Business Notes
DOC FORD’S OFFERS CHANCE AT GIVEAWAY
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille will celebrate National Rum Day with the chance to win a basket filled with a bottle of Mount Gay’s XO rum, home bar cocktail smoker, four rocks glasses, a glass pitcher, muddling stick and infuser, all courtesy of Mount Gay Rum.
On Aug. 16, customers who order the featured Doc’s Coco XO Mojito rum cocktail or a rum flight will receive a raffle ticket for the prize. The rum flights include three shots.
The raffle will be offered at Doc Ford’s locations on Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach and in St. Petersburg.
The winner from each restaurant will be announced on Aug. 17.
On Sanibel, Doc Ford’s is at 2500 Island Inn Road.
ASSOCIATE JOINS DDWS NATURE STORE
The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) announced that Sharon Heath has joined as a part-time associate at the Refuge Nature Store inside of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitor & Education Center on Sanibel.
She will help support the daily flow, making sure visitors feel welcomed, informed and connected to the refuge. Her work will blend customer service, conservation messaging and behind-the-scenes retail support.
Heath holds an academic background in biology and chemistry. Most recently, she was employed as a county emergency planner, focusing on public health preparedness and community resilience.
A lifelong lover of nature and full-time Sanibel resident since March, Heath previously lived in the Midwest and California.
ROTARY INSTALLS NEW BOARD, OFFICERS
The Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club recently installed its board of directors and officers for the 2026-27 Rotary year.
During the club’s annual Installation Dinner, outgoing President Paul Hawkins passed the ceremonial gavel to incoming President the Rev. Dr. Sally Haynes, who officially began her term on July 1.
She will lead the club under the theme, “Community. Community. Unity.”
The executive board includes: Haynes as president, President-elect Sam Ankerson, Vice President Bob Stern, Secretary Chester “Chet” Sadler, Treasurer John Raho, Assistant Treasurer Patricia Norton, and Hawkins as immediate past president.
The board of directors includes: John Henshaw, Cecilia Liichow, David Liscinsky, Paul Tritaik amd Michael Young.
Additional officers include: Bill Harkey as attendance secretary and sergeant-at-arms, and Barbara Ellis as attendance secretary, club director, club youth exchange counselor, Interact Club sponsor, and youth services chair.
BANK OF THE ISLANDS HOSTS LOCAL SPEAKER
Bank of the Islands hosted an educational program, which featured a motivational guest speaker, on July 16 at The Heights Foundation in Fort Myers for Lee County residents.
An award-winning volunteer and youth leader, Gavin DiMaria presented his “Beyond Driven” program. It teaches that adversity can reveal character, and that anyone can find the strength to turn pain into purpose.
Born with cerebral palsy, DiMaria turned what some would consider a significant disability into an even more significant commitment to rise above whatever challenges life presents. His messaging has earned him a strong following among Lee and Southwest Florida residents.
DiMaria is the son of Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Deputy Chief John DiMaria, who sometimes introduces his son during speaking engagements.
JOHN R. WOOD RECOGNIZED AT SUMMIT
John R. Wood Christie’s International Real Estate received the Christie’s International Real Estate Excellence in Growth Award at the 2026 Christie’s International Real Estate Owners Summit on June 21-24 in Lisbon, Portugal.
The award recognized the brokerage for a 28% increase in sales volume through April, compared with the same period in 2025.
It was presented during the global referral and recognition ceremony, which honored affiliates for cross-border collaboration, high-performance networks and standout business results.
The summit brought together luxury real estate executives, broker-owners and industry leaders from more than 50 countries. It focused on cross-border investment strategy, emerging technology and shifts in high-net-worth consumer behavior.
President Corey McCloskey represented John R. Wood at the global conference, serving as a featured panelist in discussions on growth and the future of luxury real estate.
Summit discussions addressed the evolution of luxury pricing, the acceleration of wealth migration to South Florida and international markets, and the use of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to help brokerages identify high-net-worth sellers before properties reach the open market.
Executives also discussed the increasing complexity of waterfront and coastal property development amid evolving insurance and climate risk considerations.
SAN CAP BANK ANNOUNCES NEW HIRES
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank announced the addition of Andrew Douvlis as a loan servicing construction specialist, Taylee Quinn as a teller and customer service representative, and Ashley Wright as a loan servicing assistant.
Based at the Bridge Branch in Fort Myers, Douvlis will support the bank’s loan servicing team with a focus on construction-related portfolio management, assisting with project monitoring, documentation and client support to help ensure successful project execution and compliance.
He brings more than four years of commercial real estate finance, underwriting and financial analysis experience to the role. His background includes underwriting multifamily and affordable housing assets, financial modeling, due diligence coordination, and serving as a key liaison between lenders and stakeholders during HUD 223(f) refinancing transactions.
Prior to joining the bank, Douvlis held financial analyst roles with commercial real estate and property investment companies, where he evaluated multifamily and affordable housing assets, developed underwriting models and contributed to acquisition and refinancing efforts.
He also owned and operated a small business, gaining hands-on experience in budgeting, cash flow management and operational strategy.
Located at the Main Office on Sanibel, Quinn will be responsible for processing customer transactions, assisting with account inquiries and providing high-quality service to clients.
She brings prior banking experience and a strong customer service background to the position.
Before joining the bank, Quinn worked as a customer service representative at a community bank in Idaho, where she handled daily financial transactions, resolved account inquiries and built relationships with clients through personalized service.
Quinn earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boise State University, with a minor in entrepreneurship.
Located at Bridge Branch in Fort Myers, Wright will support the bank’s loan servicing department with responsibilities such as processing loan payments, maintaining loan records and assisting customers with loan-related inquiries.
She brings strong customer service experience and loan support knowledge to the position.
Prior to joining the bank, Wright worked in the financial services industry, where she assisted clients with loan-related processes, managed documentation, coordinated title work, and handled a variety of operational and administrative responsibilities.
The Main Office is at 2406 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.