Power Players

The individuals who shape our communities in Southwest Florida come in a variety of styles, from high-profile to low-key. What they have in common, though, is that they wield the power to get things done. These movers and shakers use personal resources as well as talents and brains to make a difference. And when they speak, others listen—and often follow.

To arrive at this year’s list, we called upon several sources to identify candidates and whittle them down to our final 47, listed here alphabetically. Southwest Florida boasts movers and shakers who hold sway on national and international levels as well as local, and many deserve recognition. For our list of Gulfshore power players, we tended to focus on those individuals who influence our own communities and who gained attention during the year for their accomplishments.

The founder, president and CEO of Naples-based ASG Software Solutions has seen his company mature from one product and one office in 1986 into more than 100 products, 90 offices, 1,300 employees and 8,500 clients. His company’s software can be found on every continent. And the Arthur L. Allen Tennis Center at Cambier Park was made possible by his $500,000 donation.

These two accomplished CEOs, who happen to be neighbors in a Naples community, together came up with an idea to bring some of the country’s thought leaders together in the hope of finding answers to major challenges facing the nation and world. The result: The Searching for Solutions Institute’s Imagine Solutions Conference. Antik, founder of a marketing consulting firm called Swat Team Partners, found the speakers and sponsors. Everist, president of a South Dakota manufacturing company bearing his family’s name, helped bring in the financing. The well-attended, two-day event featured the likes of Susan Eisenhower, Sylvia Earle, Patch Adams, Dean Ornish and a bevy of other innovative thinkers.