Director of Imaging and Resec tion Sales Ryan Papa. Arthrex’s Synergy brand is the fast est-growing surgical imaging solution in operating rooms worldwide. This in novative system allows health care pro fessionals to experience the value of in terconnectivity, high-quality 4K image clarity and dynamic patient-engagement applications to improve quality of care while driving efficiency and controlling costs.As a trusted industry leader in health care efficiency, Skytron provides inno vative solutions of capital equipment, ar chitectural systems and real-time clinical business intelligence for surgical, sterile processing and inpatient settings. This partnership will align and streamline each other’s offerings to better serve the needs of our customers and ensure a keen focus on improving surgical quality and patient“Thiscare.collaboration will allow Sky tron and Arthrex to offer a complete package of industry-leading solutions for both the hospital and surgery center spac es. No one can bring a more comprehen sive package to the market,” said Skytron Vice Preisdent of Sales Operations Scott Martin. “We are truly excited about this partnership because we know that it will enable our customers, and their patients, to be better served.”
Owens is immensely honored to be awarded AIA Flor ida’s highest honor, and in doing so, breaks a longstand ing barrier in the male-dominated profession. She hopes the award will encourage other women ar chitects to create and pursue opportunities to take the lead through their own work and design. “When I started my career, I knew only one female architect older than me,” she said. “As more and more women enter the field every year, I want to encourage young women to work hard, but also to take credit for the wealth of talent they bring in an inherently difficult profession.”
FGCU entrepreneurship alumnus hits a high note Florida Gulf Coast University is where Sean DeRossett discovered the purpose and passion that led to receiving the FGCU Alumni Associa tion’s 2022 Soaring Eagles Award. In fact, in 2020 he was named the Dav eler & Kauanui School of Entrepre neurship’s Student of the Year. “I found my niche within the School of Entre preneurship and that’s when I found my purpose,” said DeRossett. “I be came extremely passionate about the field, and the exciting and inno vative environment that FGCU offered me truly enhanced my educational experience.” He is founder and CEO of Keyrift, a company dedicated to making pia no instruction enjoyable for children who struggle with traditional lessons.
Page 4 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 PUBLISHERKarenP.Moore PRINT EDITOR & ASSOCIATE WEB EDITOR Jacob DIGITALPRODUCTIONOglesMANAGERJenniferOglesPHOTOREVIEWERScottTonerPRINTADDESIGNERJenniferOglesMEDIADESIGNER&EDITORMichelleL.HudsonWEBSITEASSISTANTAngelicaTorresP.O.Box152299CapeCoral,FL33915-2299News:239-573-9731Allother:239-573-9732Newsemail: editor@swfloridabusinesstoday.com All other requests:informationpublisher@ swfloridabusinesstoday.com The contents of Southwest Florida Business Today® are copyright 2022 by Southwest Florida Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced without the express written consent of Southwest Florida Newspapers, Inc. The publication of any advertisement or article does not necessarily reflect the view of the publisher of Southwest Florida Business Today®. For more information about any article or column appearing in Southwest Florida Business Today®, for advertising rates or subscription information please call 239-573-9732 or email: publisher@ swfloridabusinesstoday.com OUR MISSION 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. www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com ...is what keeps you and your business ahead of the game. Anticipating what’s next... Here’s what is ahead for 2022 for Southwest Florida Business Today®. Due to recent expansion, we are now hiring for part-time newspaper delivery drivers in Naples and Bonita Springs. Please call (239) 770-7527 for details. Oct. 21 Sept. 23 Oct. 12 MONTH EDITORIAL FOCUS PUB. DATE (FRIDAY) DEADLINE (WED., 5 pm) • Entrepreneurs • CRE Quarterly Review • Anniversary EditionCallNOVEMBEROCTOBERtoreserve your advertising spot today: (239) 770-7527 Keep up with andbusinesslatestthenews,eventsmore! www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com ® Sun Coast Press Print and Beyond From design, production and printing to programs and promotions, SCP Services is your single source to create and print. CALL TODAY Our sales team is dedicated to helping with all your printing needs. SCP SERVICES ® Powered by Sun Coast SCPPress SERVICES ® Powered by Sun Coast Press www.suncoastpress.com 941-206-1401
Fort Myers architect Joyce Owens is the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Gold Medal from AIA Flori da – a Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Owens also has an extensive portfolio of residential and commercial architecture in London, England, as the founding partner of Azman Owens Architects for more than a decade. As principal of an international architec ture design studio, her clients included prime minister Boris Johnson, fashion icon Alexander McQueen and luxury retailer TAGHeuer and her design work has re ceived awards from the United Kingdom’s Royal Institute of British Architects and other international competitions.
Architect becomes first woman to win AIA Gold
Owens will receive the 2022 Gold Medal during an awards ceremony at the AIA Flori da annual convention at the Breakers in Palm Beach. In 2020, the AIA Florida awarded Owens its Medal of Honor for Design, the highest design honor, recognizing her influence on design as one of the most significant ar chitects in the state. Owen’s recognition for excellence in architecture ex tends beyond Florida. In 2018, she was inducted into the prestigious College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects, a distinction held by only 3% of architects nationwide. From 2019 to 2021, Owens served on the AIA National Strategic Council and is currently a mem ber of the organization’s Public Outreach Committee. In 2017, Owens served as president of AIA Florida. Launching Architecture Joyce Owens Studio AJO in Fort Myers in 2007, Owens quickly established her repu tation for environmentally-sensitive coastal design across Southwest Florida. By integrating architecture with the design of interior and exterior spaces, Owens maximizes the coastal lifestyle experience for every project, from the 12,000-square-foot Community Parish Hall at Fort Myers St. Cecilia Catholic Church to distinctive, modern coastal homes in Naples, Sanibel and Captiva Island.
Florida’s private sector employment continues to show strong and steady growth—as of June 2022, Florida employers have added jobs for 26 consecutive months Data in the month of June continues to indicate there are many job opportunities available for Flo ridians throughout the state, with more than 603,000 jobs posted Floridiansonline.insearch of work and new job oppor tunities are encouraged to turn to the CareerSource Florida network for help by visiting www.career sourcesouthwestflorida.com or calling (239) 9318200.
Dr. Kristen Flaharty was in a dilemma. She was having trouble sourcing high-end skin care products in small quantities for her husband’s medical practice, Azul Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa. Flaharty realized she was not alone and that many small business owners can not sell the large quantities of skin care products required by manufacturers before the products expire. As a pharmacist and drug development professional, Flaharty began to compound her own formulas and decided to fill the niche of small batch production in the skincare industry.
The industry gaining the most jobs over the year was construction, increasing by 1,600 jobs. The unem ployment rate in the Naples area was 2.8% in June 2022, down from 4.3% reported in June 2021.
By Jeffrey Kondel Guest Columnist Roots was founded in 2016 as a local Florida Engineering Services Company. Shortly after being founded, Jeff Kondel was approached by different SW Florida Technical Colleges to advise and even solve their advanced manufacturing program concerns. ROOTS quickly expanded its engineering services into the education and academia field. Our mission is to be a premier technical education provider, expand ing the technical boundaries and developing an agile workforce with our custom learning solutions. The amazing thing about Florida manufacturing and SRMA’s business model is that we are heavily engaged with manufacturers’ struggles, needs and technology strategy; allowing us in return to develop educational equipment and training applications that are industrial, relevant, flexible, fulfilling and fun. Roots Edu was founded on the philosophy to be philanthropic, and this still rings true today, “We are in it for the outcome, not the income.” As a result of our membership, we often partake in early discus sions and strategies that bridge the local skills gap between manufacturing and academia, creating Em ployee 4.0 with new training concepts that offer a greater outcome than what exists in the past. We pride ourselves on our ingenuity and innovation, including but not limited to our elaborate “learning factories” for education that would make manufacturers envi ous.Fun fact: Roots “drinks our own Kool-Aid,” mean ing we hire students that go through our program, al lowing us to meet our expansion plans. Roots is very deliberate and blessed to be part of the SRMA manufacturing community; understand ing and hopefully resolving the pain points manufac turers live with every day. With our focus primarily around Process Management and Automation, we can bring many options to the table for consideration. We want to create a community that will retain and continuously develop our local talent so our commu nity can prosper and attract the best companies in the world to Florida.
PILOTCAR EV’s final assembly point is here in Fort Myers, where we receive our containers of vehicles that come from our from factory in Turkey. Programming, assembly, quality control, testing, servicing and distribu tion take place here under our diligent watch. None of this would be possible without our hard-working em ployees that pour their commitment into producing these vehicles. As our production continues to expand, so too does our team. Here at PILOTCAR, we recognize and celebrate our employees and their efforts. Mark Lange, our head of Pre-Assembly, has recently marked one year in the company. He says, “My time at PILOTCAR EV has been life-changing. Looking back from where we were a year ago to where we are now makes me feel proud to be a part of such a fantastic business that genu inely does care about the quality of its work. PILOTCAR EV is where I plan to be in the coming years, without a doubt. “ We are excited about what is ahead of us, and we are proud to say we are building it here, in Southwest Florida. Aldo Otarola works at PILOTCAR EV. Contact oaldo@ pilotcarev.com or (239) 243-8023.
PILOTCAR EV has the luxury of being part of a group of manufacturing facilities in Turkey. From mold design to injection molding, chassis framing and weld ing to robotics cutting, building our own seats at our own seating factory to design capability for future models, we produce a vehicle that is over 83% made within our facil ities and our sister factories. This has allowed us to keep a close eye and comprehensive control over the quality of our products and resources used on every vehicle. These details contribute to our ability to stand out, and our customers can feel it every mile behind the wheel.
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 5 Listen to Moore About Business during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on 90.1 FM | 91.7 FM | wgcu.org SRMA MEMBER
Today, Trilogy Laboratories produces almost 300 premium skincare products. The business includes private label and custom manufactur ing for spas, online sellers, doctor’s offices and even celebrities. In addition, Trilogy also pro duces the brand ID Skin by Integraderm, a line for estheticians and skin care specialists, which has been sold for more than 20 years (and was part of the original asset purchase). Trilogy part ners with the Florida Academy of Skin Care with the ID Skin line, creating an opportunity for their students to get first-hand experience with professional strength products. The ID Skin line is sold wholesale to licensed estheticians. That said, Trilogy is most proud of the opportunity to help small businesses create and brand their own products, making their visions become a reality. The company currently supplies private label and custom products to several Southwest FloridaTrilogybusinesses.hasbeen the recipient of many awards, including Small Manufacturer of the Year (2016), Florida Sterling Manufacturing Business Excellence Finalist (2018), and Grow FL Second Tier Companies to Watch Finalist (2021).The success of the business is based on creat ing winning products and providing small busi nesses a platform to develop products in small batches. Flaharty also credits her success to SRMA, Florida Makes, Grow FL and Vistage Florida for invaluable business and manufactur ing support throughout the nine years Trilogy has been in business.
Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.8%. The statewide unemployment rate has declined or held steady for 23 consecutive months in June 2022. The national unemployment rate remains unchanged over the month at 3.6%.
Revenue growth from 2020 to 2021 was 37%.
PILOTCAR EV drives toward low-speed future
SRMA MEMBER SRMA MEMBER
In late 2014, Flaharty purchased the assets of a small cosmetic manufacturing company in Fort Myers and built a 2,500 square foot facil ity, naming it Trilogy Laboratories. Trilogy grew from a start up with a few customers to more than 100 customers presently. In October 2021, Trilogy tripled the size of their production space to 8,000 square feet. “It was a bit unnerving to plan and execute an expansion during the pan demic, however our business was growing by leaps and bounds and despite all the challenges and uncertainty, we knew it was the right move.”
Azul Cosmetic Surgery fills niche for small batch skincare product
Roots understands manufacturing needs
PILOTCAR EV is proud to say we are building high quality and reliable Low-Speed Vehicles here, in the very heart of Southwest Florida. Since our beginning in November 2018, we have been dedicated to standing out in this market. But, how are we different?
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Jeffrey Kondel is the president of Roots and executive director of Roots Education. Contact him at jeffk@ rootsengineering.com
By Aldo Otarola Guest Columnist
Eric Engelhart is a Democratic candidate for Florida House of Representatives District 77. Con tact him at (603) 359-5410 or voteforericengelhart@gmail.com BY ENGELHARTERIC
Page 6 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 Miromar Outlets Estero , Florida October 22, 2022 9 am 1 pm Biz-Kids-Expo.com Open to the Public Kidz 7 17 H I G H E S T C R E D E N T I A L E D & M O S T A W A R D E D w w w E d i s o n B A c o m Y o u H a v e O N E O p p o r t u n i t y t o S E L L Y O U R B U S I N E S S Y o u H a v e O N E O p p o r t u n i t y t o S E L L Y O U R B U S I N E S S w w w E d i s o n B A c o m 8 6 6 . 2 0 5 . 2 3 1 0 I n f o @ E d i s o n B A . c o m B u s i n e s s B r o k e r a g e F i r m i n S W F l o r i d a S i n c e 2 0 1 4 M O S T A W A R D E D & H I G H E S T C R E D E N T I A L E D T r u s t t h e SRMA MEMBER
Charlie Pasquariello is senior product manager at HF scientific, a global manufacturer for water quality measurement instruments. Visit HFscien tific.com and contact (888) 203-7248.
BY PASQUARIELLOCHARLIE Guest Columnist Lehigh deserves a lawmaker from there
Water quality is a global concern that impacts the health of our entire ecosystem. That is why early detection of pollutants and contaminants in our water supply is an essential part of water quality management. Fort Myers-based HF scientific, a Watts brand, is a leading global producer of instrumentation, test kits and chemical reagents used for monitor ing water quality in a variety of applications. The company moved its headquarters from Canada to Fort Myers in 1980 and has operated in South west Florida for more than 40 years developing numerous water quality monitoring technologies and devices used in a variety of settings from healthcare facilities to municipalities.
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SWFBT SellS! We’re ALL Business
Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company is ranked as the number one small business to work for in Florida on Florida Trend’s Best Companies To Work For. The annual Best Companies To Work For In Florida list featured in the August issue of Florida Trend magazine ranks 100 companies in small, me dium and large employer categories. To participate, companies or gov ernment entities were required to have at least 15 workers in Florida and to be in operation at least one year. Companies that chose to par ticipate underwent an evaluation of their workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demo graphics. The process also included a survey to measure employee sat isfaction. The combined scores de termined the top companies and the final“Nearlyranking.every business in Florida has had to implement new and cre ative ways to attract and retain em ployees as the nation experiences near historic lows in the unemploy ment rate,” said Florida Trend Exec utive Editor Vickie Chachere. “The competition for high-quality talent has never been greater and employ ees are raising their expectations of their workplaces. Companies that support, elevate and celebrate their employees and are changemakers in creating positive workplace cul tures will be the winners in the tal ent“Floridarace.” companies continue to lead, and lead by example. This im pressive list of companies has not let adversity get in the way,” said Flor ida Trend Publisher David Denor. “They continue to innovate and step outside the box with critical think ing to ensure the success of not only their internal employees, but their clients as well. These inspirational and visionary companies provide a glimpse into what tomorrow’s work place and workforce will look like. Lessons learned from these industry pioneers span far and wide.”
The Best Companies To Work For In Florida program is managed by Florida Trend and Workforce Research Group and is endorsed by the HR Florida State Council. Work force Research Group managed the registration, survey and analysis and determined the final rankings.
HF scientific proudly expanded its Fort My ers’ footprint in 2021 with the opening of its new state-of-the-art, 35,000-square-foot manufactur ing facility and global headquarters. In addition to allowing space for HF scientific to expand opera tions and manufacturing, the new location offers HF scientific greater capacity to recruit highly specialized talent to the region, including engi neers, chemists and other qualified professionals.
The Letter Box Cape Coral “Our first ad in the first issue of Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY landed us a sale that more than paid for the price of the ad campaign, and is delivered directly to our target market. you, SWFBT!”
Today, HF scientific has more than 70 employees producing world-class water monitoring solutions for municipal and in dustrial customers around the world.At HF scientific, ideas and innovation can start with cus tomers, sales staff, engineers or product managers as the team is driven to find solutions to meet its clients’ needs. Cus tomers are local, national and international. For example, HF scientific serves the global shipping industry by creating instruments that protect the marine environment by removing foreign organisms or life forms from ballast water before the de-ballast process begins. Major customers for this product are based in Ko rea, China, Japan and Europe. The instruments HF scientific produces must be highly accurate and dependable to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state and global regulations. The company’s water quality monitoring technologies, many of which have patents, measure residual chlorine and turbidity as well as the chemicals used to support those in struments. Customers include municipalities who use HF scientific solutions to help ensure the treated water they produce is a pure, clean source of drinking water for their residents. When you consider the solutions that HF sci entific brings to market, it’s clear the company is driven by passion and purpose with a focus on quality and accuracy. Every product HF scientific makes helps ensure the water quality safety and reliability of our community’s lakes, oceans, riv ers and seas. This gives the entire HF scientific team a true sense of pride and purpose knowing that our work helps make Southwest Florida and the communities it serves a better place for indi viduals, families and future generations.
I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Eric Engelhart and I’m a Democratic can didate for District 77 House of Rep resentative Lehigh Acres. I have lived in Lehigh Acres for 10 years with my beautiful wife of 14 years.We both work in the local area. I work for Carey International South Florida and have for 10 years. I am a professional chauffeur. Next, I spent most of my adult life in New Hampshire and I graduated college from Franklin Pierce Univer sity in Rindge New Hampshire with a criminal justice degree and National Certified Paralegal. I live right in the middle of Le high Acres and call this my home and piece of paradise. I look forward to meeting each and everyone in Lehigh Acres in my journey of being a candidate for Dis trict 77 House of Representative Le highI’mAcres.your candidate for District 77 Florida House of Representatives who believes: • Make Lehigh Acres quality of life•betterEducation is a priority for Le high Acres
• Public Safety, fire and police is a must•EPA Environ mental protection of Lehigh Acres is a must• We must stop waste … all waste.My goal is to stay focused on Lehigh Acres but the District is key for the future of Southwest Florida. I am not in this to create a war chest or lots of money as I am a working person as all Lehigh Acres people are so going out to get people to donate to my campaign is not my choice and hanging out with other ca reer politicians is not what I will do never ever? This opportunity to have its own lawmaker for Lehigh Acres is an hon or and I will not be out of the District.
HF scientific develops innovative, global solutions for water quality
GUEST COMMENTARY
Markham Norton Mosteller Wright
BY MCKINLEYGARY
MEMBER
Above: Carolyn Rogers, JoAnn Elardo, Gail Markham Left: Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, Tamika Seaton, Connie RamosWilliams and Lois Croft
Quietly tucked away off the Interstate in east Collier County since the mid-‘70s, Pelican Wire has steadily continued to emerge in Southwest Florida from the traditional and literal ‘mom and pop’ into an Employee-Owned industry leader in the production of ‘mission critical’ wire applica tions of a scope unknown in its founding days. With a customer base spanning the globe and in cluding a wide range of industries, such as Auto motive, Wind Energy, Medical, Industrial Heating, Oil and Gas, Solar Energy and Radiant Heating, Pelican Wire continues to grow by developing new customers through a commitment to being a ‘value-added partner’ in every regard. From the beginning, our Design Engineer team is engaged with every technical detail necessary to reach a successful production conclusion, which is a consistently qualified product as needed for our customer’s end-solution. Our Sales and Marketing team provide ongoing communication throughout the entire customer lifecycle, from product de velopment to product delivery and beyond. Our commitment to quality and consistency is based on our ‘Safety First’ policy as a guiding principle to every decision. With a detailed product devel opment process in place, the Employee-Owners who manage the production process on the floor are the ‘front lines’ in our success. Nothing hap pens without a quality finished product, and we consider those teammates the customers’ very best advocate. They will deviate or tolerate from the specifica tions required of our customers. What better advo cate than one who has the ability to shut down a production line based on quality. At Pelican Wire, this is the standard. Our Employee-Owners are that voice. For our future and our customers. As a growing company, Pelican Wire is always interested in great conversations with great job candidates. Should you wish to find out more about what it means to be an Employee-Owner, reach out to Amy Foster, human resources director at Pelican Wire, at afoster@pelicanwire.com. Visit pelican wire.com or call (239) 597-8555.
Wire provides critical
GULF COAST BUSINESS BANK CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING
The staff at Gulf Coast Busi ness Bank celebrated the grand opening of its first branch last week. The new bank on Metro Parkway in Fort Myers is locally owned and operated by some of the area’s most experienced bank ers who are personally invested in the success of the community and its businesses. GCBB offers per sonalized service that goes above and beyond to help locals get what they can’t from national banks. Guests at the event were treated to food trucks, drinks, live entertain ment and giveaways. For more in formation, visit gcbbswfl.com.
Pelican support
Guest Columnist
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 7 20162003 w w w R o s i e r I n s u r a n c e c o m Gianni M. Vitiello, CIC Risk Advisor Diirect: 239 4444 1645 Mobile: 239 5595 5511 gvitiello@rrosierinsurance com 2015 TAKE A BREAK 1021 Cape Coral Pkwy. E., #A Cape Coral, FL 33904 Breakfast - Lunch Espresso Bar - Pastry Monday-Saturday 8:00-2:00 / Sunday 9:00-1:00 (239) 542-6080 perkandbrew@gmail.comperknbrew Y our Exclusive Source for 239.325.9157 FREE Shipping | info@CarilohaNaples.com Phone and Email Orders Always Welcome Mattresses,Luxurious&BathGoods.Bedding,ApparelBamboo Cariloha Naples @ Mercato 9100 Strada Pl. Suite 2112 2011 Affordable Employee Care Solutions. PAYROLL-EMPLOYEE LEASING Need more help? Not sure how to grow? EMPLOYEE CARE CAN HELP! Contact MAIKEL DELGADO at (239) 945-9988 or mdelgado@employeecare.usemail www.employeecare.us2009INBUSINESS SINCE 2020 Helping small businesses stay out of trouble and in compliance Employment Handbooks • Recruitment • HR Consulting Karen Shepherd, MSHR, SHRM-CP (239) 776-5919www.HRbyKaren.comKaren@HRbyKaren.com CALL FOR YOUR FREE 1-HOUR CONSULT 1999 Helping you protect your Business or Association. Commercial Property Liability • Work Comp Auto • Contractors HOA / COA Call us today to discuss your coverages and options. Celebrating 29 years in business / Family Owned www.LciQuotes.com • 239-656-5551 390 Pondella Rd #1, N Ft Myers, FL 33903 2007 Business Smarts Begins with SWFL Business Today. Start Your Subscription Today! 239.573.9732 ® Craters & Freighters creates global network We are the largest and oldest crating and packing com pany in Southwest Florida. At Craters & Freighters, we have a nationwide network of offices and a multitude of global resources to provide our customers with specialty crating, packaging and a seamless transportation process. Behind this powerhouse, however, are your local repre sentatives in Southwest Florida who take full responsi bility for ensuring the safety of your valuable items and who are there when you have questions or concerns. When looking for a trustwor thy, dependable Southwest Florida shipping service, our local Craters & Freighters team is your one-stop, all-encompassing shipping pro vider. We are experts in moving everything from sentimental heir looms, large, framed artwork, heavy and oversized pieces of furniture, hazardous or bulky commercial industrial items and everything in between. We will safely ship your valuables in custom made wooden crates, provide the necessary sup ports and packaging, and transport your goods efficiently, effectively and damage-free. Every crate is designed and built for the specific item it will hold, meeting all codes and requirements for shipment- domestically or internationally. We also offer white-glove service and above-par customer support and satisfaction, unmatched by any other Southwest Florida shipping company. We have been leaders in our industry for three decades ensuring confidence and always pro moting a staff of educated responsible crating, packaging and shipping experts. Located in Cape Coral, Gary McKinley has owned the Southwest Florida Craters & Freighters franchise for 20 years. Businesses may contact Craters & FreightersSWFL at (239 )772-3100 for Cape Coral and Fort Myers and (239) 774-5700 for Naples. SRMA MEMBER
SRMA
Page 8 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 MANUFACTURING & SUPPORTERS (239) 574-2028 www.TheLetterBoxInc.com The Letter Box, Inc. It Pays To Advertise! We appreciate your business SWFL Equipment Leasing Specialist “You’ve Tried The Rest, Now Go With The Best” Stephen Kolton Cell: 239-747-9955 Call today for a free consultation • Nationwide • New or Used • Application Only (Up to $250k) • Age Not a Problem • Trucks, Trailers, Vans • Start Ups Welcome • Tougher Credits Welcome Located in North Fort Myers Email: www.equi�equi�es@a�.netesfunding.com EQUITIES FUNDING LLC WE LEASE AND FINANCE EQUIPMENT MENTION THIS AD FOR 10% DISCOUNT Offer good through 9/30/22 239.791.8810 Properties WANTED 239.829.5400 CPSWFL.com Tech companies in Silicon Valley created an in terior design trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s that focused on employee comfort. Businesses added lounges, casual workspaces, arcades, fitness rooms, on-site medical offices and restaurant-like cafes. Google even installed a rockclimbing wall. The reason? Human resources. When competing for talent, businesses must offer competitive pay and benefits, as well as perks that make employees want to work there. This HR strategy helps recruit and retain talent.
The Job Market Soaring real estate and used car prices mean this is a sellers’ market. Similarly, low unemployment rates mean this is a job seekers’ market. There are far more job vacancies in Florida than people look ing for jobs, so companies must get creative to re cruit and retain talent. Employers are offering sign ing bonuses and higher starting salaries to attract new hires while rolling out additional benefits and perks to keep current employees from pursuing other opportuni ties.Recognizing employee re tention isn’t only about a bigger number on a paycheck; business have brought a little Silicon Val ley design to Southwest Florida. Employee-focused office de signs create an atmosphere where people want to come to work, a place where they feel comfort able, focused and productive.
SWFL businesses use Silicon Valley strategy to recruit, retain talent
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce announced Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman as the organization’s president and CEO. Hamman will direct all business, programs, projects and events of the chamber and its Foundation to pro mote the growth of businesses and the community. He will continue as a county“Ourcommissioner.boardofdirectors has been continually impressed by Brian’s leadership in business and within our community, and his expertise will be an invaluable asset to the growth and continued impact of the Cham ber,” said Michele Hoover, chair of the board for the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce. “This is an exciting new chapter for the Chamber, and we are confident in having Brian at the helm to lead in our mission of connecting, empowering and unifying our members and community across the region.”
Lunchtime is as much about nutrition as it is a men tal break from the fast-paced work environment. A café setting can make employees feel like they went out for lunch, even if they’re just down the hallway.
• Outdoor spaces: Shade trees and courtyards are often underutilized because businesses view those spaces as a landlord’s responsibility. Tenants, though, can approach property managers for ap proval to install tables and chairs that would allow outdoor conversation and creative spaces. Stepping out of the office for a brainstorming session can free up creativity and ideas that otherwise might be bottled up.
“Although the past few years have been challenging, our team has han dled the challenges head-on,” com mented Weidenmiller. “Our invest ment in people, technology, and raw materials allow us to meet these chal lenges while delivering world-class printing services to the thousands of customers who depend on us.”
The pandemic caused companies nationwide, in cluding here in Southwest Florida, to reconsider the interior design of their offices. Not only did busi nesses incorporate safety-focused solutions like easy-to-clean workstations, cubicles and desk di viders, but many companies also found themselves with extra interior space as employees worked re motely or hybrid schedules. That space offers flex ibility that businesses can use to their advantage, especially from a human resources perspective.
• Lounges: With more employees working re motely, businesses might not need as big of a physi cal footprint. However, if they have a desirable lo cation and attractive lease, repurposing that extra space as a lounge, breakout room or game room is beneficial. A five- or 10-minute mental break during the workday offers stress release and team bonding opportunities.
• Cafés: Every office needs a lunchroom. Rather than uncomfortable chairs and tables, businesses can create a café-like vibe with counter seating and high-top chairs or banquettes and retro booths.
In addition to receiving the IN Credible Innovation Award, Presstige was honored by SWFL, Inc. in 2020 for its contributions to the Bonita Springs and Southwest Florida com munities with the Small Business of the Year Award.
Hamman is a Lee County native and served as county commissioner for District 4 for nearly nine years. In the pri vate sector, he spent 10 years in television working his way up from the “camera guy” to a news an chor on the nightly news. In addition, he worked as a financial advisor for Edward Jones and oversaw market de velopment for CenturyLink. He is a graduate of Cape Coral High School, earned an associate de gree from Florida Southwestern State College and a bachelor’s in communi cations from Florida Gulf Coast Uni versity. He serves on various boards and volunteers at Crosspoint Christian.
Dianna Ryan, interim president and CEO, will continue to serve the Cham ber as director of operations.
Joe Gammons is president of OFDC Commercial Interiors, which provides office chairs, desks, con ference tables, cubicles, bookcases, flooring and de sign services to businesses across Southwest Flori da. Visit OFDC-inc.com or call (239) 347-4876.
Presstige Printing, a commercial print and direct mail provider, was the recipient of the 2022 Innovation Award from SWFL, Inc. Presented to company president Westley Weidenmiller, during the 2022 INCredible Awards, the Innova tion Award recognizes a Southwest Florida company each year for its efforts in creating forward-thinking solutions for its customers and the Southwest Florida community. Inno vative practices considered include any number of creative solutions from designing original products to developing new processes and tech nologies.Inthe last decade, Presstige Print ing has undergone a process of con tinuous improvement, including a significant investment in state-of-theart printing technology. The company recently invested in a Heidelberg CX102 with LED UV drying technol ogy and a Fuji J Press inkjet press, bringing the quality of an offset press with the speed and convenience of a digital press to their customers. In 2021, Weidenmiller recognized the early signs of an industry-wide print paper shortage and took progressive steps to stockpile resources to ensure Presstige would have adequate supply to meet the needs of the community.
Office Furniture and Design OFDC Commercial Interiors, which offers office furniture and design services to hundreds of compa nies, notes the following trends taking shape across Southwest Florida:
SWFL, INC. recognizes Presstige Printing with innovation award
• Workstations: Functional workspaces include an ergonomic chair, sturdy desk and storage solu tions. When prospective employees tour an office, they want to see uniformity, distinctive spaces and clean lines. Businesses are recognizing that pros pects envision themselves sitting at a desk for eight hours, and they want an environment that feels like a second home. There is a cost associated with every human re source strategy, and creating an employee-centric workplace is certainly an investment. However, Southwest Florida businesses are betting this in tentional investment will pay dividends for years to come as a way to recruit and retain top talent.
BY GAMMONSJOE Guest Columnist
Brian Hamman named president, CEO of Fort Myers chamber Hamman
Labor and Supply Chain issues were certainly the topics of the year, and while there was/is not a magic bullet, there were steps taken to improve theWesituation.recently formed a Workforce Develop ment Committee, with the focus of getting grade-school students excited about a career in manufacturing. We are working with CTE Direc tors from the various counties as we need teach ers to be excited as well. The committee mem bers want all types of students to be considered successful, whether they go to a four-year uni versity, technical college, or enter the workforce immediately after high school. Who’s considered more successful? The guidance counselor who places 95% of students at a university or the one who places 95% of students in higher-than-aver age wage careers right out of high school? I think we all know today’s answer, and that needs to change! We are pursuing two av enues to do that: The SRMA is encour aging school districts to implement more robotics and automation programs down to the 6th grade lev el. Imagine a student completing a fluid curricu lum from 6th through 12th grade. What manu facturer wouldn’t want to hire that student right out of high school with seven years of training?! Even better if the student continues his/her edu cation at a technical college or university; better still if the manufacturer who hired the student pays for the continuing education!
As a part of the FloridaMakes network, SRMA members have taken advantage of Connex Flori da, an online capabilities database and connec tion platform. Connex helps your company adapt to changing market demands, connect to an array of resources, and locate new business opportuni ties by identifying new suppliers and customers.
Rob Harris has been in the manufacturing indus try his entire professional career, primarily in the printing and signage sector. He has served on many non-profit association boards over the years, from trade/industry associations to youth soccer organizations. He can be reached at rob@srma.net.
Growth, workforce, and supply chain focus of the SRMA SRMA
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 9 12,449 MANUFACTURINGBUILT IN SWFL Home to over 1,200 manufacturers employing close to 13,000 workers, manufacturing in Southwest Florida is alive and well. From power boats to cutting-edge medical devices and world-class chocolates, these dynamic businesses create value and jobs within the region. The manufacturing sector continues to attract investments and grow at an accelerated rate. And it shows no sign of slowing down. TO LAS T The number of employees currently working in industrymanufacturingSWFL’sasof2021 4 0K(USD)SalaryYearly Number of 200300400500600Employees 6 0K 80 K 1 0 0K $50,066 Machinists $99,335 Industrial Production Manager $47,742 Welders $82,701 Industrial Engineers M E DIUM CAREERS & S ALARIES AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES WHAT'S BEING MADE IN S OUTHWEST FLORIDA? $59,302 MANU FACTURING $54,244 ALL INDUSTRIES Sources: FL Research and Economic Database Application; FL Dept. of Economic Opportunity Data supplied by: CareerSource SWFL 7 00 8 00 • Medical equipment • Medical supplies • Wire products • Hurricane protection • Landscaping supplies • Boat lifts • Boats • Railroad equipment • Mining equipment • Fluid management solutions •Machine tool Manufacturing • Water & Gas filtration systems •Distilleries & Breweries ••Concrete Tooling •Private Label manufacturingcosmetic •Shipping and Containers • Printing and Signage •Motorcycles • Lubricants •Furniture ••Chocolates Frozen Foods •Building Supplieswindows/doors • Custom stainless steel equipment Graphic and banner art supplied by ConRic PR & Marketing It has been 14 months since I became the Ex ecutive Director of the Southwest Regional Man ufacturers Association, and we have made great strides in working towards our goal: Improve the productivity and technological performance of the manufacturing sector in Southwest Florida. We have tripled the number of manufactur ing members, firmly implemented a 70:30 ratio between manufacturers and non-manufacturers, and have made valuable relationships with other entities and associations in the region working together for the common good of our economy.
The SRMA continues to promote its AdoptA-School program giving suggestions on how manufacturers can connect with teachers and students. Examples include student tours (sign up now on the SRMA website to host in October during Manufacturing Month), work-based learn ing programs, career counseling, etc. A future goal is to have a shared database easily connect ing teachers with manufacturers matching needs with desired participation.
ROB HARRIS
Lastly, we have introduced numerous manu facturers to each other and to various suppliers making invaluable connections. Yet another ben efit of being an SRMA member. At minimum, please visit our website and sign up to receive our newsletters. It will keep you up-to-date on forthcoming events and manu facturing news. Did I convince you to join the SRMA? Cost cannot be an excuse, as our manu facturing membership is as low as $100.00 for the first year, no matter the size of your business.
Visit www.srma.net/why-join-srma/ for more in formation. Together, let’s make the manufactur ing industry thrive in Southwest Florida!
Page 10 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 Manufacturing thrives as Lee County continues its growth LEE COUNTY EDO@Leegov com www LeeCountyBusiness com L E E C O U N T Y C E L E B R A T E S M A N U F A C T U R I N G M O N T H Lee County's industrial market is rapidly expanding, with many corporations calling this part of Southwest Florida home Lee County's manufacturing sector continues to expand and diversify, with advanced production in areas such as apparel, maritime, 3 D printing, electronics, food/beverage, medical devices and more Learn more about Lee County's growth and business climate by visiting LeeCountyBusiness com or contact us directly to see why manufacturers are expanding here and relocating their businesses to our community
The manufacturing operations in Collier Coun ty employ 4,987 workers and collectively contrib uted $859.2 million to our local economy in 2021, a $59.2 million increase from 2019. Average earn ings per job within this sector in the county are $80,174; this is high above the average earnings per job of all collective industries in the county of $70,481. Across the board, manufacturing op erations are increasing key metrics that gauge economic health including employment, capital investment, and wages. However, local manufacturers are not insu lated to labor force challenges. In the past year there were over 1,000 unique job postings for manufacturing positions. Given this, our commu nity is working to fill employment gaps through investing in workforce training, including Immo kalee Technical College’s Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME). The most recent up dates at the CME include the purchase of three additional robotic arms through a generous do nation from Collier Com munity Foundation, which allows the Center to offer students a simulation of a fully automated facil ity—from raw materials to packing. The Center is also offering new trainings including a CNC production specialist program, and dual enroll ment offerings for Naples High School students.
BILL WELCH CareerSource serves manufacturing and all of its components in the region CAREERSOURCE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA for Collier County Stewards of the Economy We work each day to cultivate economic opportunity for all through strategic partnerships, advocacy, and leadership. Our goal is to create a prosperous community for all. napleschamber.org JOIN OUR MISSION
This vision considers our economic development zones which include Golden Gate City, Immo kalee, Activity Center No. 9 (spanning the inter section of Collier Boulevard and Interstate 75) and the Arthrex Commerce Park in Ave Maria, as future advanced manufacturing hubs. This will ensure that our community will have suitable space for existing and new manufactur ers to establish and scale their operations in Col lier County so they can continue to drive econom ic growth.AttheChamber, we work in concert with local government, educational institutions and other key stakeholders to ensure that every business, including our manufacturers, has the access to the resources that they need to growth and thrive in Collier County.
There are other services and pro grams that CareerSource Southwest Florida offers based on your particular needs as a manufacturer. We can help with job descriptions, recruitment, ap plicant pre-screening. We can help with hiring events, use CareerSource South west Florida’s 5 Centers for training or interviewing. We have access to the lat est Labor Market information for Manu facturers at our fingertips. Bringing or moving a new employee into the area, CareerSource Southwest Florida can as sist the spouse/partner with career ser vices to help with closing the offer and getting that new employee on board. careersourcesouthwestflorida.com.
Melanie Schmees joined the Greater Naples Cham ber of Commerce in March 2019. Prior, she served as a compensation analyst at HealthCare Apprais ers. As Director of Business and Economic Research at the Chamber of Commerce, she conducts busi ness retention and expansion visits, heads eco nomic research and analysis initiatives and coordi nates with governmental, utility and not-for-profit organizations critical to economic growth mar keting, services or contacts. To contact her, email melanie@napleschamber.org
NAPLES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SCHMEES
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 11
athattoManufacturersStateGrantsreimbursemanufacturer for a portion of all training costs that occurs within that con tract year. There is also assistancestatewidewith organizations like FloridaMakes, which helps manufacturers expand market op portunities, develop customized busi ness strategies, adopt best practices and assess opportunities for new technology and training and has a registered appren ticeship program for manufacturers.
Tourism, manufacturing co-exist in business paradise
As a Manufacturer, are you maintain ing or growing a manufacturing com pany, moving one to Southwest Florida or starting a manufacturing operation/ company? Then we need to talk!
MELANIE
CareerSource Southwest Florida is a non-profit organization that services the Manufacturing industry and all its components in the 5-county area of SW FL. We are part of a statewide employ ment and training network. We connect manufacturers to qualified candidates and other resources like the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association (SRMA). We have partners throughout the community to assist with anything Manufacturing including multi-county educational system that includes techni cal programs geared for the manufactur ing industry. We also fund Training. Can’t find qualified candidates? May I suggest building your own inhouse bench of employees by hiring candidates that do not have all the skills for that position –CareerSource Southwest Florida may be able to offset a portion of the wages for that new trainee of up to 6 months or up to $7,000 per hire to offset the costs of training that individual. This will allow you to train the new hire the correct way and you are getting a diamond in the rough to shape the new employee. Talking about Grants, we assist
Recently, the Center received an apprenticeship grant to form a manufacturing apprenticeship program, starting with machining and advanced manufacturing.Giventhisfavorable growth, there is a focus within the community on what the future of manufacturing might look like in Collier County.
Collier County’s economy has grown stronger than ever over the past several years, experienc ing significant growth in population and busi ness starts. Just a few miles away from world re nowned beaches and tourist hubs, manufacturers in the county are aiding this economic growth— producing everything from luxury leather prod ucts to lifesaving medical devices and essential consumer goods.
Sunseeker Resort started this trend. This concept was originally conceived 10 years ago by Allegiant Travel Company. They chose Charlotte Harbor from the dozens of destina tions served by Allegiant Airlines. A $600-mil lion-plus investment in our community to include 785 keys, 19 unique-concept restau rants, bars and cafes on an elevated board walk open to the public, 60,000-square-foot conference facilities, and 1,300 jobs. Sched uled to open in May, Sunseeker will forever change how residents enjoy the beautiful Charlotte Harbor. Across the harbor, Punta Gorda reviews plans for the City MarketPlace. The site has been dormant since 2004 when Hurricane Charley destroyed a grocer-anchored center.
Our secret is out. For a long time, Char lotte County has been passed over for larger neighbors to the south and north, but no longer. Charlotte County has been discov ered. That’s wonderful news for Economic Development as we showcase our commu nity to businesses, developers, builders, and investors from across the country.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Glades County is poised for expo nential growth in the next 5-10 years. The county is investing in infrastructure development in preparation for that expected growth. County officials and business leaders are working on getting high speed broadband to the area, ex tending city sewer lines into less popu lated areas and attracting manufacturers to America’s Gateway Logistics Center, a 600+ acre mixed use industrial site on US 27. Traditionally, manufacturing in Glades County has been centered on companies which have their roots in the predominantly agriculture-based econo my. The state’s largest fertilizer company, Wedgworth’s Inc., with headquarters in Belle Glade, produces 150,000 tons of fertilizer yearly at the Moore Haven plant. Central to Wedgworth’s decision to relocate their production facility’s operations to Glades County was the county’s centrality to their existing cus tomer base, the availability of a site with four-lane highway frontage, potable wa ter and Otherrail.manufacturers have followed suit.
Scotts Miracle Gro acquired Lykes 7L Brands Mulch plant and its trade-marked eucalyptus mulch, doubling their work force and expanding to include new warehousing for their Miracle Gro line of potting products. Their Palmdale site serves much of southern Florida south of Orlando. In 2016, Maxant Buttons relocated their aluminum button manufacturing operations to Moore Haven and started production in January 2017. Maxant acquired Mike’s Aluminum Products in 2018 and is now Maxant Metals. In 2014, Quikcrete acquired the justcompleted Greencore mortar mixing and bagging plant in Ortona, growing their workforce from 10 to 22 employ ees in just over a coursesforproducesterials,VulcanCountyersmanufacturyear.OtherinGladesincludeMawhichsandFloridagolfaswell as road and bridge projects; Oldcastle Greenleaf, a leading producer of mulch; and Cemex, which produces the redimix for the Port of Miami Tunnel at the Glades County plant. Access to the raw materials from which they manufacture their products and centrality to their customers are making Glades County a hub of manufacturing and distribution in South Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis granted the County $5.8 million in October 2021 for iTECH Glades, which opened for classes in January 2022. iTECH is operated by the Collier County School District and this partnership has allowed Glades County to boast a technical college with in itsWithboundaries.nosales tax on manufacturing equipment and no personal income tax on the state level, combined with afford able real estate, an aggressive local op tion tax abatement and 12% overall op erating cost savings compared to urban markets, more companies are discover ing that Glades County is the land for op portunity for their manufacturing and lo gistics operations to expand or relocate. Rosemary Fllori received her B.A. in polit ical science from the University of Florida and was hired as the Executive Director of the Glades County Economic Develop ment Council in September 2021. Con tact her at rfllori@gladescountyedc.com or call (863) 946-0300.
GEIS Companies out of Cleveland designed a mixed-use project encompassing five build ings with 364 residential units and 41,000 square feet of retail/office space in the heart of downtown. Residents and shopping ex periences will boost the charm of our only incorporated municipality.
manufacturingCHARLOTTESeepage14
A potential use of the Mixed-Use Zoning Ordinance will likely attract national devel oper interest as owners of the 1 million square foot, Port Char lotte Town Center Mall market the mall and its 54acre site for sale. Our office had several discus sions with inter ested parties with a vision for the future. Residential development exploded across the county. Kolter Land Group has taken the Murdock Village property, former ly owned by the county, and created West Port. The West Port community has five na tional homebuilders constructing over 2,000 homes, apartment developers lined up for several hundred units, and a commercial de velopment ready to provide retail opportuni ties in a walkable setting around the County’s CentennialCharlottePark.County is home to the tenth fastest growing master-planned commu nity in the country – Babcock Ranch. As the nation’s first solar-powered town, Babcock Ranch set records with over 2,000 homes sold. As the project rapidly moves forward to a future population of 60,000, residents live in 19,500 homes with over 6 million square feet of commercial space on 18,000 acres of developable land. Our mission is to attract businesses/in dustry to grow the county’s job base to di versify our economy and tax base. We are fortunate to have several thousand, industri al-zoned acres surrounding our Punta Gorda Airport for just that purpose. The Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park (“ECAP”) is home to dozens of aviation, distribution, and manu facturing companies with dozens more in the works. I equate it to the dominoes we set up as kids, where all are lined up and as soon as one falls it triggers the rest. Here are a few of the “dominoes” we are working…
Page 12 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022
DAVE GAMMON
ROSEMARY FLLORI
Preliminary plans show this $100-million project will include 1,100 apartments over 174,000 square feet of office/medical office over 360,000 square feet of walkable retail –a true vertical mixed-use development.
GLADES
Long
Charlotte County shines
In November 2020, Charlotte County Commissioners passed a Mixed-Use Zoning Ordinance that allows greater density and higher heights on larger parcels adjacent to major arterials. It worked. The owner of the Promenades Mall, an older grocer-anchored strip center on Tamiami Trail, submitted plans to repurpose the mall into Parkside Village.
place
Exponential growth ready to land in Glades County soon COUNTY ignored, as for
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 13
To prepare for the growing workforce needs the manufacturing community is creating, Hendry County’s Workforce Education and Adult School is focusing on helping adults transition into high demand careers. They provide industry-standard certifications and state of the art equipment.
Manufacturing has been growing in Hendry County in recent years, thanks in part to a collab orative effort by leadership, educational facilities, and developers. Traditionally known for its agri cultural commodities, it may surprise people to learn that there is an active manufacturing com munity in Hendry producing products that include everything from pharmaceutical equipment to space exploration devices. With major projects on the horizon, county leadership recognized the need for industry di versification. To make Hendry inviting and sus tainable for manufacturing growth, a holistic ap proach took into consideration policy reform, workforce development programs, and fast paced permitting. This has led to a significant increase in existing business expansions, relocations into the county, site readiness, and a pipeline of skilled workers.Industrial parks in the county have seen a con siderable increase in interest since 2020. The Jack Paul Industrial Park in LaBelle and Long Hammock in Clewiston offer almost 1,000 acres combined of space along major state highways. As the Air glades International Airport project continues to develop, the county along with existing land owners, has been rezoning properties along U.S. 27 from agriculture to com mercial which will create opportunity for commercial and industrial growth along the highway. This rezoning will allow proximity for ex porting products through out the State, the Americas, and the Caribbean.
The State of Florida recognized Hendry Coun ty’s Workforce Education and Adult School pro grams as having the highest growth in the State in 2021. This year, the school was awarded $783,613 from the State, a significant improvement from the $125,000 that was allotted 5 years ago. This includes an 83% growth in their workforce pro grams. The welding program is one of the most active programs at the school and educators often partner with local businesses to ensure the gradu ates are workforce ready upon graduation. As Hendry continues to grow and develop, we continue to build partnerships that will provide opportunities for businesses, working residents, the County, and the region. Working with the SRMA not only provides that opportunity, but it allows our manufacturers the resources and net works to be successful on a larger scale.
Hendry HENDRY COUNTY
KEITHA DANIELS Workforce
Keitha Daniels is the Director for the Hendry County Economic Development Council. She has worked for the Board of County Commissioners over the past seven years with a focus in economic development.
feeds
In the City of Clewiston, marketing efforts con tributed to increased activity which helped com plete the sale of all remaining city-owned proper ties within the Commerce Park Industrial District (CPID) in 2021, including additional lots created by the subdivision of a larger 10-acre tract. This is a milestone achievement for the city as the de velopment of the properties is expected to be im pactful with the potential creation of an estimated 300 new jobs, private investment projected in the $30-40 million range.
To contact her, email keitha@hendryedc.com collaboration business growth in
Dave Gammon has been with the Charlotte County EDO since 2016. He, and his team of four – Kay, Joshua, Amanda and Janet – en joy the challenges and opportunities associ ated with Economic Development as they work with new and existing businesses.
Sutumed Corporation is one of the business leaders in surgical sutures in the worldwide market. Having its corporate headquarters in Fort Myers, Sutumed is sourcing 73 business partners in over 40 countries around the globe with their medical and veterinary products. Su tumed’s product portfolio includes all ranges of surgical sutures, from general surgery to specialty lines for ophthalmic, cardiovascular, orthopedic, dental, mi crosurgery, and plastic surgery.
Cheney Brothers, a broadline freight distributor, has proven Charlotte County is ideal for servicing markets from Tampa to Naples to all the communities west of Lake Okeechobee. Other distribution companies are taking notice. FedEx is under construc tion on a 250,000-square-foot distribution facility. Equus Capital Partners, a national industrial developer, purchased 29 acres across from FedEx and broke ground on a 378,000 speculative distribution facility. Charlotte County has always been lim ited with space in available buildings so any spec product helps attract new or expand ing existing businesses. A development be ing built in four, 40,000-square-foot incre ments recently opened their first phase and had such success in leasing that they have started phase two. How about aviation? Charlotte Techni cal College’s Aviation Airframe & Power plant Mechanics school opened last year and received a $3 million state grant to expand. Buzz about this school from the aviation industry is amazing. With available land, a growing airport, and these prized graduates, dozens of aviation businesses have Charlotte County on their radar. We are confronted with two major is sues. Number one, workforce and number two, housing alternatives for that work force. We launched a campaign to attract qualified, dedicated professionals to our region – we call it PCS to Charlotte County. Partnering with our larger employers, we are contacting military personnel who have given notice to end their military careers and introducing them to the opportunities and quality of life available here in Charlotte County.Ashousing affordability continues to price area workers out of our market, our office introduced an affordable living alter native to help businesses attract and retain employees. Think smaller units, fully fur nished, and equipped, with utilities included all at a rental rate affordable to our nurses, teachers, sheriff deputies, distribution and manufacturing workers and students. We organize roundtable discussions with sev eral larger employers and qualified devel opers to meet the needs of the businesses while providing a feasible return on the de veloper’s investment. The county will main tain its small-town charm but look different while providing employment opportunities and activities for a younger generation.
Page 14 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022
SUTUMED
The story behind this successful family-owned company, with more than 35 years in the business, relies on the founder and principal stockholder of the company, Juan Gamboa He has also been a respected member of the Lee County community for almost 20 years. Juan saw an opening opportunity to source customers with an affordable product that maintains its integrity and quality, a combination that, at that time, was challenging to find since renowned brand leaders dominated the global su ture market. Still, Sutumed was able to compete and create its name in the mar ket, making it today a favorite to many surgeons because of its ease to use and consistentSutumed’squality.current focus remains on growing their veterinary suture market in Florida, especially in the SWFL region, with their product branded Veter. Sut is widely available through specialized veterinary e-commerces and regular dis tribution channels. Additionally, the Su tumed brand product line is being used by specialized surgeons at several surgi cal facilities in SE Florida, mainly in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Sutumed continues to focus on offering its specialty product line to local surgeons in SW Florida, espe cially in the Fort Myers and Naples area. For more information, contact us at info@sutumed.us or (239)590-8484. Owner Juan Gamboa with his family at home.
Suture manufacturer finds home in SWFL
CHARLOTTE PAGE 12
our
Bill Daubmann is President and Founder of MY Shower Door, D3 Glass, and MY Architectural Glass, an awardwinning nationally recognized designer, installer and manufacturer of customized residential and commer cial glass products. The company is known for its handson approach and collaboration with clients to truly understand and exceed their expectations. For more information, visit MYShowerDoor.com, email info@ myshowerdoor.com, or call (239) 596-3255. expects nothing with the same high-quality experience that made sister company, MY Shower Door, the in the industry. important ensure that every detail is complete confidence that is in good
service
their project
hands.
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 15
Very few companies in the U.S. have completed as many jobs and have such high ratings as we do. The company has received local, regional and national rec ognition for business accomplishments and products, including the 2022 Top 50 Glaziers in the U.S. by Glass Magazine, and as a six-time honoree of Inc. maga zine’s Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing and most successful independent businesses in the country. For more information, visit MYShowerDoor.com.
aspect of our business. We want to
BILL DAUBMANN MY Shower Door/D3 Glass opens first Architectural Glass MY SHOWER DOOR / D3 GLASS / ARCHITECTURAL GLASS MY Architectural Glass provides high-quality wine closets, glass railing systems, and glass office partitions for the discerning customer who
» Interior/exterior Glass Railings » Interior Glass Entry Doors » Exterior Wind-screen Systems » Elaborate Staircases » Cabinetry and Shelving » Wine Closets and Cellars » Office Partitions » Backsplashes 239-288-5583 | MyArchitecturalGlass.com 13500 Tamiami Trail N., Suite #7 | Naples, FL 34110 Contact us today to see what we can custom create for you. ArchitecturalMY Glass Understanding each client’s project is the most
covered so our customers have
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MY Shower Door / D3 Glass is an award-winning industry leader known for state-of-the-art manufac turing, design, and quality workmanship. Founded in 2003, MY Shower Door, was dependent on glass manufacturers until we launched D3 Glass in 2013. This move was a game-changer, allowing us to man ufacture our own glass and expand with fabrication and tempering over the past nine years. We currently make and install frameless shower doors for nine MY Shower Door locations as well as other glass shops in Florida. Other products include bulletproof glass, decorative glass, wine closets, glass staircases, office partitions and more. Even in the face of economic setbacks such as the early 2000s recession following the dotcom bubble burst and 9/11, the 2008 recession, and the recent turmoil caused by COVID-19, we continue to strive, expanding our services and our footprint. The com pany has grown from a Naples showroom and 56 em ployees in 2014, to 180 employees in 2022, as well as the addition of D3 Glass and showrooms in Fort My ers, Cape Coral, Naples (2), Sarasota, Tampa, St. Pe tersburg, Orlando and Boca Raton. The firm also has affiliate stores in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Edmond, Okla.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn., and York, ManufacturingPa. our own glass has given us the op portunity to take things even further with our newest divi sion, MY Architectural Glass. MY Architectural Glass pro vides custom architectural glass solutions designed and installed with an emphasis on brilliance, durability, and func tionality. In May of 2022, MY Architectural Glass opened the first Architectural Glass showroom in Florida giving designers, contractors, and homeowners a place to not only see our prod ucts but collaborate on a design with our team. We manufacture, design, install and warranty all of our products.Understanding each client’s project is the most important aspect of our business. We want to ensure that every detail is covered so our customers have complete confidence that their project is in good hands. With our industry knowledge, we work with each customer to ensure the best glass design solu tion for their project is proposed. We are committed to innovation and look at each project as an opportu nity to continually raise the bar in the glass industry and strive for perfection in every aspect of our busi ness.
but the best. Our unique architectural glass solutions are designed and installed
Page 16 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 THE LEADER IN SPECIALTY CRATING, PACKAGING AND SHIPPING Domestic & Export Shipping via Ground, Ocean or Air Freight Crating and Logistics for Manufacturers - When it comes to the business of logistics, Craters & Freighters has the expertise and teamwork to make even the most difficult situations seem Logisticseasy. managers from Fortune1000 companies rely on our custom crating and engineering skills, our multi-level freight capabilities for all sizes of jobs, and our ability to handle reverse logistics situations. Our services include: Pick-Up Service Custom Crating & Packing Certified Wood for Exporting Shipping Personal Items Equipment Art & Antiques Estate Distribution Tracking Information Insurance Available Exporting Shipping to The Port Door-To-Door Service Free Estimates Craters & Freighters of Southwest Florida 1136 Pine Island Rd. Suite 71 Cape Coral, FL 33909 Ft. Myers 239 772 3100 Bradenton 941744 5508 Naples 239 774 5700 Sarasota 941 366 www.cratersandfreightersswflorida.com5600
BSSW Architects completed pre liminary designs for Florida South Western State College’s baseball and softball complex on the northwest corner of the Fort Myers campus. The first phase includes construc tion of adjacent turf baseball and softball fields, portable seating and batting cages, which allow the Buc caneers to play home games on cam pus starting in the spring of 2023. Once complete, the baseball sta dium will have covered seating that accommodates 586 Buccaneers fans, while the softball field will seat 311 under shelter. Both fields will be out fitted with stadium-quality lighting.
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 17 LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY? LOOK NO FURTHER. CRE CONSULTANTS is a full-service commercial real estate company that has been providing client-first services for over 24 years. We uniquely see and help shape the Southwest Florida commercial real estate market as proven by the volume of transactions we complete every year. Our team of highly trained professionals help owners answer their commercial real estate questions and achieve results. Let’s have a conversation about your real estate needs today. EXPERTISE IN: Sales Leasing Property Management Investment Valuation IRS 1031 Exchanges OFFICE | INDUSTRIAL | RETAIL | INVESTMENT | PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WE HAVE YOU COVERED ENN LUTHRINGER, CCIM Partner 239.481.3800 enn.luthringer@creconsultants.com www .CRECONSULTANTS .com Randy Krise, CCIM Commercial Real Estate Broker Cell: www.KriseCG.comEmail:239.633.8672Randy@KriseCG.com www .K rise CG. C om Studio, One and Two Bedroom Apartments Located between Central Avenue, Market Street and Fowler Street, ALDEA is one of the first planned communities for Midtown and is expected to transform the landscape of the surrounding area. MIDTOWN FORT MYERS’ INTIMATE URBAN LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE Introducing ALDEA Groundbreaking: Summer 2023 Occupancy: Spring 2025 300+ units housed within two residential buildings looking inward to multi-functional courtyard spaces. A mix of studios, one and two bedrooms, several of which offer additional dens. A fitness center enables an active lifestyle and a parking garage provides a desired convenience.
The FSW baseball stadium will have covered seating that accommodates 586 Buccaneers fans, while the softball field will seat 311 under shelter.
EHC announces three large-scale projects
Design for FSW’s baseball, softball complex complete
FSW’s softball team won backto-back NJCAA national champion ships. The baseball team won three consecutive Suncoast Conference regular season championships. Since relaunched seven years ago, both teams have played their home games at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers. Athletic facility design is among BSSW’s areas of experience. The firm recently completed its final de signs for a full-scale renovation of Tom Golisano Field House, home to Ave Maria University’s men’s basketball, women’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams, as well as the sports medicine and strength and conditioning programs. The firm also has designed gymnasiums and sports complexes for Marathon High School, Gateway High School and Bonita Springs High School. Williams is BSSW’s principal in charge of the FSW project, and Bryan Lee is project manager. Johnson En gineering provides civil engineering services and Skanska is the general contractor.
FSW competes in the Suncoast Conference of the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Baseball and softball teams will share a locker room and training facility, which also includes public restrooms and concessions. The complex will feature a press box and the overall design incorporates FSW’s signature school colors of aqua and purple.
EHC, a construction company specializing in pre-construction, earthwork and infrastructure devel opment, announced three new proj ects: Cape Coral Diplomat, Chiquita Boulevard North, and Skye Ranch 2 (Lorraine Road). The Cape Coral Diplomat proj ect will be constructed by Morrow Construction and EHC at Diplomat Parkway in Cape Coral. During the course of this project, three fourstory apartment complexes will be constructed. EHC will be perform ing site work, clear and grub work, sidewalks and finish grading. The Chiquita Boulevard proj ect is being carried out by EHC in conjunction with the City of Cape Coral. The project involves widen ing Chiquita Boulevard. There will be MOT, milling of the roadway, drainage, grading, utilities, paving, striping and marking done as part of theTaylorproject.
Morrison has contract EHC for the Skye Ranch 2 project in Sarasota County. As part of the project, Lorraine Road will undergo phase 2 of construction. EHC is responsible for mobiliza tion, clearing, grading, and excava tion as well as embankment and sta bilization.
“Once complete, FSW will have one of the best on-campus baseball and softball complexes across all di visions of college athletics in Florida – NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA,” said BSSW Vice President Kevin Wil liams. “FSW student-athletes will be able to practice and play in state-ofthe-art facilities a short walk from their residence halls and academic buildings, while fans will appreciate the first-class amenities and covered seating that will make Bucs games the place to watch the action.”
“Warren Henry Auto Group is proud to bring the Lamborghini brand to Naples and begin operation in a promising business environment,” stated Erik Day, Chief Financial Offi cer. The creation of their second Lam borghini dealership will provide jobs for professionals in the Naples area that are experienced and eager to work with luxury cars. “As we break ground on another dealership this year, I am overjoyed that we are able to continue to expand into a new market with the Lambo rghini brand,” said Larry Zinn, execu tive general manager. This expansion will allow the company to carry its elite client service experience to the people of Naples.
Page 18 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 Michael J. Frye, CCIM CEO, Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Realty Group Each Office Independently Owned and Operated 7910 Summerlin Lakes Drive, Ft. Myers, FL 33907 Office 239-489-0444 • Cell 239-281-0441 Fax 239-790-4800 • Toll Free 800-330-7653 mfrye@ccim.net • www.ftmyersCommercial.comwww.MichaelJFrye.com • www.soldsign.com The Land Lady 20+ years SW Commercial-ResidentialFloridaInvestmentDevelopment Jessica Russo Licensed Sales Professional 239.849.0012 jessica@developmentrealty.orgDevelopmentRealty.org Flexible mortgage solu�ons Commercial & Residen�al Real Estate Warehouse, 1-4 Residen�al & Mul�family 5+, Mixed Use, Retail Hotels/Motels, Automo�ve, Convenience Stores, Gas Sta�ons UnitedKapital PROPERTY & BUSINESS FINANCENMLS 338677 - FLMBR 380 www.KapitalUnited.com 239-653-7803 Purchase, REFI/Cash-out, Bridge Loans, Construc�on/Perm COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES DG Pavement Solutions, Inc Covering all of Southwest Florida COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL LICENSED AND INSURED Cell: 941-441-6919 Office: 239-267-1711 www.fortmyerssealcoat.comkendusseau@gmail.com Ken Dusseau Business Development/Project Manager • Seal Coa�ng • Asphalt Repairs • Striping 1228 Lafayette St. #1 Cape Coral, FL 33904 239.549.0997 CastellanosTramonte.com AA# 26003303 PLANNINGARCHITECTURE,COMMERCIAL&DESIGN We take your ideas from concept to completion. Proudly Serving Southwest Florida for Over 25 Years Community Design & Development | Land Use | Water Resources Utilities | Transportation | Facilities | Surveying Christopher Wright, P.E., C.E.O. www.consult-rwa.com (239) 597-0575 Business Smarts Begins with SWFL Business Today. Start Your Subscription Today! 239.573.9732 ® ®
Despite a dip in transaction vol ume in the quarter, the development pipeline for apartments continue to increase with new projects being an nounced on a monthly basis. Transaction volume saw a slight dip in the second quarter. Sarasota County was the only county seeing an increase with an additional 2,043 units being sold over the prior quarter. Note worthy transactions include the sale of Bainbridge Preserve for $166,000,000 or $494,000 per unit, Ridgelake Apart ments a 2019 build community for $150,000,000 or $456,000 per unit. Vacancy rates continue to be low throughout the region. Collier County vacancy rates stands at 5.8% for ex isting market rate properties with a rental rate increase of 15.0% to $1,960 monthly over the second quarter in 2021. Lee County vacancy rate during the same period is 5.7% down 1.5%. The county saw a 15.2% average rental rate increase to $1, 703 monthly over same period the year prior. Sara sota currently has a 4.3% vacancy rate up from the prior quarter with a 10.8% average rental rate increase to $2,005 monthly in the second quar ter of inopmentthecontinuesLee2021.Countytoboastlargestdevelpipelinetheregionwith4,105marketraterentalunitscurrentlyunderconstructionandan other 8,819 units in planning stages. Sarasota County is next in line with 2,412 units currently under construc tion and another 1,976 being planned. Collier County currently has 1,670 units under construction with another 1,976 units in the pipeline.
Thomas Webb is the director of multi family for Lee & Associates Commer cial Real Estate Services.
For more business news, visit www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com
BY WEBBTHOMAS Guest Columnist
North American Properties At lanta and PGIM Real Estate extended their relationship to include Mercato, a 450,000-square-foot lifestyle center in Naples. This represents the fourth time the firms worked together, in cluding Avalon in Alpharetta, Geor gia, Avenue East Cobb in East Cobb, Georgia, and Riverton in Sayreville, New Jersey. NAPA will over leasing and property management, with capi tal improvements and a placemaking vision to NAPA,follow.specializes in value-add investments and reimagining mixeduse assets, plans to restore the cen ter’s bespoke retail collection through enhancements to the merchandis ing lineup. NAPA will reposition the property as a community-oriented en tertainment destination. Morgan Liesenfelt, director of leasing at NAPA, and Regan Thomas, leasing representative at NAPA, will lead the leasing strategy, focusing heavily on attracting new food and beverage offerings. The core onsite property team will remain the same. NAPA to manage leasing at Mercato
Warren Henry Auto Group broke ground on another addition to its group of dealerships, Lamborghini Naples. This year is all about expansion for Warren Henry Auto Group, as it breaks ground on another addition to its group of dealerships, Lamborghini Naples.The building is being construct ed on approximately 18,000 square feet on Tamiami Trail East. The new dealership is designed to be a stateof-the-art facility that will embody Lamborghini’s new corporate image. The company currently represents 17 brands.However, this will be its second Lamborghini dealership location.
Warren Henry Auto breaks ground on Lamborghini Naples
New apartments coming online
Warren Henry Auto Group just broke ground a few weeks ago on a new Jag uar Land Rover dealership in Davie, and with this new location will begin to plant more roots across the state of Florida.The company is ready to conduct business in the Naples area and be one of the many new developments taking place in the vicinity.
The Wellen Park team is no stranger to eco nomic development. It is as Rick Severance, president of Mattamy Homes and the Wellen Park project, said in a recent interview with The Herald Tribune: “Our strategic plan has always included layering in other asset classes that will result in a dynamic and multifaceted commu nity, including Downtown Wellen. While we are always focused on home sales, we have also worked diligently on several other fronts, including multifamily residential, commercial, healthcare, education, retail, restaurants, and hotels.”Wellen Park is already a bustling, vibrant community with a number of commercial ame nities. Any North Port resident or visitor should stop by to see what’s new in Wellen.
The Florida Gulf Coast 75 Logistics Center will be a 32’ clear, single side loaded industrial facility and will possess 54 loading docks and 73 trailer storage spaces opposite the loading docks. Additionally, the project will consist of Class A industry standard LED lighting, 7-inch concrete floor and an ESFR sprinkler system.
Equus Capital Partners has broken ground on a 378,000 square-foot speculative warehouse lo gistics facility.
Commercial real estate experts not only understand what questions buyers need answered and how to best position the property, they’re also informed about the latest deals that impact your property’s value well before they’re made public. While infla tion costs are undoubtedly cutting into your profits, getting full market value for your property can’t happen without real-time market intelligence for op timal decision-making, deep resources needed to ex ecute a plan, and a sophisticated real estate strategy. For those looking to cash out and trade up, make sure to seed a strategy from day one. We advise in vestors to reposition the asset to weather any storm, renegotiate leases to strengthen rental structures, streamline expenses and management, and maxi mize income generators by attracting top tenants, upgrading signage and parking, and following mar ket rent trends.
Equus Capital Partners, one of the nation’s leading developers and real estate investment managers, an nounced it has broken ground on a 378,000 square-foot speculative warehouse logistics facility. The project, named Florida Gulf Coast 75 Logistics Center, is in Punta Gorda along Interstate-75. The project is strategically located midway between Naples to the south and Tampa/St. Petersburg to the north – a region that continues to see strong population and job growth. The facility is being constructed within the Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park and possesses im mediate access to I-75.
No property tax relief in sight as values soar, inflation rises
At Fischler Property Company, we believe that now is a great time for property owners—values are up, demand is high, and inventory is static. We’re happy to prepare a return on equity analysis on your asset or portfolio. Interested in identifying one or two strategic moves you can make now, to put you in the best position to meet your goals over the next 10 years?
Phil Fischler is the founder and president of Fis chler Property Company. In 2009, Fischler founded Fischler Property Company with a mission to build a legacy through inspiring investment and restora tion of Southwest Florida, while helping to posi tively shape its inevitable growth. Contact pjf@ fischlerco.com or (239) 895-1060.
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 19 We Care About SWFL 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 Commercial Realtors www.swfloridabusinesstoday.comFormoreinforma�on,callKarenat(239)770-7527 ® Follow us on: For more local business news and a calendar of local business events, please visit our website www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com Part 2 of 2 If there’s good news for Florida real estate inves tors, it’s this: property values are going up. An increase in property value unfortunately also means a rise in property taxes. Even with the economic uncertainty of the pandemic, population growth in Florida has not slowed with nearly 1,000 people moving daily to the state in 2020 and 2021, making it the No. 1 state for relocations within the U.S. Commercial real estate investors who locked in low interest rates the last few years may have found ways to mitigate property tax increases. However, inflation has thrown real estate investors a new curveball. Those with fixed rents can’t simply pass inflationary price increases on to their tenants. The best they can hope for is to re-negotiate rent struc tures in order to patch the hole in their pocket.
What’s next in North Port?
Thedirector.population within a two-hour drive time of Pun ta Gorda is 5,500,000. Additionally, there exists a high number of nationally recognized retailers with a strong presence on the west coast of Florida. Meanwhile, larger speculative industrial space (defined as 200,000 square feet or more) south of the Tampa Bay industrial market is non-existent. The Fort Myers market has seen strong leasing activity among users in the 100,000 square feet and below size range, but larger development projects do not exist. There is a need for larger available space to service this corridor.
BY FISCHLERPHIL Guest Columnist
Hold Out or Cash Out? With so many increased costs for commercial landlords, many wonder when they’ll see a return to normalcy. With inflation at a 40-year high, higher mortgage interest rate predictions, soaring gas pric es, and unresolved international conflicts, commer cial real estate investors may be waiting years before they see a rate of return comparable to the pre-pandemic era. There is hope for investors looking to take advantage of in creased property values and get top dollar for their commercial property - if they know how to sell in the current market. Too many investors are selling to the first buyer who makes them an offer and cashing out far below market value. Others are spend ing hundreds of thousands of dol lars prepping to sell their property unnecessarily. If you’re thinking of selling or ready to sell, talk to a trusted advisor who knows the current market.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to bring a new, Class A speculative warehouse logistics facil ity to this market,” stated Dan DiLella Jr., Senior Vice President of Equus. “The west coast of Florida is one of the strongest and fastest growing regions in the South east U.S.”
Things are heating up for North Port’s mas ter-planned powerhouse. Wellen Park’s Phase One — which includes the grand opening of their Downtown District — is slated to be com pleted as soon as March of 2023. Just this year, Wellen Park has added 60,000 square feet of commercial space, fully leased. This includes four new retailers, five new restaurants, five new offices and a waterfront outfitter. Additionally, the experience is only further enhanced by a food truck park, performance lawn, playground, splashpad and grand lawn.
“To have a national developer with the experience and expertise of Equus commit to a spec project of this magnitude in Charlotte County showcases the desirabil ity of this location that many companies desire,” said Dave Gammon, Charlotte County Economic Develop ment
Equus breaks ground on Florida Gulf Coast 75
DONATION
BY MCGOWANPERRY
Tyber tech strengthens backbones following traumas
Construction opportunities in the Inflation Reduction Act
• IRS funding is rising by over $100 billion, a sizable figure even by government standards, much being for enhanced tax enforcement. Contractors may see a piece of that, possibly through rising audits and IRS corre spondence. Significant segments of this funding will likely pursue more lucrative under-reporting sectors outside of our industry. Overall, it seems these IRS burdens may fall lightly on construction. The energy security provisions of the Act includes many new, ex tended or enhanced incentives for alternative energy investment. A few highlights include:
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Naples company produces high-quality military hardware Loos & Co. Cableware Division is a privately owned manufacturing company based in Naples. Its facility started small, with only 10 employees at its in ception in 1979. Forty years later, the Cableware Divi sion has expanded its workforce, products and services exponentially.
Perry McGowan is a professional tax advisor in CLA’s Construction and Real Estate group in Minneapolis. He provides advisory services focused on the tax planning issues of real estate owners, designers, and builders. Contact (612) 376-4632.
Guest Columnist
Breaking a lengthy stalemate and attracting wide publicity, a Senate compromise was announced on July 27 between Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, and other Democrats. The Inflation Reduction Act proposal is built on a combination of tax and Medicare revenue raisers and includes energy incentives likely to impact construction activity. A few highlights are below:
• A 15% corporate minimum tax is proposed as a revenue raiser but limited to roughly 200 ultra-high in come U.S. corporations having average financial earn ing over $1 billion. This minimum tax sets a floor on corporate tax liabilities at 15% of financial statement income, a burden our clients seem destined to avoid.
• The many incentives for solar, wind and other en ergy sectors may motivate new construction projects with $30 billion tagged for expenditures through the en ergy production tax credit. We will be commenting in future blogs on other developments in this arena, and in the clean energy manufacturing area where $60 billion is allocated for another tax credit for equipment producers.
“The plan to have residents partici pate in management decisions regard ing the property fits well with the NoVo Foundation mission,” he said. The Alliance purchased 10 acres of property on Lake Trafford Road in Im mokalee, designed a housing complex of 128 rental units and a community center, obtained approvals and permits, and broken ground. As a federally des ignated 501(c)(3), IFHA has no profit motive and will pay limited real estate taxes. The community will be self-sup porting with rents no more than 30% of a family’s income. The first of eight rental buildings planned for the project is scheduled to be completed in mid-2023.
• An initiative is proposed to authorize Medicare to negotiate for the price of certain pharmaceuticals, ef fectively allowing a price break to government. Though not directly impacting construction, drug companies forced to charge the government less might seek to charge private insurers more, conceivably upping some health insurance costs for contractors.
• Provisions enhance both business and individual credits. For example, within the package are important renewals and enhancements of the 179D incentives for energy efficient commercial buildings, 45L credits for energy efficient dwellings, and efficiency credits for homeowners.•Someof these credit provisions may now include prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements.
Tyber Medical is an orthopedic de vice manufacturer addressing the in dustry’s need for rapid access to FDA cleared and CE Marked implants in the spine and extremity/trauma mar kets. Focused on rapid commercial ization and bioengineered technol ogy, the Company has released 14 spine and 25 trauma/extremity sys tems since its founding in 2012. In November of 2021, Tyber’s operations and range expanded to Southwest Florida. With the expan sion came a large addition to the Tyber team, and it has substantially amplified our impact. Our employees are the heart of Tyber Medical, and we ensure to celebrate the small and large victo ries achieved by this amazing team.
• Tax credits for some new or used electric vehicle (EV) pur chases are proposed at $7,500 and $4,000 respectively per vehicle. We have not previously seen a used EV credit. Although these credits may incentivize EV purchases, there is no mechanism for shoring up the Highway Trust Fund, traditionally supported with gas tax revenues.
Buffett stated the foundation was impressed with the background and expertise of IFHA principles and the progress that has been made to date.
Loos prides itself on producing the high est quality products in their market and relies on its ro bust workforce to get the job done.
Page 20 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 “It Pays to Advertise!” ✔ Direct Mail Advertising ✔ All Types of Mailing Lists ✔ Postage as Low as 14.2 cents ✔ Fast, Friendly Service 239-574-2028 Call today for a quote! The Letter Box, Inc. 936 Country Club Blvd. Cape Coral, FL 33990 www.TheLetterboxInc.com Mention this ad and receive 20%OFF labor charges on your first mailing.
Tyber Medical’s combined facilities total about 180 employees, with 33 employees in Florida, and boast ben efits from unlimited PTO, dental and vision benefits, and 401k matching. On Tuesdays we lunch together, with company provided lunches ranging from local tacos, pork chops and steamed veggies to fried chicken and mashed potatoes. We highly value our culture and enjoy quality time to gether on a weekly basis. This August, Tyber will fly the Bonita Springs team and their fami lies to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to celebrate the company’s 10-year an niversary together. To facilitate the joint celebration, Tyber will sponsor every Florida employee’s stay at the Bear Creek Resort in Pennsylvania— with an itinerary that includes flights, stay and food. Activities include a cornhole competition, painting with a twist, a full facility tour and even a visit to the zoo. The 3-day trip will allow our Florida family to meet, or reconnect, with other employees and get a wider range of insight into our operations andTybercapabilities.Medical is proud of its team and is fortunate to win Best Place to Work in Pennsylvania for what is now five years in a row. Tyber em ployees work hard to ensure a posi tive environment and are committed to fostering growth now and into the future. For more information, contact Thalia Socarras, associate HRG at Tyber Medical, at (239) 207-8387 or tsocarras@tybermed.com.
Many farmworkers and other lowincome families in Immokalee are cur rently living in overcrowded and dilap idated shacks and trailers, with holes in the floor and walls, persistent mold, non-working toilets or appliances and a lack of air conditioning. Some families are paying 50% or more of their income on rent, leaving little for food, medical services, child care and other services most would consider necessities.
MANUFACTURING
The IR Act introduces business incentives that could motivate future construction projects. There are few changes impacting our flow-through clients or for those making $400,000 per year or less. It appears drug com panies and the ultra-large C corporations are bearing the brunt of the costs this time. We are optimistic that as the details fall into place, our contractors may see benefits.
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“We are building a community where families and their children can thrive and grow,” Buntzman said. “The community support we are receiving will help us add wraparound services for medical care, early childhood edu cation, and after school learning and homework help, as well as English lan guage, financial literacy and legal as sistance.”
A major portion of the division’s domestic manu facturing is devoted to wire rope fittings, terminals and connectors. Its hardware meets the highest Mili tary Specification standards, and as a result, Loos has landed themselves on the QPD (Qualified Producers Database) for the US Government. Alongside MilSpec hardware, the Cableware Division offers a range of swaging machines, cable cutters and hand swagers that are proudly made in the USA. This prestigious com mitment to quality means Loos & Company products are trusted throughout aerospace, defense and medical industries.Withasolid track record of growth already under its belt, Loos looks to the future of manufacturing. Their newest venture includes investment in state-of-the-art technology for the exciting precision machining indus try. With the help of skilled machinists and operators Loos Precision Products creates custom CNC parts of
GATE See page 23 SRMA MEMBER
Continuous evaluation of efforts and transition ing strategies to meet your customers’ needs is im perative. Without evaluation there is no way to mea sure effectiveness and determine where and how to make necessary improvements to evolve in ways that maintain brand loyalty and work to gain the in terest of new customers. The team of professionals at CONRIC pr + mar keting, can help businesses and individuals navigate the complexities of the digital customer experience to optimize their efforts and resources and maximize results. Without it, potential customers are turning to your competition every day, possibly every hour. Take action to optimize your customer experience today.
“We can plug-and-play however it works for you,” Parker continued. “That’s the unique thing about having an automated manufacturing system. Whatever you want, we’ll do it, there are no restrictions.”
Connie Ramos-Williams is the president and chief marketing officer at CONRIC pr + marketing, a leading creative agency with offices in Fort My ers and Naples that specializes in branding, digi tal marketing, public relations, graphic design and website development. For more information, visit conricpr.com, email info@conricpr.com or call (239) 690-9840. Don’t forget to post your in-person and virtual events on our B2B events calendar at www.swfloridabusinesstoday. com/calendar
Emotion is the strongest mea sure of success when it comes to customer satisfaction. Customers who feel good about the experi ences they have with your com pany are likely to return and to also recommend you to othersbrand loyalty. Effort should be minimal. Online experiences should be smooth, easy and convenient. If interactions are difficult, they will feel annoyed and move on to something more convenient. Effectiveness of strategies and interactions helps customers achieve what they are looking for in the easiest pos sible way and in a short amount of time. These three factors are the key to enhancing the customer experience and conducting successful on line interactions. Creating a seamless delivery be tween your digital and physical business will bolster your reputation and brand and help companies in any industry to succeed and continually grow.
Online interactions are key to business success BY RAMOSCONNIEWILLIAMS Guest Columnist NORTHSTAR PAGE 1
We live in a digital world, one that has changed the way we do business. As the lines between our digital and physical worlds continue to blur, compa nies that integrate a digital experience aligned with their physical business, and deliver it well, are going to prove most successful. Customers are distinguishing between online and offline purchases and decision making less and less. They jump from one site to the next in search of goods and services trying to find that which suits their needs best at comparable cost. Digital experi ence is the new customer experience. If you do not have digital platforms supporting your business and the browsing habits of your customer base, you may as well cease to exist. Your digital strategy should incorporate several outlets, all with the same key messages and goals — ultimately, customer satisfaction. Where they will differ is on delivery. Each platform has its unique set of capabilities as well as techniques used to reach your target audience. This is where your customer engages with your brand. Most people base their perception of a brand from their online interactions with them.
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 21 2009 We plant seeds & Provide TLC so your business can GROW!www tlcmarketing events com (239) 405 8115 9148 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 201 Bonita Springs, FL IN BUSINESS SINCE Tax Preparation • Estate Planning For Individuals & Businesses 239.939.5303 • www.SolomonHoover.com239.481.4114 1342 Colonial Blvd., Ste. B-11 • Fort Myers, FL 33907 2016 MERGER1999 Audio/Video PhoneCloud/BackupSystemsNetworking (239) 437-4357 | Commercialwww.nocoutnetworks.comIT/MSP/CSPServices 2011 Take your business to the next level Greg glsteiner57@gmail.comSteiner(239) 558 4786 Sea Breeze Associates, LLC Services •Mergers•Businessinclude:Strategy& •IndustrialAcquisitionsProject Management 2018 2008 1993 Condo & HOA Law | Real Estate | Litigation Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning Corporate & Business Organization Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice | Family Law N aples : 239.331.5100 F ort Myers : 239.333.2992gadclaw.com • IRA’s • Roth’s • SEP Plans • 401 k’s • Mutual Funds • Executive Bonus Plans • Key Man Insurance • Life Insurance • Business Planning • Exit Planning Do you offer benefits for your employees? Let us help you, help your employees 3046 Del Prado Blvd. Cape Coral, FL 33904 (239)Lenny848-7390Cannova 2011 Northstar structures are produced in-factory. This increases quality control while minimizing construc tion timelines. The company pro vides 100% FRP composite building systems and methods approved for residential, commercial, and industrial construction.Parkernoted, “Our wall systems don’t have any thermal properties: they don’t take additional heat inside once insulation is put in: it’s really quite cool.” He continued, “This is what Porsche of America was inter ested in for its Electric Vehicle battery storage unit.” Northstar has just pro duced its 29th unit for Porsche. Basile added, “Our walls are much thinner than block, which saves 8-10 inches around the entire property, decreasing energy consumption. Additionally, because the wall is thermoneutral, it decreases energy consumption, re ducing the electric bill, resulting in savings.”Northstar embraces technology and data capture to empower sustainable integrated teams and drive increased productivity throughout the entire building system process. By utiliz ing automated technology across the entire building lifecycle, Northstar is able to improve team coordination from initial project phases through building completion. Basile explained, “We can build during the permitting process, as long as we stay within certain parameters, eliminating 3-6 months of build time. We have no supply chain issues be cause we deal with one supplier.” He continued, “With our system we don’t need as much building labor onsite, so we can save on labor. And, instead of needing 5 inspections, you just need the structural inspection, further ex pediting the build time.” He added, “We can erect our entire system in 6-8 weeks, depending on permitting. We can also do multi-family, mid- and high-rise units.” He shared, “My goal is to eventu ally target the affordable housing mar ket. We recently launched our small footprint homes, ranging from 450 to 950 square feet. These are competi tively priced compared to block homes and the system is expandable so you can add space to the home later.”
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Jen and Rob Whyte in the brewery.
Sunnyside cannabis dispensary opens in Cape Coral Cresco Labs, a vertically integrated mul tistate operator and the top U.S. wholesaler of branded cannabis products, announced the opening of a new Sunnyside medical canna bis dispensary in Cape Coral on Del Prado BoulevardSunnysideSouth.Cape Coral is Cresco Labs’ first store in the northern region of North Lee County. To deliver convenient access for daily commuters, the store is located on Del Prado Boulevard, just a half-mile from Veterans Parkway and a quick drive to the Midpoint Bridge. In an effort to normalize the cannabis shopping experience, the dis pensary is in close proximity to a Walmart Supercenter and Publix anchored shopping center.
Page 22 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 239.597.8555 Sales@PelicanWire.com Manufacturing in SWFL Since 1976 Employee-OwnedGlobalCustomerBase25+Countries'Essential'Businessneverclosedin'20GloballyRecognizedIndustryLeader Proud Members SRMA MEMBER
Fort Myers Brewing Company is a product of my passion for business, my husband and co-owner Rob Whyte’s love of brewing and our mutual love of com munity.After moving to Southwest Florida in 2011, we found untapped potential for a local brewery in Fort Myers. Becoming the “first” of any business is a risk, so when we opened Lee County’s first craft brewery in 2013, our aspirations were modest – a microbrew ery serving a few drafts from a small tasting room. We hoped it would be a place where we could meet new friends and the community would come together. The outcome exceeded our wildest expectations. Over the years, our motto has always been to invest locally. We are a local business providing local custom ers with great beer. Many breweries can be tempted to start with oversized equipment and sell across a large region. Instead, Fort Myers Brewing started with used and handmade equipment and grew capacity strategi cally with a focus on local presence. A small selection of beers were sold from a 400-square-foot taproom with a max production capacity of 300 barrels of beer a year. As our sales accounts grew, brewing operations ex panded to meet demand – with foresight for growth. To day, Fort Myers Brewing operates state-of-the-art brew ing and canning equipment and operates out of 22,000 square feet of space, producing 17,000 barrels of beer annually. Brews are poured at 1,041 locations, includ ing 620 bars/restaurants and available for purchase in 421 retail outlets. With a love for creating beers that customers can enjoy, our brew crew spends weeks, months and even years developing new flavors, investing in quality throughout every stage of the brewing process, from ingredient selection to packaging. Products are also released with customers in mind.
When we opened our doors, we first introduced a light er Gateway Gold Blonde Ale as a way to ease custom ers into the world of craft beer. We then slowly began introducing IPAs, heavier brews and other out-of-thebox flavors as palates grew. Years later, Fort Myers Brewing was at the forefront of the seltzer trend and was the first in the region to in troduce a locally made hard seltzer. More than a halfdozen Spyk’d Hard Seltzer flavors are now rotated in the taproom, with six-packs and variety packs available at local retailers. We also recently released beer slushies and beer flight boards as new offerings for our custom ers.Heading into our 10-year anniversary, Fort Myers Brewing continues to work to bring an enhanced expe rience for our loyal customers and visitors to the region. As we look around us and consider the future, we are extremely grateful. The community’s unwavering sup port has been key to our success, and we are fortunate to continue to be a place where families and friends can gather.
Don’t forget to post your in-person and virtual events on our B2B events calendar at www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com/calendar
“We’re excited to continue expanding our retail presence on the west coast of Florida with the opening of Sunnyside Cape Coral,” said Cris Rivera, Florida regional president at Cresco Labs. “Sunnyside Cape Coral is a judgment-free home to the best selection of medical products in Southwest Florida. Our bright and welcoming store offers con venient and easy one-stop shopping, help ful education from wellness advisors, and a wide assortment of top-quality branded can nabis products. We are looking forward to welcoming Cape Coral area patients to our newSunnysidelocation.”Cape Coral will serve patients with a medical card issued by the state. Pa tients who shop in-store will have access to a broad selection of branded cannabis products from One Plant, Supply, Good News, Reme di and Sunnyside Chews. Forms include One Plant’s bestselling premium, hand-trimmed flower and solventless Live Rosin concen trates; premium vapes from Supply and Good News; tinctures, Rick Simpson Oil sy ringes and topicals from Remedi; and Sun nyside Chews edibles. Sunnyside stores also offer a highly curated selection of accesso ries, including lighters and rolling papers. Cresco Labs operates 17 stores in Florida and serves patients through its Sunnyside Florida dispensaries in Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Avon Park, Boynton Beach, Clear water, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville Beach, Lady Lake, North Miami, Ocala, Oakland Park, Orlando (Fern Park), Pensacola, Port St. Lucie, Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Tal lahassee.
Fort Myers Brewing operates state-of-the-art brewing and canning equipment and operates out of 22,000 square feet of space, producing 17,000 barrels of beer annually.
Jen Whyte is co-founder and co-owner of Fort Myers Brewing Company, Lee County’s first microbrewery. Visit FMbrew.com or call (239) 313-6576.
By Jen Whyte Guest Columnist
Brewing up local beer, friendships
When first hearing the name “Mark 7 Reloading,” most folks still have questions about the company and what happens behind our doors. Mark 7 Reloading was born along the same lines as many start-ups….a few smart people got together and decided that “There’s got to be a better way to do Ourthis.” founders were competitive marksman and firearms hobbyists who took pride in loading their own ammunition on manual lever-action presses, where it could take multiple pulls on the handle to produce one completed round of ammunition. They asked the question: “What if we automated this process with a motor, some sensors, and a modern user in terface?” Loading (or Reloading) Presses have been around for over a century, but the basic component and mechan ics had remained unchanged. Adding automation to these machines as an aftermarket upgrade was a big deal, and the market responded accord ingly. Sales of these ‘Autodrives’ ex ceeded the company’s expectations, but the innovation didn’t stop there. Mark 7 went on to design its own game-changing progressive loading press from the ground up; with more capacity, additional features, builtin automation, a cutting-edge suite of high-tech sensors, and a graphic touch-screen interface. Again, the market took notice in a big way, and that success allowed the company to expand operations and continue to innovate with new product develop ment.Mark 7’s reputation for innovation and quality caught the eye of Lyman Products, who acquired the business in 2019. Lyman has a rich 140-year history in the shooting sports indus try, and adding the Mark 7 business to its family of brands made sense on multiple levels. Although Lyman houses most of its brands’ operations in Connecticut, Mark 7 continues to operate in Fort Myers, with expansion plans in the works. Visit www.markvii-loading.com.
Chipex, an automotive touch up paint company, has opened a new sales and production facility in Bonita Springs in an expansion beyond its ex isting U.K./European-based operations.
Chipex and Touch Up Paint Factory wanted to launch in the United States were:
• Chipex: A premium line of fastdrying paint and patented blending so lution products.
The Greater Achievement Through Empowerment Program provides stu dents with disabilities the chance to develop further occupational knowl edge and the skills necessary to iden tify career options, access community resources and practice work-related skills in a part-time, community-based setting. Through this work-study pro gram, students gain meaningful experi ence with the support of Collier Coun ty Public Schools and Paradise Coast Sports Complex staff in an authentic off-campus employment setting. “With the scope of our facility, we have the opportunity to provide em ployment and work experience oppor tunities for all,” PCSC general manager Adrian Moses said. “We are excited to partner with the GATE program as we strive to serve the community of Col lier County in new and creative ways.”
Work-study offered to Collier students
To learn more about their products, his tory, and current opportunities, visit the Loos & Co. Cableware Division website at www.loosnaples.com.
• Touch Up Paint Factory: Aerosol and all-in-one paint pen products.
• Large automotive marketplace • U.S.-made paint, products and pro duction•Large DIY marketplace
Mark 7 makes reloading easier
SEPTEMBER 2022 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® Page 23
Chipex, an automotive touch up paint company, has opened a new sales and production facility in Bonita Springs. all shapes, sizes and materials. Loos & Co. Cableware Division believes in the importance of keeping domestic manufacturing alive, which is why it employs dozens of passionate workers at its Industrial Boulevard loca tion. Employees have the opportunity to make an impact far beyond South west Florida, knowing the products they make every day are used in mission-crit ical applications all over the globe. Loos is currently hiring for CNC operators, warehouse personnel, machine opera tors, and a variety of other positions.
Johnny Graham is managing director at Chipex. Contact info@chipex.com of (239) 908-3971
The GATE Program is offered to students with disabilities who have fulfilled all academic graduation re quirements for a Standard High School Diploma (access points/employment option). This program prepares these students to move to a full-day transition work program in a community-based setting. These students spend a portion of the school day at a work site that of fers a variety of job skill opportunities.
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PAGE 20 SRMA MEMBER
Students with disabilities from Golden Gate High School, part of the Collier County Public School District, can now earn authentic, structured work-study experience due to a part nership with Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
• Strong product demand
Chipex, an automotive touch up paint Company based in Banbury, U.K. was founded in 2009. Its original, pre mium Chipex brand of patented prod ucts was joined by sister brand Touch Up Paint Factory in March 2021 to ca ter to the aerosol and paint pen market. Chipex USA was founded in August 2020 with sales and production starting in May 2022.
Chipex opens new facility
Johnny Graham, CEO of Chipex, said: “Entering the US marketplace was a natural evolution for us given the large existing ownership base of nearly 300 million vehicles and strong demand for touch up paint solutions in what is still a nascent market versus traditional paint respray options. High used car prices have further increased touch up paint demand growth, with people re taining vehicles for longer and wanting to keep them looking at their best. Our view is that the best way to service the U.S. market with our technologically advanced and patented products is with U.S. production, U.S. materials and U.S.Keystaff.”factors
Chipex manufactures bespoke car, motorcycle and commercial touch up paint products for home users through its e-commerce platforms, in addition to selling direct to multiple international car manufacturers. The company’s two main brands are:
LOOS
Page 24 Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ® SEPTEMBER 2022 Equal Housing Lender | Member FDIC | Bank of the Islands is an office of Edison National Bank. To learn more about our customer services and convenient locations, please visit EdisonNationalBank.com or call 239.466.1800. Here for Yo u...Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
occasion by planting a Royal Palm. Today, that tree is a testament to 25 years of service. We’re standing strong and continue to plant the seeds of trust and loyalty. As the oldest locally owned and chartered community bank in Lee County, our roots go deep in the community, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to your banking needs.
When Edison National Bank opened in 1997, the
its doors
we commemorated
