1,300 real estate and building professionals attended the sold out 2026 Market Trends event at Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers on March 12. The experts shared valuable insights and predictions about the real estate market in Southwest Florida to help guests adapt and adjust to the future as it unfolds. Chamber of SWF […]
Current Leadership Lee County class member, Amir B. Ferreira Neto, Director of the Regional Economic Research Institute at FGCU, is a featured columnist in Gulfshore Busness with an Economic Commentary in recent issues of the magazine. Check out his article on Succession Planning for Family Businesses in the December 2025 issue and look for his […]
We are excited to share that Chamber of SWF Board member and LSI Companies President and CEO, Justin Thibaut, was recognized by Florida Trend Media Company as one of the “People to Know” in Southwest Florida. The feature spotlights the region’s “movers and shakers” for their influence and connections within the Southwest Florida business community. […]
The Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce will welcome back one of Southwest Florida’s most beloved signature events — the 35th Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship, returning to Fort Myers Beach November 20 – 24, 2025. In just a few weeks, the shores of Fort Myers Beach will be transformed into an open-air gallery as more […]
The Chamber of Southwest Florida would like to congratulate Gary Griffin, former chairman and CEO of B&I Contracting on his retirement! Gary has been an active leader in B&I and the Southwest Florida community for many years. We are grateful to have his leadership on the board of the Chamber and have asked him to […]
B&I Contractors is breaking ground on a nearly 94,440-square-foot expansion and renovation of its Fort Myers headquarters. The project off Canal Street on a 30-acre site zoned for heavy industrial construction will more than double the size of the company’s campus. The current two-building, 50,517-square-foot campus will expand to four buildings totaling 131,517 square feet. […]
Congratulations to the new Lee County Undersheriff, James Rankine, a Leadership Lee Alum from the class of 2017! Rankine joined LCSO in 2017 after more than three decades of experience in law enforcement, including time spent working for the FBI. Rankine also served six years of active duty in the United States Army. In his […]
1 in 1,000! LLC Graduate, Nelson Taylor, Vice President of Market Research at LSI, has been awarded the CRE® (Counselors of Real Estate) designation by The Counselors of Real Estate®, a global organization of commercial property advisors. Only 1,000 real estate professionals hold the CRE® credential. Counselors reside in 22 countries, practice in many more, […]
The Early Vision: A Department Preparing for the Future. The North Collier Fire’s journey toward Advanced Life Support(ALS) transport began in the early 1970s, when the Collier County Government formally requested that the Districtparticipate in 911 transport services. At that time, the department was still transitioning from a volunteer fire service toa modern, professionally staffed […]
Leadership Lee County graduate and founder of Valerie’s House, Angela Melvin, was just named one of the Top 30 Nonprofit Executives in Southwest Florida by The Community Foundation, alongside partners like The News-Press (Fort Myers and Cape Coral), Naples Daily News, and Regions Bank. With locations in Fort Myers, Naples, Charlotte County, and Pensacola, Valerie’s […]