This Year's Top 51 Companies

This Years Gulfshore Business Top Companies list makes an anemic showing. Not only has the total number of ranked businesses fallen dramatically from previous years, only 14 reported increases in gross annual revenue. But given the state of our regional economy, those trends probably come as no surprise.

Many of those in the top 10 have remained in that bracket for several years: Health Management Associates, Chico’s and Source Interlink are familiar to that spot. Even WCI Communities, which has struggled for the past few years and just emerged from bankruptcy, came in at No. 8.

Of those in the top spots and the companies that enjoyed a revenue bounce, a majority are in the healthcare and tech-related industries. Construction firms, which once dominated the local economy, continued to slide, with not one reporting an income increase. Several companies, many of them from the building profession, did not return to the list because they fell below this year's $15 million gross-revenue requirement or chose not to participate.

This ranking is compiled from information provided by privately held companies and from public information where it’s available. Results are based on gross revenue in the most recent fiscal or calendar year. The net income—whether companies made a profit or experienced a loss, and by how much—is not presented.

Real estate firms, law firms and chain hotels are among the industries not listed because of inequitable reporting practices. In addition, insurance firms were asked to base their gross revenues on commissions rather than premiums to make it more comparable.

We know that some companies that would qualify might not be on the list, and we’d like to hear about them for future consideration. If you know of one, please contact Editor Phil Borchmann at philb@gulfshorebusiness.com or (239) 449-4151.

Read on for the 2009 list of Southwest Florida’s top companies.