Business Briefs
Property maintenance business opens venue
Raul E. Ricardo is operating a new property maintenance business in Cape Coral. Available daily for both residential and commercial properties, Ricardo will provide free estimates and do all the little jobs a homeowner or business owner needs.
The licensed and insured business is located at 104 S.E. 45th Terrace. For additional information call 542-2768 or 305-776-1593. Se habla espanol.
Windsor to present ‘How to Avoid Senior Scams’ program
The Windsor of Cape Coral, an assisted living and memory care facility, will present a program, “How to Avoid Senior Scams,” Tuesday, July 28, from 6 to 7 p.m., at Cape Coral Community Church, 811 Santa Barbara Blvd.
Speakers for the seminar, which is free and open to the public, will be from the Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center and Lee County Sheriff Office.
Those wishing to attend must RSVP by Monday July 27 at 772-9400.
Shop offers free roses for school supply donations
In Bloom Flowers & Gifts in Fort Myers is offering one dozen free roses in exchange for donations of school supplies for kids affected by HIV/AIDS served by Island Coast AIDS Network.
Items needed include backpacks, binders, pocket folders, pencils, notebook paper, rulers, markers, crayons, glue and gift cards.
Donations are accepted until Aug. 20. Deliver items to In Bloom located in the Metropolitan Commercial Park plaza at 12155 Metro Parkway, Suite 10, on the corner of Metro Parkway and Crystal Drive.
In Bloom is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 768-2799.
ICAN is partially funded by the United Way of Lee County, Lee County Human Services and the Florida Department of Health.
To contact ICAN, 2231 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, call 337-2391 or visit: www.icanswfl.org.
Barritt named to Brightest Horizons board
The law firm of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., has announced that attorney Amanda Barritt, an associate in the firm’s real estate division, has been appointed to the board of Brightest Horizons Child Development Center.
Brightest Horizons is a state-licensed not-for-profit organization that provides an educational program for children from low income families, ages four weeks to 12 years. The educational program is designed to meet the social, emotional, physical and developmental needs of the children cared for, with an emphasis on literacy skills.
Barritt concentrates her real estate practice in the areas of residential and commercial condominium and property associations, real estate transactions, easements, contract preparation and real estate development. She is a member of the Real Estate Investment Society, Real Property Probate & Trust Section and Condominium and Planned Development Committee of The Florida Bar, Lee County Association of Woman Lawyers, and Lee County Bar Association.
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., is one of the largest law firms between Tampa and Miami. A full-service firm, Henderson Franklin has 55 attorneys practicing in the areas of business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, commercial and civil litigation, workers’ compensation, employment law, real estate, and land use and environmental law.
Chouinard to chair chamber’s Women in Business Committee
Heather Chouinard was appointed by the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce as chairwoman of the chamber’s Women in Business Committee. Chouinard will oversee the committee’s coordination of the monthly women’s networking meetings and assist the chamber in coordinating the APEX Awards recognizing outstanding female business leaders.
Chouinard is a vice president and the College Pointe market manager with Florida Gulf Bank. She has been an active member of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber representing the bank since 2004 where she has served on the Women in Business Committee, the Allen Fox Golf Classic Committee and the committee for the ABC Auction to benefit local education initiatives. She also serves as a member of the board of Abuse, Counseling and Treatment Inc.
In 2005, Chouinard completed the chamber’s Emerging Leaders Program and now serves on the Leadership Program’s Leadership Alumni Committee. She was selected by the chamber as Volunteer of the Year for 2007-2008.
Chouinard is a 25-year resident of Lee County. She joined Florida Gulf Bank in 2003 and manages the daily operations of the bank’s College Pointe banking office.
Anderson named senior network engineer at Entech
Entech Computer Services, a Fort Myers computer services and consulting company, has announced that Colin Anderson has joined the team as the new senior network engineer.
Anderson grew up in central New York and moved to Florida in 1994 to pursue a degree in computer information systems at Florida Atlantic University. He has 11 years experience working in the IT field, with 10 years in the Southwest Florida area supporting local businesses of every size.
Entech is a full service computer solution provider, specializing in business and residential computer solutions.
They offer services such as IT consulting, network administration and management, offsite data storage, Apple sales and service, and computer repair. Entech is headquartered in Fort Myers. For more information, visit its Web site at: www.entechcomputers.com/.
Harley-Davidson/Buell to host ‘Girls Nite Out’
Harley-Davidson/Buell of Fort Myers is calling all ladies for a “Girls’ Nite Out” Garage Party Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Fort Myers retail location. Novices and experienced riders are invited to participate as Harley representatives share information on learning to ride, “fitting” your bike to your frame and the function of hot Harley MotorClothes.
The event is presented for ladies, by ladies. Refreshments and giveaways will be available for all attendees, but space is limited. Interested participants are asked to RSVP by today, July 24.
For more information or to RSVP to the “Girls Nite Out” Garage Party, please contact Jessica Fischer at 275-4647 or JessicaF@HarleyFlorida.com. Harley-Davidson/Buell of Fort Myers is located at 2160 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.
’40 Under 40′ list features Beatty
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. has announced that stockholder and commercial litigator Scott Beatty was named to Gulf Coast Business Review’s “40 Under 40.” The list recognizes bright, young business leaders, executives and professionals under the age of 40 who live and work in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties.
Beatty focuses his civil and commercial litigation practice in business torts and real estate litigation, construction and lien law litigation, contract disputes, collections and foreclosures. He also handles cases involving title insurance claims, securities litigation and arbitration.
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., is one of the largest law firms between Tampa and Miami. A full-service firm, Henderson Franklin has 55 attorneys practicing in the areas of business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, commercial and civil litigation, workers’ compensation, employment law, real estate, and land use and environmental law. One of the state’s oldest firms, Henderson Franklin was founded in Fort Myers in 1924 and currently operates offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, and on Sanibel Island. For more information on Beatty or Henderson Franklin, please visit: www.henlaw.com.
Alliance of the Arts attends book fair
Cast members from Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre’s “Peter Pan” flew into Barnes and Noble last Saturday morning, 10 a.m. to noon, for a Book Fair supporting the Alliance for the Arts.
Children dressed in costumes to attend the event and participate in the costume contest, with prizes for the whole family. Activities included a mini-performance by Peter and friends, storytelling by Tiger Lilly and scavenger hung with Captain Hook.
A portion of the proceeds during the event were donated to the Alliance for the Arts to support arts and culture in Lee County.
The Alliance for the Arts proudly supports the artists and arts organizations in our area as the state designated Local Arts Agency for Lee County. The Alliance for the Arts galleries are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard. Visit: www.artinlee.org for more details of all the excitement our community has to offer.
BJ’s to host ‘Taste of the Town’ event
BJ’s Wholesale Club in Cape Coral will showcase local restaurants in a “Taste of the Town” event Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Over two dozen local restaurants will showcase a signature dish for people to sample. Shoppers can also participate in a variety of family-fun activities like face painting and arts and crafts.
BJ’s Wholesale Club is located at1929 Pine Island Road, N.E., Cape Coral.
Builders Care honored by senior citizens agency
Builders Care, the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association, recently was honored by the Department of Elder Affairs Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida Inc. Builders Care was awarded the Helen K. Fallert Golden Appreciation Award for its service and commitment to Southwest Florida’s older Floridians and their families.
This year’s AAA Golden Appreciation Awards was themed “Discovering the Gold in Our Communities.” Recipients were selected based on nominations made by community members. Builders Care was nominated by Linda Walker. Walker’s mother, Nellie Walker, received much-needed home repairs from Builders Care with a totally remodeled home in just 14 days.
Builders Care is the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA). Its objective is to provide emergency repairs and construction services to elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged people who are unable to obtain home repairs through traditional means. Builders Care enlists the volunteer services of Lee BIA members and leverages grants and donated materials to provide construction and remodeling services to qualified homeowners throughout Lee County. Most recent top corporate sponsors include Armadillo Underground and Real Estate Investment Society.
Builders Care is headquartered at the Lee BIA offices at 4210 Metro Parkway, Suite 100, Fort Myers. Donations can be made online at www.LeeBuildersCare.org or to the Builders Care general fund at any Colonial Bank. More information is available by calling 938-0056.
Black named to ’40 Under 40′ list
Officially announced this month, Diana Black, senior vice president and director of business development for First Community Bank of Southwest Florida, was named one of Gulf Coast Business Review’s “40 Under 40.”
Answering questions such as how they support their favorite local charities and business sites, winners were chosen by the publication’s editors. Based on their professional achievements and community involvement, Gulf Coast Business Review 40 Under 40 winners are considered “tomorrow’s Gulf Coast leaders.”