Southwest Florida Marketing Forum

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida announces the advisory board members for its 2013 Business Hall of Fame, Collier County to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at the Waldorf Astoria Naples. This year’s advisory board chair is Dr. Paul Jones and vice-chair is Tom O’Reilly.

Other members selected to this year’s advisory board include Wilma Boyd, president/CEO of Preferred Travel of Naples; Carleton Case, vice president of business development of Brown & Brown Benefits; Clay W. Cone, president of Cone Communications Company; Kristin Conroy, attorney with Conroy, Conroy, Durant & Rudnick, P.A.; John English, PE, LEED-AP with Barron Collier Companies; Assistant State Attorney James Molenaar; Jerry Nichols, executive vice president of Brown & Brown Benefits; Craig Sherman, senior vice president of commercial lending Collier for CNL Bank; Lisa Barnett Van Dien, attorney at Cheffy Passidomo, P.A.; and Len Zaiser IV of Azimuth Technology, Inc.

The advisory board selects laureates for the 2013 Business Hall of Fame, Collier County honoring their contributions to the local business community and recognizing their service as positive role models for young people. For more information including sponsorship opportunities and individual tickets, visit www.jaswfl.org.

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida Inc. provides in-school and after-school programs for students in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties that focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Today, 119 individual area operations reach more than 4.2 million students in the U.S., with an additional 5.7 million students served by operations in 122 other countries worldwide. For more information about Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida visit www.JASWFL.org or contact Anne Frazier at 239-225-2590 or info@jaswfl.org.

Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, has awarded New Mission Systems International (NMSI) with a four-star rating for the third consecutive year. Receiving Charity Navigator’s highest rating indicates that NMSI, a global non-denominational Christian-mission organization based in Fort Myers, adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and that they consistently execute their mission in a fiscally responsible way. Only ten percent of the charities rated by Charity Navigators have received at least three consecutive four-star evaluations. For NMSI, it is the seventh four-star award in the past eight years.

Since 2002, using data-driven analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a four-star rating. In 2011, Charity Navigator added a second dimension of Accountability and Transparency (A&T) to its rating methodology, and now reviews 17 governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness, providing information on its web site for each of the charities it evaluates. The A&T metrics, which account for 50 percent of a charity’s overall rating, reveal which charities have “best practices” that minimize the chance of unethical activities and whether they freely share basic information about their organization with their donors and other stakeholders.

“New Mission Systems International’s coveted 4-star rating puts it in a very select group of high-performing charities,” said Ken Berger, President and CEO, Charity Navigator. “Out of the thousands of nonprofits Charity Navigator evaluates, only one out of four earns four stars — a rating that, now, with our new Accountability and Transparency metrics, demands even greater rigor, responsibility and commitment to openness.  New Mission Systems International supporters should feel confident that their hard-earned dollars are being used efficiently and responsibly when it acquires such a high rating.”

“In the current economic environment, it’s important our donors trust that we’re using our funding wisely to accomplish sharing Christ and making disciples globally,” said Laura Clancy, President and CEO of New Mission Systems International.  “Our four-star Charity Navigator rating demonstrates to our supporters that we take our fiduciary and governance responsibilities very seriously.”

More information about New Mission Systems International and their rating on Charity Navigator’s site is available at www.nmsi.org.

Founded in 1989, New Mission Systems International (NMSI) is a Christian mission sending agency based in Fort Myers, Fla., dedicated to proclaiming Christ and making disciples globally. NMSI works with individuals to prepare and send them as missionaries, who depend on the support of private funds, and invest themselves in church multiplication, community transformation and global youth ministry overseas. Besides long-term missions NMSI programs include short-term missions projects and internships for college age adults.

Those interested in working with NMSI, can call (239) 337-4336 ext 100. Tax-deductible donations can be sent to: NMSI, 2701 Cleveland Ave Ste 200, Fort Myers, Florida 33901.

Jeff Williams, Publix Super Markets, Inc.; Anne Frazier and Brittany Pickard, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida; Scott Kiesel and Brian West, Publix Super Markets, Inc.

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida has received a $6,000 donation from Publix Super Markets Charities. The funding will enable the nonprofit organization to provide Junior Achievement classes focusing on financial literacy, work-force readiness and entrepreneurship in schools throughout Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.

“Publix Super Markets Charities wants to improve lives in our community,” says Brian West, Publix Super Markets. “We believe Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida exemplifies this goal by preparing our youth to be work ready, financially literate and tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.”

“Thanks to the generosity of Publix Super Markets Charities and our other corporate partners and volunteers, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida is able to offer hands-on, engaging programming that provides local students with the skills and confidence to successfully enter the workforce,” says Anne Frazier, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida.

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida Inc. provides in-school and after-school programs for students in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties that focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Today, 119 individual area operations reach more than 4.2 million students in the U.S., with an additional 5.7 million students served by operations in 122 other countries worldwide. For more information about Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida visit www.JASWFL.org or contact Anne Frazier at 239-225-2590 or info@jaswfl.org.

Pavese Law Firm partner Christina Harris Schwinn will present on “Employment Law Potpourri – News You Can Use” during a joint seminar sponsored by the Association of Government Accountants and the Institute of Management Accountants on Wednesday, June 12 at 8 a.m. at the Holiday Inn, 9931 Interstate Commerce Drive in Fort Myers.

Schwinn will address what all employers need to know about the National Labor Relations Board and the National Labor Relations Act; Form I-9 audits, compliance, and penalties; the Department of Labor’s misclassification initiative and its agreement with the IRS; and The Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013.

Schwinn is available to speak to local businesses and organizations on a variety of employment law topics and she can be reached at 239-336-6228 or christinaschwinn@paveselaw.com.

Schwinn’s primary practice areas are employment law, business transactions, community association law and real estate law. Schwinn is an accomplished public speaker and regularly writes articles that have been published both locally and nationally in a variety of publications.

Pavese Law Firm is a full-service law firm with offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and West Palm Beach. The firm provides a broad range of legal services for individuals, families, small businesses and large corporations. Practice areas include agricultural, banking and finance, bankruptcy, business and taxation, civil litigation, community association, employment, environmental and water, estate planning, probate and trust, family, land use and government, and real estate law. Established in 1949 as a one-person general practice firm, Pavese Law Firm has grown into one of the largest legal practices in Southwest Florida. With a long history of service to Southwest Florida, Pavese Law Firm has played a significant role in the growth of local businesses, communities and major development projects. For more information, visit www.paveselaw.com.

Based on a census conducted on the evening of January 25, 2013, the Lee County Homeless Coalition identified 848 sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families in Lee County. Of the total, 193 were considered to be chronically homeless, defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either continuously been homeless for a year or more or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

Also among the 848 documented, 54 percent reported having a disabling condition, and 52 were families comprising of 68 children. Veterans made up for eight percent of those surveyed.

In 2012, Lee County received $2,141,034 in Continuum of Care funds from HUD to assist the homeless. Part of the requirement to receive these funds is a “point-in-time count” of the county’s homeless. Once per year, the Lee County Homeless Coalition, assisted by many volunteers, conducts a census to determine this count and to gather information allowing local service providers to target services to meet the specific needs of the local homeless.

Last year, the survey documented 842 homeless persons. “Although there has been a small increase from the 2012 count, it is difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a true count of the entire homeless population,” said Janet Bartos, executive director of the Lee County Homeless Coalition, “This is due to the lack of fixed addresses and the transient nature of the homeless population, and thus, the census will always be only an estimate of the full population of homeless residents in Lee County.”

Through the use of the Lee County Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), it is estimated there are as many as 2,820 homeless individuals within Lee County.

The Lee County Homeless Coalition is a non-profit organization comprised of community and faith-based service providers, local businesses, people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, and other advocates committed to ending homelessness. The Coalition’s mission is to advocate, educate and promote awareness of issues and obstacles facing homeless individuals in Lee County through community collaboration, planning, and implementing solutions. To help or learn more, contact Janet Bartos at 239-322-6600 or visit www.leehomeless.org.

The Community Trust Fund of The League Club, Inc. has awarded Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida a grant in the amount of $5,000 to reach 400 third and fifth grade students during the 2013-2014 school year with in-class, volunteer-led programs. These programs would be allocated to Poinciana Elementary School in Collier County and Colonial Elementary School in Lee County.

Two JA programs will be implemented. The first is JA Our City which inspires students to explore the relationship between jobs, the skills needed to perform these jobs and their impact on the local economic well-being. The second is JA Our Nation which provides practical information about businesses’ need for individuals who can meet the demands of the job market, including high-growth, high-demand jobs. Students will learn that businesses need workers with skills that are in demand, such as STEM skills – science, technology, engineering and math.

“We appreciate The League Club’s investment in our programs and their commitment to inspiring and preparing our local youth,” said Anne Frazier, President/CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida. “Junior Achievement helps prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and be financially responsible, how to create jobs which make their communities more robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace.”

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida provides in-school and after-school programs for students in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties that focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Today, 119 individual area operations reach more than 4 million students in the U.S., with an additional 5 million students served by operations in 120 other countries worldwide. For more information about Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, contact Anne Frazier at 239-225-2590 or info@jaswfl.org. The website is www.JASWFL.org.

The League Club, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization of women in Southwest Florida strengthening communities through fellowship, education, volunteerism and philanthropy. The League Club is open to women who have been or still are active members of a Junior League that is a member of the Association of Junior Leagues International.

The public is invited to attend the Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties “lookout cookout” and safety fair at Gulf Coast Town Center in recognition of Safe Kids Day, May 18 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. The lookout cookout is a family-friendly event featuring local restaurants, as well as age-appropriate injury prevention games and educational booths.

Members of Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties will reach out to families and attendees with valuable safety tips to prevent drowning, sports-related injuries and other unintentional childhood injuries. Children can meet the meet the firefighters and tour the San Carlos Fire Rescue truck, check out the Lee County marine patrol boat, and participate in games and hands-on activities. Guest speakers include local children’s safety advocates from Golisano Children’s Hospital, as well as local families who have experienced the loss or injury of a child due to unintentional and preventable circumstances.
• 11 a.m.: Welcome by Sally Kreuscher, Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties Coordinator
• 11:30 a.m.: Youth Sports Injury Prevention by Mark Tesoro, Lee Memorial Health System and Florida Gulf Coast University athletic trainers
• Noon: Distracted Driving Awareness featuring Hannah Grant family, sponsored by Sprint
• 12:15 p.m.: Martial Arts demonstration by United Martial Arts
• 12:45 p.m.: Drowning Prevention presented by Michele King, Director of Child Life at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida
• 1 p.m.: Dance Group performance by ILT Dance
• 1:10 p.m.: Reggie McKinnon shares a “Promise to Payton” for Hyperthermia Awareness
• 1:30 p.m.: Bullying Awareness presented by Foster’s and Rodan + Fields

To help raise funds and awareness for Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties Coalition, local businesses, community organizations and individuals are encouraged to create a team and register online at www.safekidsleecollier.org. Proceeds from Safe Kids Day support the injury prevention efforts of Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties and Safe Kids Worldwide, enabling these organizations to reach more families with life-saving prevention information, to expand existing programs and launch new programs to protect kids in Southwest Florida.

Safe Kids Day sponsors include Wells Fargo, Allstate Insurance Co., Pool Pros. Inc., Sprint, Fosters Grille, Rodan + Fields® Dermatologists, Home Depot, Protect-a-Child Pool Fence of SWFL, Kona Ice, Val Ward Cadillac, The Rush Coffee and Tea Shop, Red Robin, Coldstone Creamery, Famous Dave’s and Costco. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Vendors and organizations interested in participating in the lookout cookout and safety fair can contact Sally Kreuscher, coordinator, Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties at 239-343-6199 for more information.

Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties was founded in 1996 and is led by Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. For more information, visit www.safekidsleecollier.org.

Stevens Construction has completed the medical office for Dr. Ralph Garramone, announced Mark Stevens, company president.

Stevens Construction converted a former bank building to a 9,100-square-foot luxury, plastic surgery office with spa and wellness areas. Located at 12998 S. Cleveland Ave. in Fort Myers, the two-story facility features seven exam rooms, seven skin care rooms, procedure room, administrative offices and a central atrium with a skylight.

The Stevens Construction team included project manager Dan Adams, superintendent Don Jones and project administrator Sue Ziegenfus.

With offices in Fort Myers, Tampa and Orlando, Fla., Stevens Construction specializes in providing construction management, general contracting and consulting services to clients and design professionals. Other services include site and design team selection, budgeting, project scheduling, permitting, cost and quality control and warranty service. The company builds healthcare, commercial and hospitality facilities. For information, visit www.stevensconstructioninc.com or call 239-936-9006.

Priority Marketing has been honored with a national Telly award for
its role in the creative direction and production of three Avow television commercials. The campaign was among nearly 11,000 entries from 50 states and numerous countries. Produced in conjunction with members of the Avow advancement team and One Stone Media, the winning campaign featured a family testimonial and two reenactments that highlighted Avow services which include specialized end-of-life care to those living with a life-threatening illness and support to those who care for them.

The Telly awards are a national competition honoring local, regional and national television commercials and programs, as well as video, film and web productions. The Avow Hospice award winning commercials are in play on various local stations currently and may be viewed online by visiting: http://avowcares.org/video-gallery.

On Friday, May 10, Downtown Bagel & Deli, located in the heart of Fort Myers’ Historic River District at 1414 Dean St., will begin offering Artisan Gelato by Norman Love. Until now, the rich, handmade Italian artisan gelato with the Norman Love American twist has only been offered in select locations in Southwest Florida. Now, customers can enjoy a variety of flavors made with the world’s finest ingredients conveniently located in downtown Fort Myers.

In addition to Artisan Gelato by Norman Love, Downtown Bagel & Deli will introduce new menu items and extended hours at a Grand Opening Celebration on May 10 from 6-10 p.m. New menu offerings will include Panini’s, wraps, hot dogs, hot links, pastries and a fresh salad bar. Regular hours will be extended to Monday thru Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Customers in a rush can place their order ahead with the Downtown Bagel & Deli mobile app and pick-up curbside. For daily specials, follow Downtown Bagel & Deli on Facebook. Call (239) 332-1414 or visit www.DowntownBagel.com for more information.