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FSW Respiratory Therapy program alumni Jada Addison (far left) and Jeffrey Garcia (far right) with FSW Respiratory Therapy Program Director Jean Newberry (center).
FSW Respiratory Therapy program alumni Jada Addison (far left) and Jeffrey Garcia (far right) with FSW Respiratory Therapy Program Director Jean Newberry (center).
Lead Photo: Dr. Jeff Allbritten, FSW president, presents the official naming plaque to Brian and Kim Rist Brian and Kim Rist. Details below.

 

LEE HEALTH HOSTING VIRTUAL TOWN HALL TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19 

Lee Health wants to increase public awareness about the delta variant so it will be holding a virtual town hall, “COVID-19 Update: What You Need to Know,” at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24. The Facebook Live will be interactive and will give viewers a chance to ask questions to a panel of Lee Health medical experts. The panel will include Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA, president and CEO of Lee Health, Stephanie Stovall, M.D., pediatric infectious diseases specialist, interim chief of Quality & Patient Safety; and moderator Lindsey Morton, creative services manager, Lee Health. The town hall will be viewable on Lee Health’s Facebook page or website.

 

COLD STONE CREAMERY REPLACING DAIRY QUEEN IN GOLDEN GATE 

Cold Stone Creamery is replacing the longtime Dairy Queen Grill & Chill that closed this spring in Golden Gate. Expect the new ice cream shop to open by the end of the year in a 2,000-square-foot endcap with a drive-thru at 4895 Golden Gate Parkway. The DQ franchisee chose not to renew its expiring lease in April. The Cold Stone Creamery ice cream parlor chain, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, features “Signature Creations” made with ice cream handcrafted fresh daily in the store. Its menu includes frozen yogurt, sorbet, shakes and smoothies, as well as ice cream cakes, cupcakes and pies. The chain has two other locations in Collier County – off Naples Boulevard in North Naples and in The Esplanade on Marco Island – as well as five locations in Lee County. 

 

BANKUNITED LAUNCHES ‘SMALL BUSINESS, BIG DREAMS’ WOMEN IN BUSINESS CHALLENGE 

Women business owners with big dreams are invited to share their story with BankUnited for a chance to win $10,000 to help grow their business. The inaugural BankUnited “Small Business, Big Dreams” Women in Business Challenge will open for entries beginning Monday, Aug. 23. The Women in Business Challenge culminates in a live pitch event and business summit during National Women’s Small Business Month in October. To enter, eligible business owners must complete an application and submit an elevator video pitch of up to three minutes by the contest closing date of Sept. 23. Businesses must be based in Florida or New York, and must be at least 51 percent women-owned. Official contest rules and entry forms will be available beginning Monday at BankUnited.com

 

REPORT: FUTUREMAKERS COALITION PARTNERSHIPS BENEFIT REGION’S WORKFORCE

Ninety-seven percent of FutureMakers Coalition partners said their partnership has the potential to make a significant impact on the region’s educational and economic wellbeing, according to the FutureMakers Coalition 2021 Partnership Health Report. Eighty-eight percent of stakeholders feel their partnership with FutureMakers provides them with the data required for decision-making and continuous improvement, according to the organization, while 60% of partners have changed their work since they started their partnership with FutureMakers Coalition. Forty-one percent of partners said they have changed policies or practices because of their work with FutureMakers. According to the survey responses, two of the most common changes have been equity and diversity policies and practices that focus on how to better serve students. FutureMakers Coalitions’ goal is to transform Southwest Florida’s workforce by increasing the percentage of working-age adults that hold post-high school credentials to 55% by 2025.

 

RMC EXPANDS WITH NEW NAPLES LOCATION
RMC Group on Aug. 9 opened a new location at 4125 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. The company’s latest location, next door to Fresh Market and HomeGoods in the Park Shore Shopping Plaza, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Customers at this location can get quotes for their home, auto, flood, and other lines of personal and business insurance and speak with a real estate agent regarding buying or selling property.

 

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO HOST ENTREPRENEURIAL EVENT
The Florida SBDC at Florida Gulf Coast University is hosting its fourth annual women’s entrepreneurial event, G.L.O.W., which stands for growth, leadership, ownership, wellbeing and wealth. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 24 at Bonita Bay Club and include breakfast and snacks, free professional headshots, swag bags, business inspiration and networking. The Hallmark Sponsor of G.L.O.W. is Fifth Third Bank. To register, click here.

 

PHILLIPS JOINS VILLAGE OF ESTERO STAFF
Chris Phillips joined the Village of Estero staff on Monday after having served in local government finance for 22 years. His roles have included serving as finance director for Anderson County, Tennessee; finance director for Indian Shores, Florida; and management/budget administrator and interim financial services director for the City of Cape Coral. Phillips is a Certified Government Financial Manager through the Association of Government Accountants. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Tennessee Wesleyan College and brings a background in local government finance to the position, including experience in budgeting, debt and treasury management, Truth in Millage (TRIM), financial reporting, human resources and employee health insurance administration.​

 

Jessica Hoover

SWFL INC. HIRES HOOVER AS CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
SWFL Inc. has hired Jessica Hoover as its new client relationship manager. Hoover comes to the now seven-person staff with a background in sales management. Hoover was previously an executive team leader for specialty sales at Target and has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Florida Gulf Coast University. SWFL Inc. is a regional chamber of commerce serving the Southwest Florida business community. 

 

FL STAR EXPANSION ADDS ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER

Fort Myers-based FL Star has appointed Alex Licata as assistant project manager. Licata previously served as business analyst for Liberty Staffing USA and as business development manager for Reddy Living Management in Scottdale, Arizona. His experience also includes positions as project manager for RETRO on 32nd, an apartment complex renovation, and as retail broker intern in commercial sales and leasing with GPS Retail Advisors in Phoenix, Arizona. He also worked as an assistant manager with Greystar Property Management. Licata earned a master’s degree in real estate development from the WP Carey School of Business and a bachelor’s in business law from Arizona State University.

 

Sam Sorenson

CRAVE CULINAIRE PROMOTES SORENSON TO CHEF DE CUISINE

Crave Culinaire has promoted Chef Sam Sorenson to chef de cuisine this month. A member of the Crave team for three years, Sorenson accepted the position of executive sous chef in 2020 before stepping into his new role. He has been guided by Iron Chef and Top Chef alums and worked in various kitchens in New York, including Buddakan, Ai Fiori, Terroir Tribeca, and more, before coming to Southwest Florida. In his new role with Crave Culinaire, Sorenson will continue to lead the culinary team and provide on-site training and leadership. 

 

Kathy Lee

GULF COAST INTERNATIONAL PROPERTIES BESTOWS FIRST-EVER AWARD

Gulf Coast International Properties has awarded its first-ever “Live Exceptionally” Certificate of Excellence for July to Kathy Lee. Hailing from Saginaw, Michigan, Lee relocated to Naples in 1982. She has been in the real estate business for nearly 40 years and is a licensed assistant to the principal of the firm, Tim Savage. Lee has been at GCIP for 12 years.

 

CHARITABLE NOTES

 

Boys & Girls Club of Collier County opens registration for FORE-the-Kids Golf Tournament 

The Boys & Girls Club of Collier County has opened registration for its 18th annual FORE-the-Kids Golf Tournament, which features championship golf, a cocktail party, live and silent auctions, awards ceremony, music and more. FORE-the-Kids begins with a shotgun start on Nov. 6 at The Golf Club at Fiddler’s Creek in Naples. The event will follow a “scramble” format that allows golfers to choose the best ball from their foursome’s drive before playing individual shots until players complete the hole. Proceeds from FORE-the-Kids support the Boys & Girls Club’s six core program areas: education, career development, character and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation. Player registration is $500 per golfer and includes 18 holes of golf at Fiddler’s Creek and a ticket to the outdoor after-party. Non-golfers can purchase after-party tickets for $40 each. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, click here or call 239-325-1700.

 

Collaboratory announces General James L. Dozier JROTC Support Fund 

The General James L. Dozier JROTC Support Fund has been established at Collaboratory. The purpose of the fund is to support various Lee County Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps programs (JROTC) training programs and their activities to enhance the future leadership of the U.S. Armed Forces. This will include supporting programs not funded by other sources to those who intend to pursue a career as a commissioned officer in the United States Armed Forces. Maj. Gen. James L. Dozier is a retired U.S. Army officer who served 35 years in the military with significant staff and command assignments with the U.S. Army and NATO in the United States, Europe and Asia. Dozier will serve as founder of the General James L. Dozier JROTC Support Fund and retired Lt. Col. Gary Bryant will serve as chairman of the board. Additional board members include retired Lt. Col. Teresa Galgano, U.S. Army as secretary; retired Cmdr. Douglas B. Quelch, U.S. Navy as treasurer; and retired Col. Steve Epkins, U.S. Army; principal Carl Burnside; professor Christine Wright-Isak; and Pamela M. Noland as board members.

 

FSW Respiratory Therapy program alumni Jada Addison (far left) and Jeffrey Garcia (far right) with FSW Respiratory Therapy Program Director Jean Newberry (center).

FSW hosts reception for The Rist Family Foundation Respiratory Laboratory and Classroom

Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) hosted a special reception on Aug. 12, officially naming its Respiratory Therapy program lab “The Rist Family Foundation Respiratory Laboratory and Classroom.” The Rist Family Foundation previously donated $500,000 to support and provide new technology for the FSW program.

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