Business Briefs
* Looking Glass immersive gallery to hold ribbon-cutting
This Saturday, July 20, Looking Glass, Southwest Florida’s premiere immersive gallery in Fort Myers, will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by a private cocktail party to celebrate the grand opening the following day. The event will take place between 5 and 7 p.m., and will feature special guests, including members of local government, as well those in the art industry.
Looking Glass, a family-owned business, is a venue for local artists, craftspeople, small businesses and manufacturers to display high quality, one-of-a-kind pieces.
Invited guests will get a sneak peek of the facility’s new idea of providing a total sensory experience.
Guests will engage in five separate rooms that hold five distinct and differently themed immersive installations curated to engage all the senses. After touring the facility, guests emerge into a pop-up gallery featuring art, crafts, merchandise and novelties produced locally by entrepreneurs who will showcase the unique character and charm of Southwest Florida.
Guests will also enjoy specialty confections made available through partnership with local eateries.
Looking Glass’ Marketing Coordinator Scott Graison says, “This place is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. There has been extensive thought in coming up with the idea, from inception to completion. We’ve gone to great lengths making sure our guests will have a thrilling experience, while also featuring local talent.
I am basically over the moon to be a small part of this adventure.”
Unlike a typical gallery, each installation explores the union of traditional and new media art in a more hands-on context, so guests are encouraged to interact with the pieces and capture their experience with photos. This rotating immersive location offers a venue for diving into your own creativity, sharing the experience, and shining the spotlight on local talent.
Looking Glass is at 5240 Bank Suite #8, Fort Myers. For more information, call 239-317-3512.
* Passenger count increases again at Southwest Florida International Florida International
During June, 586,319 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, an increase of 7.4 percent compared to June 2018. Year-to-date, passenger traffic is up 9.4 percent compared to last year.
The traffic leader in June was Delta Air Lines with 153,972 passengers traveling to and from Fort Myers. Rounding out the top five airlines were Southwest (123,772), American (95,304), JetBlue (67,932) and United (53,464).
Southwest Florida International Airport had 4,804 aircraft operations, a decrease of 1 percent compared to June 2018. Page Field saw 8,583 operations, a 12.4 percent increase from June 2018. In addition, slightly more than 2.6 million pounds of air freight moved through Southwest Florida International Airport in June 2019.
Southwest Florida International Airport served nearly 9.4 million passengers in 2018 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.
* Superb Sculpting spa opens in Cape Coral
Eric Boesch has announced the opening of his new medical spa, Superb Sculpting, specializing in CoolSculpting and Hydrafacials. The new state of the art facility in Fort Myers offers some of the most advanced technology and medical equipment to date.
Superb Sculpting has an expert sculptor on staff. Master sculptor Marie Gordon holds an elite master’s certification and is one of South Florida’s most experienced practitioners. In her decade of experience, she has personally performed over 4500 CoolSculpting treatments.
Superb Sculpting is located at 5268 Summerlin Commons Way, Suite 502, Fort Myers. For additional information, call 239-789-1269
* Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida to hold Skills to Succeed Academy
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida is helping job seekers develop the skills needed to find and keep that perfect job. The Skills to Succeed Academy is an innovative, interactive on-line training program, designed specifically to help young people to choose the right career and find and keep a job. It gives young people the motivation to take ownership of their own future, and helps them understand what employers are looking for.
The easy-to-use program uses videos, quizzes, gaming techniques, activities, real life scenarios and simulations to support 15 to 24-year-olds. Though it’s geared toward younger users, the program can be a valuable tool for job seekers of all ages and employment advisors. Through online learning content and off-line exercises, the self-guided modules develop soft skills and build confidence.
The new, Skills to Succeed Academy is being made available for free at area Goodwill Job-Link Centers in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties, and through the Goodwill Mobile Job-Link.
Job-Link locations and contact information can be found on the Goodwill of SWFL website. For more about Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida and site locations, visit www.goodwillswfl.org.
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida is a nonprofit organization committed to serving people with disabilities and disadvantages overcome their barriers to employment and independence.
* Local Hooters restaurants collecting school supplies
Several area Hooters restaurants are collecting school supplies to help local children as they get ready for the new school year. Hooters has teamed up with Children’s Advocacy Center to fill 120 backpacks.
Those interested in participating can bring school supplies, including notebook filler paper, subject notebooks, folders, small scissors, glue sticks, pencils, crayons, colored pencils and pencil boxes to their local Hooters.
Donations can be dropped off at Cape Coral, Naples, Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach Hooters locations now until July 30. The backpacks will be given out to pre-registered children on Aug. 2 at the East United Way House from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Hooters Girls will also be on hand to assist in handing out the supplies and backpacks to the children.
LTP Management, a franchisee of Hooters of America, owns and operates 16 locations in South Florida. Visit www.HootersFlorida.com?for more.
* Brown reappointed as co-chair of the Medicaid Committee of The Elder Law Section for the Florida Bar
Heidi M. Brown, associate with Osterhout & McKinney, P.A, has been re-appointed as co-chair of the Medicaid Committee of The Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar.
Brown’s term will be from July 2019 to June 2020.
In 2014, Brown became board certified in Elder Law by the Florida Bar. She concentrates in the areas of estate planning, Medicaid, VA planning, special needs planning, probate and trust administration. She is accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to represent claimants for VA benefits.
Brown graduated from the College of William & Mary Law School in 2005. She received her B.S.B.A. from Georgetown University in 1997.
For almost three decades, the attorneys of Osterhout & McKinney, P.A., have been committed to providing legal services to the elderly of Southwest Florida that would assist them in protecting their assets, preserving their independence, and maintaining their security as they confront the concerns of aging and illness. The firm’s elder law focus includes estate planning, probate, guardianship, asset protection planning, living wills, health care surrogates, durable powers of attorney, trusts, life care planning, special needs trusts, Medicare and Medicaid qualification.
Osterhout & McKinney, P.A. is located in Fort Myers at 3783 Seago Lane. For more information, call (239) 939-4888 or visit www.omplaw.com.
* Lake joins Advanced Aesthetic Solutions
Cyndie Witthuhn, APRN, founder and owner of Advanced Aesthetic Solutions, recently announce the addition of Joleen Lake, APRN as nurse practitioner for the Fort Myers-based medical spa.
Lake has been a certified family nurse practitioner since 2008. She began her nursing career in 1992, working in a variety of nursing fields over the years, including oncology, women’s health and medical aesthetics, and has also taught as a college instructor. Lake is certified in bio-identical hormone replacement through WorldLink Medical, and is also trained in advanced medical aesthetics. She is board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Lake completed her bachelor of science in nursing, graduating cum laude from the College of St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska. She earned her master of science in nursing while teaching at Clarkson College.
Advanced Aesthetic Solutions is a locally owned medical spa specializing in cosmetic and aesthetic enhancements. Offerings include medical-grade skin care products as well as minimally invasive, non-surgical procedures and treatments to assist in the overall plan of anti-aging and corrective skin care goals. The spa is located at 12734 Kenwood Lane, Suite 75, in Fort Myers. Visit www.aasmedspa.com to learn more or call 239-936-3333 to book an appointment.
* Royal named marketing director of Florida Skin Center
Florida Skin Center has hired Kimberly Royal as the marketing manager on its administrative team. She supports marketing efforts, led by CEO George Gulisano, CPA, in developing and overseeing projects that promote the dermatology practice’s mission and vision.
With over 15 years of experience in regional marketing and advertising, Royal has spent over a decade working with physician business owners to expand operations.
She is the owner/CEO of five-year-old PRN Marketing & Development – a consulting firm that provides customized services to privately owned medical practices – which has contributed to multiple locations for many startups. Royal assists clients with situational analyses, budgeting, building a brand and creating an image, building physician-related networks, business development, staff training, product selection and promotion, media buying, video production, graphic design and much more.
Prior to joining Florida Skin Center, Royal was the director of marketing and development for a large medical organization. There, she formed mission-aligned marketing strategies and implemented programs that stimulated progress in the practice’s targeted region.
Royal attended Auburn University in Alabama before relocating to Florida in 1996. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Florida SouthWestern State College.
Florida Skin Center opened its doors in 2001 and currently has offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Punta Gorda. Call (239) 561-3376. Online at FloridaSkinCenter.com.
* Henderson Franklin welcomes Cetrangelo
The law firm of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., has announced that attorney Anthony Cetrangelo has joined the firm as an associate in the Wills, Trust & Estate Planning department. Prior to joining Henderson Franklin, he was the managing partner of a Naples, Florida, law firm.
Cetrangelo assists clients in all aspects of planning an estate or setting up a trust, including revocable and irrevocable trusts, enhanced life estate deeds, durable powers of attorney, living wills and health care surrogacy. He also guides families through trust or summary administrations, as well as formal administrations in probate court.
Cetrangelo received his law degree from Ave Maria School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Troy Univer-sity. While at Troy, he played Division-1 college football for the Troy Trojans as a place kicker and was named to the Sun Belt Conference’s Commissioner’s List. Cet-rangelo may reached at Anthony.cetrangelo@henlaw.com or at 239-344-1358.
Henderson Franklin is celebrating 95th anniversary of serving the legal needs and communities of Southwest Florida. The firm has over 55 attorneys providing a wide range of legal services in the areas of business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, business and civil litigation, eminent domain, intellectual property, workers’ compensation, employment law, real estate, and land use and environmental law. Henderson Franklin operates offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Naples.
For more information visit www.henlaw.com.