Business Briefs
Chico’s employees pack bags of beans
on United Way Day of Caring
Chico’s FAS Inc. employees gave back to their community recently through a United Way Day of Caring, packing huge bulk bags of pinto beans into smaller bags for distribution from Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida.
Harry Chapin Food Bank is a United Way Partner Agency.
The beans are a good source of protein and are the equivalent of 3,541 meals for families in Southwest Florida. This group of employees at Chico’s FAS is making the volunteer project a twice yearly event.
The United Way’s Day of Caring is a year-round program, coordinated by the United Way Volunteer Center which matches businesses’ desire to help with the needs of the community. Many local groups and companies have participated such as Chico’s FAS, Inc., Publix Super Markets, Target, Turbine Generator Maintenance, and Lee County Tax Collectors Office.
The United Way Volunteer Center connects individuals and companies to volunteer opportunities throughout our community. You can reach the United Way Volunteer Center by calling 433-2000 ext. 260 or by visiting the United Way website at www.unitedwaylee.org.
BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Company
earned President’s Award from Safeco Insurance
BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Company has earned the President’s Award from Safeco Insurance for outstanding performance. The President’s Award is one of the highest honors Safeco gives to independent agent partners to recognize their success, hard work, commitment to service and high achievement.
To be considered for the President’s Award, agencies must be members of the elite Safeco Premier Partner Program, which provides qualified agencies with access to special programs designed to help them provide superior service to their customers.
Only 200 President’s Awards were given this year across the country to top-performing independent insurance agencies that sell Safeco Insurance personal lines products.
BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Company provides comprehensive insurance and risk-management services to families and businesses throughout Florida. The agency offers protection from the nation’s leading insurance companies through its offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Holmes Beach, Miami, Naples, Ocala and Weston.
Founded in 1922, BB&T operates more than 100 insurance agencies in Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and California. Visit Insurance.BBT.com/ to learn more. BB&T Insurance Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Branch Banking & Trust Company.
Passenger traffic up in April
at Southwest Florida International Airport
During April, 902,669 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport, an increase of 4.3 percent compared to April 2014. Year-to-date, passenger traffic is up 5.2 percent from the same period last year.
The traffic leader in April was Southwest with 195,489 passengers traveling to and from Fort Myers. Rounding out the top five airlines were Delta (193,248), JetBlue (108,719), US Airways (102,581) and United (87,047).
Southwest Florida International Airport had 8,255 aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings), an increase of 2.6 percent compared to April 2014. Page Field saw 9,662 movements, a 3.9 percent increase from April 2014. In addition, more than 2.7 million pounds of air freight moved through Southwest Florida International Airport in April 2015, a decrease of 6 percent compared to April 2014.
Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 7.9 million passengers in 2014 and is one of the top 50 U.S. airports for passenger traffic. No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operation or construction. For more information, visit www.flylcpa.com or Like Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/flyRSW.
Goodwill Industries announces
Breakthrough Award winners
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida honored its annual Breakthrough Award winners May 7. The Breakthrough Awards event was hosted at the Goodwill Opportunity Center, the organization’s Southwest Florida headquarters in east Fort Myers.
The awards honor the nonprofit agency’s top achievers and supporters in the community.
“Last year, Goodwill helped nearly 40,000 people with disabilities and disadvantages to overcome their barriers to employment and independence,” explains Kirsten O’Donnell, Goodwill’s Director of Public Relations. “The Breakthrough Awards event allows us to honor people who have overcome their own barriers. The ceremony also gives us a chance to say ‘thank you’ to the people who are involved in our programs and support our mission.”
This year’s Breakthrough Award recipients are:
– Breakthrough Graduate: Mike Drouin, Goodwill SWFL MicroEnterprise Institute graduate and owner of Drouin’s Helping Hands, LLC
– Breakthrough Achiever: Jennifer Glawe, Goodwill vocational rehabilitation client and custodian for Goodwill Services
– Breakthrough Employer: John Talmage, owner of Sweet Melissa’s Caf and Island Pizza
– Breakthrough Business: Communication & Data Solutions (owner Butch Borchert)
– Breakthrough Volunteer: Amanda Lynch, Goodwill Trailways Camp and Festival of Trees volunteer
This year’s ceremony was held during Goodwill Industries Week, which is celebrated nationwide during the first full week of May. Video tributes of each of the award winners can be viewed on the agency’s website: www.goodwillswfl.org.
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc. is committed to helping people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence. Supported programs include employment training and placement, disability-accessible housing, the Goodwill L.I.F.E. Academy Charter School, the Pathways to Opportunity adult day training program, and others. For more information, visit www..goodwillswfl.org.