Chamber’s annual meeting recaps 2025, looks forward
Florida’s tourism outlook, board introductions, community awards, and a year of successes gave the SanCap Chamber reason to celebrate at its annual meeting on April 8 at the Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa in Fort Myers.
Outgoing Board Chair Katy Forret introduced incoming Chair Michael Nachef after summarizing a year of achievements and building momentum for chamber membership numbers.
“I know Michael Nachef will be instrumental in continuing to expand our ways and promote everything that I stand for,” she said.
Nachef presented Forret with an award for her strong contributions to the community and he looked ahead to his turn at leadership.
“This will be a year of listening before we leap,” he said. “It will also be a year of constituting with purpose. The organization is strong. We’re not here to reinvent that. We’re here to sharpen our votes, elevate our voice, and ensure we’re being relevant and responsive and respectful to our members.”
Nachef introduced keynote speaker Bryan Griffin, new president and chief executive officer of VISIT FLORIDA, who emphasized the state’s top-level tourism and national record-breaker status.
“We continue to set records, continue to see raised value in tourism,” he said.
Griffin showed promotional videos now airing and addressed VISIT FLORIDA’s strategies for disaster response. He drilled down specifically to how the agency is helping Sanibel and Captiva in ongoing recovery.
“We’re putting together footage and video content for Sanibel, and we’re going to do a commercial and utilize it to activate recovery in Sanibel. So, we are still here,” Griffin said.
He praised the region’s importance to the state’s tourism perception and chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai, who served as VISIT FLORIDA’s chair for his proactivity in the market.
Lai reported on 2025’s strengths, including 16 events with 5,400 attendees — including 39 ribbon-cuttings — 22,969 visitors to the welcome center, 1.02 million website views, and 58 new members bringing the membership total to 465 business organizations.
“Our recent collaboration with the Greater Fort Myers Chamber allows us to reach across the bridge to another 750 members,” he said. “All of this happens thanks to an amazing staff and board of directors.”
Nachef introduced his fellow 2026-27 board officers: Vice Chair Patience Jennings and Second Vice Chair Leigh Gevelinger; new members Jeff Blackburn, Ali Kendall and Will Oliver; and returning members Daniel Andrews, Mark Blust, Joel Goodman, David Lowden, Robert Monk, Evelyn Stewart and Bill Wellman.
The presentation of the annual business awards began with the Sue Rosica Gray Volunteer of the Year Award. FISH of Sanibel-Captiva Executive Director Maria Espinoza presented the award to Claire Beckman.
“She’s not a volunteer that just shows up, but leads, brings up others, and it’s hard to do that for the world,” she said.
New Business of the Year went to the Sanibel Sprout. Owner Jianna Senkeleski video-delivered her message of gratitude to the community for its support in seeing her through the steps of moving from employee to owner before Hurricane Ian, then progressing from a food truck to a storefront presence.
The chamber recognized Florida Trust Wealth Management and founder and Chairman Al Hanser as Business/Organization of the Year for their 25 years; and Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts (SCBR) President and Board Chairman Tony Lapi as Citizen of the Year for his decades of contributions through the ‘Tween Waters Inn & Marina and SCBR, and numerous nonprofits and agencies within the islands, county-wide and statewide.
This year, the chamber introduced a new award: Spirit of the Islands. It will be awarded on a discretionary basis when warranted by individuals who truly embody the selfless spirit of the islands in ways above and beyond.
Bill Harkey accepted the award for him and his wife, Laurie, and received a standing ovation for their generous donations of time, money and encouragement to the community to give. Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) Executive Director Alison Charney Hussey, who presented the award, said their impact ripples through nearly every nonprofit on the islands.
“We congratulate all our deserving award winners this year for bringing our communities closer and closer to the incredible destination and home we will become,” Lai said. “Our success would not have been possible without the incredible backing and energy of businesses and individuals, such as our award-winners, along with the strong and giving spirit of everyone on Sanibel and Captiva islands.”
Bank of the Islands was the title sponsor for the meeting. Other sponsors included: Lee Health as a silver sponsor; and Alliant Property Management, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, and Sanibel Captiva Community Bank as bronze sponsors.