SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

Greater Fort Myers Chamber’s Jan. 18 luncheon to highlight update on Lee County tourism

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon on Jan. 18 will provide an update on tourism in Lee County post-Hurricane Ian.

Guests will hear from Brian Ososky, marketing director for the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau in Southwest Florida, representing Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods. During the program, Ososky will share insights on how the VCB has shifted gears since the storm, provide an update on the current tourism landscape in Lee County and share plans for relaunching marketing efforts designed to draw visitors back to the region.

Ososky coordinates the day-to-day efforts of a multi-million dollar advertising contract, oversees the development of all creative work, and evaluates technology and social media platforms to devise strategies to enhance marketing and branding efforts online. Additionally, he reviews market, competition and consumer trends, ensures all VCB promotional efforts are integrated and strategic, and creates brand position. He also has extensive marketing and communications experience through positions with various hospitality, travel and performing arts organizations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida in Tampa.

The January luncheon will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort Myers-Estero, located at 10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive in Estero. Admission is $25 for Chamber members and $35 for future members and includes lunch. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

To learn more or to register, visit FortMyers.org or call 239-332-2930.

Professional seminar focusing on public relations responses to Hurricane Ian set for Jan. 10

The Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association will host a professional development panel, titled “Navigating the Storm: Hurricane Ian Response Efforts and PR Lessons Learned,” on Tuesday, Jan. 10, from noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, located in the Bell Tower Shops at 13051 Bell Tower Drive in Fort Myers.

Working in the midst of Hurricane Ian and the challenging weeks that followed, the following panel of specialized communication professionals share decades of experience in crisis management and communication in Southwest Florida:

• Betsy Clayton, APR, CPRC, Lee County Government

• Jeannine Joy, United Way

• Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC, LCEC

• Rob Spicker, The School District of Lee County

• Lois Thome, WINK News

Each panelist will reflect on his or her post-storm responses while sharing valuable lessons learned and how the storm has impacted ongoing communication efforts and shaped strategies for the future.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Teri Hansen, APR of Priority Marketing.

This event is ideal for PR and marketing professionals of all experience levels looking to gain knowledge in crisis response and strategic planning, as well as PR professionals seeking new connections within the community.

Pricing for the luncheon is $38 for members, $48 for future members and $25 for students. To register, please visit fpraswfl.org/events/navigating-the-storm-registration/. Registration deadline is Jan. 5, and seating is limited.

The event sponsor is Christina Mehta, GRI, Realtor.

Established in 1938, FPRA is the oldest public relations organization dedicated to developing public relations practitioners, who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. The Southwest Florida Chapter serves professionals in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties.

For additional information, please visit the Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA website at www.fpraswfl.org.

MNMW welcomes several new team members

Recently Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., P.A. welcomed several new team members to the firm. Christina Mitten joined as a senior Associate in the Accounting and Tax division, Donna Scott joined as an Associate in the Client Accounting & Advisory Services division, and Jenna Chaudhry joined as an Associate in our Litigation Support, Forensic Accounting and Mediation division.

Mitten is a Florida Gulf Coast University graduate with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a minor in management. She brings 13 years of accounting experience to the firm in the combined areas of property management and tax. Her areas of expertise include individual and business taxation, tax planning, and tax preparation.

Scott attended Purdue North Central, where she studied applied data science and business. She brings 30 years of accounting and payroll experience from the banking industry and ten years of experience in medical and general office management. Her areas of expertise include AP/AR, payroll, accounting, bookkeeping and financial statements.

Chaudhry is currently attending Florida Gulf Coast University to pursue her bachelor of science degree in accounting with a focus in forensic accounting. Before joining MNMW, she worked as an office assistant for a local law firm. Her areas of expertise include internal accounting and customer service functions in retail operations.

Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company, P.A. is a public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Fort Myers and Naples. Along with traditional tax and accounting services, the firm offers a wide range of other services, including general business consulting, construction business consulting, medical practice consulting, not-for-profit services, elder services, family mediation services, forensic accounting, and litigation support.

Plrsdr call 239-433-5554 or visit www.Markham-Norton.com for additional information about the local company.

Plumbing Nerds reports successful year

Not even the worst natural disaster in Southwest Florida’s history could derail a successful year for Plumbing Nerds thanks to the company’s dedication to customers.

Company records were set in 2022, with a 90 percent increase in business over 2021, and almost doubling staff. By creating and sustaining more jobs in the community, Plumbing Nerds has contributed to the growth of Southwest Florida over the past 25 years.

After Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, Plumbing Nerds had the staff and trucks to get on the road quickly and start the recovery process around our area, servicing homes and condos on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel.

The Plumbing Nerds core value of “Do the Right Thing” drives the idea that if they take care of their employees, the employees will in return take care of their customers, which has given the Nerds continued focus.

Hurricane Ian presented extreme challenges to not only thousands of residents but also for businesses. Plumbing Nerds’ dedication to service and customer satisfaction guided the company through the challenges and into the doors of satisfied customers, relying on that commitment, timeliness and problem solving.

Plumbing Nerds, locally owned and operated since 2007, is fully licensed and insured plumbing and drain experts serving most of Southwest Florida. It provides upfront pricing, financing and a membership plan.

Plumbing Nerds has offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples and Bonita Springs, serving most of Southwest Florida. For more information, go to plumbingnerds.com or call 239-500-6373.

Southwest Florida International Airport announces traffic totals for month of November

During November, 812,305 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers. This was a decrease of 18 percent compared to November 2021; however, it was the third-best November in the 39-year history of the airport. Year-to-date, passenger traffic is up 3 percent compared to last year.

The traffic leader in November was Delta with 166,970 total passengers. Rounding out the top five airlines were Southwest (137,026), American (126,103), United (114,598) and JetBlue (91,018).

Southwest Florida International Airport had 7,486 aircraft operations, a decrease of 19 percent compared to November 2021. Page Field (FMY) saw 13,437 operations, a 5 percent increase compared to November 2021 and the best November in more than 40 years.

Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 10.3 million passengers in 2021 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 flylcpa.com or facebook.com/flyRSW.