Government Contracting Expo Set for July 27
8:30 a.m. - noon
L
earn more about the opportunities available in contracting with local, state and federal governments at the second annual Southwest Florida Government Contracting Symposium and Expo organized by the Lee County Economic Development Office and the Small Business Development Center.
The free event is 8:30 a.m. to noon, Thursday, July 27, Florida SouthWestern College, Building U, 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers.
This event is designed to help interested business leaders gain insight into the government market, identify resources and get started in marketing their business to various governmental entities. More than 20 exhibitors will be available for networking, presentations and panel discussions on various topics.
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Blue Chip Award Nominees Sought
Applications for the 23rd annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award applications are due by Sept. 6. Do you know someone who has overcome business hardships to achieve success? Maybe you have? Businesses must be in continuous operation for at least three years, have their principal offices in Lee, Collier or Charlotte counties, and have 5 to 400 employees on payroll. Only one business is chosen from all applicants for this prestigious award. This award is coordinated and sponsored by BB&T- Oswald Trippe and Company and BB&T Bank. To submit an application, contact Stacey Mercado at
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Cape Coral Ranks No. 8 for Retirement
The financial news site Bankrate recently ranked Cape Coral No. 8 in its 2017 Best Cities for Retirement survey. Crime, climate, finances, health care, cultural attractions, recreation and walkability were studied for 200 U.S. cities to determine the rankings.
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Park & Recreation Shutterbug Success
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"Fan Favorite": by John Hawkins
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A great picture is worth 1,000 words, and Cape Coral Parks & Recreation Department's
"Click & Capture Cape Coral Photo Contest" this spring truly showed the diversity and beauty of this town.
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Event Fun: "Burrowing Owl Festival" by Ashley Toney
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There were
1,100 participants competing for more than $2,700 in prizes in three categories: Nature of the Cape; Active & Healthy; and Event Fun! The first and second place winners, in addition to an overall Fan Favorite, took home free stays at The Westin Cape Coral at Marina Village, gift cards, golf outings and more. The contest also provided a wide range of images to help promote the city's special events, programs and natural amenities.
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Active & Healthy: "Kayaker in the early morning, Cape Coral canal" by
Dennis Gingerich
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"The judges felt the winning entries really captured the essence of Cape Coral," according to Michelle Dean, Parks & Recreation
marketing coordinator.
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Events
4th Wednesday BizChat
Wednesday, July 26
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Nicholas Annex
815 Nicholas Parkway
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Hosted by the Cape Coral EDO in partnership with FGCU's Small Business Development Center with participation from the Cape Chamber and a host of community partners.
This meeting offers existing and prospective business owners an opportunity to test their company elevator speech and learn how to fine-tune the message. Enjoy a free light lunch and hear a short educational message from a small business expert.
2017 Candidates Hobnob
Wednesday, July 26
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Gulf Coast Village
1333 Santa Barbara Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33991
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Lee Health Makes Forbes' 2017 America's Top Employers
Lee Health ranked No. 29 among large employers in America by
Forbes magazine for 2017. The ranking was based on the top 500 companies nationwide with 5,000 employees or more and was released in May. This is the first time Lee Health has made a
Forbes list. The publicly run health system has 13,049 employees and is one of the largest employers in Lee County. It operates four acute care hospitals, a children's hospital, trauma center and a vast array of outpatient-based medical services.
Forbes
surveyed 30,000 Americans working for large employers in 25 industries through an anonymous online system. The survey asked how likely the employee is to recommend the organization to family or friends, in addition to 35 questions about work-related topics.
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New Cape Coral Businesses
131
new businesses registered for Cape Coral Tax Receipts
(Business Licenses)
in June 2017.
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Save Our Summer
Hits the Mark
& then some
The Save Our Summer Feed the Cape kick-off event held on July 13th was an opportunity to see how generous our community can be. Together, some 300 business leaders, non-profits, city officials, families and friends were able to beat the goal to raise $50,000 and bring in 50,000 pounds of food for the event's five-year anniversary.
The donations go to the Cape Coral Caring Center to provide Cape Coral children and their families with food throughout the summer. These families rely on free or reduced lunches during the school year from the public school system.
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Contact Us
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Cape Coral Economic Development Office
Dana Brunett
Nita Whaley
Karen Ramos
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Spread the News!
Keep up with important
business-related news and events. The Cape Coral EDO and its community partners are here to facilitate commercial growth in Cape Coral. In our monthly e-newsletter, subscribers learn about local workshops and training opportunities, networking events, city initiatives and more. Share this with a friend today!
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| Resources |
Goodwill MicroEnterprise Program
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| Economic Development News |
Message From Your EDO Manager
When Will it Stop?
As I was speaking to members of the Cape Coral  --New Resident Club recently, it got me to thinking. There were almost 300 people in the room. Our overall population has increased by over 16 percent since the 2010 U.S. Census. More businesses and residents are continuing to move here at an impressive rate. When will it stop?
Per our existing build-out analysis, we're only about 50 percent built out. Our population at build-out is supposed to be about 400,000 people. According to U.S. Census estimates, we had a population of 179,804 as of July 2016. This means that we're most likely over 184,000 people in 2017, if you consider we average 4,500 new residents each year.
Given this information, we're not even half-way there yet. Consider that Cape Coral is the 10th largest city in Florida as of the last Census, and we're only half-way to our build-out expectancy. Chances are, we will be moving up in the rankings. All I know is, I wish I could buy some stock in the Cape Coral New Resident Club because they are going to be quite busy in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Dana Brunett
City of Cape Coral
Economic Development Manager
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Operation Open Arms Comforts,
Celebrates Active Military Personnel
Captain John "GiddyUp" Bunch has been brightening  the lives of active duty troops in Southwest Florida for 12 years. It all started in 2005 when a soldier recognized Capt. Bunch and asked where he could go fishing before heading back to Iraq. Bunch offered to take the soldier on his own private charter-and Operation Open Arms (OOA) was born.
The nonprofit organization supports active duty troops serving in any branch of the military in the Cape Coral area. What started as free fishing charters became a designated 501c3 with an expanded mission "to support and provide every conceivable tangible act of kindness" for local military personnel. Free services include same-day post-traumatic stress counseling, transportation from Southwest Florida International Airport, fishing charters, and lodging on Fort Myers Beach. These services provide active military families-without the financial resources-a relaxing, memorable vacation while decompressing from overseas tours.
"The Today Show" has featured Operation Open Arms three times, and both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama honored Capt. Bunch during visits to Lee County. He was awarded the U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal in Washington, D.C.
OOA has no employees and is without operation costs because Capt. Bunch operates it out of his St. James City home. More than 310 local individuals and businesses sponsor the program, funding activities such as fishing, golfing, dining and other amenities. To date, 3,361 service members from throughout the nation have been served.
"After experiencing Southwest Florida on their R&R, U.S. troops remember being treated with dignity, respect and gratitude," says Capt. Bunch. "The dots are easy to connect. Our troops love Southwest Florida, and especially Cape Coral, and move here with their military retirement checks. They start families, businesses, and become Cape Coral family."
If you are a local business owner interested in participating, contact Capt. Bunch at (
239) 822-8888 or
jb@operationopenarms.org
.
Tax-deductible donations can be made online at
Operation Open Arms
, or by mail to Operation Open Arms, P.O. Box 101, St. James City, FL 33956.
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Architectural Metal Flashings Passes the Florida Product Approval Test
A brave, new town is rising in Charlotte County. The first home models are open at Babcock Ranch-the world's first solar-powered town-but the eco-centric community will be years in the making.
Cape Coral-based Architectural Metal Flashings is seizing the vast, long-term opportunity of this nearby development, which plans to ultimately have 19,500 homes and 6 million square feet of commercial space. Architectural Metal Flashings became a preferred Babcock manufacturer by the developer, Kitson & Partners, by passing stringent Florida requirements proving its roofing components can withstand the pressure and uplift of sustained hurricane-force wind.
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Jeff and Donna Bonk
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"It's a big deal for us and for the builders selected to work at Babcock. Everything has to be approved," says Architectural Metal Flashings Vice President of Sales and Operations Donna Betzer Bonk, whose husband, Jeff, owns the company. The company fabricates products such as vents, drip systems, wall trays and roof panels, in addition to custom flashings.
The company became incorporated last May. The Bonks transformed
a
former production studio into a 10,000-square-foot, high-tech warehouse with 2,000-square-feet of office space and opened its doors in August. Bonk says they invested in customized, state-of-the art machinery that is capable of fast production, and began manufacturing in October.
The Bonks weren't familiar with the Babcock project when they settled into the North Cape Industrial Park but quickly caught up to speed with the bidding requirements and pursuing
t
he Florida Building Commission's Florida Product Approval System rating evaluation, which included onsite inspection. The Bonks are members of the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association and have five other employees.
Owner Jeff Bonk grew up in the roofing business. His father, Scott D. Bonk, is a consultant on national roofing projects for large resorts, such as The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott. "My husband says he grew up on a roof," chuckles Bonk, noting her husband went on to become an estimator and general manager at regional roofing companies. "Coming from the roofing side, he knew that there were only a few manufacturers, and they had the corner on the market. He knows metal like the back of his hand and said, 'I can do this less expensively and also provide good customer service,'" says Bonk, adding that they filled a fabricating void so now installers in the field no longer need to wait a week for out-of-town deliveries, which slows projects.
Both of the Bonks grew up in Lee County, and they chose Cape Coral because of its proximity to Interstate 75, so they can easily reach customers from Marco Island to Babcock Ranch.
"We have found it is very friendly for us to be in business here," she says. And there is room for expansion. "We have a long-term plan to be part of Cape Coral and the business community here."
Located at:
2659 NE 9th Avenue
,
Cape Coral, FL 33909
Contact:
(239) 221-0123 or (866) 541-3910
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Be Prepared to Save Time & Money
By Russ Winstead, Cape Coral Business Consultant
Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Florida Gulf Coast University
Over the years, I have met with hundreds of clients. I love helping local business owners and providing them with the information and options they are seeking.
In my experience, I have noticed certain proactive steps that really help in the transfer of information and tend to provide the best environment for clients to get the most out of the meeting. In addition, these steps save time and when you are paying by the hour, time is money.
When you have an appointment with a professional service provider such as a CPA, financial advisor, attorney, or a business consultant, invest some time preparing prior to the meeting.
People who invest some time prior to their meetings are more focused on the specific issues they need help with and are able to communicate more precisely what they are looking for and expect from the meeting. They have thought through the questions they need answered and easily get to the specific information they require.
What you can do prior to these meetings to prepare:
- First, think through what you really want to get out of the meeting? What specific information do you need and how will you best communicate your questions?
- Second, think through the meeting and identify what types of documents or other technical resources you may need for the meeting or that you may need to leave behind with your service provider.
- If you do not have the appropriate information with you, you may need to postpone important decisions that could have made been acted upon. Not having pertinent information or documentation could result in your making a second trip back to drop it off or an additional meeting.
In the end, if you invest the required time in preparation prior to a meeting, the more you will get out of it. In addition, being prepared saves you and the professional time, which translates into less you will pay for billable hours.
If you would like consultation or guidance on business issues or growing your business, contact me directly or attend our free Fourth Wednesday BizChats, held at Nicholas Annex, 815 Nicholas Parkway, at 11:30 a.m.
SBDC at Florida Gulf Coast University
1020 Cultural Park Blvd., #3
(239) 573-2737
rwinstead@fgcu.edu
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Aubuchon Homes Sponsors First Habitat Home Builders Blitz
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Aubuchon Homes helped provide a new, single family home in Cape Coral to Bella, Gavin and Elle Costa's family
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Aubuchon Homes and Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties recently celebrated the completion of the first Home Builders Blitz project in Lee County for a family in Cape Coral.
The new home for Rubie Costa and her three children
near Santa Barbara Boulevard and Pine Island Road was built as part of Habitat's nationwide Blitz model: building a home from the slab up in two weeks or less. Though it was the first Blitz build, Aubuchon Homes employees, 26 subcontractors and Habitat volunteers finished the home in seven days.
Building inspectors from the City of Cape Coral were available at a moment's notice to facilitate the project.
Before moving into the new home this summer, the Costa family was sharing a 1,100-square-foot, two-bedroom house in St. James City, bringing the occupancy to seven.
The home is one of two new builds in Cape Coral by Habitat. The nonprofit organization has typically rehabbed about six Cape Coral homes per year since 2009.
"For every home, there is a face behind the house," said Jim Aubuchon, vice president of Aubuchon Homes. Habitat partners with qualified families in need to provide decent, affordable homes, and the homeowner provides "sweat equity" in building the home and assumes a manageable mortgage.
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