NAPLES SOAP CO. GOES NATIONWIDE WITH DILLARD’S
Naples Soap Co. has partnered with Dillard’s Inc. A selection of the company’s top-selling bath bombs will soon be available in 261 stores in 29 states and online at Dillards.com. The bath bombs will be sold in 12 scents. In addition, a bath bomb trio set will be available for purchase online at Dillards.com. Naples Soap Co. bath bombs will be available in all Dillard’s stores by the middle of June. Naples Soap Co. is a niche natural skin and hair care company, with U.S. handmade products using eco-friendly materials from sustainable resources, a press release states. In addition, products are never tested on animals.
TACOS & TEQUILA, HOFFMANN FAMILY PARTNER
Tacos & Tequila Cantina has partnered with The Hoffmann Family of Cos. and restaurateur Paul Fleming. Together, they plan to bring the cuisine across Florida and the nation. Kelly and Aldo Musico opened the doors to their first Tacos & Tequila Cantina in August 2013 and within six years, they opened two additional locations. David Hoffmann, chairman of Hoffmann Commercial Real Estate and founder of private equity company Osprey Capital, is the largest private investor in commercial real estate in Naples. Paul Fleming has been associated with restaurants such as P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Paul Martin’s American Grill.
SEMINARS SET FOR SALES PLANS
The Above Board Chamber of Florida will soon host a pair of luncheon seminars on sales plans. The first event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 10 at Hilton Naples. Amy Oshier, anchor of the “Behind the Headlines” telecast for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press, will be the master of ceremonies for panelists including Lauren Maxwell, Maxwell Mortgage Team of CrossCountry Mortgage; Susan Ryan, Creative Business Coaches; and Mitch Norgart, Gulf Coast International Properties realtor. The cost to attend either event is $30 for members and $38 for nonmembers before June 5 for the Naples event and June 7 for the Fort Myers event. After those dates, it’s $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers. Lunch is included. Register at AboveBoardChamber.com or call (239) 910-7426.
MARINEMAX FORT MYERS NAMED NO. 1 RETAILER
Galeon Yachts has named MarineMax Fort Myers as number one retailer in the world for the second year in a row. The Galeon Yachts brand was honored during an event on May 16 at Deep Lagoon Seafood and Oyster House, an on-water restaurant that overlooks the channel by MarineMax Fort Myers. President of Galeon Yachts, Jacek Kobylko, and Galeon brand manager, Bob Burke, presented MarineMax Fort Myers’ management team with the 2018 award for top retailer in the world. For more information, visit www.galeonyachts.us.
Dr. Badia receives an award from HADA.
BADIA NAMED HISPANIC DOCTOR OF THE YEAR
The Hispanic American Doctors Association of Southwest Florida (HADA) presented the founder and chief medical officer of Florida Skin Center, Dr. Anais Aurora Badia, with the 2019 Hispanic Doctor of the Year Award. This came during the physician-based organization’s eighth annual Social at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point. As a board member of HADA, Badia and Florida Skin Center contributed $5,000 to the event for the fourth consecutive year. The sponsorship helped raise three scholarships for soon-to-be Lee County high school graduates, in partnership with the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. This, coupled with Badia’s commitment to excellence in patient care and community service, earned her the HADA honor, according to a press release.
Peter Knize
KNIZE JOINS NAPLES TRUST CO.
The Naples Trust Co. has added Peter Knize, senior vice president, to the trust administration team specializing in estate settlement. He will work with Trust Co. clients from Marco Island to Tampa Bay in their estate settlement planning and be responsible for managing the assets, debts and estate taxes of the decedent, as well as distribute remaining assets to heirs. Prior to joining The Naples Trust Co., Knize served as senior vice president of trust services at Investors’ Security Trust of Fort Myers. Knize previously practiced law in North Carolina and Florida. He holds a Bachelor of Science in cardiopulmonary science from the University of Central Florida; a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in history from the University of South Florida; a Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University; and a Master of Laws in estate planning from the University of Miami.
Shelly Peterson
SUFFOLK HIRES PETERSON AS PROJECT EXECUTIVE
Suffolk has hired Shelly Peterson as project executive for its Gulf Coast operations team. Peterson is a third-generation construction professional with more than 24 years of industry experience. For the past 23 years, she worked for The Boldt Company, a Midwest-based construction firm with revenue over $1 billion and for the past six years served as executive vice president and general manager of Minnesota operations. Peterson is a graduate of Minnesota School of Business. In her new role as project executive, Peterson will lead various aspects of project management for Suffolk’s University Village and Bentley Village VI, as well as additional upcoming projects.
Heath Gelman
HENDERSON FRANKLIN WELCOMES GELMAN
Attorney Heath Gelman has joined Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt P.A. as a stockholder in the tort and insurance litigation department. For 20 years, he has represented individuals and companies in matters of automobile negligence, premises liability, professional liability, first party insurance, and wrongful death. Gelman previously served as defense counsel for a top insurance defense firm for 13 years and handled plaintiff personal injury matters and first party insurance claims for nearly seven years with one of the largest personal injury firms in the U.S. He also lectures on various topics, including the use of store-captured surveillance video in litigation and the best practices to handle multiple competing claims with minimal policy limits. Gelman received his undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University and his law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law.
CHARITABLE NOTES
Naples Yacht Club Past Commodores award college scholarships
Dozens of students from schools across Collier County were awarded college scholarships this month by the Naples Yacht Club Chapter of the International Order of the Blue Gavel. More than $90,000 in scholarships were presented to local high school seniors and members of Naples Yacht Club staff this year. In addition, a Florida state matched scholarship grant of $10,000 was awarded to First Generation Matching Grant Program students at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). The scholarship fund was established in 1997 as an organization of Past Commodores to help employees of the Naples Yacht Club and their families. Since 1998, more than 500 local students have been awarded over $1.3 million in scholarships through this organization.
Community Cooperative seeks Summer Drive for Hunger campaign support
Community Cooperative is calling on community members to support its annual Summer Drive for Hunger campaign. During the months of June, July and August, the organization has a goal of raising $25,000 and 25,000 pounds of food for its Community Cafés, Community Market and mobile food pantries and hopes to add 250 new volunteers to the organization to help year-round. Community Cooperative is looking for businesses, organizations, churches and community groups to show support by hosting food drives, volunteering, and giving financially. Food drives can range from simple collection days to engaging social donation events. Volunteers are needed in various areas, such as packaging and delivering meals for Meals on Wheels, serving lunch in the Community Café, stocking pantry shelves, assisting clients at a monthly Mobile Food Pantry, and weeding and harvesting in the Able Garden.
Vasari Cares Foundation supports Habitat for Humanity of Collier County
Vasari Country Club’s Vasari Cares Foundation presented Habitat for Humanity of Collier County with a $13,000 donation earlier this month, a portion of the proceeds from their recent Vasari Cares & VWGA Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships. This is the second year that Habitat Collier has been one of the golf tournament’s nonprofit beneficiaries. The donation comes as part of the Vasari Cares Foundation’s mission to support selected charities that impact the local community by mobilizing the power of volunteers and capitalizing upon their generosity.
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