Need to catch up on business news in Southwest Florida? No problem. Here are the top stories of the week pulled from our daily newsletter, Gulfshore Business Daily.
Friday, November 22
ALICO BUSINESS CENTER SELLS FOR $9 MILLION
KOVA Cos. and its brokerage division SVN|KOVA announced the $9 million sale of the Alico Business Center, located at 9961 Interstate Commerce Drive in Fort Myers. The 48,000-square-foot mixed-use office and retail space was sold by PIP IV Alico, LLC to Friendly Village, LLC. Bryan Flores of SVN|KOVA Naples was the listing agent on the transaction, facilitating the sale in 45 days. SVN|KOVA and KOVA Property Management took over the management and leasing of the Alico Business Center in 2016, bringing the property from 43% occupancy to 90% occupancy by summer 2018 before working with the owners to sell, according to a press release.
Thursday, November 21
SIZZLE SWFL RESTAURANT WEEK RETURNS IN DECEMBER
The Winter 2019 Edition of Sizzle SWFL Restaurant Week, powered by Linga POS, will take place from Dec. 2-15 with more than 60 participating restaurants from Cape Coral to Marco Island. Sizzle SWFL Restaurant Week is a semi-annual, charity-driven event that celebrates the culinary landscape in both Collier and Lee Counties. Each of the participating restaurants will offer a three-course prix fixe dinner menu for $26 or $36, some with special upgrades. Restaurants may also offer two-course prix fixe lunch menus for $16 or $21, and/or brunch for $21 or $26. Of each Restaurant Week meal purchased during the two-week event, $1 will be donated to the Sizzle SWFL FGCU Food & Beverage Scholarship. Guy Clarke and Rafael J. Feliciano founded Sizzle SWFL, which has raised more than $100,000 for local charities, with more than $25,000 of that going to the FGCU Scholarship since its inception in spring 2018. For more information, click here.
Wednesday, November 20
FSW CORPORATE TRAINING CENTER OFFERS DRINKING WATER, WASTEWATER OPERATORS TRAINING CERTIFICATION
The Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) Corporate Training Center is offering new Drinking Water Treatment Plant Operations and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations study tracks. These training certification classes prepare students for the state of Florida’s drinking water and wastewater licensing exams. Courses require a high school diploma or GED but are of interest to a broad range of people from recent high school graduates to degreed people working in related fields who are stacking credentials atop their degrees for advancement or those in unrelated fields seeking a career change. The basic certifications in each area are attainable by coursework and a state exam. FSW’s Corporate Training Center is the only entity in Southwest Florida currently offering these classes. Classes begin January 2020 and meet twice a week for 18 weeks. Instructors are approved by the state of Florida. The cost is $700. For more information, visit www.fsw.edu/corporatetraining/wateroperators or call FSW’s Corporate Training Center at (239) 433-6915.
Tuesday, November 19
FUTUREMAKERS LAUNCHES ANNUAL WORKFORCE SURVEY FOR REGIONAL EMPLOYERS
The FutureMakers Coalition of Southwest Florida has launched its latest employment survey, available here, and is asking for the region’s help in completing the online form. The survey is designed to capture the views and values of employers doing business in Southwest Florida. The Southwest Florida Community Foundation administers this survey on behalf of the FutureMakers Coalition. FutureMakers is a regional initiative with the goal of transforming the workforce by increasing the number of degrees, certificates, and high-quality credentials to 55%. The survey is divided into three sections including a company’s future workforce; most desired workforce skills; and current state of a company’s workforce. The survey takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The survey is open now and will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 8. For more information, visit www.FutureMakersCoalition.com, call (239) 274-5900, or email Tessa LeSage at TLeSage@floridacommunity.com.
Monday, November 18
ADDY AWARDS RETURN TO SWFL
In other news…
Meet Michelle Happer, Lee Health’s newest system director of diversity.