Business Briefs
Free low back pain
seminar May 25
Do you or a loved one suffer from low back pain? Are you sick of suffering and not being able to work or spend time with your grandchildren, friends and family due to an achy back? Are you not working because of your pain and losing out on lost wages? Sick of taking pain killers?
If you answered yes to any, or all of those questions, Dr. Scott Gray, DPT, of Allied Physical Therapy might be able to provide you with some answers.
On Wednesday, May 25, Dr. Gray will be holding a free low back pain seminar at the office at 1413 Viscaya Parkway in Cape Coral.
The seminar will feature:
– A discussion of the top five things your doctor has not told you about managing and overcoming your low back pain.
– A free handout of the top ficw strategies that may ease your low back pain.
– Gifts and prizes from local sponsors
– Food and refreshments
Reserve a spot by calling 239-242-0070
Cape Applebee’s to participate
in Autism Awareness Month specials
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar locations in Florida and Georgia have announced a partnership with Autism Speaks to raise awareness and funds surrounding the disorder for Autism Awareness Month, with flapjack fundraisers and month-long “blue” drink donations.
Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States and currently affects one in 68 children. On Saturday, April 2, at 8:30 a.m., participating Applebee’s locations will host flapjack breakfasts to help kick off the partnership with Autism Speaks, whose mission is to change the future for all who struggle with an autism spectrum disorder.
For $10, guests will receive a platter that includes flapjacks, scrambled eggs, sausage and a beverage, where proceeds of the funds raised will benefit the organization. Flapjack breakfasts will be held in Applebee’s locations in Florida including Doral, Greenacres, Lake City, Jacksonville (103rd St. and Atlantic Blvd. locations), Pembroke Pines, Sawgrass in Sunrise and Venice.
In addition, throughout the month of April, all Doherty Enterprises’ Applebee’s locations in Florida and Georgia will sell paper puzzle pieces to guests for a minimum suggested donation of $5 with proceeds directly benefiting Autism Speaks. Through April 3, those who donate will receive a $10 bonus card to use during their next Applebee’s purchase. Applebee’s will also donate 25 cents from sales of its Blue Skyy Electric Lemonade with Skyy Vodka and Blue Moon draft beer, with Skyy Vodka and Miller Coors also donating 25 cents from the sale of each lemonade and draft beer to support the cause.
The puzzle piece and “blue” drink donations will be available at Applebee’s locations owned and operated by Doherty Enterprises in New Jersey, Long Island, Florida and Georgia. In Florida, Applebee’s is located in Boynton Beach, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, Cutler Bay, Delray Beach, Doral, Florida City, Estero, Fort Myers, Fort Pierce, Greenacres, Hialeah, Jacksonville, Lake City, Lake Park, Margate, Naples, North Port, Okeechobee, Pembroke Pines, Port Charlotte, Port St. Lucie, Punta Gorda, Royal Palm Beach, Sarasota, Sawgrass, South West Ranches, St. Augustine, Tamarac, Venice, Vero Beach and West Palm Beach, and in Georgia in Brunswick, Kingsland and Waycross.
Six Bends to host inaugural
Food Truck Wars April 16
Six Bends is inviting the best food trucks in Florida to compete in the inaugural Food Truck Wars Saturday, April 16, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The latest in a series of Food Truck Wars around the state, the competition will also include a kid zone, beer garden and live entertainment.
Food Truck Wars will feature more than 40 gourmet food trucks from all over the state dishing up a variety of food at an average $6 to $8 a plate.
Beyond the tasty treats that await visitors, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy live entertainment by local band Electric Lipstick, cold drinks in the beer garden, a kid zone ($5 admission) and much more. A portion of proceeds will benefit local charities.
This event includes free admission, complementary parking and is open to the public, all ages and “foodies” welcome.
For additional information about this and other upcoming Six Bends events, contact Taylor Loethen at TaylorL@SFE-US.com.
For information about other Food Truck Wars events, contact Food Truck Crazy Inc at Info@FoodTruck-Crazy.com or (407) 296-5882.
Norman Love Confections to open chocolate
and dessert salon on McGregor Boulevard
Internationally acclaimed chocolatier Norman Love will open a new state-of-the-art chocolate and dessert salon in the Terra Design Center at 13211 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. Scheduled to open in summer 2016, Norman Love Confections’ Fort Myers-McGregor Chocolate Salon will offer the company’s award-winning ultra-premium, handcrafted chocolates, as well as specialty desserts, artisanal baked goods, coffees, novelty products and Artisan Gelato by Norman Love.
The 1,700-square-foot chocolate and dessert salon will offer indoor and outdoor seating with take-out or dine-in options.
Founded in 2001 by Norman and Mary Love, Norman Love Confections creates and distributes handcrafted artisanal chocolates from its corporate headquarters at 11380 Lindbergh Blvd. in Fort Myers.
Norman Love Confections has chocolate salons in Fort Myers, Estero and Naples, and Artisan Gelato by Norman Love is next door to the Fort Myers salon, off Daniels Parkway east of I-75. Chocolates, gift baskets, sipping chocolate and Love’s book, “Artistry in Chocolate, A Story of Love,” also can be ordered online at www.normanloveconfections.com.
In addition, Norman Love Confections chocolates and desserts are offered on 18 Princess Cruises’ ships through the “Chocolate Journeys” partnership and at independent retail locations throughout the U.S.
For more information visit www.normanloveconfections.com or call 239-561-7215.
Governor reappoints
Neymotin to post
Attorney Ita Neymotin, the Regional Counsel for the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel for the Second District Court of Appeal of Florida, has been reappointed to her post by Gov. Rick Scott. She has served in this capacity since 2011, when she became the youngest attorney and the only woman appointed in the state of Florida. Now at age 43, she maintains those distinctions among all five District Court of Appeal regions across the state.
She is responsible for the 14 counties that make up the Second District Court of Appeal, managing 140 attorneys and support staff with an annual budget that exceeds $9 million. The Regional Counsel defends parties when the Public Defender’s office has a conflict in a case. The office also represents indigent clients in juvenile dependency as well as certain types of civil cases. Neymotin is responsible for the counties including Lee, Collier, Hendry, Charlotte, Glades, DeSoto, Hardee, High-lands, Polk, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.
Neymotin received a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and a law degree and Master of Laws from Capital University Law School.
She is reappointed for a term ending Sept. 30, 2019.
For more information visit flrc2.org.
Shell Factory to host Dueling
Dogs competition April 15-17
The Shell Factory & Nature Park will be hosting the Dueling Dogs canine competition April 15, 16 and 17. Dueling Dogs is a world-wide canine aquatics competition series committed to providing a safe and competitive environment where handlers and their canine companions can compete head to head.
The day-long Dueling Dogs event at the Shell Factory will be the first of the season. Handlers and their dogs will be coming from all over the country with the current world champion Bo traveling from Cape Coral.
“Having the world champion right here in our own backyard is drawing a lot of attention to the upcoming competition” said Crystal McClaren, Bo’s owner.
“We are very excited about having this family event at The Shell Factory” said Rick Tupper, CFO/marketing director. “It is another way to bring families out to the facility for a full day of Family fun.”
Sponsored by SunCoast Dock Dogs this competition could expand into an annual event. For more information and or registration, contact Vicki Tighe at 239-464-1859 or visit www.shellfactory.com.
The Shell Factory is located 4 miles north of the Caloosahatchee River on Route 41. For more information, visit www.shellfactory.com
Becker joins Sanibel
Captiva Community Bank
Kimberly Becker has joined Sanibel Captiva Community Bank as senior loan processor. She is responsible for assisting customers with residential loan closings.
Becker has more than 23 years of consumer and commercial banking experience, as relationship manager, business banker, premier client manager, bank account executive, consumer credit and production officer. She attended American River College in Sacramento, California.
A Cape Coral resident, Becker is a member of the Business Network International Southwest Florida Chapter and Above Board Chamber of Florida. She is a United Way and Rotary volunteer.
Founded in 2003, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank is the only bank chartered on Sanibel, where it has two locations, the main office at 2475 Library Way and 1037 Periwinkle Way. It has three locations in Fort Myers, in the Myerlee community, on McGregor Boulevard near Kelly Road and on College Parkway.
The bank has $277 million in assets, and generates the third highest return on equity of Florida’s 157 chartered banks.
Sanibel Captiva Com-munity Bank’s professionals provide customized individual and business banking services and specialize in residential loans. The bank provides free personal and business checking, top-yielding money market accounts, safe deposit boxes, electronic statements and a mobile banking app, as well as online and drive-thru banking.
To learn more, visit www.sancapbank.com.
Levy-Seitz a new associate
for Aloia, Roland & Lubell
Aloia, Roland & Lubell, PLLC has announced that attorney Danielle Levy-Seitz has joined the firm as a new associate. She brings eight years’ legal experience to the firm’s new family law practice division, having most recently served as an associate attorney in charge of the family law practice at Grossman Law and Conflict Management, where she worked since 2010.
A Fort Myers native, Levy-Seitz graduated from the University of Florida with both a bachelor of arts degree in journalism and a bachelor of science degree in political science. From there, she served for six months as an intern at the Attorney General’s Office for the District of Columbia, where she worked closely with the Child and Family Services Agency. She then attended Loyola University Chicago University School of Law where she received a certificate in child and family law from Loyola’s Civitas Child Law Center, where law students get the opportunity for hands-on legal experience. While still in law school Levy also clerked at the boutique law firm of Davis Friedman.
Aloia, Roland & Lubell, PLLC serves clients throughout Southwest Florida in personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, negligent security, products liability, business and commercial litigation, family law, real estate and business transactional matters. The firm is led by partners Ty Roland, Evan Lubell, and Frank J. Aloia, Jr., an experienced team of attorneys who are committed to providing the highest level of service for their clients. Aloia, Roland & Lubell, PLLC has offices at 2254 1st Street in Fort Myers, and 1716 Cape Coral Parkway East in Cape Coral.
For more information, call 239-791-7950 or visit www.floridalegalrights.com.
Leadership NEXT program April 12
Leadership NEXT, a professional organization for advancing business leaders in Southwest Florida offered by the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, will host its next program Tuesday, April 12, from 4-6 p.m., at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd., in Fort Myers. The tourism-focused program will begin at the Lecture Hall in the South Florida Water Management Building at 2301 McGregor Blvd., in Fort Myers, with a panel discussion followed by a tour of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates and networking.
Featured panelists include Chris Pendleton of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, Eric Graff of Southwest Florida Attractions Association/Southwest Florida Distributing, and Pamela Johnson of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau.
Guests will learn more about the impact tourism has on Lee County, hear how Southwest Florida is being promoted to visitors and learn about area attractions and the steps they are taking to help drive tourism to our area. A question-and-answer session will follow the panel discussion before guests move to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates for a tour. At 5:30 p.m., the program will move to Pinchers at The Marina at Edison Ford, 2360 West 1st St., in Fort Myers, for more networking. The April 12 program is free to attend, yet guests are encouraged to register in advance at www.fortmyers.org.
Simoneau added to panel discussion
team for networking meeting
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Women in Business has added Chris Simoneau, vice president of University Advancement for Florida Gulf Coast University, to the panel at its April networking meeting. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m., Wednesday, April 6, at Florida Gulf Coast University Sugden Hall, Hospitality Room 116.
Simoneua will be joining Roger Mercado, division director of Social Services & Education for Community Cooperative, and Stuart Williams, director of Business Rental for Enterprise Holdings. This will be the first time WIB hosts an all male panel discussion. Panelists will be asked questions regarding their experiences supervising or being supervised by women, their opinion on the positive impact women bring to a work team, and share who their women mentors or inspirational women leaders are.
The April event is sponsored by FGCU, and the scholarship sponsor is the Law Office of Joseph Cerino, Family & Criminal Law. The nonprofit spotlight for the event will be the Boys and Girls Club of Lee County. All business professionals are invited to attend. Admission is $10 for Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce (GFMCC) members and $20 for future GFMCC members, and includes appetizers and cash bar. To register, call (239) 332-3624 or visit www.fortmyers.org.
Part of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, the Women in Business committee is dedicated to helping women achieve their fullest professional and personal potential. A variety of networking and educational programs are offered throughout the year, typically the first Wednesday of every month from 4-6 p.m.
Lee County Economic Development office to launch new program
Small businesses and entrepreneurs can mark their calendars for an April 22 event that will launch the Lee County Economic Development Office’s newest program, LEARN (Lee Entrepreneurs’ Assis-tance Resource Network).
People interested in starting or growing an existing business can attend the LEARN kickoff and partner expo Friday, April 22, at Harborside Event Center. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with the Horizon Council General Membership meeting and LEARN panel discussion, followed by the LEARN Partner Expo from 9:30-11 a.m. There is no cost, but attendees are asked to RSVP to Lee County EDO staffer Sarah Newcomb at snewcomb@leegov.com by April 13.
LEARN’s mission is to bring together businesses and entrepreneurs with supporting organizations to promote the establishment, retention and expansion of businesses in Lee County. LEARN partners include the Florida Small Business Development Center at Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida SouthWestern State College, Southwest Florida SCORE, CareerSource, United Way, Goodwill SWFL MicroEnterprise Institute, Fort Myers Technical College, Lee County Library System, Keiser University, Hodges University, Fusion Pointe, Southwest Florida Enterprise Center and Southwest Florida Community Foundation.
LEARN has created an online toolkit and resource clearinghouse to provide business owners with information, contacts and resources on topics such as workforce development and training, maximizing social media, business plan development, tax and legal resources and everything in between.
For more information about LEARN, visit www.LEARNswfl.com or contact Rachel Busch, Lee County’s EDO Strategic Projects Manager, at rbusch@leegov.com.
The Lee County Eco-nomic Development Office works to attract new and diversified businesses to the area, support company growth and expansions, and improve the overall business environment in Lee County. Services include Site Selection Assistance, Demographic and Statistical Information, Business Assistance, Financial Assistance, Employee Training and Recruitment and Community Tours.
For information, visit www.LeeCountyBusiness.com or 239-338-3161.
Leslea Ellis, LLC
noting third anniversary
This month marks the 3-year anniversary of local CPA firm, Leslea Ellis, LLC. The firm provides general accounting services, forensic accounting and litigation support, and payroll processing, as well as tax preparation and related services.
“We appreciate the confidence and trust our clients have placed in us and we will continue to deliver the best solutions to meet their tax and accounting needs,” stated owner Leslea Ellis.
Established in 2013, Leslea Ellis LLC serves more than 100 clients in Southwest Florida.
Leslea Ellis, LLC is a CPA firm serving accounting and tax clients in the greater Southwest Florida area. Established in 2013, the firm specializes in forensic accounting and litigation support for the entire state of Florida.
For more information, contact the office at 239-690-6500 or Leslea@lesleaellis.com.