Gulfshore Business magazine’s Best of Business readers’ poll is now in its sixth year. And once again, enthusiastic participation turned out nearly 6,000 unique votes cast for hundreds of businesses.
Online polling was conducted at surveymonkey.com, where respondents were required to provide a name and an email address so that people could cast only one vote.
The winners in each category are listed, as well as the immediate runners-up (in alphabetical order).
FOOD/ HOSPITALITY/ ENTERTAINMENT
BEST CATERER
Artichoke & Co.
Artichoke & Co. is a full-service catering company and special events center in Naples. It’s been in business for more than 20 years and specializes in custom catering for weddings, birthday parties, bridal showers, luncheons, corporate events and anniversaries.
FINALISTS
Artisan Eatery
Crave Culinaire
BEST AFTER-WORK GATHERING
Ocean Prime
Ocean Prime in Naples features craft cocktails, a large wine list and daily drink specials, as well as plenty of space to socialize, talk business and celebrate.
FINALISTS
Backstreets
Matanzas on the Bay
BEST INDEPENDENTLY OWNED RESTAURANT
Artisan Eatery
Artisan Eatery in Fort Myers (pictured) collaborates with local and national farmers and purveyors to provide the freshest ingredients possible. The chef-driven restaurant prepares food in a quick-serve environment and strives to deliver a made-from-scratch menu.
FINALISTS
Key Lime Bistro
Matanzas on the Bay
BEST POWER LUNCH
Ocean Prime
During season, Ocean Prime in Naples is open for lunch and is a great place for a business meeting. The menu features signature non-alcoholic beverages, cocktails, appetizers, sushi, salads, soups, sandwiches, raw bar items and select dinner entrees in lunch-size portions.
FINALISTS
Shula’s Steak House
USS Nemo Restaurant
BEST ENTERTAINMENT
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus in Fort Myers and offers free parking. The 1,864-seat venue hosts an array of productions, including national musical acts, theater and dance.
FINALISTS
Artis—Naples
Dixie Roadhouse
Next up: Meeting/Lodging
MEETING/LODGING
BEST CONFERENCE OF MEETING CENTER (HOTEL)
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa
The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs has more than 82,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, including high-tech meeting rooms, ballrooms, courtyards and terraces.
FINALISTS
Hilton Naples
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
BEST CONFERENCE OR MEETING CENTER (NON-HOTEL)
Endeavor Innovative Workspaces
Endeavor Innovative Workspaces in Fort Myers offers private offices, co-working spaces and conference rooms, laid out to promote collaboration. Other perks include reception and guest check-in, a shared kitchen and high-speed fiber-optic Internet.
FINALISTS
Harborside Event Center
Venue Naples
BEST BUSINESS HOTEL
Hilton Naples
Hilton Naples is a full-service, four-diamond hotel with more than 18,000 square feet of meeting space that offers a complete conference, cater- ing and audio-visual team. Guests receive complimentary wireless high-speed internet access and on-site garage parking.
FINALISTS
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
Next up: Building/Real Estate
BUILDING/REAL ESTATE
BEST ARCHITECTURE FIRM
Studio+
Studio+ is an integrated design and services firm focused on the health care, senior living, hospice and educational markets. The Fort Myers firm provides a wide array of services, such as architecture, interior design, lean design, process improvement, surfaces and branding.
FINALISTS
BSSW Architects Inc.
Weber Design Group
BEST COMMERCIAL BUILDER
DeAngelis Diamond Construction
DeAngelis Diamond Construction, which was founded in 1996, is headquartered in Naples and works with a variety of public and private building types, from health care and educational centers to corporate and public spaces. The company also specializes in green building.
FINALISTS
GCG Construction Inc.
Stevens Construction Inc.
BEST RESIDENTIAL BUILDER
D.R. Horton
Founded in 1978 in Fort Worth, Texas, D.R. Horton has operations in 79 markets in 26 states in the East, Midwest, Southeast, South Central, Southwest and West regions of the United States—including Southwest Florida.
FINALISTS
Daniel Wayne Homes
Stock Development
BEST COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGENCY
CRE Consultants
CRE Consultants (pictured) is a commercial real estate services firm with offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples and Stuart that has served the Florida market since 1998. CRE provides strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; property management; valuation, research and consulting.
FINALISTS
LandQwest Commercial
Premiere Plus Realty Co.
BEST RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE AGENCY
Premiere Plus Realty Co.
Premiere Plus Realty Co. is the largest independent real estate company in Southwest Florida, with more than 1,100 agents. The Naples-based company has offices in Naples, Old Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers and Cape Coral.
FINALISTS
John R. Wood Properties
Royal Shell Real Estate
BEST ENGINEERING FIRM
GFA International Inc.
GFA International Inc. is an engineering and geological consulting organization in Fort Myers that focuses on environmental, geotechnical, construction materials testing, inspections and code compliance services for a broad spectrum of industries.
FINALISTS
Forge Engineering Inc.
Velocity Inc.
BEST INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM
Interiors by Design West
Interiors by Design West, a full-service firm located in Naples, specializes in interior design services for private residences, clubhouses, architectural detailing, model home merchandising and comprehensive custom home renovations.
FINALISTS
Jinx McDonald Interior Designs
Studio +
BEST LANDSCAPE COMPANY
Greenscapes Florida
Greenscapes has been providing landscape management since 1962 and serves Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties. Its team includes state-certified landscape contractors, a horticulturist consultant, pest control specialists and an irrigation contractor.
FINALISTS
Green Leaf Lawn Services
Juniper Landscaping
BEST REMODELING COMPANY
GCG Construction Inc.
Since 2000, Fort Myers-based GCG Construction Inc. has been delivering comprehensive design-build, general contracting and construction management services for the health care, commercial, hospitality, retail and marine industries.
FINALISTS
Cornerstone Builders
KGT Remodeling
Next up: Finance/Insurance
FINANCE/ INSURANCE
BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM
Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co.
With offices in Fort Myers and Naples, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co. P.A., offers a range of services including individual and business tax planning and preparation, litigation support, forensic accounting and human resources consulting.
FINALISTS
Hill, Barth & King
Wiltshire Whitely
BEST FINANCIAL ADVISORY FIRM
Investors’ Security Trust
Investors’ Security Trust is an independent, Southwest Florida wealth management company headquartered in Fort Myers. Its team includes legal, investment, financial planning, and trust and estate planning professionals. The company partners with attorneys, tax professionals and banking professionals to provide a full range of fiduciary services.
FINALISTS
Doug Conroy-Edward Jones
Nolte Wealth Management Group
BEST INSURANCE BROKERAGE COMPANY
Brown & Brown Insurance
Brown & Brown of Southwest Florida consists of more than 80 professional experts with revenue exceeding $1 billion dollars. Brown and Brown was founded more than 75 years ago, and in 2017 the Naples and Fort Myers offices merged.
FINALISTS
Gulfshore Insurance
Private Client Insurance Servies
BEST COMMUNITY BANK
First Florida Integrity Bank
First Florida Integrity Bank has seven full-service offices, with $1.4 billion in assets as of March 2016. Headquartered in Naples, it was founded in 2009 by banking veterans Gary Tice and Garrett Richter.
FINALISTS
Edison National Bank
FineMark National Bank & Trust
BEST REGIONAL BANK
BB&T
Building on a tradition of excellence in community banking that stretches back to 1872, BB&T offers clients a complete range of financial services, including banking, lending, insurance, trust and wealth management solutions.
FINALISTS
IBERIABANK
SunTrust Bank
Next up: Creative
CREATIVE
BEST JEWELER
Bigham Jewelers
Kathy Kelly Bigham opened the jewelry store in 1995 with a 2,800-square-foot space in Naples. Today, Bigham Galleria is housed in an 8,000-square- foot, diamond-shaped building that features jewelry by award-winning designers.
FINALISTS
Diamond District
Mark Loren Designs
BEST FLORIST
Ruth Messmer Florist
Ruth Messmer Florist has served Lee County for 65 years. It is a third-generation, family-owned and -operated company that features fresh floral arrangements, foliage plants, silks and fruit baskets.
FINALISTS
Fort Myers Florist
Gene’s 5th Ave. Florist
Next up: Service
SERVICE
BEST CHARTER AIRLINE
Air Trek
Air Trek (pictured), a family-owned and -operated business, offers private jet flights out of Naples, Fort Myers and several other Florida airports, as well as hundreds more across the Southeastern United States.
FINALISTS
Paragon Charter
BEST TRANSPORTATION COMPANY
ROCKSTAR LIMO
ROCKSTAR LIMO provides luxury transportation in Southwest Florida as well as 600 cities worldwide. The company’s fleet includes stretch limousines, luxury sedans, SUVs and party buses.
FINALISTS
Dolphin Transportation Specialists
Naples Transportation & Tours
BEST DRY CLEANERS
Tide Dry Cleaners
Tide Dry Cleaners, which has locations in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Naples, offers drive-thru valet and 24-hour services. Tide provides inspection of garments for stains, damage, and missing or broken buttons, and caters to special instructions from its customers.
FINALISTS
Fashion Fresh Dry Cleaning and Alterations
Platinum Dry Cleaners
BEST STAFFING FIRM
Spherion
Spherion is a recruiting and staffing provider, specializing in temporary and direct hire placement of administrative, clerical, customer service, light industrial and professional job candidates. The firm has offices in Fort Myers and Naples.
FINALISTS
BanyanBrown Employment Solutions Inc.
Express Employment Professionals
BEST HVAC COMPANY
B & I Contractors
Fort Myers-based B & I provides installation, service and maintenance of HVAC, refrigeration, electrical and plumbing systems for commercial, industrial and institutional clients in Florida.
FINALISTS
Bruno Total Home Performance
Conditioned Air
BEST INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Entech
Entech, headquartered in Fort Myers and in business for 20 years, is a full-service technology solution provider specializing in managed IT services for businesses ranging from 20 users to enterprise organizations with hundreds of users.
FINALISTS
ITVantage
Naples Network Services
BEST TRAVEL AGENCY
Preferred Travel of Naples
Founded by President and CEO Wilma Boyd in 1984, Preferred Travel of Naples Inc. (pictured) presents a team of domestic and international travel specialists and provides worldwide leisure and corporate travel services to individual clients and groups.
FINALISTS
AAA
Gero Travel
BEST COMMERCIAL MOVING COMPANY
Eagle Moving
Eagle Moving is a locally owned company in Fort Myers with large box trucks (up to 26 feet), dollies, hand trucks, furniture pads and all the necessary tools.
FINALISTS
Two Men and a Truck
William C. Huff Moving and Storage
GOLF/ WELLNESS
BEST COUNTRY CLUB
Naples Lakes Country Club
Naples Lakes features the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course within a 490-acre gated community, which contains more than 200 acres of protected nature preserves and lakes.
FINALISTS
Bonita Bay
Cypress Lake Country Club
BEST YOGA STUDIO
Naples Pilates, Fitness & Therapeutics
Naples Pilates, Fitness & Therapeutics offers clients personalized fitness instruction that develops correct alignment through Pilates, muscle activation techniques and personal training.
FINALISTS
Yoga Bird
Yoga Lab
Next up: Company
COMPANY
BEST LARGE COMPANY
Royal Shell Real Estate
With about 160 employees, Royal Shell Real Estate spe- cializes in sales, and vacation and annual rentals. The com- pany has offices in Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Captiva and Sanibel islands, Ocala and North Carolina.
FINALISTS
First Florida Integrity Bank
Norman Love Confections
BEST SMALL COMPANY
Priority Marketing
Fort Myers-based Priority Marketing is full-service marketing, advertising and public relations agency founded in 1992. The agency has more than 25 employees, and clients include several local high-profile businesses and nonprofits.
FINALISTS
Above Board Chamber of Florida
Preferred Travel of Naples
BEST FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS
Sunshine Ace Hardware
Sunshine Ace Hardware is one of the largest family-owned home improvement and outdoor recreation retailers in Collier County. It has locations in Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Port Charlotte and Largo.
FINALISTS
Harmon-Meek Gallery
Larson Educational Services
Next up: Legal
LEGAL
BEST LARGE LAW FIRM
Pavese Law Firm
Pavese Law Firm, established in 1949, is a full-service law firm with offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and West Palm Beach. The firm provides a broad range of legal services for individuals, families, small businesses and large corporations.
FINALISTS
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt
Morgan and Morgan
BEST SMALL LAW FIRM
Kagan Law Firm
Led by attorneys Elizabeth P. Kagan and Christopher A. Kagan, Kagan Law Firm’s practice areas include medical device failure litigation, personal injury law cases and complex business disputes. It is headquartered in Fort Myers and serves Southwest Florida.
FINALISTS
Barbara M. Pizzolato
Wilbur Smith Attorneys at Law
Next up: Health/Education/Charity
HEALTH/ EDUCATION/CHARITY
BEST MEDICAL CENTER
NCH Baker Hospital Downtown
NCH Baker Hospital Downtown (Naples) offers advanced heart, cancer, obstetrics, newborn, orthopedic and other services. It is part of the two-hospital NCH Healthcare System, which has a total of 716 beds and provides care for more than 40,000 patients.
FINALISTS
HealthPark Medical Center Physician’s Regional
Medical Center
BEST VETERINARIAN/ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Angel Animal Hospital and Boarding
Serving the community since 2008, Angel Animal Hospital and Boarding in Naples offers a wide variety of veterinary care that includes general wellness exams, laser therapy and laser surgery, senior pet wellness and grooming services.
FINALISTS
Florida Veterinary Referral Center
Gulf Coast Humane Society
BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
Vi at Bentley Village
Vi at Bentley Village is a senior living community in Naples, where residents have access to a private 18-hole golf course, two clubhouses, a care center and beautiful walking trails.
FINALISTS
Gulf Coast Village
Moorings Park
BEST CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties (pictured) is one of the largest Habitat affiliates in the country. Since 1982, more than 1,500 families in need of a hand up have partnered with Habitat to build or improve their home.
FINALISTS
Captains for Clean Water
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc.
BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL
Fort Myers Christian School
Fort Myers Christian School was established in 1979 by First Assembly of God in Fort Myers. Since 1987, FMCS has been a fully accredited PreK3 through eighth-grade school through the Florida Council of Independent Schools and the Florida Kindergarten Council.
FINALISTS
Canterbury School
Community School of Naples
Next up: Advertising/Pr/Web
ADVERTISING/PR/WEB
BEST ADVERTISING AGENCY
Priority Marketing
Fort Myers-based Priority Marketing is full-service marketing, advertising and public relations agency founded by Teri Hansen in 1992. The agency has more than 25 employees, and clients include several local high-profile businesses and nonprofits.
FINALISTS
Quenzel & Associates
Spiro & Associates
BEST PR FIRM
Priority Marketing
Priority Marketing in Fort Myers offers a wide range of public relations services, from ghostwriting and crisis communication to fundraising and spokesperson training.
FINALISTS
Pushing the Envelope
Spiro & Associates
BEST WEB DESIGN FIRM
Priority Marketing
Priority Marketing’s web marketing services include website design and hosting, search engine optimization, online advertising, pay-per-click advertising and email marketing.
FINALISTS
Quenzel & Associates
WBN Marketing