FGCU hosting banking forum

Florida Gulf Coast University’s Lutgert College of Business is hosting a moderated forum featuring Southwest Florida banking executives who will discuss the state of the industry on March 10 at 7 p.m.

The 90-minute, question-and-answer program, being held in Lutgert Hall, features a banking panel consisting of David M. Jones, a nationally known Fed watcher, chairman of Investors’ Security Trust Co. Inc. and an executive professor at the FGCU Lutgert College of Business; Colleen M. Kvetko, president of Florida Shores Bank-Naples and founding directors of Florida Shores Bank; Thomas J. Lounge, chairman and CEO of TIB Financial Corp.; Harlan C. Parrish, chief executive officer of Colonial Bank’s Southwest Florida region; and Bill Valenti, president and CEO of Florida Gulf Bank.

The event is moderated by J. Howard Finch, Alico chair in Financial Planning and Management, associate dean in the Lutgert College of Business.

The panel will be discussing how the local banking industry has been affected by current economic conditions. Audience members also will have the opportunity to pose questions.

Contact Erin Smith at 449-4154 for more information on this free event.

Tri-Town Construction completes project

Tri-Town Construction has completed a 60 unit waterproofing and rehabilitation project for the Villages on Lake Augusta III, located in Breckenridge, Estero. Ahron Weidner, Property Manager, hired Tri-Town Construction to complete this project.

This project consisted of removing all window sills and replacing them by fabricating and installing new aluminum sills. There were 216 sills total that needed to be replaced. By doing this we ensured the integrity of the building by making the windows sills water tight. Superintendent Seth Enlow of Tri-Town Construction supervised the day to day operations and was routinely ahead of schedule. Residence were very pleased with the results and were extremely happy with the performance. “We could not believe the consistency and speed that Tri-Town was able to establish” stated Aharon Weidner.

Compass’ Luft new TLC chair

Vikki Luft of Compass Construction, Inc. has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Tender Loving Care Homes for Children in Cape Coral, Florida.

Luft has served on the Board of Directors for the past 1 1/2 years along with her position as Marketing Director for Compass Construction; General Commercial Contractors in Cape Coral, Florida.

TLC Homes for Children is a 501 (c) not-for-profit organization that operates solely on grants, fund raising and donations. Their mission is to provide loving Christian homes for children that have been separated from their parents due to unfortunate events. Sherry Magness Founder of TLC is proud that the complex specializes in keeping siblings together when situations such as homelessness, financial hard times, incarnation or the fact that their parent or parents can no longer care for them. TLC is currently caring for children from birth to 16 years old.

For more information on TLC Homes for Children please call 239-542-4800.

Crowne Plaza Hotel adds sales manager

The Crowne Plaza Hotel at Bell Tower is proud to announce the hire of Rhonda Skipper as the new Group and Association Sales Manager.

Skipper is a twenty year veteran in the travel and hospitality industry in Southwest Florida. In her new position she will be is responsible for group sales including regional corporate, government and associations. Skipper earned her Certified Hospitality Sales Professional (CHSP) designation in 2004 through the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute. She is the past president of the Southwest Chapter of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International and has graduated from the Greater Fort Myers Chamber Emerging Leaders program.

The Crowne Plaza hotel is the ideal place to meet and relax with freshly updated accommodations, a full restaurant and bar, as well as multiple meeting rooms. As the first Green Lodging Certified hotel in Fort Myers, The Crowne Plaza hotel is located at 13051 Bell Tower Drive. A 3-diamond hotel, they are just a few steps away from upscale shopping and dining as well as a 20-screen theater. For more information or to book your next event, please call (239) 482-2900 or visit: www.CPFortMyers.com.

Biogreen comes to Southwest Florida

A new natural, biobased fertilizer company, Bio Green USA LLC, now has a Distributor serving the Southwest Florida area. Bio Green offers homeowners and companies an affordable environmental solution to keep lawns and gardens healthy, using all natural products that are safe for people and the environment.

Bio Green’s environmentally friendly fertilizer products are made from renewable domestic plant and marine materials and are safer for the environment than their petroleum-based counterparts. Bio Green offers full lawn and pest control services at competitive prices.

Bio Green’s vision is to promote healthy and responsible fertilization throughout the globe while keeping children, pets and the environment safe.

Bio Green Earth LLC, your local Distributor, is located at 6360 Metro Plantation Road in Fort Myers. For more information about Bio Green and their environmentally friendly products please call (239) 334-7770 or visit: www.biogreen.com.

Bio Green USA, LLC. is the manufacturer of 100% Bio-Based Organic Fertilizers and the Licensor of Distributorships for lawn, tree and shrub fertilizer and services throughout the United States. The company currently has distributorships throughout the United States. Bio Green Corporate office: 1009 Greg Street, Sparks, NV 89431 Phone: (877) 246-2406 press@biogreen.comwww.biogreen.com.

Tanger Outlets raises more than $38,000

The Lee Memorial Health System Foundation today announced that final tallies are in and over $38,000 was raised at the Tanger Outlets “A Giving Heart for Cancer” Fashion Show & Luncheon held in February. Net proceeds will go toward programs and treatments at Lee Memorial Health System’s new Regional Cancer Center located at the corner of I-75 andColonial Blvd. in Fort Myers.

Attendees at the event enjoyed a spring fashion show sponsored by Tanger Outlets and dined on gourmet chicken in puff pastry, garden salad and pink ice cream parfaits. Cancer survivors, local celebrities, media personalities and former NFL players served as models for the fashion show.

Lexington Country Club in Fort Myers was the host site of the event.

Next year’s fashion show and luncheon to benefit cancer programs in our area will be on February 10.

For more information on upcoming Lee Memorial Health System Foundation events, please call the Foundation office at 239-985-3550 or visit: www.LeeMemorial.org/Foundation.

Bonita Bay Group opens new model

The Hamlin, a three-bedroom, two-bath single-family villa model, is now open in Verandah’s Citrus Creek neighborhood. The model overlooks a lake and preserve and offers a study and a great room floor plan.

Citrus Creek is a neighborhood of 30 lakefront villas built exclusively by Wyman Stokes Builder at Verandah, Bonita Bay Group’s 1,456-acre master-planned community along the Orange River in Fort Myers. Bonita Bay Group is a 25-year-old family-owned and -operated company with a reputation for creating exceptional lifestyles and amenities in Southwest Florida.

Bonita Bay Group created Verandah as an environmentally friendly and sustainable community and has earned environmental accolades for its emphasis on green building and preservation, its respect for the land and its comprehensive approach to sustainability. Since being named Florida’s first green land development by the Florida Green Building Coalition in April 2003 – two months after sales began – Verandah has received the Council for Sustainable Florida’s 2007 Best Practices Award for green building, the Florida Urban Forestry Council’s Trees Florida 2007 Award, Project EverGreen’s Because Green Matters Award, and the Florida Association of Realtors’ 2006 Environmental (ENVY) Award.

Verandah has also been named by Where to Retire magazine as one of “America’s 100 Best Master-Planned Communities” in 2007 and was named Community of the Year by the Lee Building Industry Association in 2005 and 2008. Whispering Oak, Verandah’s second 18-hole championship golf course, was named by Golf Inc. magazine as one of the top five new private courses in the country in 2007.