Air Pros USA surprises Fort Myers area mother with free A/C unit for Mother’s Day

Florida based Air Pro USA is thrilled to announce the winner of the company’s Mother’s Day A/C Giveaway in Fort Myers is Merri Snyder, a local mother and grandmother.

Snyder’s home was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian in September 2022. After the hurricane, she and the community banded together to help those who had lost everything and to help each other repair some of the damage caused by the storm.

Air Pros USA sponsored the Mother’s Day Giveaway and accepted nominations from the community to honor mothers in the Fort Myers community for all the love and sacrifice they give for families.

Snyder was nominated by her son, Zack Bernd, who stated, “My mom was recently diagnosed with cancer and had to quit her job due to it. Her air conditioner was ancient, and she had no hope at all of fixing it until now. You have no idea what this means to her! Thank you!”

Snyder’s current A/C unit is on its last leg, and she rarely uses it to avoid putting extra stress on the worn-out unit.

Air Pros USA was founded in South Florida and has expanded to many metro areas within Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Colorado, Georgia, Texas and Washington, with more locations expected to be introduced soon. Air Pros USA currently employs more than 700 experienced professionals in more than a dozen metro Service locations including Miami, Orlando, Dallas, Atlanta, Colorado Springs, Mobile and Spokane. For more information visit www.airprosusa.com.

Alta Resources celebrates completion of new building at Skyplex and announces workforce expansion

Alta Resources, a global customer service outsourcing company supporting Fortune 500 companies, unveiled its new $27.6 million building located at Skyplex in Fort Myers. Made possible in part through partnership and coordination with Lee County and Lee County Port Authority, the 98,000-square-foot building spans three floors and can accommodate more than 1,000 employees.

Construction on the building began in 2019, which is located on a 12.1-acre site leased by Alta Resources from the Lee County Port Authority. The Skyplex location near the I-75 and Daniels Parkway corridor serves as an ideal central location for Alta Resources employees, who commute from different areas of Southwest Florida. Employees have the option of working remotely or in the office and the company has found that approximately 50% still choose to work in the office – the most of any of its locations worldwide.

Alta Resources is hosting a job fair Wednesday, May 10, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with plans to hire more than 350 full- and part-time employees for remote or in-office positions. Pay starts at $16 to $19 per hour. Hiring professionals will be available for immediate, one-on-one interviews, as well as to answer questions and provide information about the company. On-the-spot offers will be provided.

Interested candidates who are unable to attend the Job Fair can apply online at AltaResources.com/FL.

Alta Resources opened its Fort Myers location in 2013 and has since grown from one client and 300 seasonal employees to more than 700 full- and part-time employees, all of whom provide support for its globally recognized clients in the automotive, insurance, entertainment, consumer packaged goods and sports apparel industries, such as Stellantis and Kellogg Company.

Alta Resources is headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin with additional locations in Brea, Calif.; Pasig City, Philippines; and Belize City, Belize, as well as global locations in Colombia, Mexico and Peru that support all of South America. Formed in 1995, privately-held Alta Resources is a leading provider of customer-management business-process outsourcing for many of the world’s best-known brands in a variety of industries, including retail, consumer-packaged goods, healthcare, entertainment, automotive and sports apparel. To learn more, visit AltaResources.com

Priority Marketing adds Kennert as social media specialist

Stephanie Kennert has joined Priority Marketing as a social media specialist to help clients drive brand awareness and reach their goals by creating and executing effective social media campaigns.

As a social media specialist, Kennert develops monthly social media content plans, including copywriting, photography, videography and graphics development. She also produces and posts content, evaluates social media engagement and studies social media trends.

Priority Marketing’s range of social media marketing services encompasses strategic consulting, content development, demographic research, reputation management, profile development, competitive analysis, social media monitoring and paid strategies.

Before joining Priority Marketing, Kennert was a marketing coordinator for Midland Trust, where her roles included social media, event management, digital marketing, public relations and other duties. She also has experience as a video and media editor, director of digital communication, communications intern, reporter and editor.

Kennert earned a bachelor’s degree in integrative public relations and journalism from Central Michigan University.

For more information, please call 239-267-2638 or visit PriorityMarketing.com.

Jennifer’s Boutique collecting canned goods for Community Cooperative in June

Jennifer’s women’s boutique is collecting canned goods for Community Cooperative throughout the month of June. Shoppers who donate a minimum of 10 items in the month of June will receive 20% off their entire purchase.

Suggested donation items include canned tuna, chicken, ham and beef, beans (all varieties), whole wheat pasta, pasta sauce, brown rice (family-size bags), cereal, hamburger, chicken or tuna helper, canned fruit and vegetables, soup, macaroni and cheese, canned milk, child-friendly snacks, and allergy-free food items. No glass containers, please.

Last June Jennifer’s collected 800 pounds of food for Community Cooperative. This year’s goal is 1,000 pounds.

Jennifer’s is located in Fort Myers at 13251 McGregor Blvd., Suite 111-1, in the Design Center, between First Watch and The Melting Pot and is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Call 239-481-8582, text 239-223-8512 or visit Jennifer’s online at jennifersfortmyers.com or on Facebook and Instagram.

Hernandez to serve on The Florida Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., has announced that Melany Hernandez, a business litigation attorney based out of the firm’s Fort Myers office, has been elected to serve on The Florida Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

As a member of the committee, Hernandez will help promote and implement strategies to enhance diversity, inclusion, and equity within The Florida Bar and the broader legal community. Her appointment underscores her deep commitment to advocating for and advancing diversity in the legal profession. Hernandez expressed her deep gratitude for the opportunity,

Hernandez achieved academic excellence while pursuing her juries doctor degree at Stetson University College of Law, graduating cum laude. She received her undergraduate degree from Florida Gulf Coast University, also cum laude.

Hernandez may be contacted via email at melany.hernandez@henlaw.com or by phone at 239-344-1307.

Henderson Franklin has served the legal needs and communities of Southwest Florida since 1924. The firm is the largest, locally-based law firm between Tampa and Miami, with over 55 attorneys dedicated to 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, Naples and Sarasota (by appointment). For more information on Hernandez or Henderson Franklin, please visit www.henlaw.com.

Electrical wholesale distributor opens in Fort Myers

A new store has opened in Fort Myers. City Electric Supply Fort Myers East is here to help serve the area and introduce new customers to CES. This location will increase convenience for existing customer as it’ll save them hours of driving time throughout the day.

CES Fort Myers East is located right off I-75 in an industrial park with various businesses surrounding it, including mechanics, electrical companies, and other supply shops.

City Electric Supply has several locations in the surrounding area, including Cape Coral, Naples, Port Charlotte, and another Fort Myers location. But depending on your route, getting from one location to another can take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours with traffic. This location will support other branches and help save time for customers.

CES Fort Myers East will be led by Jose Malave. A retired sergeant with the Florida National Guard, Malave has worked at several CES locations in the area for over 10 years. He started at CES Hudson as a driver and worked his way up through each position in a branch. Most recently, he served as the operations manager in Sarasota, FL, for three years.

City Electric Supply is a family-owned electrical wholesale distributor headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company was founded in 1951 by Tom Mackie in the United Kingdom and expanded to the United States in 1983. Today, CES employs more than 3,000 people in over 550 branches across the U.S.

Burks joins HF scientific as operations leader/plant manager

HF scientific, a Watts brand, has hired Curtis Burks as operations leader/plant manager at the company’s Fort Myers-based headquarters.

A leading global producer of instrumentation, test kits and chemical reagents used for monitoring water quality in a variety of applications, HF scientific is a leader in its industry and holds many patents for innovative products.

In his position, Burks is responsible for planning, direction and controlling operational activities, including safe production and shipment of precision instruments and related chemistries at HF scientific. His role is critical to improving and promoting the continuous improvement of culture, safety, quality, cost control and customer service at the Fort Myers facility.

Burks brings considerable experience as a plant manager, having worked most recently with Honeywell International, Inc. as a senior plant manager. Burks holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix, Livonia, Michigan.

For more information, visit www.hfscientific.com.

Sprouts Farmers Market hiring 80 employees for new Fort Myers Location

Sprouts Farmers Market, one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, announced it will soon open its new store in Fort Myers to expand local access to fresh and healthy foods.

Located at 8595 College Parkway in Fort Myers, the store will open on Friday, July 21, at 7 a.m. Details about the grand opening celebration will be announced in the near future.

The healthy grocer’s new location is bringing approximately 80 full- and part-time career opportunities to the area. Sprouts’ healthy approach to grocery shopping means potential team members should share a passion for the fresh, natural and organic products offered throughout the store. Those interested in positions at this new Fort Myers store will have two opportunities to apply.

An in-person team member hiring event will take place on Wednesday, June 7, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza Fort Myers, at 13051 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33907. Candidates may apply online in advance at www.about.sprouts.com/careers/. Walk-in applicants are also welcomed to attend the event.

Employment opportunities include:

• Department Managers, Assistant Department Managers and Clerks (Produce, Vitamins and Body Care, Meat and Seafood, Deli, Grocery, Bakery and more)

• Cashiers

• Courtesy Clerks

• Backup Receiver, Administrative Coordinator and Scan Coordinator

To learn more about open positions and team member benefits, or to apply, visit sprouts.com/careers or call 1-866-925-2396 for non-managerial roles.

Above Board Chamber unleashes the power of AI at next luncheon

Artificial Intelligence is growing at a fast and furious pace, and now the Above Board Chamber of Florida is holding a special workshop focusing on this cutting edge technology. The interactive workshops in Naples and Fort Myers will focus on A1 and ChatGPT. This new model interacts in a conversational way, answers questions, admits mistakes, challenges incorrect premises and rejects inappropriate requests.

Dr. Chrissann Ruehle will be the speaker for both workshops. Ruehle is an FGCU management faculty member and consultant, with expertise in artificial intelligence ethics and human-machine interactions. She holds a doctorate of business administration from the University of South Florida. She has published several research papers on AI ethics, human-computer interaction, and decision-making and has presented her work at conferences worldwide.

This month’s meetings will be extended to allow for more interaction and information. Each event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with lunch served at noon.

The Fort Myers meeting will be on Thursday, June 8, at the Crowne Plaza Bell Tower, 13950 Bell Tower Drive. The Naples meeting is set for Monday, June 12, at the Hilton Naples, 5111 Tamiami Trail, N.

To register for any of the events go to AboveBoardChamber.com or call 239-910-7426. Lunch is included. The cost for the Fort Myers event on or before Monday, June 5, is $33 for members and $35 for non-members. After June 5, it is $35 for members and $40 for non-members. The cost for the Naples event on or before Thursday, June 8, is $33 for members and $35 for non-members. After June 8, it is $35 for members and $40 for non-members.

Fort Myers Brewing earns international honors at 2023 World Beer Cup

Fort Myers Brewing Company has earned international acclaim with a silver medal at the 2023 World Beer Cup, a global beer competition that evaluates beers from around the world and recognizes the most outstanding brewers and their beers.

The brewery was awarded silver in the Chocolate Beer category for its popular Chocolate Stout, an imperial stout that’s chock-full of sweetness and decadent layers of rich chocolate seamlessly melding with subtle wisps of roasted barley and espresso.

Presented by the Brewers Association, the World Beer Cup is held annually to celebrate the art and science of brewing by recognizing outstanding achievement. Widely regarded as the “Olympics of Beer,” the 2023 World Beer Cup featured 10,213 entries from 2,376 breweries in 51 countries, and winners were selected by an international panel of 272 beer judges from 26 countries.

Awards were given in 103 beer-style categories during the World Beer Cup award ceremony on May 10 at the Music City Center in Nashville. This is the third time Fort Myers Brewing has medaled in the global competition, most recently including when the brewery’s Chocolate Stout was named best in the world at the 2022 World Beer Cup.

Established in 2013, Fort Myers Brewing Company is located at 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, in Fort Myers. For more information, visit FMBrew.com or call 239-313-6576.

Southeastern Grocers announces donation of $225,000 for children’s hospitals

Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, recently announced the donation of $225,000 to nine Southeast children’s hospitals ahead of National Cancer Research Month.

The funds raised in support of the facilities’ specialized care and emergency services was made possible thanks to generous Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie customers and associates who donated $1, $5 or rounded up their total grocery bill while shopping at their neighborhood stores. All donations made during the grocer’s two-week community donation program will go toward each facility’s pediatric specialty programs, family centered support, therapeutic activities, research, child advocacy and other vital programs.

The contributions made during SEG’s community donation program will be donated directly to the following nine children’s hospitals:

Wolfson Children’s Hospital (Jacksonville)

• Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children (Orlando)

• Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida (Fort Myers)

• Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (St. Petersburg)

• Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (Miami)

• Studer Family Children’s Hospital (Pensacola)

• Children’s of Alabama (Birmingham, Alabama)

• Children’s of Mississippi (Gulfport, Mississippi)

• Ochsner Hospital for Children (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Since the program’s inception in 2021, SEG has raised more than $1 million for its children’s hospital partners and remains committed to providing ongoing support to deserving hospitals in the communities it serves.

For more information, visit www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank hires Ottervanger

Darlene Ottervanger has joined Sanibel Captiva Community Bank as a customer service representative at the bank’s Winkler Branch, located at 7040 Winkler Road, Fort Myers. She is responsible for assisting customers with personal and business banking transactions.

Ottervanger is a seasoned banking professional with close to 40 years of banking experience working at various national and regional financial institutions.

Founded in 2003 and celebrating its 20th anniversary, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank has six open locations throughout Lee County. A visual timeline of the bank’s 20-year history is available at cheersto20years.sancapbank.com.

To learn more, visit www.SanCapBank.com.