September 2017 Southwest Florida Business Today

Celebrating 10 Years

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S B2B MARKETPLACE • 239-573-9732 Vol. 10 No. 11 / SEPTEMBER 2017 www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com

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Commercial Real Estate

A monthly section exploring the Southwest Florida commercial real estate marketplace. Pages 5-7

Focus on Manufacturing

Area companies are building a better future — one made right here in Southwest Florida.

IN THE NEWS

Blue Chip application deadline approaching

23rd Annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award application deadline is fast approaching. Coordinated and sponsored by BB&T- Oswald Trippe and Company and BB&T Bank, the Blue Chip Community Business Award recognizes successful small businesses in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties that have overcome adversity to achieve success. Applications must be submitted by Sept. 6.

BLUE CHIP See page 9

ABWA hosting Annual Women’s Business event

The ABWA Neapolitan Chapter will host its third Annual Women’s Business event, on Sept. 26 at the Hilton Naples, to showcase local women owned or managed businesses and not-for-profit organizations that provide support to the women and children in our area.

• Looking for Women owned business sponsors.

• ABWA invited 10 Not-forProfit organizations. Each Non-forProfit will be given a free exhibitor table. ABWA’s way to support women in the community. ABWA will post the Not-for-Profits groups who will be participating in the coming weeks.

ABWA See page 8

Photo by Bob Szanto For the Bistro, charcuterie options include a selection of French, Italian and Spanish dry ham, and a selection of cheeses, homemade foie gras and pate. All sandwiches will be made with Rustic Sourdough bread.

French bistro opens in Naples

By E. Sue Huff Guest Correspondent

The Naples area can now learn the meaning behind the old saying “the best thing since sliced bread,” since master baker Yannick Brendel and his wife Ana have opened their dream bakery and bistro.

This creative concept and bakery is being brought to Naples by co-owners The bakery and bistro seats up to Yannick and Ana Brendel and Ed and 92 people and may be used for priSue Mullen. The establishment takes vate events and parties. its name from the French village where baked goods, watching bakers in acYannick was raised and where his fa- tion, hearing the crunch of the crust ther and grandfather are well known from French baguettes to the explobakers. sion of taste on the palette, guests will The décor of the bakery resembles certainly have a “sense-ational” expethe village of Colmar, which transports rience. guests there by awakening all their All of the products at La Colmar senses. From experiencing a small are made from scratch with no frozen quaint French village, smelling fresh ingredients. Yannick incorporates fam-

ily recipes and techniques passed to him from his grandfather and father to make the bakery even more authentic while also making it unique to Naples.

Ana and Yannick Brendel worked on the concept of the authentic French bakery for two years to answer the question of why the bread eaten in the USA is not as memorable as the bread found in any French village. By answering the question, the Brendels realized that baking is an art and every ingredient plays a very important part when it comes to the quality and taste.

They visited different French bakeries in the US that are owned and operated

by French-trained bakers and the bread was still not the same as the bread eaten in France. That’s when the couple found out that the flour in the USA is completely different than French flour.

RESTAURANT See page 11

EDO hosts government contracting symposium

Panelists (l-r) David Jones, Gordon Glover, BJ Brundage and Bob Koenig take questions from the audience.

In July, the Lee County Economic Development Office hosted the second annual SWFL Government Contracting Symposium and Expo at Florida SouthWestern State College.

With 20 local, state and federal procurement agencies exhibiting, more than 175 attendees learned about the available contracting opportunities with the various agencies. Throughout the morning, a number of exhibitors and panelists shared insights on how to successfully become a government contractor.

SYMPOSIUM See page 3

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

SEPTEMBER 2017

Stickboy Creative launches Vectra Digital agency The founders of Stickboy Creative, a web design, custom software and mobile app development studio, have launched a digital agency, Vectra Digital. The new company is devoted entirely to digital marketing and website design, while Stickboy Creative will continue focusing on developing innovative software and mobile applications. Vectra is the chosen digital agency for clients in various fields such as in national e-commerce, restaurant chains, medical and local businesses.

Vectra Digital offers PPC (Pay-Per-Click) services, allowing businesses to achieve higher search rankings, driving more traffic to their website by attracting targeted visitors as well as maximizing website leads and sales. Vectra’s PPC services place companies in the prominent view of searchers on Google, Face-

book, Instagram and specialized platforms (Healthgrades, Houzz, Yelp). The company also offers services such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Remarketing, Reputation Management and Directory Marketing.

“The foundation of our company is data-driven decisions. We looked at the digital marketing landscape and saw that local companies were not getting quality marketing with data to back up performance and decisions. Being a team of developers and data architects, we knew we could bring a fresh and exciting way of thinking to the industry. We are currently employing various big data analytics and machine learning algorithms to bring unprecedented ROI to our clients’ marketing budgets” says CEO Matt Bernhardt.

Vectra implements effective digital marketing

NAPLES networking dinner set for October The Naples Area Professional League of Executive Services, a business-to-business networking organization, announced details of its annual dinner, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Hilton Naples.

The event is open to the public and will begin with a cocktail reception followed by a dinner with two guest keynote speakers, NFL alumni David Jones and Ikaika Alama-Francis.

“Our members are especially excited about this year’s annual dinner,” said Nicole Ryan, president of NAPLES. “We hope the public will join us in what promises to be a fun and eventful evening, highlighted by our former professional football players and speakers.”

Jones was an offensive lineman for the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins during his NFL career. He attended the University of Texas. Alama-Francis played defensive end for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. He is a Hawaii native and played college football for the University of Hawaii.

Ikaika Alama-Francis and David Jones will be keynote speakers at NAPLES Annual dinner.

The NAPLES organization is based in Southwest Florida, but many members are internationally recognized business leaders and experts within their fields of expertise. In addition to the annual community Big Event, members meet on the first and third Thursday each month for breakfast networking sessions, which include guest speakers and time for alerting each other to business opportunities.

Tickets and information are available for the NAPLES annual dinner at www.naplesgroup.net.

strategies so clients can focus on building their businesses. The team’s process is results and numbers driven so every dollar spent has data that justifies it. Vectra Digital has successfully increased brand awareness, online visibility and generated leads for numerous differentiating enterprise and franchise companies.

Vectra Digital is led by Emmy Award-winning digital strategist and design expert Harrison Ambs.

Ambs leads the design team at Vectra to provide clients with sincere and quick customer service and has produced award-winning work with clients such as Golf Channel, CBS and NBC, Al Jazeera, Powerball and Capital One. Vectra Digital’s parent company, Stickboy Creative, was launched in 2007 in Fort Myers.

Bonita chamber hosts annual meeting Sept. 21 The Bonita Springs Citizen of the Year, Small Business of the Year and additional award recipients will be honored at the 41st Annual Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce’s Meeting & Awards Luncheon on Sept. 21 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa. This yearly event celebrates the accomplishments of the 2016-17 year and the installation of the incoming Chairman of the Board Scott Hennells.

The Five-Star Nationally Accredited Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce strives to serve members, promote a region where business can grow and prosper, and enhance the quality of life of the Bonita Springs area.

Cape Coral: Strategic Location for Regional Business

Cape Coral-based Architectural Metal Flashings embraced a long-term opportunity when it became a preferred manufacturer for the rising Babcock Ranch community in Charlotte County.

Owners Jeff and Donna Bonk chose North Cape Industrial Park because there is room for expansion and its proximity to I-75 makes it a breeze to reach customers stretching from Marco Island to Babcock Ranch.

“We have found it to be very friendly here,” she says. “We have a long-term plan to be part of Cape Coral and the business community.”

Cape Coral is ranked the No. 1 fastest-growing metro area in the nation. Bring your vision to Cape Coral, where your customers—here and around the world—are within reach.

Cape Coral Economic Development Office +1 (239) 574-0444 ecodev@capecoral.net • bizcapecoral.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

DEP offers classes on online data tools

Following requests from the Southwest Florida business community for training on how to utilize the full capabilities of DEP’s database management system, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s South District offers a free, hands-on training opportunity to assist developers, investors, realtors, planners, engineering firms and other interested members of the community with navigating DEP’s online data tools.

Terry Cerullo, ombudsman and community outreach for the DEP’s South District was happy to share. “The story here is that a local organization is offering us use of their computer lab for free on Fridays, because they do not offer training then,” he explained. “This opportunity allows us to provide a real-time one-on-one training opportunity with our customers to learn how to use our databases that are open to the public.” With this training, “the public can access information from our databases, without having to ask us to retrieve it for them, saving them both time and money,” according to Cerullo.

With this training, attendees learn how to navigate Oculus, DEP’s Information Portal, Nexus;,DEP’s Business Portal and Map Direct. So this training can give companies a competitive edge by giving them the opportunity to learn how to utilize the full array of Oculus tools, enabling them to better serve their customers.

Classes are at the CareerSource Southwest Florida location on Ford Street Extension in Fort Myers. They are scheduled for Sept. 15: 1st class, 8:3011:30 a.m.; 2nd class, 1-3:30 p.m. and Nov. 17: 1st class, 8:30-11:30 a.m.; 2nd class, 1-3:30 p.m. Each class is limited to 14 participants.

For more information, contact Terry Cerullo at (239) 344-5647 or terry.cerullo@dep.state.fl.us .

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 3

MANUFACTURING

SRMA provides voice for growing industry sectors

Manufacturing is not what most and thought four people picture when they think of legs were betsunny Southwest Florida. Naturally, ter than three, our beautiful sandy coastlines tend and shouldn’t to get top billing on post cards. In we reinforce it addition, manufacturers often don’t so if any of the do a good job of telling their stoothers give way ry—they’re too busy building their m o m e n t a r i l y, businesses, which is a good thing. the whole thing However, they need and deserve a doesn’t topple voice to garner the policymaking over? And that’s representation and the general presexactly what’s tige that manufacturing deserves as happened. a major driver of our economic fu- BY BRIAN RIST Manufacturture. That’s where SRMA comes in. Guest Columnist ing nets a lot The Southwest Regional Manuof jobs, and lofacturers Association has doggedly cal, state and federal government communicated with the government is working hard to promote the into get the message across that we are dustry. We offer guidance to policymanufacturing the future. Ten years makers about meaningful legislative ago, there was almost no manufac- changes that will encourage busituring in Southwest Florida. Now al- ness expansion and job creation. most every city and county is seeing Examples include a temporary sales the sector’s growth. Ten years ago, tax exemption on manufacturing the government was focused on tour- machinery and equipment that was ism and construction, industries that made permanent last year. Others are cyclical in nature. Agriculture, include an elimination of the sales which has its own ups and downs, tax on rental properties, decreased completed the three-legged stool tax on manufacturing materials and model that many assumed was the efforts to slow the rising costs of alpha and omega of Florida’s econ- workers compensation insurance. omy. Manufacturers looked at that Speaking of job creation, SRMA

is also dedicated to making students aware of the exciting opportunities that manufacturing provides. We offer site visits to local businesses that expose young people to the realities of the career. Prior to these direct experiences, it’s common for a student to consider his or her future and say, “I don’t want to spend my whole day in a factory.” They then come to recognize the need that exists for high-skilled workers, the favorable working conditions, and the opportunity to work with robots and computers, which they think are “cool.” It’s only been a couple of years that we’ve been hosting these site visits, but the students often express enthusiasm and a wish to come back some day!

When they do, our door will be open. To learn more about how SRMA is opening the door to a brighter future for manufacturing and Southwest Florida’s economy, visit srma.net.

Brian Rist, Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association chair, is the president and CEO of The Smart Companies, of which Storm Smart is the largest subsidiary.

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Symposium attendees visit with government contractors at the expo and network to uncover government subcontracting opportunities.

SYMPOSIUM PAGE 1

Federal, state and local governments comprise one of the largest US customer segments. Agencies and organizations at all three levels of government buy nearly everything imaginable from food and flowers to fighter jet components. Learning how to sell successfully to these entities can be challenging. This annual expo allows local business owners to gain insight in to the government market, identifying resources available to get them started in marketing their businesses to government entities.

Attendee Marilyn Santiago, owner of Creative Architectural Resin Products, said: “I went to the event hoping to be considered for projects, either government or private sector, and I came out utterly satisfied about the overall experience.”

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

SEPTEMBER 2017

How small businesses can recruit, retain good employees There’s nothing more crucial to small businesses than the ability to hire and keep talented workers. Offering great benefits, particularly health benefits, is a proven way to do so.

Employees who are satisfied with their benefits are almost four times more likely to be happy in their jobs. By contrast, nearly one-third of the workforce has turned down a job due to lackluster benefits, and close to 60 percent of employees are likely to look for new jobs in the next year if they’re unhappy with their current package.

So what makes one benefit succeed where another fails? The bottom line is that in order for a health benefit to help small businesses, it needs to provide real value to employees. What’s more, that benefit can’t provide value to just a few—it needs to address a multitude of employee circumstances to be truly useful for everyone it covers.

A new benefit created by Congress in December 2016 does just that. A Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA), or Small Business HRA, enables all employees to re-

ceive value from their company’s benefits program. While traditional group insurance imposes a one-size-fits-all plan that’s helpful only to some, a QSEHRA sets all employees free to use their benefits dollars on the insurance they want and the medical needs they consider most important. Regardless of whether an employee has coverage under a spouse’s plan, has no insurance at all, or

BY MARY L. falls into some other category a CRANDEN QSEHRA can help.

Guest Columnist Under a QSEHRA, a small business offers employees a monthly allowance to reimburse health insurance and medical expenses for themselves and their families. Small businesses may offer different allowance amounts to employees based on such criteria as whether they’re single or have a family or the cost of individual health insurance. Em-

MANUFACTURING

SWFL celebrates Manufacturing Day

Southwest Florida manufacturers are joining the efforts of manufacturers nationwide to promote Manufacturing Day on Oct. 6, 2017. The goals of Manufacturing Day include eliminating the belief that manufacturing jobs are dirty, low skill career choices and exposing their high-tech, clean workplaces to the public and future employees in hopes of filling various skills gaps.

“This is a big deal for us in SWFL,” says Peter Bagwell, executive director of the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association. “Last year while the rest of the country’s manufacturers were hosting plant tours for students and the public, we were dealing with Hurricane Matthew and rescheduling or cancelling some of our events.” Although not known for manufacturing, Florida is consistently among the top Manufacturing Day supporters.

The event is organized by the National Association of Manufacturers, but is a great fit for local members of the SRMA says Bagwell. “Any manufacturer can host an event, and they can be for the public or by invitation only. Basically, we are opening our doors to show the public modern manufacturing in action and inspire the next generation of skilled workers.”

The SRMA is a network of local manufacturers that work together on regulatory and business issues and has been participating since 2012. Most activities center around CEO Roundtable discussions, networking and plant tours. The most recent plant tour was held at Pelican Wire in Naples and hosted by Cath Maslyn, director of Human Resources & Talent Development.

“Pelican Wire actively engages education and community focused organizations, welcoming many to our facility to learn more about our operations and tour our production facility,” says Maslin. “We are a 100 percent employee owned, growing enterprise with a proud history of being located in Naples since 1976.

Being able to shine a light on manufacturing in an area not known for this industry is a real plus.”

Steve Scott is vice president of sales at VR/WESSON in Cape Coral and will also be hosting an event. “We will be showing off million dollar pieces of equipment, some have robotics for loading and unloading and others are cutting diamond discs with laser.

BY PETER I would love to see more manBAGWELL ufacturers involved with the Guest Columnist associations. Decisions were made to invest in several pieces of equipment because of the Manufacturing Association’s and Gov. Rick Scott’s hard work to remove the Sales Tax burden of 6 percent. This is a big reason for more business to locate here in Florida.”

“Two years ago we were talking about 2.7 million baby boomers leaving the workforce, and 700,000 manufacturing jobs coming from manufacturing expansion, but only 1.4 million people available to fill those jobs” says Bagwell. “We have excellent partners here including CareerSource Southwest Florida and the Florida Gulf Coast University Small Business Development Center, but as manufacturers we need to do more and Manufacturing Day is a great opportunity for us.”

Details about all Manufacturing Day events in Southwest Florida are available at www.MfgDay.com.

Peter Bagwell is executive director of the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association. Contact him at peter.bagwell@gmail.com or call (239) 362-0385.

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ployees and their dependents choose and pay for their own health insurance and out-of-pocket expenses, and then submit proof of those expenses.

The small business then reimburses them up to the set allowance amount. Reimbursements are free of payroll tax for both company and employees and free of income tax for employees as long as they have insurance. Employees who don’t have insurance must report reimbursements as taxable income at the end of the year.

Because of this unique approach, QSEHRAs deliver value to employees in nearly all situations. By avoiding the financial and time costs associated with group health policies, you and your employees will be free to do what you all do best—focus on your business.

Mary L Cranden is owner and principal of MJD Enterprises. MJD is a partner with Zane Benefits, a PeopleKeep company, that offers QSEHRA solutions.

Contact her at (239) 400-4409 to learn more about the QSEHRA or to schedule a product demo.

Immokalee career program receives $7,500 grant

The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Development program recently received a $7,500 boost from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

In announcing the award, Senior Vice President and Private Client Advisor Jamie Andersen said, “It is through awesome work done by dedicated agencies like yours that help lift up our local communities. We’re proud to support The Immokalee Foundation’s efforts to address issues related to jobs and education, areas vital to the economic health of our community. We celebrate with you.”

The grant represents one of Bank of America’s Economic Mobility Workforce Development and Education partnerships.

Whether Immokalee students consider attending a technical school or college, joining the military or going directly into the workforce, the foundation’s Career Development program provides full knowledge of the available choices in those career paths. The program helps young students to realistically plan their futures—and succeed. Workshops teach the application process for college, technical schools and scholarships, and provide advanced training and education.

Financial support for the Career Development program is used for workshops, career panels, college tours, and programs that provide productive activities for the students, such as leadership training.

All of the students who participate in The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Development program graduate from high school, and 100 percent of those students pursue a college or vocational post-secondary education. Of those who pursue higher education, 75 percent graduate from their respective programs.

SEPTEMBER 2017

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 5

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

Community design experts headline real estate symposium Robert Gibbs and David Dixon, two of the nation’s leading authorities on community planning and design, will address the 2017 Real Estate Symposium at Florida Gulf Coast University on Sept. 14.

Gibbs will explain “New Strategies in Retail Planning and Development.”

Gibbs is president of Gibbs Planning Group, based in Michigan, and is recognized for having pioneered the implementation of environmentally sustainable principles of traditional town planning and smart growth. While actively involved in design projects, he also lectures throughout the country, teaches “Urban Retail” at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and is the author of Principles of Urban Retail Planning and Development.

Dixon will discuss “Planning Suburban Downtowns That Work.” Dixon is senior principal and Urban Design Group leader with Stantec and is based in the firm’s Boston office. Dixon is widely respected for his role in planning post-Katrina New Orleans, transforming strip malls into new suburban downtowns, and reappraising the role of density in community planning. In addition to current projects, he regular-

ly presents at design and planning conferences and has co-authored Urban Design for an Urban Century: Shaping more livable, equitable, and resilient cities.

Sean Ellis of Roetzel & Andress will moderate a panel including keynote speakers.

REIS President Karen Miller notes: “Southwest Florida is adapting to new market trends and economics and REIS is pleased to provide a forum with knowledge and ideas that will help our members and our community leaders succeed in this dynamic environment.

The presenters are leading experts who will share their expertise with property owners, government officials, and real estate development professionals who attend.”

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with the program at 8 a.m., at the Cohen Center Ballroom at FGCU. Admission is $25 for members of REIS or FPZA and $45 for others. FGCU students may attend at no charge. Admission includes a campus parking pass.

Seating is limited and reservations are required by Sept. 11. AICP credits are pending approval. Make reservations at www.reis-swfl.org.

Village on the Isle, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in Venice, has selected Stevens Construction for the renovation of their fivestory, 80,000-square-foot assisted living facility, Mark Manor.

Stevens awarded Venice contract Village on the Isle, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in Venice, has selected Stevens Construction for the renovation of their five-story, 80,000-square-foot assisted living facility, Mark Manor.

Located at 930 Tamiami Trail South, Mark Manor is being fully renovated floor-by-floor in efforts to provide minimal disruption to its 64 residents. Stevens Construction will replace the interior finishes and exterior façade to reflect Village on the Isle’s goal of providing a more residential-like setting. Improvements

also include the addition of a dedicated Memory Care Support floor using today’s most modern technology and design to care for those affected

by Alzheimer’s and dementia. The scope of work includes replacing the plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems of this 35-year old building as well.

The Stevens Construction team includes Project Manager Chris Walczak; Superintendent Mike Wood and Project Administrator Sue Ziegenfus.

RLPS Architects has provided the design.

Office development muted despite surging demand of Class A space

Across the globe, an unprecedented office building boom is underway with more than 700 million square feet (MSF) of space under construction that will deliver between now and the end of 2019, Cushman & Wakefield’s Global Office Forecast reports.

That’s the equivalent of recreating five cities worth of office inventory – Washington, DC, Dallas, London, Singapore and Shanghai—over the next three years.

The report details economic drivers, supply and demand forecasts and prospects for rent growth in more than 100 cities around the world.

Although demand, as well as job growth, will remain healthy through 2019, totaling approximately 520 MSF, it will fall far short of supply, which will cause vacancy to rise in most cities around the world.

From that perspective, the world is overbuilding.

Or, not. It also has been abundantly clear throughout this global expansion that most occupiers generally favor new, high-quality office space over older, Class B and C product. In the U.S., for example, new-

ly built high-quality space has accounted for 65 percent of all office absorption since 2012. More often than not, developers have been rewarded throughout this cycle for delivering prime product, even in markets where vacancy is elevated. Additionally, the combination of an accelerating global economy with low interest rates is a recipe for healthy officedemand conditions.

“Developers are certainly placing some big bets on new product, but the bulk of it is concentrated in the major global cities, which is precisely where the greatest appetite is for these shiny new buildings,” said Kevin Thorpe, Cushman & Wakefield global chief economist. “I’m less concerned about the new space leasing up, because in a sense, that is supply rushing to meet demand. It’s giving tenants exactly what they are asking for. I’m more concerned about what this wave of supply means for lower-grade product, which I suspect will have a difficult time competing.”

The development boom will be led by Asia Pa-

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cific, particularly Greater China. In fact, nearly 60 percent of the world’s new construction will be concentrated in the Asia Pacific region. Within the region, new supply is concentrated in a handful of markets: Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Manila and Bangalore. Indeed, those five markets account for 55 percent of construction taking place in Asia Pacific and over one-third of construction worldwide. Much like the supply side, the demand side of the equation is strongest in Asia Pacific. Beijing will have the distinction of leading the world in both supply and demand growth.

The Americas region is also in the midst of a robust construction cycle, peaking in 2017 and tapering offer somewhat in 2018 and 2019. Still, the U.S., Canada and Latin America will all build more space than they will absorb over the next few years. Again, it varies greatly from one city to the next, and the bulk of new space is concentrated in the largest cities, many of which arguably need it the most.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

SEPTEMBER 2017

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

Seagate reports status of six of its commercial projects Fort Myers-based Seagate Development Group reported it has completed one substantial commercial renovation project and is on schedule to complete an additional five projects in Lee and Collier counties.

Seagate completed a 15,000-square foot interior build-out and exterior renovation budgeted at approximately $850,000 for EmCyte Corporation on Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard in Fort Myers. EmCyte is a medical device manufacturer, packager, and distributor. The project included construction of office space, a reception area, conference rooms, a training area, a break room, restrooms and a clean room to accommodate EmCyte’s injection molding operations for manufacturing syringes and other items that are vacuum-sealed packaged prior to shipping. Construction of the clean room required the installation of a highly complex heating, air conditioning and ventilation system with multiple layers of air filtration to protect the integrity of the clean room environment. The system is designed to clean the air more frequently and to deliver fresh air to the clean room space at a rate beyond what is required in normal office environments. Significant steel modifications and electrical installations were made on the building’s roof to support the rooftop HVAC units.

Seagate expects to complete construction of a new 14,000-square foot single-story facility for Summit Church in Gateway on Express Court in Fort Myers this month. The new, from the ground up construction management/ design build project budgeted at nearly $2 million includes the creation of a large foyer, worship area, a large stage

Seagate Development Group, LLC expects to complete construction of a new 14,000-square foot single-story facility for Summit Church in Gateway at 12941 Express Court in Fort Myers this month. with a sound system and musical perSeagate’s construction manageformance lighting, offices, classrooms, ment project for the build-out of a a multi-purpose room and a children’s 19,900-square foot office space for worship area.

Gartner, Inc. is scheduled for compleSeagate is also on schedule to com- tion in August. The project includes the plete a construction management/de- selective demolition of existing tenant sign build renovation of the Sterling spaces to accommodate a larger space Oaks Clubhouse on Sterling Oaks for Gartner. Construction highlights Boulevard in Naples this month. The include the installation of a four-inch project includes selective demolition of raised floor throughout the entire space the existing main floor toilet rooms and for data and electrical power feeds to lower level locker rooms to bring both the office’s cubicle workstations. Decareas up to the current Florida Building orative wood timber ceilings will be Code accessibility requirements, a task installed in the break room and board that requires a complete relocation of room and wood timber and acoustical the areas’ existing plumbing to accom- panel walls will be found throughout modate current accessibility code lay- the entire space. Foam insulation will out regulations. An existing sauna will be sprayed on the roof deck to provide be refurbished to refresh the finishes, sound adsorption for the interior’s open provide a new mechanical system and ceiling. accommodate the new accessibility reSeagate was selected to lead a conquirements. Interior finishes through- struction management/design and out the renovated areas were selected build project for Southport Truck and provided by Freestyle Interiors.

Group. Southport Truck Group repre-

sents Daimler Trucks North America’s Freightliner and Western Star Truck brands across eight counties in Southwest Florida. The new commercial truck dealership located on Lee Road in Fort Myers is scheduled for completion in December. The new 26,000-square foot facility will include office space for sales, parts and service, a parts warehouse, and 18 service bays along with a large paved area for tractor, trailer and RV parking. The facility will be a combination of a Butler pre-engineered metal building, masonry and conventional structural steel. The finished structure will include a TPO membrane roofing system, aluminum framed exterior windows, open ceilings in the customer areas and spiral ductwork.

In addition to its commercial projects, Seagate is developing Windward Isle, a gated enclave of 28 single-family luxury homes situated just south of Orange Blossom Drive on AirportPulling Road in North Naples. Seagate is a Preferred Builder of custom estate residences at Quail West in North Naples and in Miromar Lakes. Seagate’s furnished Pine Valley estate model is available for viewing and purchase at Quail West and a new furnished estate model is under construction at Miromar Lakes. Seagate started construction of its second furnished grand estate at Quail West, the Pine Valley residence, in early May. Seagate is developing Hill Tide Estates, a 9.98-acre gated enclave on the southern tip of Boca Grande.

Located northwest of Fort Myers on Gasparilla Island off the Gulf Coast, the Hill Tide Estates property is the only site on Boca Grande that overlooks Boca Grande Pass. Hill Tide Estates will feature 19 residences at build-out.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 7

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

KW Property boosts Fort Myers presence

Property management firm KW Property Management & Consulting added Bridgetown at The Plantation in Fort Myers to its fast-growing portfolio of residential developments in Southwest Florida.

KW Property Management now manages communities throughout Southwest Florida with more than 15,000 homes and 135 employees from its regional headquarters in Bonita Springs. The firm was recently ranked among the top five largest property management companies in South Florida with 60,000 units under management in 280 communities, according to an analysis by the South Florida Business Journal.

Centrally located off Treeline Avenue south of Colonial Boulevard, Bridgetown at The Plantation is an upscale residential community by Pulte Homes that currently has 550 homes, two clubhouses, a resort-style pool, an amenity center, a fitness center and tennis courts. When it’s fully built out, the gated community will have 977 homes.

“Residents in communities such as Bridgetown recognize our management firm’s unrivaled talent in combining accounting, maintenance, technology and customer service,” said Zuly Maribona, regional manager of KW Property Management & Consulting in Bonita Springs.

KW Property Management assigns a new-client manager and one of the firm’s in-house CPAs to review financial statements and budgets, orient employees and ensure a flawless transition for each new community. The firm’s staff of eight in-house CPAs provide in-depth financial reviews and analyze all vendor contracts to ensure communities are getting the best pricing and maximum services.

In total, KW Property Management oversees a portfolio of more than 80,000 homes with over 1,200 employees. KW Property Management began managing residential communities in 2004 and today it has offices in Bonita Springs, Miami, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa.

In addition, KW Property Management has offices in the Bahamas, North Carolina and New York.

The Place on First reveals new floor plans The Place on First, a new mixeduse building coming to the historic downtown Fort Myers River District, announced the addition of a studio apartment floor plan, The Lee, to its lineup of luxury residences, as well as a redesign of another floor plan, The Jackson. Reservations are currently being accepted for the 15 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences available at The Place on First, which will be located on the corner of First and Jackson streets in the heart of downtown Fort Myers.

The Lee studio apartment offers a lofty urban vibe, kindred to that of New York City. This one-bedroom, one-bath residence features an open living area with a west-facing terrace overlooking Jackson Street, sitting high above the surrounding landscape for residents to enjoy Southwest Florida’s infamous sunsets, yet close enough to catch a glimpse of the vibrant culture of downtown Fort

R.D. Johnson starts Lee Health office renovations R.D. Johnson Construction started construction management services for the third-floor renovations of the GE building on Metro Pkwy in Fort Myers, leased by Lee Health to house its corporate staff once renovations are completed.

The GE Building is being fully renovated floor-by-floor to be used as the new Lee Health Corporate Office. As part of the ongoing project, R.D. Johnson is renovating a 23,000-square-foot space on the third floor, which will upgrade the office facilities with a contemporary design and efficient modular wall partitions.

The project is slated for completion in November 2017.

R.D. Johnson’s Aaron Harder is the project manager, Chrissy Zimmerman is the project manager assistant and Ron Roker is the job superintendent. The architect is Burt Hill of Pollock Krieg Architects.

Myers below. A full kitchen, walk-in closet and utility room complete the space. The simplicity of the space aligns with the design aesthetic of The Place on First. The Place on First’s newest 842-square-foot floor plan will start from the $200s.

The Jackson is a revolutionary, 1,462-square-foot urban living space offering a presidential two-bedroom, two-bath design with a foyer, a westfacing balcony that also offers stunning sunset and surrounding city views, and a great room-style kitchen and living area, complete with a laundry room and pantry. Urban style elements throughout the home, such as a brick accent wall and cove lighting are a part of the building’s unique design aesthetic. The owner’s’ suite features a large walk-in closet and full bath, and the guest suite overlooking Jackson Street offers a great view of the surrounding city. The Jackson floor plan will start

from the $300s.

In addition to multiple restaurant and retail destinations and three floors of Class A office space, The Place on First also has a select few homes available on the building’s private residential floors, levels 6-8, which are accessible by elevator or stairs. The urban design features 15 residences, priced from the $200s to $800s. Five floor plans, including The Lee, The Edison, The Heitman, The Jackson and The McGregor, range from 842 to 2,305 square feet, and feature polished concrete floors, open-air city view terraces, and large, open-concept great rooms with 10-foot ceilings. Luxury features include a ninth-floor Sky Terrace with outdoor grill and river views, a fitness studio, bicycle storeage, on-site restaurant, state-of-the-art entry access for privacy of residential floors and proximity to dining, entertainment and more.

Cypress Cove Villas expansion to begin Construction of a 14-villa homes expansion project is scheduled at the 48-acre South Fort Myers Life Plan Community of Cypress Cove at HealthPark Florida.

The two- and three-bedroom Villas addition, explains Cypress Cove Executive Director Michele Wasserlauf, will increase the community’s Villas home neighborhood to 44. Located on the southwest side of the Cypress Cove campus, The Villas community features spacious homes (nearly 1,800 square feet in size) with lakeside and preserve

views, garages and large screened lanais.

Chris-Tel Construction of Fort Myers has been named contractor of the multi-million dollar project.

Construction is expected to begin in late August with completion targeted for early summer of 2018.

Besides the 44 Villas community, Cypress Cove boasts 333 additional independent living residences. Nearly 600 residents live on the Cypress Cove campus in either in independent, assisted or skilled living communities.

Page 8

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

SEPTEMBER 2017

Ace Hardware announces plans for Fort Myers customer center

Ace Hardware Corporation announced the opening of a new Customer Care Center in Fort Myers.

The new office facility is located on Terminal Drive and resides within Page Field, owned by the Lee County Port Authority.

The opening of the Fort Myers Customer Care Center is part of a strategic three-year plan to grow and transform the co-op’s Customer Care division.

Once fully staffed, the 10,000-square-foot office space will employ approximately 110 Ace corporate team members.

The Ace Hardware Customer Care Center manages communications and helps bridge information gaps for customers of Ace Hardware retail stores, and acehardware.com e-commerce customers. Team members hired for the Fort Myers office will have access to the full suite of benefits offered to qualified employees of Ace Hardware Corporation. These benefits include competitive wages, paid vacation allocation, retirement savings, comprehensive health and life insurance and birth/adoption paid time off for new parents.

OFFICE PAGE 5 According to Florida Research Manager Chris Owen, new office construction lags significant demand throughout the state of Florida.

“We are not seeing overbuilding in Florida,” Owen said. “Even with Class A vacancy rates falling to levels not seen in a decade, developers have not jump-started new construction.”

“Overall, demand exceeds supply in most Florida markets,” added Owen. “Even in Miami, which has the most new construction, space coming online in the near term will

Leaders from Ace Hardware selected Fort Myers as the site for its new Customer Care Center following an extensive site search covering more than 900 metro areas. “The Fort Myers area was extremely attractive to us for a number of reasons,” said Kane Calamari, Vice President, Human Resources, Organizational Development and Communications, Ace Hardware Corporation. “The region offers access to high quality talent and a competitive lease rate for our new facility, coupled with excellent support from the region, including the Lee County Port Authority, Lee County Economic Development Office and CareerSource Southwest Florida.”

“The Lee County Port Authority would like to welcome Ace Hardware as a new business partner and tenant at Page Field,” said Jeff Mulder, executive director of the Lee County Port Authority. “We are confident their new office location on airport land, minutes away from downtown Fort Myers and the growing US 41 corridor, will be great match for their team.”

“The Lee County Economic Development Office

have minimal impact on vacancy given current demand trends.”

The development pipeline is ramping up throughout Europe, but not nearly to the same degree as the Americas. Some European cities, such as Paris, Vienna, London and Brussels, will hit a cyclical high in terms of new construction over the next two years, while Madrid will show steady growth amidst global deceleration of rental-rate growth.

Then again, those same cities report vacancy rates that are lower than pre-recession levels.

“Broadly speaking, supply and demand seem to be the most balanced in Europe relative to the other global regions,” Thorpe said.

welcomes Ace Hardware Corporation and is pleased the company recognized the opportunity available in our community,” said John Boland, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Office. “We look forward to an ongoing partnership.”

“CareerSource Southwest Florida is pleased to partner with Ace Hardware Corporation’s establishment of a Customer Care Center in Fort Myers, “ said Joseph Paterno, executive director of the Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board. “Our staff will assist with the recruitment and pre-screening of applicants over the next several months. A number of hiring events are being planned and prospective applicants are encouraged to register at employflorida.com.”

Ace Hardware engaged McGarvey Construction Company of Florida in Estero as the general contractor for the facility build-out. Construction for the new office space will be complete by the end of August 2017 and recruitment is currently under way. Employment opportunities can be found at www.acehardware.com.

ABWA PAGE 1 • Visitors will be able to register in advance to attend through Eventbrite.

Advance registration is $15 and walk-in registration will be $25.

• Light appetizers and a cash bar will be available during the event.

Come out and enjoy a great afternoon, meeting fabulous women working in our community and providing the services and products everyone needs to be successful.

There are three levels of Sponsorship.

A table is included in each level.

• Presenting Sponsor: $2,500 • Gold Sponsor: $1,500 • Silver Sponsor: $500

Exhibitor tables will be available for women owned or managed businesses and will be $150 and include: • 6-foot table, white table cloth, two chairs and free entry for a exhibit table assistant.

• After registering and paying, the business’ name and a link to the website will be posted below.

• Please note, ABWA will limit each business category to three exhibitors only, e.g skin care, jewelry, insurance agents, realtors, etc.

The exhibitor registration form is available online. Fill out form and email to sam@samblack.com If your category is still open, you will receive a PayPal invoice due within 24 hours to reserve your spot.

What is the Southwest Regional Manufacturing Association?

The SRMA is the conduit that brings manufacturers and the needed resources in Southwest Florida together to help them to thrive in the areas of economic development, state of the art technology, and maintaining a highly skilled workforce.

What is Manufacturing Day, F 10/6?

Southwest Florida manufacturers are joining the efforts of manufacturers nationwide to promote Manufacturing Day on Oct. 6, 2017. The goals of Manufacturing Day include eliminating the belief that manufacturing jobs are dirty, low-skill career choices and exposing their high-tech, clean workplaces to the public and future employees in hopes of filling various skills gaps.

Some local companies hosting Manufacturing Day events include: I Love Oils Facility Tour

Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

17030 Alico Commerce Ct. Fort Myers, FL 33967 The I Love Oils, Inc. presentation reveals the significant quality procedures and manufacturing processes required to make their doTERRA brand essential oils. The presentation will include videos, samples and a Q&A session.

For more information, call Peter Bagwell. at 239-362-0385 or email peter.bagwell@gmail.com

StormSmart Companies Facility Tour

Oct. 6 from 9-11:30 a.m.

6182 Idlewild St. Fort Myers, FL 33966 Facility tour and discussion with CEO. Casual dress and stay within designated areas while on the tour.

For more information, call Nancy Leonard 239-938-1010 or email nleonard@stormsmart.com

Craters & Freighters Facility Tour

1136 NE Pine Island Rd Cape Coral, FL 33909 We are a crating and packaging facility. We are very unique in our equipment and the domestic and exporting services we provide.

For more information, call Gary McKinley at 239-772-3100 or email gary.m@cratersandfreighters.com

VR/Wesson, Inc. Facility Tour

Oct. 6 from 10 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 2 p.m.

2673 NE 9th Ave Cape Coral, FL 33909 Visitors will get a chance to view first hand the most advanced Grinding Machines making cutting tool Inserts for the machining of Steel used in Auto, Aerospace, small engine, oil/gas pipe and couplings and medical device industries.

For more information, call Steven Scott at 239-573-5132 or email sscott@vrwesson.com

For more details on Manufacturing Day events at area businesses, visit srma.net

Trilogy Laboratories Facility Tour/Presentation

Oct. 6 at 9 am (Invitation-Only Event ) 10060 Amberwood Rd Fort Myers, FL 33913 High school STEM students will participate in handson activities to manufacture cosmetic products.

For more information, call Kristen Flaharty at 239-939-5454 or email kflaharty@trilogylaboratories.com

What are the SRMA membership benefits?

Want to improve your manufacturing business?

Consider how the following SRMA programs would help your business: • • • • • • •

Reduced Tax Rate on New Machinery Employee Training Grants Import / Export Training.

Resource Network.

Compliance Training Industry Best Practices Roundtable Discussions

• •

Marketing Assistance STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math): The SRMA continues to support the STEM initiatives in local schools and businesses to help forge high tech careers right here in Southwest Florida.

For more information, contact Peter Bagwell, SRMA Executive Director of Florida peter.bagwell@gmail.com (239) 362-0385

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DOING IT RIGHT, FROM THE START

SEPTEMBER 2017

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 9

Do you have your retirement contingency plan together?

Why aren’t entrepreneurs saving? For small business owners, it’s not that they don’t want to save for retirement outside of their businesses. Their priority is to plow earnings back into the business to keep it growing, so they rarely pay themselves a big salary.

If you are a small business owner, much of your wealth is trapped in your business. The problem is in order to diversify that wealth, you have to remove that wealth from the business and remove some of the lifeblood from the business. Taking money out stifles growth prospects and it can make it hard to maintain the business.

It is amazing to me how many entrepreneurs who I meet at events do not have a retirement plan in place.

Now, it may be that these folks simply don’t really plan on retiring, myself included, but just as often, it seems to be for lack of planning. A recent survey

by TD Bank shows that 47 percent of small business owners do not have a retirement plan in place Set up a retirement plan.

Getting into the habit of saving for retirement may not be easy but it is necessary. There are several types of retirement plans that a small business owner can utilize.

A Keogh retirement plan allows the self-employed and sole proprietors to contribute significant sums every year to a tax-free account. Benefits include being able to deduct contributions from gross income, deferral of taxes and of earned interest.

For those who are a little late to the retirement planning party, solo 401(k) plans are great because they offer high contribution limits.

However, they do not take into account the impact of taxes in retirement. It is not how much you accumulate but how much you can spend. Have you ever considered a Life Insurance Retirement Plan.

Life Insurance and Personal Retirement Planning?

Life insurance can play an important role in ensuring continued success by both funding a succession plan and reducing the risk represented by the loss of an owner or key employee. A key benefit of using life insurance is that it can be integrated with tools and strategies commonly used in succession planning, such as: - Buy-Sell Agreements.

Buy-Sell Agreements provide

BY LEN an orderly means of transferSTRICKLER ring a business interest upon Guest Columnist the death, disability or retirement of an owner. However, buy-sell agreements must be fully funded to be useful.

- Key Person Insurance. Key Person Insurance is a simple, efficient way to provide your business with the liquidity needed to handle the loss of a key employee and recruit and train a replacement. The plan may also help to replace lost profits as a result of the loss.

- Executive Bonus Plan. Employer pays premiums to provide life insurance coverage to key employees and owners.

Tax Minimization The tax-free growth of life insurance cash value is an attractive benefit to most companies and one reason why banks and corporations fund permanent insurance policies. Cash value accounts grow taxfree while within the policy.

Cash Flow Management Life insurance can improve the credit-worthiness of a business owner or the corporation itself. While the policy owner (an individual or a corporation) can always borrow against the cash value directly from

Do you know the insurance you need?

Now that you’re getting your business up and running, it’s time to think about the types of insurance you need, according to Rick Russo, senior vice president of Lykes Insurance, a premier Florida-based commercial insurance firm.

“Although there are all types of new businesses starting every day and some may need more specific insurance coverages, certain basic insurance coverage is needed for any new business,” says Russo. “We know that business insurance may seem complicated for new business owners, but the following should fit the bill for almost any new business.”

• General Liability insurance is a must for all new businesses. This is a broad form of liability insurance that will protect you against liability claims if someone should be injured on your premises or away from your premises due to an accident caused by you or your employees; as well as damage or injury caused by your products or completed work.

• Workers’ Compensation insurance provides insurance coverage for employees injured while at work. Requirements vary from state to state, but if you are in the construction business in the State of Florida, for example, you will need to purchase workers’ compensation if you have one employee. If the one employee is the owner, you may file for an exemption with the State of Florida. All other companies in the State of Florida are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance once they reach a total of four employees. However, if you have fewer than four employees and do not purchase workers’ compensation insurance, you could be held responsible for medical and other expenses associated with an injured employee, so workers‘ compensation is actually needed once you hire your first employee.

• Vehicle insurance is needed if your business has company vehicles. If you do not own a vehicle in the company, it is recommended you add Hired and Non-Owned insurance to your General Liability insurance policy. This provides protection for your company when an employee is using a personal vehicle on company time or if you rent or borrow a vehicle for business

BY RICK RUSSO purposes.

Guest Columnist • Property Insurance will be needed if you have purchased a building, but also for your business property such as office furniture and equipment.

• An Umbrella insurance policy is recommended because it provides additional liability insurance coverage over and above the General Liability, Workers’ Compensation and Automobile Insurance policies.

“Depending on your business, some of the other insurance policies you should inquire about would be Business Income, Electronic Data Processing, Crime, Inland Equipment, Employment Practices Liability, Cyber Liability and Directors & Officers,” says Russo.

He suggests that business owners ask their insurance advisor for guidance as to the types of insurance and the levels of coverage that will best protect their new business.

Rick Russo is senior vice president of Lykes Insurance.

For information, visit www.lykesinsurance.com or contact him at rrusso@lykesinsurance.com

the life insurance company, a policy’s cash value can be considered an asset when applying for bank loan preferred rates to finance capital expenditures.

Employee Benefit Finding and keeping the right employee is a key challenge in any business. An attractive benefit package can help a business secure and keep top talent. Life insurance can be used to fund employee benefits in various ways, thus helping business owners attract and retain high-quality employees.

Loan Collateral Another benefit of using life insurance to fund business succession plans is the ability to use the proceeds as loan collateral. If business owners risk defaulting on a loan should a death, disability or retirement occur, a life insurance policy could be structured to use the benefit toward payment to the lender. Once the lender is paid in full, the beneficiaries under the life insurance policy receive the remaining proceeds.

Bottom Line Proper planning using life insurance as a financial tool can provide business owners with stability and protection, as well as operational advantages. Its most familiar role is as a key feature of a succession plan, offering liquidity upon the death, disability or retirement of an owner or vital employee. However, life insurance can play an even broader role in strategic planning, assisting with cash management and loan collateralization, offering tax-free growth and recruiting top quality employees with benefit funding.

Len Strickler assists client in designing a Tax Free Retirement Road Map with perfect balance in Tax Deferred, Taxable, and Tax Free accounts, without exposure to market risk. Contact him at Len@IWGadvisors.com or call (239) 908-1685.

BLUE CHIP PAGE 1 Independent judges will pick the winning entry once all applications have been collected. Businesses can nominate themselves or be nominated by a third party. To qualify, the for-profit business must have been in operation for at least three years under the same ownership with principal office located in Lee, Collier or Charlotte county, employ five to 400 people and have overcome adversity to achieve success. The award ceremony will take place Thursday, Nov. 2 at a new location, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs.

To submit an application, please contact Stacey Mercado at (239) 433-7189 or SMercado@BBandT.com.

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Page 10

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

SEPTEMBER 2017

Western Global appoints Gen. Bash as its new president Western Global Airlines’ CEO and Founder Jim Neff announced the appointment of Gen. Brooks L. Bash as President. Headquartered in Estero, Western Global Airlines is an all-cargo airline with worldwide coverage which owns and operates a fleet of 13 wide body freighters with high reliability and responsiveness.

“Gen. Bash is an exceptionally well qualified senior executive with over 20 years of top-level experience in all aspects of aviation operations and man-

agement. For the past two years he has served as an advisor to Western Global Airlines,” said Neff.

“Over this period, we have gotten to know Brooks well and appreciate his many Bash strengths and talents.

It became very apparent to me and the team that having Brooks join us full-time as president

was the right move for the company as we get established and grow past our start-up phase.”

In addition to his WGA advisory role, Bash most recently held the position of chief commercial officer for AAR Airlift Group, an FAA Part 135 fixed and rotary wing operation. Prior to that, during his career in the USAF, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant General.

Bash entered the Air Force as a graduate of the U.S. Air force Academy and during his Air Force career, served in

several key positions including deputy executive secretary for the National Security Council in the Executive Office of the President, under both the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations; Director for Logistics, under the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Pacific Air Forces Vice Commander. His final Air Force position was Vice Commander for Air Mobility Command. A combat-experienced commander, Bash retired from the Air Force as a three-star general.

MANUFACTURING

Five recommendations for creating competitive websites for business

It’s no secret that American manufacturers today must be better than their overseas competitors, but fortunately the internet has leveled the playing field.

That’s important because about 98 percent of manufacturing firms are considered to be small and the majority of those have fewer than 20 employees, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. With the worldwide reach of the internet, even the smallest U.S. manufacturing firms can effectively compete on an equal footing with the biggest companies.

Manufacturers know they must compete globally.

As a result, exports of U.S.-manufactured goods have quadrupled over the past 25 years. U.S. manufacturers will need to fill an estimated 3.5 million jobs over the next decade, the manufacturing association reports.

A comprehensive digital marketing plan is essential for U.S. manufacturers. At its core is a website that makes a company stand out in a global sea of competitors. “Poor-quality websites may harm your business because prospective customers want to know about your people, your products and how you can solve their problem,” says Zach Katkin, president and CEO of Atilus, a Bonita Springs-based digital design firm that specializes in crafting digital strategies for business.

Katkin offers his top five recommendations to manufacturing clients seeking a website that will help them

stand out among their competition. Consider: • Tell prospective customers what makes you different. Katkin says you can’t design a great website if you don’t understand what sets the business apart from its competitors. While that makes sense intuitively, your technology team many not be sensitive to the nuances of your industry niche. For example, your company may have

BY ZACH KATKIN a special patented process for Guest Columnist manufacturing that no one else can claim. Or perhaps your manufacturing company uses top-of-the-line materials that ensure a product’s long life. Shining customer care after purchase may be another claim to your company’s fame, building a loyal clientele that sticks with you year after year.

• Feature the people behind the manufacturing company. Prospective customers want to know how you built the company and who’s in charge. Profiles of company leaders and a history of the firm are essential.

“They’re called social signals, in our industry,” Katkin

says. It’s really as simple as this: People do business with people. Plus, everyone loves a good story about growth, hard work and success.

• Highlight your biggest customers. You should be proud of the great service and products you’re delivering to your top customers. Be bold about highlighting who they are by promoting them on your website.

Don’t worry about your competitors finding out who they are—they already know.

• Write a case study that highlights you solved a customer’s challenge. For example, your manufacturing company may have designed a product that saved a client $1 million a year. Write a case study that explains in detail how your company developed a solution for your client. Chances are, prospective customers who read your website have a similar challenge and they need you to solve it.

• Illustrate with great photos and diagrams. There’s no excuse for lousy photos that make your website look unprofessional. Hire a professional photographer with good digital skills and a graphic artist who can illustrate your manufacturing process with easy-to-understand diagrams. Make it visually pleasing and compelling.

Zach Katkin is president and CEO of Atilus. Contact him at (888) 928-4587 or zach@atilus.com

IN BUSINESS SINCE 2011

1987

2016 MERGER

Pay ZERO-TAXES in re�rement Bernadette Collier

Licensed Insurance Agent

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Four ways to be more focused, stay on track Whether you are a business owner or a professional who helps a business run smooth, chances are, you wear a lot of hats.

It seems like everything is vying for our attention.

Even when we think we have the perfectly laid out plan, rabbit holes and shiny objects love to take us off track.

I have known people who live in this vicious cycle.

In fact, I used to look at that person in the mirror.

Three years ago, I looked like a rockstar on paper.

However, I was a workaholic, overweight, tens of thousands of dollars in debt and I was pretty convinced that I was going to divorce court for the second time before I was 35.

Why? I lacked a clear plan. I was saying “yes” to everything but was not super clear on what I stood for.

I felt like I had lacked the right support. On top of that, I felt like everyone else’s opinion mattered before mine.

My life transformed when I started committing to daily action to create healthier habits.

Today, I want to share four ways to get more focused and stay on track: 1. Hang out with good people: Your number one defense in keeping your focus (and sanity) is to align yourself with people who want to see you thrive. If family and co-workers are the biggest thorns in your side, what can you do to limit the amount of interaction you have with them? Write this down and commit to this plan.

2. Ditch the television: In my former life, on the rare occasion I would get the remote control, I would turn the channel to some “real bad dance gypsy family” reality show. Ugh… what a waste my time! Two years ago, I did an “all media” cleanse for a week. It was the

most liberating and productive way for me to honor my time.

I’m not suggesting that you cut all media from your life, but do your best to eliminate one form that doesn’t do much to serve your areas of focus.

3. Create the ideal routine: The biggest concern I hear from busy professionals: they wish they had some magical plan or an ideal calendar to keep their life more focused. You can start taking ownership of your calBY ERICA endar by mapping out what the CASTNER “ideal” weekend (or Tuesday) Guest Columnist looks like.

4. Fuel Yourself: Reading and doing activities to challenge your mind are vital to fueling your focus.

Think of it as getting a “physical trainer” for the brain.

You know what else takes you off course? Dehydration and being “hangry.” It took some time to adjust but I eat five to six small meals a day to keep my blood sugar levels evened out. I also budget time for breaks so I can recharge, throughout the day.

Mastering your focus takes daily practice in creating new habits. Start getting back on track with these simple steps today.

Erica Castner is a business and breakthrough coach with a successful track record of helping business professionals influence a group of their ideal clients. For more, visit www.thequeenofresults.com or email her at erica@thequeenofresults.com.

Page 11

Court upholds verdict in Lee whistleblower case

Lee County may be liable for as much as $1 million in damages and legal fees after an appellate court upheld a jury’s verdict in a recent whistleblower case.

Fort Myers attorney Geralyn Noonan represented three Lee County employees who were fired for revealing wrongdoing, fraud and waste at the Lee County Economic Development Office. On June 29, a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit U.S. District Court of Appeals upheld a jury verdict that the three plaintiffs were wrongfully fired.

“Lee County is now at risk of having to pay up to $1 million in damages and legal fees as a result of the wrongful firings,” Noonan says.

John Brock, Susan Noe and Eileen Schuman were fired for cooperating with an audit of the Economic Development Office by the Lee County Clerk of Court, including a grant of $5.4 million to fund a startup drink company called VR Labs. In total, a jury agreed that the three employees were wrongfully fired and awarded them more than $1 million in total.

Lisa Wagner, the fourth plaintiff who filed a separate case and was originally denied a trial, saw that decision reversed following her testimony in the Brock, Noe, Shuman case.

Following the Appellate court’s decision, Wagner and Lee County are pursuing mediation to settle her case.

RESTAURANT PAGE 1 The flour used at La Colmar is imported directly from the same miller used by Yannick’s grandfather and his father in France. The flour is free of impurities and is made in a way that is closest to the ancestral ways of making flour; there is no bleaching and no GMOs, pesticides, weed-killers or additives.

On the other hand, the wheat used to make flour in the US has been modified and goes through a lot of bleaching and alterations which affects the taste and quality of the bread. All the chemicals added to the crops in the US not only affect the quality of the product, the bakery owners said; they also impact the health of consumers.

Because of this situation, the Brendels believe that flour is supposed to be “alive,” i.e. not processed. “To us, providing this natural quality is the reason why we do what we do,” says Yannick Brendel. “We are dedicated to providing the best unforgettable products that can ever exist. Some people say the rate of obesity, ADHD, ADD, Gluten intolerance and allergies can be associated with food additives added to

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Sell Your Business

Photo by Bob Szanto A great selection of wine from all over the world will be available for dining in and also for sale. the flour. ” The French are well known for their breads, pastries and relationship with food; the Brendels want to contribute to the enjoyment of French foods here in the US by helping people eat great food without health concerns—and think the answer is French flour.

La Colmar is located on Tamiami Trail North in Naples, next to Timeless – An MHK Eatery. Hours of operation are 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days per week. For more information call (239) 315-4303.

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Marco Island - Naples - Bonita Springs Fort Myers - Cape Coral Phone: (239) 444-1736 Fax: (239) 947-0715 Email: mpfeffer@murphybusiness.com www.murphybusiness.com/bonitasprings

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Page 12

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

SEPTEMBER 2017

Digital display company to create video board for Super Bowl

AD Systems acquired a contract to create a highresolution video board for Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in preparation for Super Bowl LV in 2021.

The Fort Myers-based company will install a 126foot LED display in the stadium’s new 60,000-squarefoot Club Level Lounge, located in the all-new West Stadium Club. The board is expected to be made up of nearly 4 million diodes and consists of 281 trillion colors. This is part of $150 million in renovations to the stadium and will complement 178 4K video monitors, 10,000 square-foot retail team shop and 18,700

square-foot home locker room.

“We are contributing to a magnificent venue in a specialized way and keeping the talent of our software and hardware engineers in the State of Florida, where we have found decades-worth of success,” said Founder Jim Thomas. “When 2021 comes around, guests will not only bear witness to football history, but take full advantage of the product we strove to perfect and unveil at the most popular sporting event in the world.”

AD Systems has produced and installed digital displays for the stadium since its inception in 1998.

Is better thinking the key to better business?

By John Canfield Guest Columnist

Improving thinking skills is the key to improving business performance. What differentiates great and not-so-great organizations is if and how they encourage employees to think more effectively.

Structured collaboration is the easiest and most effective way to reduce organizational waste.My The Good Thinking Series is comprised of four books, which can be read alone or together. They are: 1. Think or Sink – A Parable of Collaboration: This insightful parable presents structured, deliberate collaboration as the primary strategy to reduce corporate dysfunction. Think or Sink is intended to be a rallying cry for better collaborators, better leaders, and better employees.

2. Collaborate – Tools and Techniques for Productive Meetings provides the approach and tools needed to build skills that support effective collaboration company-wide. Collaborate features instructions on nearly 50 tools and techniques to help take business meetings to the next level.

3. Imagine – Ideation Skills for Improvement and Innovation Today will show readers how to improve, implement, and grow an organization’s ideas, leading to improved business performance and increased profitability.

4. Plan – Ideation Skills for Improvement and Innovation Tomorrow provides instructions for strategic planning and scenario planning. Senior leaders use strategic planning to discuss their organization’s goals. Scenario planning helps teams to discover alternative futures and prepare responses for a wide variety of possible situations.

Great work is possible when teams learn to use effective communication tools and adopt techniques that build both great decisions and great buy-in.

Great decisions? That’s obvious. But great buy-in? Too many leaders do not know how to earn support for their ideas and resort to persuasion or demands.

John Canfield, a corporate coach, earned bachelor’s in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering from the University of Minnesota. The Good Thinking Series is available at Amazon.com.

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This includes over 100 of the 46-inch clarity matrix displays. Staff configured them into four large video walls on a dedicated space in four lounge areas. Each are comprised of 25 displays in a 5-by-5 arrangement, with an ultra-thin profile and unique tiling optimization features to make for improved appearance and performance.

AD Systems has also been involved in other large-scale LED video board projects, such as those at Hard Rock Café Orlando, Seminole Indian Casino, Full Sail University, University of Northern Iowa and Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale.

Engel & Völkers Florida teams up for expansion

Engel & Völkers Florida announces Brian H. Robb will join as chief marketing officer dedicated to implementing innovative marketing methods to increase overall growth.

“Brian’s unique industry knowledge and experience make him a wonderful addition to our talented team,” said Timo Khammash, managing partner of Engel & Völkers Florida.

“We look forward to continued growth in Florida, with Brian as CMO.” Robb joins Engel & Völkers Florida afterlaunching multiple successful companies of his own. By the time he was 24, he founded Robb Capital, a commercial real estate finance advisory firm. Shortly after his company’s initial launch, Robb arranged financing for a $27.75-million transaction, deeming it the No. 6 loan nationwide, according to Fitch Ratings.

He has also meticulously recruited, trained and supervised more than 60 high-level sales executives to Robb Capital, most notably, a former CFO for JP Morgan Chase.

Economic development is not just for large companies; it’s for every business... big or small. The Lee County Economic Development Office provides assistance to retain existing businesses, encourage entrepreneurship and attract new business so Lee County has a strong economy, thriving communities and a broadly shared prosperity. No matter the size of your business we are here to help YOU thrive, grow and prosper.

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