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SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S BUSINESS VOICE • 239-573-9732 Vol. 8 No. 11 / SEPTEMBER 2015 www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com
Distributed in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Naples
IN THE NEWS
Forbes ranks Naples no. 1 for job growth
Naples just ranked high again on yet another list this year – actually, No. 1 on this latest one. The city has been ranked on top for future job growth in the United States by Forbes magazine. Naples has projected annual job gains of 4.6 percent through 2017, according to Moody’s Analytics. John Cox, president of the Naples Area Chamber of Commerce, stated that rapid growth is being seen in tech jobs, construction, tourism, medical care and medical technology. The article also cited that while the Naples community was traditionally built on service and seasonal jobs for the swelling winter population, it is now transitioning into growth in management, construction, health care and information technology. Six Florida cities are among the top 10 metro areas for projected job growth. Naples ranked first; Cape Coral, third; Orlando, fourth; Ocala, fifth; Port St. Lucie, ninth; and North Port, 10th.
Save the date for FPRA’s 2015 PR University
The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Southwest Florida Chapter is pleased to announce it will host the 2015 Public Relations University conference from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8 at Florida SouthWestern State College, 8099 College Pkwy, Fort Myers. The event will also include a celebration of the chapter’s 30 years as a member of FPRA. PRU is an annual full-day professional seminar that brings speakers from across the state, and even from across the nation, to examine trends in the changing market and the fusion of new media with traditional communication elements. FPRA See page 8
Lee County announces 3 new incentive projects
In June, Lee County commissioners unanimously approved three incentive packages expected to create more than 300 new jobs – as well as inject nearly $6 million of capital investment into the county’s economy. The packages are funded by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund program, which requires a 20 percent match by Lee County. These latest incentive packages illustrate the county’s vow to retain and assist in the expansion of existing businesses as well as attract new companies looking to relocate in Lee County: PROJECTS See page 8
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Looking toward bright commercial future in SWFL Area business professionals recently enjoyed the opportunity to attend the International Council of Shopping Centers’ (ICSC) Southwest Florida committee’s first educational program open to the public, presented in Bonita Springs. Several local business, political and commercial real estate leaders in the region shared their insights on the business/commercial future of the region. Local commercial realtor and member of the ICSC, Theresa Blauch-Mitchell, CCIM, who was part of the planning committee, commented, “We were very happy to be able to bring a premier event of this caliber to the Southwest Florida business community. With such a great response, planning has already started for next year with another stellar panel. Retail is HOT!” The purpose of the ICSC is to advance the shopping center industry and promote its role in the com-
Photography by Michael Shapiro Photography
Jeff Williams, director of real estate ALDI Inc.; John Mounce, Landqwest; and Gary Tasman, Cushman & Wakefield catch up with each other at the recent ICSC event in Southwest Florida. mercial distribution of con- in the Southwest Florida sumer goods and services market, as well as creative via educational programs economic stimulators such and publications, statistical as the Naples Accelerator research, professional certi- and the Southwest Florida fication programs and vari- Economic Development ous advocacy programs, on Alliance taking root in the the local, state, federal and region, attendees were eainternational level. ger to find out what types of Bruce Register, Business & With commercial activi- commercial projects are in Economic Director for Collier ty gaining more momentum Southwest Florida’s future. County shared his views.
Hodges forms Fraud Institute
The Daubmann Family (l-r) Bill, Donna, Doug and Keith
MY Shower Door/D3 Glass named among fastest growing companies MY Shower Door/D3 Glass has been included in the Inc. 5000 list for 2015 by Inc. magazine. Their “official rank” is No. 2085 on the list, placing them in the nation’s top 50 percentile of fastest- growing private companies in the United States. The list is compiled each year to give recognition to top growing companies in the nation. This recognition and business achievement places MY Shower Door/D3 Glass in an elite group of businesses. Past named companies include Microsoft, Timberland, Vizio, Intuit, Chobani, Oracle and Zappos. com. MY Shower Door is a locally
owned, family business that sells and installs heavy glass frameless shower doors, while D3 Glass, its sister company, fabricates and tempers glass for glass shops throughout Florida. The Daubmann family opened their business in Naples in 2003, with their first Frameless Shower Door Showroom in Southwest Florida. Since that time, their name has changed to MY Shower Door and they have grown to 30 employees with showrooms in Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa and – soon – St. Petersburg. D3 Glass, located in Fort Myers, has a staff of 28. GROWING see page 8
FOCUS ON: GOING GREEN
Hodges University has announced the establishment of the Identity Fraud Institute, a research- and educationfocused central hub for all identity theft and fraud-related information in and throughout the state of Florida, that will also provide victim assistance programs. The Identity Fraud Institute includes a research center that will involve a network of local banks and members of the retail, medical and other industries who will learn, share and collaborate on key topics. Participants will report tips, trends and other related information. Notices will be shared through the institute with local law enforcement and businesses, benefitting the local market and its residents. Citizen education will also be a prominent component of the institute. In development is a program that will certify participants as identity theft advisors, giving them an opportunity to also help other victims. Another goal of the Identity Fraud Institute is to host a national conference, tentatively planned for September 2016, on identity theft and fraud. HODGES See page 8
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William C. Huff Going Solar William C. Huff Companies is proud to announce that they are going solar. The installation of their new 137 kilowatt, directcurrent solar photovoltaic system should be completed by midSeptember. Jim Henderson, owner and president of William C. Huff – a full-service company specializing in complete personalized logistics support for high and ultra-high net worth homeowners, builders, designers, architects and estate managers – says his company’s warehouse will be the largest single-facility solar project in Collier County to date. Once the switch is made, his 34,000-square-foot Naples warehouse at 4227 Progress Ave. will be cooled by the power of the sun. There will also be enough solar electricity to power the 10,000 square foot addition planned next year for the high-efficiency storage facility. This solar-powered system will produce 214,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, equaling to approximately 18,000 kilowatt hours each month. The project is being completed by the Urban Solar Group of Boca Raton, one of Florida’s fastest growing solar companies. Urban Solar has already installed several residential solar systems in Naples. Over the 25-year system lifetime, the company can expect to pay the equivalent of 4.8 cents per kilowatt hour for the installation which, after the 30 percent federal tax credit, will cost approximately $245,000. This is less than current commercial electric rates and far less than residential rates which are currently around 10 cents per kilowatt hour. The William C. Huff solar system will bring the company’s energy cost to net zero. The bill for power drawn from the electric grid at night will be offset by the solar system’s daytime electricity production. “The clean photovoltaic power will reduce William C. Huff’s carbon footprint by approximately 3,500 tons over its lifetime,” said Neville Williams, solar energy expert, author, and the former CEO of Standard Solar. “That’s a lot of CO2. Jim wants to ‘do the right thing,’ and he has. Alternatively, he could plant 140,000 trees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but going solar is cheaper, and a smart decision for the future of William C. Huff and for our planet.” After working closely with Williams, Henderson came to the conclusion that there are more reasons to go solar than there are reasons not to. “Currently, most businesses and municipalities are more concerned with their ROI (return on investment) than with their impact on the environment,” Henderson said. “We calculate about a sevenyear payback on his investment. We care about the environment and so do our clients.”
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
Photography by David Michael
Above: Members of the Coastal Cart team relax during the celebration. Below left: Coastal Carts is the only authorized Yamaha golf cart dealer in Southwest Florida. Below right: Owner Don Imbus thanks the local community for its warm welcome.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Coastal Carts opens store in Fort Myers Recent visitors to Coastal Carts were treated to complimentary rides on the company’s product—golf carts—as owner Don Imbus welcomed visitors to his new store in Fort Myers. The only Yamaha authorized dealer in the region, let alone one of the few golf cart companies serving the area, he and his team have received a warm welcome from area residents.
Tamiami Angel Fund invests in ZoneFlow Reactor Technologies The Tamiami Angel Fund II (T2) has invested $750,000 in ZoneFlow Reactor Technologies LLC, a company developing new reactor technologies used in the production processes for refining crude oil, producing ammonia and methanol, and reducing iron ore to iron. The fund recently closed on the investment into its sixth portfolio company, allocating $250,000 in capital interest to ZoneFlow Tech and an additional $500,000 addon commitment. ZoneFlow Tech, founded in 2007, is currently testing its proprietary reactor technology designed to improve efficiency in the production of hydrogen and syngas by the steam methane reforming process. “We are very pleased to have a Fund like T2 decide to make a major investment in our company, and we treat that as a real compliment to our business plan and what we’ve accomplished to date,” said Bruce Boisture, CEO of ZoneFlow. “T2’s investment will fund continued product development and testing,” said Gerald Lippes, a member of T2’s due diligence team. Lippes said the team was impressed by ZoneFlow’s professional management, its knowledge of the industry and its use of financing. “The company is in the manufacturing business, which gives us an interesting diversity for our fund,” said Timothy Cartwright, chairman of T2. “Most of our fund is invested in high-tech.” ZoneFlow’s progress was another factor, with the company expecting to introduce its technology in the next few years. “From the outset, we’ve been involved very heavily with engineering, production and catalyst companies in our industry as we’ve developed our product,” said Boisture. “We have also focused entirely on validation programs that range from joint development of specific product applications to pilot plant testing. The funding from T2, in addition to the capital raise, will allow us to pursue and execute the validation programs, the first of which commenced this month. We also executed the first round of preliminary tests on a separate major testing program that began a year ago.” “The company is pretty far along
with what it wants to achieve,” Lippes said. “ZoneFlow is starting to test the technology and that’s why we invested. It’s a different product than what’s currently available in the marketplace so its success also depends on the response from the industry.” The potential game-changing technology has far-reaching applications in a large market, including crude oil refining, making ammonia for fertilizer, producing methanol, and reducing iron ore to
iron. Tamiami Angel Fund I & II LLC are member-managed funds designed to enable private accredited investors to actively participate in a disciplined investment process. The funds invest in promising early-stage through expansion-stage commercial ventures located in the U.S., with a preference to those in the state of Florida. The Funds are members of the Angel Capital Association and the Florida Venture Forum.
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SEPTEMBER 2015
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
REIS announces 2015 Symposium The Real Estate Investment Society’s (REIS) “2015 Real Estate Symposium,” is Oct. 2 at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), 10501 FGCU Blvd. S., Fort Myers. The half-day workshop provides information to help local governments, landowners, developers, lenders, attorneys, planners, brokers, and design and construction professionals understand the dynamics of Southwest Florida’s real estate market. The symposium is presented by REIS in cooperation with the Lutgert College of Business at FGCU and the American Planning Association (APA), Florida Chapter. The fast-paced program features insight from government, economic development, and business leaders. Panel discussions and Q&A sessions address specific issues. “National and International Economic Trends” is presented by Dr. Randy Anderson, president of Griffin Capital Asset Management. “State Economic Trends” is discussed by Jerry D. Parrish, chief economist & director of research at the Florida Chamber Foundation. “Regional Economic Trends & Growth” is addressed by Dr. Robert Beatty, dean of Lutgert College of Business at FGCU. REIS See page 4
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Alternative sources of funding for your business exist outside of banks Q: I am in need of additional capital to fund a business expansion. What sources of funding, other than traditional bank loans, are currently available?
Crowdfunding is where friends, relatives and community members pledge small amounts of money without expectation of payback. However, some donors expect to receive some kind of reward BY GRAY POEHLER or product. Go Guest Columnist to kickstarter. com for more information. Kiva Zip is a microlending program for startups and aspiring entrepreneurs. It operates much like crowdfunding, except the investors expect to be repaid. An initial loan is small, generally $5,000 or less, and must be repaid in no more than two years. After the first loan is repaid the borrower can apply for up to $10,000 and subsequent loans can be for as much as $50,000. Go to zip.kiva. org for additional information. Angel investors are individuals who invest in businesses looking for a higher
A: That you are already in business and looking to expand is a positive over someone who is just starting out. However, your reluctance to seek traditional bank loans indicates that your credit standing may not be the best. If this is the case, you still may qualify for a bank loan with a Small Business Administration loan guarantee. SBA may guarantee your loan against default up to 85 percent for amounts under $150,000, and 75 percent on loans in excess of $150,000. This means that you must have 15 to 25 percent skin in the game. The average SBA 7(a) loan amount in 2012 was $337,730. A self-directed IRA allows you to buy or invest in things other than stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Your trustee or custodian can explain what qualifies under IRS rules. An example of a self-directed IRA custodian is guidantfinancial.com.
return than they would receive from traditional investments. Unlike venture capitalists, angel investor loans usually range from $150,000 to $1.5 million. Angels expect an average annual business return of 25 percent and most are looking for a 5 to 25 percent stake in the business and a position on your board. One local angel investor group is the Tamiami Angel Fund, which can be contacted via tamiamiangels. weebly.com/press. Make no mistake: With few exceptions, all of the above resources will expect you to provide a written business plan that defines the reason for financing, how the money will be spent, and how the investors will be repaid – as well as tax returns, profit and loss forecasts, balance sheets and a pro forma cash flow analysis. Your SCORE business counselor can guide you through the process. Gray Poehler is a volunteer with the Naples Chapter of SCORE. To learn more about management issues facing your small business, contact SCORE Naples at (239) -430-0081, or visit naples.score.org/mentors.
Former pro athlete Dave Clark selected as keynote speaker at Blue Chip Award Dave Clark, former professional athlete and motivational speaker, has been selected as the keynote speaker for the 21st Annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Award luncheon. Sponsored by BB&TOswald Trippe and Co. and BB&T Bank, the event will take place Nov. 5 at Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe St., Fort Myers. The annual Blue Chip Award program recognizes successful, small business owners who have overcome adversity to achieve success. Clark is a motivational speaker who has a powerful history of overcoming obstacles to reach his dreams. He suffered from polio as a child, but overcame the health challenges this presented to become a successful
IF YOU GO: What: 21st Annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Comunity Award luncheon When: Thursday, Nov. 5 Where: Harborside Event Center, Fort Myers Contact: Stacey Mercado at (239) 433-7189 or email SMercado@BBandT.com
professional baseball pitcher. He is the only professional league pitcher to have pitched using crutches. As an
author, motivational coach to athletes and the founder of the Dave Clark Foundation, Clark inspires people to overcome personal challenges and their perceived limitations in order to lead productive and satisfying lives. Clark received the National Heroes of Sports Award in 1999 and the Bo Jackson Courage Award in 2011. He was also honored at the White House by President Bill Clinton and has spoken before the U.S. Sports Conference, TedX Conference, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Siemens Energy. For information on how to get an application for the Blue Chip Award or to attend the luncheon, contact Stacey Mercado at (239) 433-7189 or email SMercado@BBandT.com.
Bonita Chamber’s Anticipating what’s next... Anticipating what’s next... trade show 9/24
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The Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce will have its Business Before Business meeting and Mini Trade Show from 8 to 9:15 a.m. Sept. 24 at Holiday Inn Fort Myers Airport @ Town Center, 9931 Interstate Commerce Drive, Fort Myers. Thirty-five Chamber members will showcase their products and services to fellow members and guests. The Chamber’s Business Before Business networking event is held on the fourth Thursday of every month with five of the events being Mini Trade Shows that promote businessto-business networking and referrals.
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
SEPTEMBER 2015
Industry Appreciation Awards slated for Sep. 18 The Lee County Economic Development Office and the Horizon Council will be recognizing the winners of the 2015 Industry Appreciation Awards this month. The event honors local businesses during the Industry Appreciation Week luncheon ceremony at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 18 at the Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe St, Fort Myers. Tickets are $50 per person, and registration is available online at horizoneventsite.com. This year, the Horizon Council will honor businesses in four new categories: • The LocalLee Grown Business Award will be awarded to a company that was founded in Lee County and is distinguished by its operational excellence and commitment to the vibrancy of Southwest Florida’s business climate. • The Business Citizenship Award honors a company whose financial, volunteer and active involvement in
organizations and programs have helped create a better quality of life in Lee County. • The Emerging Business Leader Award will be awarded to a relative newcomer to Lee County that is experiencing marked growth while introducing inventive products, services or business practices. • The Industry Luminary Award honors a company that helps shape its industry locally, nationally or even globally. The Industry Appreciation Awards are presented by the Horizon Council, an advisory group to the Lee County Board of Commissioners and the Lee County Economic Development Office, Industry Appreciation Week is a statewide event designed to create public awareness about how industry boosts the state’s economy. More than 1,000 people attended the 2014 Industry
Appreciation Awards event. The Horizon Council is a public-private board established in 1991 to advise the Lee County Board of Commissioners on economic development issues. The Council has more than 80 members representing five cities; chambers of commerce; economic development and trade organizations; community, business, and education organizations; along with various officers and at-large members. The Lee County Economic Development Office works to attract new and diversified businesses to the area, and improve the overall business environment in Lee County. Services include site selection assistance, demographic and statistical information, business assistance, financial assistance, employee training and recruitment, and community tours. For more information, visit leecountybusiness. com or call (239) 338-3161.
Evidence shows angel investing can net returns
Go Beyond Investing (GBI), the CHF cashed international business angel platform, has out by March launched “The Go Beyond 2015 from Investor Report: Introducing Angel seven of the Investing as an Asset Class for All 36 investments Investors.” The report, based on six years and an of data, shows that taking a portfolio estimated total approach is critical but not sufficient current Net for delivering success to angels and the Asset Value entrepreneurs they back. In addition, there (NAV) of must be tools to educate investors both 18.5m CHF. in a learning environment and “on the • What is job,” ability to invest with small tickets, the individual access to deals that have benchmarked BY BETHANN i n v e s t o r valuations and terms, mechanisms to KASSMAN portfolio leverage the community intelligence and Guest Columnist performance? professional deal leadership certification Better than 80 and compensation. percent of members have invested at least For years, angel investing has been seen once; more than 80 percent of investors as best suited for very high net worth or who have made at least one investment sophisticated individuals only. The report have a positive portfolio NAV; greater than also provides evidence that, with the above 80 percent of investors with more than described approach, individuals with as one year since their first investment have little as $50,000 as an overall investing received some cash back from exits. budget can do as well as large investors. How Go Beyond investors successfully “The Go Beyond Investor Report” is an build, manage and exit a portfolio of earlyanalysis of all the investments made by the stage investments: all the members of the Go Beyond investor • Actively learn angel investing by community between 2008 and 2014. taking training modules, joining a group • Who are the investors? 192 members of investors led by a coach and using small in 2014 from 20 in 2008, 25 nationalities, tickets of 3,000 to 6,000 CHF each. one-third are women. • Build a diversified portfolio of 8 to 10 • How many investments did they investments over several years. make? 10,700 investment decisions, which • Manage one’s own portfolio with the resulted in 1,000 investment tickets in 77 expert support of GBI and its 23 active deal rounds in 36 companies from 11 countries. leaders, especially for follow-on rounds • What is the performance of the overall and exit. portfolio? 10.6m CHF invested, 12.9m • Look at each individual investment
round on its own merit and keep at least 50 percent of funds for investments which perform well. How GBI does it: GBI has taken the best elements of professional angel investing, added the latest online service technologies, and created a unique FinTech business model with five components: • Syndication vehicles for small investment tickets. • Professional deal leadership certification and compensation program. • Cumulative knowledge sharing tools actively educating investors both in a learning environment and “on the job.” • One-year novice angel “get going” program. • Portfolio strategy tips and tools. “This report provides much needed evidence that angel investing can be an asset class for small and large investors,” said Brigitte Baumann, CEO of GBI and European Business Angel of the Year 2014. “The Go Beyond Investing approach is THE model to unleash the 10X to 20X growth potential for angel investing in Europe and the US and we will continue to lead the way.” Bethann Kassman, MBA, DBA, is CEO of Go Beyond Network, a business angel group she started in Naples, Florida. She has served as a global business consultant for companies in Europe, Asia and the U.S. and has owned and invested in a number of companies, both in the U.S. and Europe. Contact her at (941) 893-0881 or bethann. kassman@go-beyond-network.com .
REIS PAGE 3 Local trends and issues will be discussed by a panel of industry experts. Adam Palmer of LandQwest Commercial, provides the broker’s perspective and Mark Stevens, president of Stevens Construction, presents the builder’s perspective. The developer’s perspective is provided by Blake Gable, president of Real Estate Development – Barron Collier Companies, and Michael Greenberg, Southwest Florida Regional President of Neal Communities. The half-day workshop begins with registration at 7:30 a.m. and the program begins at 8 a.m. Admission is $25 for members of REIS and APA, $15 for active college students, and $45 for all others. Admission includes a campus parking pass and refreshments. Seating is limited. Reservations are required by September 30 and may be made online at reis-swfl.org. REIS is an independent professional organization, dedicated to assisting members in the effective utilization of real estate through networking, education, public service, and a common voice on pertinent issues.
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Animal hospital performs first canine hip replacement
“
Storm is doing great, and the entire team is thrilled to help this beautiful animal return to a typical dog lifestyle.
“
Storm and Naples-based Animal Specialty Hospital of Florida (ASH) made history when Dr. Kristin Wendelburg performed the hospital’s first total hip replacement in July. Storm, a 1-year-old Bouvier des Flandres was referred to ASH due to a chronic fracture of the top of his femur, which forms the ball of the hip joint. The surgery was successful, and Storm’s recovery includes limited activity, assisted walks and a full physical rehabilitation plan. “Storm is doing great, and the entire team is thrilled to help this beautiful animal return to a typical dog lifestyle,” Wendelburg said. “The fracture had occurred three months ago and healed inappropriately, causing arthritis and severe pain. The break could not be surgically repaired without a salvage procedure, such as the total hip replacement. “Two weeks after surgery, Storm already is placing more weight on the leg than he was prior to surgery. We are confident that he will be back to normal
– Dr. Kristin Wendelburg, Animal Specialty Hospital
soon.” The Bouvier des Flandres is a large, athletic breed that makes good watchdogs and guardians and eagerly participates in dog sports. Kristin Wendelburg joined Animal Specialty Hospital in 2014. She earned her veterinary degree from Kansas State University and, in March, earned board certification from American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Animal Specialty Hospital of Florida is the area’s largest and most technologically advanced animal hospital, it is staffed with boardcertified specialists in cardiology,
critical care and emergency medicine, dermatology, general surgery, internal medicine, neurology and neurosurgery, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, sports medicine and physical rehabilitation. ASH is equipped with a high-field MRI, helical CT and physical rehabilitation center within its facility. Wendelburg collaborated and performed the surgery with her uncle, Dr. Kirk Wendelburg, who designed the BioMedtrix hip replacement system used for Storm. He practices in California, has been a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons since 1989, and lectures internationally on total joint replacements. BioMedtrix is known worldwide as the leader in canine joint replacements with thousands of successfully implanted dogs and cats around the world. Storm’s system is a relatively new modification that includes a lateral bolt; roughly 50 surgeries have been performed with the modified design, with no complications.
Storm and Naples-based Animal Specialty Hospital of Florida made histoty when Dr. Kristin Wendelburg performed the hospital’s first total hip replacement.
Employee or independent contractor? — The ‘economic realities’ test Part 1 of 2 Several years ago, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced its misclassification initiative. In particular, the DOL is concerned about instances where workers are misclassified as independent contractors. On July 15, DOL issued its first Administrator’s Interpretation No. 20151 of the year on this issue. The Administrator’s Interpretation reaffirms the DOL’s interpretation of the law and opines that the appropriate test to use when conducting the analysis of whether a worker should be classified as an employee or independent contractor is the economic realities/economic dependence test. This test has six factors: 1. The extent to which the work performed is an integral part of the employer’s business; 2. The worker’s opportunity for profit or loss depending upon his or her managerial skill; 3. The extent of the relative investments of the employer and the worker;
our at e l u d e Sch meeting next SHookers ss S –The Bo
4. Whether the work performed requires special skills and initiative; 5. The permanency of the relationship; and 6. The degree of control exercised or retained by the employer. No one factor is determinative. All six factors have to be analyzed independently to determine whether the worker is BY CHRISTINA economically dependent HARRIS SCHWINN upon the business. Guest Columnist The balance of this article will discuss the economic realities test in general terms. This article is intended to be an overview only of the Administrator’s Interpretation No. 2015-01. (Note: The following is intended to provide general
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information and is not intended to be a substitute for competent legal advice. Competent legal counsel should be consulted if you have questions regarding compliance with the law.) • The extent to which the work performed is an integral part of the employer’s business. When analyzing this factor determine whether the duties being performed by the worker were previously performed by an employee. If the duties being performed by the worker were previously performed by an employee, it is more than likely that the worker is an employee and not an independent contractor. • The worker’s opportunity for profit or loss depending upon his or her managerial skill. This factor determines whether the worker has an opportunity to use managerial skills the worker has developed over the years to increase the worker’s opportunity to earn a profit. The opportunity to earn a profit should not be confused with a worker’s ability to work overtime and earn time-and-a-half. Rather, the inquiry goes to the heart of whether the worker is operating an independent business where the worker can make decisions about accepting contracts and rejecting contracts and has control over pricing issues. To be continued next issue. Christina Harris Schwinn is a partner and an experienced employment and real estate attorney with the Pavese Law Firm in Fort Myers. She regularly presents seminars on this topic to various trade associations and groups. Contact her at (239) 3366228 or email christinaschwinn@paveselaw.com.
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
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Purely You Spa offers Commercial recycling organic, natural alternatives is vital for Florida’s future At Purely You Spa, the organic day Being able to spa in beautiful Naples, we want you switch from to experience the organic difference. the original When you arrive you will have a chemical profound sense of relaxation as all filled skincare of your senses are enlivened. Enjoy products to antioxidant green tea and organic fruit the organic while you await your treatment and skincare “from enjoy the relaxing ambiance of the the farm to running waterfall. face” is a big You will find that our day spa is step in your unique by the services we offer, health over certified organic products we use, and the long term. BY JENNIFER our courteous staff that enjoys going ALVAREZ LINGUIDI We customize above and beyond to ensure you have e v e r y Guest Columnist a memorable experience. treatment and Purely You Spa is distinguished assist with by using only the finest products. result oriented treatments and routines Primarily certified organic products so that way you can get the results you are used. At times, we may use natural, desire healthier and more effectively botanical, or Chinese herbs depending than traditional ways. on what is the best for you and your Just a few ways that Purely You skin, and what will give you the results Spa goes green: packaging, products, you desire. Purely You Spa focuses on special eco-friendly paint on the walls, YOU! We ensure the utmost quality bamboo on the floor, recycled glass and personal service every time you fixtures, glasses for our guests vs. visit us – and you will love how 97 paper materials, and is currently going percent of our staff has more than completely paperless. Purely You seven years of experience. Spa was awarded “Most Green Spa” We offer customized and results- in Southwest Florida by Eminence oriented spa treatments that include: Organic Skincare and chosen to be facial services, body treatments, Collier County’s Business of the organic waxing services, and massage Month in March 2014 at the Board services for ladies and gentlemen. We of Collier County Commissioners also provide several services which meeting. include, but are not limited to, natural Our staff has had extensive training manicures and pedicures, organic in the Eminence organic skincare air-brush tanning, personalized yoga products we use and to provide you sessions, and personalized energy with an exceptional spa experience healing sessions. All body and designed just for you. We look forward skin treatments are performed by to pampering you, your friends and appointment at the spa location just family. We encourage you to stay one mile south of Park Shore Blvd in connected and experience the organic Agostino’s Village Square. Massage difference at Purely You Spa. services may be performed in the comfort of your home, hotel room, or Jennifer Alvarez Linguidi is at Purely You Spa. the founder of Purely You Spa Our professional staff is passionate (PurelyYouSpa.com), a certified about helping others with their wellness organic spa in Naples. She is a and lifestyle goals of “going green.” member of the National Associated We all believe everything we put onto Skin Care Professionals. Contact our bodies as well as what we consume her at (239)331-8266 or jenn@ has an extreme effect on your health. purelyyouspa.com .
Above Board Chamber presents ‘How to get discovered by the Media’ Save the date for the annual return of Above Board Chamber of Florida’s popular luncheon program, “How to Get Discovered by the Media,” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 10 at City Pier, 1300 Hendry St., Fort Myers, and Sept. 14 at the Hilton Naples, 5111 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. Reporters and broadcast producers are always on the lookout for great stories about local businesses. How can you get them to pay attention to yours? At “How to Get Discovered by the Media,” attendees will have an unprecedented opportunity to ask this question directly to local experts representing diverse media outlets, including magazines, newspapers, television, radio and online news. These panelists will share stories from the trenches
to illustrate how to create an effective pitch, as well as avoid the media’s pet peeves. The Fort Myers meeting will be emceed by Connie RamosWilliams of CONRIC PR & Marketing and will feature a panel including: Karen P. Moore, publisher of Southwest Florida Business Today; FOX4 News Director Eric Maze; Pason Gaddis, president and publisher of Florida Weekly; Cindy McCurry Ross, executive director of Fort Myers News-Press; Jean Gruss, Lee and Collier editor for the Business Observer; Rob Wardlaw, associate publisher of Gulfshore Business magazine; and AJ Lurie, director of sales for Beasley Media Group. MEDIA See page 11
Submitted by Guest Columnist Susan Beason
Recycling is good for business. Reclaiming and reusing materials helps a company lower its expenses for raw materials and waste disposal. And a strong recycling program shows customers and the community that a business is committed to protecting natural resources. Commercial recycling efforts are also important to helping Florida boost recycling rates and divert waste from landfills. The Florida Legislature set a statewide recycling goal of 75 percent to be achieved by 2020. In 2014, Florida reached a 50 percent overall recycling rate. Commercial solid waste accounted for 56 percent of Florida’s municipal solid waste stream, and 58 percent of that waste was recycled. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has an easy, free tool for organizations that want to track and report their recycling efforts – the Florida DEP Business Recycling Tracking Tool or Re-TRAC (connect.re-trac.com). Companies can use the website to track different types of recycling efforts and produce reports on how those efforts are helping to shrink their environmental footprint. The tracking tool helps the department identify companies that are doing more to go green. DEP’s Re-
cycling Recognition Program (dep. state.fl.us/waste/categories/recycling/pages/recognition.htm) honors those businesses that recycle at least 50 percent of their waste stream. The number rises in 2016 to at least 60 percent. Two Southwest Florida businesses have been recognized recently for successful recycling programs: • Arthrex Inc. achieved a 52.5 percent recycling rate in 2014. The global firm’s Collier County plants manufacture orthopedic medical devices. Leftover metals and plastics are collected and run through a process that allows Arthrex to recover and reuse 5,299 gallons of oil a year. In addition, 42,520 pounds of metal chips and other materials are collected and sent to the county’s recycling center each month. Close to 108,000 pounds of cardboard are also recycled every month. • Storm Smart, a Fort Myersbased manufacturer of hurricane and energy-efficient products, achieved a recycling rate of 57.5 percent in 2014. The company reused or recycled nearly 200 pallets in 2014 and recycles scrap aluminum from the production line. The long cardboard boxes used for reels of rolldown screens and shutters are recut and reused as often as possible, then sent to recycling. Storm Smart also RECYCLING See page 11
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SEPTEMBER 2015
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
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Local technical schools are now colleges By adding college to the names of their schools, four Southwest Florida technical centers have taken an important step in increasing awareness of their post-secondary certification programs and the opportunity for residents to advance to a well-paying career in as little as a year. Now known as technical colleges, the name changes at the Lee and Collier County schools are expected to reframe student and public perception, and entice more students to consider certification programs to meet the regional workforce’s demand for skilled labor. “Evidence shows by changing the name to more accurately reflect the emphasis on post-secondary education, enrollment increases,” said Bill McCormick, director of the newly named Fort Myers Technical College. “It changes perceptions but also better
communicates what we do here. Students, for so many years, have been told to succeed in America; they need to go to college; and they believe it. The core message we’re sending is that postsecondary education takes many forms, whether it’s a university, a community or state college or technical college.” So far, 28 of Florida’s 47 technical institutes and centers have changed their names to college, including Fort Myers Tech and Cape Coral Technical College in Lee County, and Lorenzo Walker Technical College and Immokalee Technical College in Collier County. Increasing the number of Southwest Florida residents with certifications is the goal of the FutureMakers Coalition, which is tasked with improving the post-secondary attainment rate of college degrees and certifications from 27 percent to 40 percent by 2025.
Program graduates at McCormick’s school earned a median $38,000 in 2011, the highest among the state’s technical schools, and $10,000 more than a community or state college graduate, he said. “Air-conditioning and auto technology are among the highestpaying jobs because employers are desperate for people with these skills,” he said. “Our graduates can pick from a number of job offers. Our workforce is in need of skilled labor. It’s one of the reasons an air-conditioning tech outearns most college degree holders. The workplace is going to pay whatever it takes to employ these workers.” Shannon Rousey walked away from a high-stress job in the automotive Automotive service technology skills and sales industry to enroll in FMTC’s certification is one of the post-secondary programs offered by the newly renamed COLLEGE See page 11 Fort Myers Technology College
Why e-commerce sites should review their terms of use now Terms of Use Agreements (TOU) are important to any entity that conducts business via the Internet. TOU provisions contain, usually, items like limitations on acceptable use of a website or app, site participant conduct and in e-commerce applications, important limitations of liability, warranty exclusions, and dispute resolution terms. Generically speaking, TOU documents usually contain the “fine print.” As such, TOU are intended to be contractual terms detailing the rights and responsibilities of the parties. However, contract terms are only binding if they are agreed-to and a recent decision in California has cast doubt on the enforceability of one widely used form of TOU on e-commerce sites. Note: The following does not create an attorneyclient relationship. Should you have any legal questions you should consult with your attorney. There are two general ways that a website may present TOU to a site user. First, most websites use what are known as “Browserwrap” TOU. In this scenario, TOU language is usually provided on a separate page of the site accessible by a static link. A second way is via “Clickwrap.” A Clickwrap TOU generally presents itself to a site user as a pop-up window or new webpage that details all the terms and requires the user to click a button, check a box or perform some other action manifesting assent to the TOU. In 2011, Barnes & Noble (B&N) offered a sale of heavily-discounted touchpad tablet computers. Plaintiff Ngyuen ordered two tablets via the barnesandnoble.com website. However, B&N was
so inundated with orders for the tablets that it could not meet demand. Thus, it cancelled the plaintiff’s order. Nguyen sued, alleging B&N engaged in various deceptive trade practices and false advertising. Upon service of the suit, B&N moved to compel arbitration of the dispute arguing that according to the barnesandnoble.com TOU all consumers agreed to BY MARK NIEDS mandatory arbitration. Guest Columnist The TOU on barnesandnoble. com was provided by Browserwrap – published on a page separate from the main e-commerce site and via a static link on every page. The TOU itself stated that a consumer’s use of the website constituted an acceptance of the TOU and bound the consumer to the terms of same. However, even though the TOU contained these terms, they were not specifically brought to the consumer’s attention at any time. The consumer had to hunt them out. Based on this, the plaintiff argued the arbitration clause was not enforceable against him because absent specific knowledge of the term and explicit agreement to same it was not part of the contract between the parties. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Nguyen. While Clickwrap TOU generally becomes part of a contract with a web user, Browserwrap TOU will only become part of the contract if the user had
either actual or constructive knowledge of the TOU. Constructive knowledge, however, requires more than just a static link to a Browserwrap TOU on a separate web page. To determine if a Browserwrap TOU sufficiently puts a web user on notice requires analyzing, among other things, the website’s design, placement of the TOU link and prominence of same. The more the TOU resemble a Clickwrap agreement, the greater the likelihood those TOU will be enforceable. While the Nguyen case may not be a death knell for Browserwrap TOU agreements, it does indicate that these agreements must do more than simply reside behind static links buried among other content on a website. Indeed, the case suggests that businesses engaged in e-commerce (even if B2B e-commerce) the more conspicuous the TOU are, the better. Clickwrap would be the ideal solution but a Browserwrap agreement can work, if the site containing it is designed appropriately. Though this decision is very recent, it may signify a shift in the law that presents an opportunity for companies to review their websites to ensure enforceability of Terms and Conditions. Mark Nieds is an attorney with Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt P.A. in Fort Myers. He concentrates his practice on intellectual property and Internet matters with specific emphasis on trademark selection, registration, enforcement and litigation, copyright, and trade secret protection. Contact him at (239) 3441153 or email mark.nieds@henlaw.com.
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HODGES PAGE 1 Carrie Kerskie is the director of the Identity Fraud Institute and is an identity fraud expert, Florida licensed private investigator and local resource on data breach issues, as well as author of “Your Public Identity: Because Nothing is Private Anymore.” “For more than seven years, Florida has ranked first for identity fraud complaints with Naples ranking fifth nationwide,” Kerskie said. “Coupled with the research and education component, Hodges University is the perfect fit for the institute.” Kerskie has already partnered with state Rep. Kathleen Passidomo
(R-Naples) and Sen. Garrett Richter (R-Naples) to get FL-HB157 passed. Co-authored by Kerskie and Passidomo, it was passed unanimously by the Carrie Kerskie House and Senate with support of Richter. Prior to being signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott on June 16, business identity theft was not a crime in Florida. “HB157 was the result of a collaborative effort of the members of the Collier County Identity Theft Task Force which brought to my attention their concerns that Florida’s
PROJECTS PAGE 1 Special Coatings USA brings manufacturing jobs Founded in 1996, Special Coatings USA Inc. is a subsidiary of Special Coatings SC Verwaltungs GmbH located in Gilching, Germany. For 17 years, Special Coatings has developed and distributed customer-specific water and solvent based coating systems. Approval of this incentive secures Special Coatings relocation of its North American headquarters to Bonita Springs. This facility will serve the company’s growing domestic market as well as emerging Central and South American markets. In return the company will create 20 new jobs including administration, sales, production and laboratory positions. The average annual wage for these 20 jobs is $48,700 and will produce a capital investment of $1.1 million into Lee County.
First Family Insurance increases footprint First Family Insurance is a leading broker of affordable health insurance, Medicare, life, property and business protection insuring with some of the most well-respected insurance providers in America. They also offer coverage for dental, accident, cancer, income replacement and short term temporary plans.
FPRA PAGE 1 The theme of the 2015 event is “Thirty Years of Slicing the PR-RPIE,” referring to PR professionals’ use of the RPIE (Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation) model. Attendees will have the opportunity to brush up on their RPIE basics, as experts share real-world case studies of how they have used the model to roll out efficient and successful campaigns. This year’s conference promises to be more interactive than ever, and attendees are sure to gain powerful new ideas and perspectives to apply to their own projects. Stay tuned for the line-up of exciting speakers. For more information, visit fpraswfl.org or email McKenzie Cassidy at McKenzie.Cassidy@fsw.edu. If you’re interested in sponsoring PRU, email Sarah Nadal at sarahnadal@shellpoint. org.
laws pertaining to fraud and identity theft were outdated and archaic,” Passidomo said. “The law only focused on the crime and penalties, but didn’t provide a mechanism to help victims restore their identities. It also didn’t protect businesses from identity theft and had wide gaps in its application and enforcement. With the expertise of Carrie Kerskie … we created a significant piece of legislation that protects all Florida businesses from identity theft; sets up a process for a victim to obtain documentation regarding a fraudulent transaction to aid them in restoration of their rights; authorizes the court to issue orders to correct a public record that contains false information; increases penalties
The company was started in 2008 by Jason Marra in Lehigh Acres and moved to its Fort Myers location in 2014. “We are in need of expansion because we are expanding our footprint,” said Marra. While the company considered other larger markets such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago as potential sites for expansion, it ultimately chose Lee County – in part because of the incentive the county offered. In fact, Marra stopped plans to add offices in Chicago when Lee County commissioners provided a $250,000 financial incentive package. With this incentive, First Family agreed to expand its headquarters in Lee County. The facility will serve First Family’s growing domestic market and provide administration, IT, and HR needs of their other facilities. The company projects creating 250 new jobs including insurance sales, information technology, finance and administration positions. These positions will garnish an average wage of $45,400 and inject a capital investment of $2.9 million into Lee County.
Paramount Transportation Logistics expands The county has also secured a commitment from Paramount Transportation Logistics to expand its operations in Lee County. Paramount is a logistics and distribution company that specializes in finding the best carriers and methods of transportation for freight.
GROWING PAGE 1 MY Shower Door/D3 Glass will take part in the 34th Annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala which will be held Oct. 21-23 at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando. They will be recognized at the Florida conference along with others on the list and receive their official ranking award. The Daubmann’s also have affiliate stores in Oklahoma City, Okla. , Grand Rapids, Mich., and York, Penn. The family has been involved in the frameless shower door industry since the mid 1980s and has revolutionized the design, installation and marketing of its products and services. This is not the first business recognition for MY Shower Door. They were the recipient of the “Companies to Watch” award from GrowFL in 2013. The Daubmann family has received numerous awards and accolades from
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for medical identity theft and makes it a crime to knowingly provide false information that becomes a public record.” The Identity Fraud Institute inaugural luncheon will be held from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Hodges University Naples campus. Speakers – in addition to Passidomo and Richter – will include Sheriff Kevin Rambosk of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and congressional aide Enrique Padron from the office of Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.). A list of workshops to raise awareness in the Southwest Florida community will be announced as well. For sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, please visit hodges. edu/identity or call (239) 513-1122.
This incentive helps secure an international service center expansion in Lee County. While the company has existing operations in Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky and Colorado they chose Lee County largely in part to the county incentive offered. In addition to the financial benefit Lee County offered, Southwest Florida also provides Paramount a growing area with a youthful activity environment to help drive the quality of life for potential employees. The company plans to create 62 new jobs at an average annual wage of $42,350 while adding a capital investment of $1.6 million into Lee County’s economy. “Lee County continues to attract great companies. More importantly, the area proves to be an exceptional place to do business for companies already here.” said Glen Salyer, director of the Lee County Economic Development Office. “These three projects provide evidence of both and demonstrate our ability to accommodate diverse industries. From financial services to logistics to manufacturing, Lee County can provide what companies need to thrive. The Economic Development Office is proud to work with these latest examples of the dynamic organizations that choose to call Southwest Florida their home.” With a combined job creation of more than 300 jobs and capital investment of almost $6 million, these incentives prove to be another major victory for the growth and fortitude of Lee County’s economic development success.
“Family Owned Small Business of the Year” for the State of Florida by the SBA of the United States; “Small Business of the Year” by Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce; “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Economic Development Council of Collier County to “Best Shower Door in the United States” as awarded by Glass magazine, the glass industry’s top trade publication. Brothers Keith and Douglas Daubmann have taken over the leadership roles of the business from their parents, Bill and Donna Daubmann, who originally started the company. All four family members are actively involved in the day-today operations of the company. Keith oversees MY Shower Door while Douglas manages D3 Glass. Bill
and Donna handle operations and expansion. “We are honored to have been named to the top 5000 fastest-growing businesses in America,” said Keith, president of MY Shower Door. “We love what we do and we always put our clients first, that’s one of the reasons we have grown so fast – our client’s referrals and recommendations.” In the few years that MY Shower Door of Florida has been operating, they have sold and installed more than 20,000 Frameless Shower Doors on Florida’s West coast. D3 Glass has fabricated and tempered glass for large projects such as Hertz Global Headquarters, Trump’s Doral Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Villas and Contemporary Hotel Executive Suites, University of Florida Biology Laboratory, Waterman Broadcasting studios, Robb and Stuckey Store Naples and Tampa International Airport.
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SEPTEMBER 2015
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
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Guest Commentary
Reducing the carbon SWFL Sustainability is footprint of your IT Bigger than You and Me Several months ago Mei-Mei Chan simply asked me “why?” and that got me thinking. My goal with the inaugural SWFL Sustainability Summit (www. SWFLSustainability.com) in April 2015 was to move the needle of thinking about sustainability by elevating our estimation of our region’s capacity to think about ideas. I was convinced our community was ready. The original genesis for the Summit, conceptually speaking, came from my friend Terry Cerullo at the Department of Environmental Protection. He asked me to lead something that would demonstrate how economically advantageous it is for companies to adopt certain sustainability practices as a part of their business model. Sustainability is a theory that looks at life and business through the lens of “people, place, and profit.” This theoretical framework appealed to me because it engendered a thoughtful discussion about regional growth and development. I have long been committed to being a small part of the cultivation of a cumulative higher order of thinking in southwest Florida. I am convinced that this will lead more people toward seeing our community as a viable place to live and raise children. The Summit became the vehicle through which we were able to cultivate a discussion to talk about good ideas and interesting concepts. I felt that our community has the business, educational, and institutional knowledge to become more than we are. The Summit continues to spark conversations with people and experts from diverse backgrounds who welcome the opportunity to talk openly through the complexities and nuances of the challenges and opportunities facing our region. As this conversation continued to grow and become larger and more complex after the Summit, I registered
Submitted by Guest Columnist David Seitz
S W F L Sustainability, LLC as a wholly owned subsidiary of Visaggio & Co., LLC to give my firm the ability to grow a business that could help set an agenda for innovation BY MATT VISAGGIO and the Guest Commentary recapturing of the imagination. We still need “American ingenuity.” We remain the same country that put a man on the moon and led and bled in the invasion on the beaches of Normandy. We, the descendants of the “greatest generation,” can still conquer the fiercest challenges through ideas. Ideas are our strength as a nation and a hallmark of freedom. But maybe our collective ideas aren’t good enough in Southwest Florida. That’s fine. What have we lost by having talked together to explore, innovate, and exceed expectations? Even so, I am convinced that our discussions could be a spark that lights even more entrepreneurship, innovation, and free-thinking, how we treat each other’s opinions, and how we grow our regional economy. Isn’t it worth the risk? I can think of no better place to talk about innovative and game changing ideas than in Edison, Ford, and Firestone’s backyard. We’re in good company.
There are a number of ways a business can reduce the expenses associated with their information technology equipment. For desktop machines, configuring the power saving settings to turn off monitors (some of the biggest power wasters) after a shorter period of inactivity is the lowest hanging fruit; in the same part of the control panel, you can also have the computer “hibernate” when not in use (not recommended for POS machines where checkout speed is paramount). Another option that works especially well for firms with 20-plus workstations would be trading in the large desktop towers for paperback sized “thin clients” that act solely as a terminal for a main server. Thin clients can draw as little as 1/8 (or less!) as much power as a tower machine, which is like replacing a 65 watt incandescent bulb with a 7 watt CFL bulb. Multiply that difference by the number of machines in your office and you can see how quickly you can maximize your return on investment. Thin Clients do require a central server in order to work, and there are some special licensing considerations as well. In a similar vein, we also hunt for power savings in the server room. Within the last five years, server hardware has taken a huge leap forward in terms of better processing power and reduced electrical consumption. Two or three servers can easily handle the workload of what used to need eight to 10 separate machines. A well-planned server upgrade project can reduce electrical consumption of a server room by up to 80 percent solely in cooling costs – easily achieving a positive return on investment within
Matt Visaggio is owner of Visaggio & Co., a strategic public relations and community development firm, founder of SWFL Sustainability, LLC, and an adjunct professor at Florida SouthWestern State College. Contact him at matt@visaggio.co or (941)348-6981.
months, not years. We can take this server consolidation idea a step further and migrate server processes to a cloud data center, eliminating their impact on your power bill entirely. So-called “hosted solutions” are not the onesize-fits¬-all solution that a lot of the cloud providers would love them to be, but by moving the servers out of your offices, your business can see a respectable decrease in overall cost, and reduce the risk of hurricane induced damages. We also recommend installing presence or motion-sensing systems that control lighting, speakers and TV screens. With the right hardware, these systems can also increase the security and audit control of your office by giving you data on when employees are actually at their desks. These systems also fix the problem of users conveniently forgetting to press the power button when they leave the office. If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint, the first place to start is in the “power options” section of the control panel. Then consider upgrading server hardware or going to cloud based solutions to realize more power savings (alongside a host of more immediate benefits). As always, Greenwire Technology Solutions is Southwest Florida’s IT specialists and we’re available to help guide anyone through these Earth-friendly steps. David Seitz is a Fort Myers native who graduated from the University of Florida. He has worn a number of hats at Greenwire Technology Solutions, and is currently the director of Marketing and Sales. Contact him at (239)673-9055 or dseitz@greenwireit.com. For more information, go to www.greenwireit. com.
Sunstate Academy instructors to appear on television series Sunstate Academy dominated the competition at the 2015 Premiere Orlando Hair Show. Each year Sunstate Academy sends a team to compete in professional and student hair styling and nail competitions. This year the team swept the competition coming home with eight stylists and technicians placing in the top three, including a styling team that qualified to be on TLC’s television series “Global Beauty Masters.”
Founded in 1975, Sunstate Academy is a Redken Premier School, located in Fort Myers and Clearwater, offering programs in cosmetology, nail technician, spa therapies, full specialty, massage therapy, barber styling and barber-styling cosmetology combination. Sunstate Academy’s cosmetology student winners included Kayla Keller, first place, Cut & Color; Alivia Daniels, third place, Cut & Color; Jekaterina
Siskina; second place, Bridal Updo and Yanely Roman; third place, Bridal Updo; Jomara Pagan, a nail technician student, competed in the professional 3D Fantasy Nail Art competition and placed second. Sunstate Academy also had educators place in the top three. Theresa Miulli, Laura Lorusso and Dawn Lowe placed first in the Battle of the Strands. Theresa Miulli also won second place in Cut & Color; and Marilyne Torres won third
place in professional Bridal Updo. The competing trio for the Battle of the Strands “Madams of Mayhem” won more than just a first place trophy. Miulli, Lorusso and Lowe will be advancing to compete on TLC’s television series “Global Beauty Masters,” which will air later this year. The television show will feature top styling professional teams around the globe to battle for the title of Global Beauty Masters and a cash prize.
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
SEPTEMBER 2015
Shredding documents can help stop identity theft while being sustainable About 69 million tons of paper and carried out paperboard are used in the United a 6 month States each year. While the recycling operation rate of that paper is about 63%, of corporate many individuals and businesses still espionage struggle with how to recycle their a g a i n s t paper. Utilizing a shredding service is competitor a safe, secure, and easy way to protect Unilever. your business, your clients, and the They obtained environment. some of their While Green initiatives are usually information by viewed as expensive, document going through destruction of customer and other U n i l e v e r ’s important information is an affordable, BY MICHAEL trash. If and often required, practice to protect CLOUTIER Unilever had the personal information of your Guest Columnist shredded those clients. In May 2015, thousands of important medical records from a radiology documents, instead of trashing them, practice were found in a storage unit the “unfortunate incident”, as P&G dumpster. Luckily the man who found referred to it as, may have been avoided. these records turned them into the Goodwill Industries of Southwest proper authorities. However, these Florida offers drop-off and flexible, records could have been an easy and no-contract, pick-up services through avoidable target for an identity thief. Goodwill Secure Shred document Every year, an average of 9 million destruction. Started in 2007 with a people in the United States has their contract to destroy documents for the identity stolen. While causes vary, IRS, secure measures include locked a large percentage of those who fall and secured bins for confidential or victim to this crime are targeted because sensitive materials, receipt of service of a misuse of personal information. provided at time of collection, secured In 2015, USA Today ranked Florida transport vehicles with GPS tracking, as the number one state in the country 24/7 video security monitoring, and with the most identity theft victims, Certificates of Destruction provided with one in every 100 residents being once documents are secured and victimized. shredded. All material is shredded to Identity theft isn’t the only way specifications required for government information thieves can benefit from documents and is compliant with the your documents. In 2001, Procter & National Association for Information Gamble (P&G) admitted that it had Destruction requirements and best
practices. Goodwill Secure Shred is also HIPAA compliant for the security of personal medical information. All shredded paper is then recycled. In 2014, Goodwill kept 1.7 million pounds of paper out of landfills through its Secure Shred program. Created in 2007, Secure Shred provides a valuable service to the community and environment while also supporting Goodwill’s mission of serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by providing life-changing opportunities to achieve independence. Goodwill’s largest shredding client is Lee Memorial Health Systems, and while the majority of clients are lawyer and doctor offices, Goodwill welcomes the public Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m.-4:00p.m., to have their paper shredded at the Goodwill Opportunity Center (5100 Tice Street, Fort Myers) for a charge of $6 a bag or box. Goodwill Secure Shred also does a number of free community shred drives throughout the year. For more information about Goodwill Secure Shred visit www.goodwillswfl. org/secureshred or call (239)995-2106 ext. 2280. Michael Cloutier is the Director of Business Development for Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida. Goodwill’s Business Services offers a variety of services including vending, janitorial, and document destruction throughout Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades Counties.
3 steps to going paperless for green businesses Cloud-based While going paperless may seem a Document little cliché in a world of technology, Management you’d be surprised how dependent many organizations are on paper, W i t h despite having many different document software applications and systems services like to manage their workflows. Google Docs, Despite our access to endless you can technology, the typical office worker create and still prints around 10,000 pages per collaborate year (an average cost of $725 to the on files online business). w i t h o u t The culprits range from printing having to e-mails to document approval to BY REEMA BHATIA print multiple Help Desk tickets and proposal Guest Columnist copies of documents. documents No matter where the bulk of your printing happens, one thing is clear for collaboration. Similarly, with – many businesses still aren’t truly services like Google Drive, DropBox and Microsoft One Drive, you can paperless. If you’re looking for more ways to store and share files with team eliminate even more paper in order members. There are many other to be a greener business in general Document Management Solutions or just save money, here are three (DMS) available in the marketplace steps you can take to get you close as well. to achieving those goals: Electronic Signatures Customized Business Software Most businesses use signatures on For the various departments paper in order to get authorization and cycles in each process of from their customers. An electronic your business, strong, customized signature contract is just as legally software can help eliminate paper valid as signed hard-copy contracts. to a large extent by integrating It is also easier to store as no your applications, and eliminating scanning or printing is required. additional notes and double data As a society, we’re becoming more entry. As a bonus benefit, business software facilitates real-time and more conscious of the resources business reporting and analytics and energy we use on an everyday which could prove invaluable for basis. If you’re making an attempt to be more green and environmentally business growth in the long run.
friendly, a true elimination of paper documents and printers in your office is the first step. If you’re having trouble eliminating the last bit of paper from your office, it may be time to look into new applications or a custom business software to help you get rid of the excess paper. Reema Bhatia is co-founder of Stickboy Creative in SWFL, which designs creative and empowering business automation software, mobile apps and websites. She holds a Masters Degree in Digital Design from NYU.
Stellar Solar in CA forum Stellar Solar, one of San Diego’s leading residential and commercial solar installers since 1998, is co-sponsoring this important event dedicated to get San Diego running on 100 percent renewable energy by 2035. Michael Powers, founding partner of Stellar Solar, will join an expert group of speakers from a diverse list of clean tech businesses and organizations taking part in an interactive panel that will address the following: • State greenhouse gas emission targets and clean energy goals. • Local clean energy goals and climate action plans. • Rising tide of jobs and economic development in the clean energy economy. • Increasing public participation in shaping our clean energy future. Specifically, Powers will address the economic impact of the expiring solar Federal tax credit that is set to drop from 30 percent to 10 percent for commercial projects – and to zero for homeowners at the end of 2016 – and how this will impact distributed energy companies and the solar workforce in the region. Powers said that Stellar Solar is proud to support the region’s clean energy initiatives. “Meetings like this one are an important next step so that San Diego area leaders in government and industry can discuss specific strategies to implement a plan that can make this important goal a reality,” he said. With regards to the solar tax credit set to expire in 2016, he added, “We would like to see it extended a few more years so that the economic engine that helped lift us up out of a recession in 2008 can continue running. Stellar Solar now has twice as many employees as we had two years ago. Like many of the solar companies in California, we have been creating new jobs at a breakneck pace. It would not be good for us or the California economy if companies like ours found it necessary to start laying off skilled workers just when we were starting to get some momentum.”
PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR Over thirty years experience specializing in business issues Background Inquiries & Due Diligence Breach of Contract Investigations Company Mergers & Acquisitions Intellectual Property Infringements Internal/External Fraud Inquiries Insurance Fraud Surveillance Asset Searches - Judgment Recovery Fraud Risk Assessments David B. Watts
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Lee (239) 472-5506 • Collier (239) 430-1130 • www.alliedbizsolutions.com
SEPTEMBER 2015
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
Page 11
FineMark National marks opening of Bonita office The Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for FineMark National Bank & Trust to celebrate its grand opening in Bonita Springs. The company was established in Fort Myers in 2007 and has opened offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Naples, Palm Beach and Scottsdale, Arizona. FineMark has been awarded a 5-Star Superior Rating during the past 17 consecutive quarters by Bauer Financial, the nation’s leading independent bank rating and research firm. According to Carrie Reynolds, Managing Executive of the new Bonita Springs location of Finemark National Bank & Trust, “We are thrilled to
in this community and we are looking forward to building many more.” For more information about FineMark National Bank & Trust, call (239) 405-6790 or visit their website at http://www.FineMarkBank.com. Designated as the 2014 Chamber of Commerce of the Year by the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, the Five-Star Nationally Accredited Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce strives to serve members, promote a region where business can The Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony grow and prosper and enhance the for FineMark National Bank & Trust to celebrate its grand opening in Bonita Springs. quality of life of the Bonita Springs area. open FineMark’s newest location FineMark and the residents of Bonita For more information, please in the Bonita Bay Lifestyle Center. Bay. We already have a number of call (239) 992-2943 or visit www. We believe this is an ideal fit for established relationships with people BonitaSpringsChamber.com.
major appliance and refrigeration repair program. His GI Bill paid for his education and provided a paycheck while attending the program. Upon earning his certification in 2013, Rousey started his own company, Appliance Medic. His wife left nursing to help him run the business. Like Rousey, 80 percent of technical college certification holders in Southwest Florida start their own small businesses, the backbone of a local economy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects fasterthan-average growth in a number of skilled labor categories through 2020: medical assistants, licensed practical nurses, pharmacy techs, information services and support services. Some of the 33 certificate programs it identified offer salaries as high as $80,000. When she graduates this November from FMTC’s
practical nursing program, 54-year-old Elizabeth Stork of Fort Myers expects to earn twice as much as she did working in a restaurant kitchen. A Pell Grant covered the tuition of the year-long program. Married with a 7-year-old child, Stork said the coursework has been grueling, and clinical assignments – actual hands-on training – have included working at local hospitals. “It’s tough balancing family and school, but I told my family it would be worth it when I graduate,” she said. “Someone who attends technical college isn’t closing the door on college or university,” McCormick said. “We are a bridge between high school and postsecondary education. For the majority of young people, there are barriers in the way, and they can’t jump from North Fort Myers High School to the University of Florida. Technical college prepares them academically, mentally and financially, and they can complete post-secondary work in as little as a year or a year and one half, receive an industryrecognized certificate and earn great wages.”
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discourages the use of paper or printing of native digital files. Businesses that want to recycle can get assistance from the Southern Waste Information Exchange (SWIX; southernwasteinformationexchange.com). It’s a free service designed to help business and other organizations find markets for materials they have traditionally discarded. Registered users can post both wanted and available listings, with photographs, similar to a classified ad section. Also available through SWIX is WasteMap Florida (wastemap.org), an interactive map that locates recycling centers, construction and demolition facilities and more across the state. DEP works with businesses and communities to protect the environment and create jobs. To learn more about Florida’s recycling program, visit dep. state.fl.us/waste/categories/recycling.
The Naples meeting will be emceed by Sue Huff of E. Sue Huff and Associates, and will feature a panel including: Karen P. Moore, publisher of Southwest Florida Business Today; J. Penny Fisher, associate editor at Naples Daily News; Phil Borchmann, editor of Gulfshore Business magazine; Cindy Pierce, managing editor of Florida Weekly; Denyse Smith Mesnik, VP of Corporate Communications for Beasley Media Group; Jean Gruss, Lee and Collier editor for the Business Observer; and FOX 4 Marketing Director Brent Struense. Registration and sponsorship information is available aboveboardchamber.com. Nonmembers are encouraged to attend two meetings, then consider joining us to be part of the Above Board Chamber of Florida. For more information on the event, contact Jeanne Sweeney at (239) 910-7426.
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Is it possible to clean ‘greener’? Everybody is going “GREEN”. Well, not everybody and that’s what this article is about. I own a local commercial cleaning business and I can tell you first hand that you just don’t get the results out of “green” cleaning agents that you get out of normal cleaning agents. So how do I go green? I go green by using the appropriate amount of cleaning agent on the right surface. In today’s busy world we are being marketed to 24 hours a day in one way or another. If you spend any time in front of the TV you know who the bald cleaning BY BILL SKAGGS guy is, right. Well, let’s Guest Columnist use multipurpose kitchen cleaning agents for our example. Would it surprise you to know that you can pick up just about any three brands of this type of cleaning agent and they are made up of almost the exact same thing? The only differences would be what makes the color and scent. Most of the time they will perform almost the same too. The point I’m trying to make is, use what you like, just apply it on the surface it says to apply it on, and follow the instructions on how to use it. Stop using the “glug, glug” method of measuring your cleaning agents. Usually if it is mixed and applied properly you will get the best results by following the directions to the letter. This is a great way to head in the “Green” direction and still get really great results in your cleaning and even better, you’ll save a bunch of money too. There is one exception in the cleaning world where using a “GREEN” product is better than using a normal cleaning agent. On top of janitorial cleaning we also do bio hazard remediation. Believe it or not, the disinfectant I use to kill all blood-borne pathogens on those jobs is a “GREEN” disinfectant. It is less harmful than vinegar and it’s EPA registered, which means they’ve done the research and the kill claims are legitimate. Many industrial grade disinfectants can be very harmful to the person using them as well as the surface upon which they are used. In many cases they are much more harmful than normal cleaners, and that’s one reason why we use it in those applications. No matter your personal or political stance on “green cleaning,” you can head in the green cleaning direction and save money doing it. And we all could stand to save money. Bill Staggs is the owner of Clean Keepers. He can be reached at (239)368-1219. For more information on his company and his company’s services, go to www.cleankeepersswfl.com .
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
Cape Coral talks business In Cape Coral, business development is moving along at a good clip, according to Audie Lewis, Business Recruitment Specialist for the City of Cape Coral. Commercial permits are up 30% compared to last year on the city’s web site. Moreover, an average of 100 new businesses are opening their doors in Cape Coral each month. The city business development office looks forward to Cape Coral becoming a virtual “alphabet soup” of national retailers like Aldi Foods, Books A Million, Chipotle, Del Taco, Firehouse Subs—just to name a few. Lewis states, “We are also looking forward to a more diversified economy approach as Cape Coral continues to grow.” Examples of the types of business entities looking at growing their companies within the city’s borders are medical, information technology, call centers, light manufacturing and regional insurance offices. While the Pine Island Road corridor is currently the area of greatest commercial activity in Cape Coral, he points out “there are a lot of close seconds.” Moreover, he states, Cape Coral, the third largest city by land mass in the state of Florida, “is only at 45% build-out so far.” Build-out is expected at 400,000 by 2080.
DryZone and H2O 911 Restoration merge Disaster-restoration companies DryZone and H20 911 Restoration, have merged, announced Mark Moscone, president of both companies. The merger provides clients with deeper and wider coverage in response to fire, water and mold-related damages in homes and businesses throughout Southwest Florida. The new DryZone/H2O 911 One of the three DryZone/H2O 911 showretain their respective identities and rooms in Fort Myers, Naples and Marco continue to operate out of existing Island. facilities in Naples and Fort Myers. The company will be updating the in Southwest Florida, and we still entire fleet of vehicles, and continue have the same great team members to use the latest technology, provide onboard,” said Moscone. “This concierge service, and offer a complete unification also means we can now share resources and expertise to tackle rebuild department. “The beauty of this merger is that any job we are called to perform it allows us to double our resources throughout Charlotte, Collier and Lee where and when needed, anywhere counties.”
Alta Resources’ recent job fair attracted 538 applicants: 264 people left the event with new jobs with many others still in the hiring process. The job fair launched the Wisconsin-based customer-management businessprocess outsourcing company’s efforts to hire more than 1,000 additional employees by October in Fort Myers. New employees will serve health-insurance clients that support the Affordable Care Act’s annual enrollment period. “The job fair was a great kickoff to our employee-recruitment effort,” said Alta Resources Fort Myers Managing
customer-centric services and solutions for the global marketplace. Core products include transportation management, logistics sourcing, freight forwarding, supply chain consulting, tax management, and customs compliance. Clients range from small local businesses to Fortune 500 firms in industry sectors such as power generation and renewable energy, industrial materials, heavy duty trucks, mining and drilling equipment, oil and gas, modular building, medical equipment, and US government. Allyn has regional headquarters in Fort Myers FL USA, Shanghai P.R. China and Prague Czech Republic.
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Both companies are an A+ Certified by the Better Business Bureau and Gold Star Certified disaster-restoration companies, in business collectively for over 20 years. DryZone/H2O 911 offers fire cleanup, water damage restoration, mold removal, biohazard cleanup, carpet and tile cleaning, dryer vent and duct cleaning services. The companies also offer 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) expertise for clients’ remodeling and design needs, and maintain three stateof-the-art, full-service showrooms in Lee and Collier counties. For information, call DryZone/H2O 911 Naples at (239) 643-1990 or DryZone/ H2O 911 Fort Myers at (239) 5670001. Online, go to www.dryzoneinc. net and www.h2O911.com
Alta Resources hired 254 during Saturday job fair, will hire more
Allyn opens global headquarters in Fort Myers Allyn International (www.allynintl. com) has opened its new global headquarters at 8060 College Parkway in Fort Myers. Allyn recently purchased and renovated the location, which previously was a large bank. The new global headquarters is approximately 11,000 square feet. “With the ability to bring 50 new jobs to the Fort Myers area, we are ready for this growth opportunity for the company,” says Allyn CEO Allen Trevett. The new headquarters can also host up to 100 persons for training seminars and meetings. Allyn is a privately-held professional services firm established in 1992, dedicated to providing high quality,
SEPTEMBER 2015
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Director Paul Makurat. “We hope that word will spread, and more people will apply. We offer a fun, casual environment, flexible schedules and paid training. All of the open positions are seasonal, but strong performance can lead to regular positions based on business needs.” Among the first hired were Ann Short of Cape Coral and Devarsious McCants of Fort Myers. Short, who has worked as a nurse in Southwest Florida since 2000, begins training for a customer care position in late August. McCants, who has lived in Fort Myers for three years, will start a new career as a
customer care representative. Alta Resources’ Fort Myers campus is on Gateway Boulevard, just east of I-75 and north of Daniels Parkway. Formed in 1995, privately held Alta Resources serves many of the world’s best-known brands in a variety of industries, including consumer-packaged goods, health care and insurance, and entertainment. With headquarters, a main campus and a fulfillment facility in Neenah, Wisconsin, Alta Resources has additional operations in California and the Philippines, as well as Fort Myers. To learn more, visit AltaResources. com.