LEE HEALTH STARTS NEW IN-HOME CARE PARTNERSHIP
Lee Health recently initiated a new partnership with DispatchHealth, a leading provider of in-home medical care. Through the partnership, patients in Southwest Florida have a convenient way to receive medical care in the comfort of their homes. DispatchHealth provides in-home medical care for a wide range of common to complex injuries and illnesses including viral infections, COPD exacerbations, congestive heart failure and more. Expertly trained medical teams typically arrive at the patient’s home within a few hours of being requested, equipped with the necessary tools and treatments, including on-site diagnostics. No referral is needed for patients to request care via phone or by visiting DispatchHealth’s mobile app or website.
LEE COUNTY PROMOTES ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLLS FOR CAPE CORAL, MIDPOINT, SANIBEL CAUSEWAY BRIDGES
Lee County is increasing public outreach efforts to bring awareness among residents, business owners and motorists during September about the now-permanent all-electronic tolling for the Midpoint, Cape Coral and Sanibel Causeway bridges. The county has used all-electronic tolling since the pandemic began in 2020. Lee County commissioners voted this summer to maintain this to align with Florida’s SunPass program, to return to the same tollway fee structure that was in place before the pandemic, and to adjust motorcyclists’ toll pricing to align with vehicles. This means that on Oct. 1, the county will reinstate the $3 administrative fee for pay-by-plate customers, which affects motorists who do not have a transponder or do not maintain a positive balance in their LeeWay account. For more information and free transponders used for all-electronic tolling, click here.
GULFSHORE BUSINESS EVENT SALUTES 40 UNDER 40 HONOREES
Gulfshore Business saluted the new class of 40 Under 40 in Southwest Florida at a reception Tuesday night at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Estero. Each year, 40 business professionals younger than 40 are acknowledged for their personal accomplishments and contributions to the community. The 2020 and 2021 honorees were applauded at an event emceed by Lindsey Sablan of WINK News. For the biographies and photos for the recent 40 Under 40 honorees, click here.
ECONOMIC EXPERTS TO SPEAK AT CHAMBER LUNCHEON
The Chamber of Southwest Florida will host a luncheon on Sept. 15 at the Holiday Inn Ft. Myers Airport @ Town Center, with guest speakers John Talmage, director of the Lee County Economic Development Office, and Dr. Amir Ferriera Neto, director of the Regional Economic Research Institute at FGCU Lutgert College of Business. The two will discuss the state of the economy in Southwest Florida, including trends in the local marketplace, the workforce and expectations for local industry with the evolving pandemic. Guests will be invited to ask questions after the formal presentation. Chamber members and the public are invited to attend. Reservations are available by clicking here. Advance registration is required.
HEATHERWOOD CONSTRUCTION COMPLETES TWO PROJECTS FOR VITAS
Heatherwood Construction partnered with VITAS Healthcare to expand and renovate a VITAS location in Naples and bring a new facility to Sebring, Florida.VITAS has more than 40 years of experience in hospice care and is the nation’s largest single-source provider of end-of-life care. VITAS works across 14 states and the District of Columbia. Rafael Valdes was Heatherwood’s senior project manager. Both projects were designed by Anderson Architecture of Boca Raton, Florida.
TELESPECIALISTS NAMES NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
TeleSpecialists LLC has appointed Greg Paschke as chief financial officer. He reports directly to CEO Nima Mowzoon. Paschke is a senior-level executive with more than 30 years of healthcare finance, accounting, administration and operations experience. Before TeleSpecialists, Paschke served as CFO for companies in orthopedics, oncology, healthcare services, life sciences and medical device sectors. Paschke holds a Certified Public Accountant license and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Renee Drake Forte
MOORINGS PARK COMMUNITIES NAMES VP OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Moorings Park Communities has welcomed Renee Drake Forte as the new vice president of human resources. She will undertake overall responsibility for human resources for all three of the company’s campuses, including Moorings Park, Moorings Park at Grey Oaks and Moorings Park Grande Lake. Forte has more than 20 years of experience in human resources leadership in the hospitality and health care industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of South Florida, is a certified Senior Professional in Human, and is a member of the Society of Human Resources and International Coaching Federation. Forte comes to Moorings Park from Lifespace Communities, a national continuing care retirement community provider, where she served as human resources director for the Southwest region.
Marianne M. Lambertson
HEALTHCARE NETWORK ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Healthcare Network has added Marianne M. Lambertson, Kerri Ervin and Alex Castano to its board of directors. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, Healthcare Network must operate under a patient-majority board, meaning at least 51% of the governing board or their immediate family must be patients of Healthcare Network. Lambertson has spent over two decades in healthcare in the global biopharmaceutical industry and runs a consulting practice serving as an advisor and partner to pharmaceutical and biotech organizations across the U.S. and Europe.
Kerri Ervin
Ervin is the chief compliance officer and senior vice president of engagement for Avow and has a 20-plus-year career in hospice.
Alex Castano
Castano is the vice president of marketing at the Greater Naples Chamber and previously worked for the global advertising agency GREY, spent six years in brand management at Procter & Gamble and four years at GE Healthcare in supply chain and process improvement.
Kate Brennan
SWFL INC. WELCOMES BRENNAN TO TEAM
SWFL Inc. has hired Kate Brennan as its new communication and public relations coordinator. Brennan is a New Jersey native with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Sacred Heart University. SWFL Inc. is a regional chamber of commerce serving the Southwest Florida business community and ranked among the top 1% of chambers nationwide, the organization reports.
CHARITABLE NOTES
Southwest Florida Gator Club raises $11,000 for scholarship fund
The Southwest Florida Gator Club held its first annual “Later Gator Poker Run” event on June 12. The event had close to 100 boaters participating and raised over $11,000 for its scholarship fund. The fund is used to award annual scholarships to students attending The University of Florida. There were five waterfront locations that each boat visited to collect a playing card along with other incentives. The captains and crews stopped at Cabbage Key, Tarpon Lodge, Matanzas on the Bay, Doc Ford’s and Salty Sam’s Marina. The award ceremony was held at Salty Sam’s Marina Shrimp Dock where dinner was served, and prizes were awarded. The winners included MAB Homes, First Responders and Stokes Marine. Numerous companies supported the event, including Panama Jack sponsoring team First Responders, which consisted of law enforcement, firefighters, and frontline medical workers. The second annual “Later Gator Poker Run” will be held in late spring 2022. The Gator Club also hosts its football game-watching parties at Glory Days Grill in Fort Myers.
Don’t be the last to know what’s happening in Southwest Florida. Sign up for our free daily newsletter, Gulfshore Business Daily, to stay connected.
