Business Notes
SOUTH SEAS TO HOST SIP AND SHOP EVENT
South Seas will host a Sip and Shop on Sept. 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. at The Shops at South Seas on Captiva.
The event is open to the public.
For more information, visit SouthSeas.com or call 800-237-6000.
The Shops at South Seas is at 14830 Captiva Drive, Captiva.
PFEIFER REALTY WELCOMES TEAM MEMBER
The Pfeifer Realty Group announced that Realtor Tina DiCharia has joined its team.
A Southwest Florida resident for more than 40 years, she brings more than a decade of real estate experience and deep ties to the local community.
Before entering real estate, DiCharia spent more than 30 years as a nationally- and Florida-certified court reporter and owned her own court reporting firm for more than 20 years.
With her experience, strong local relationships and a commitment to the community, she genuinely cares about the people that she works with.
DiCharia currently serves as president of the Sanibel Captiva Islands Association of Realtors (SCIAR) and as a board member of the Bobby Nichols Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation. She has also been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way, the YMCA and the P.O.L.O. Club of Lee County.
CFI ANNOUNCES BOREN, KING AS CHAIRS
The Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) announced that Susan “Sam” Boren and Steve King are the founding spirit of generosity chairs for its 2026 Generosity Breakfast on Nov. 16 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa on Sanibel.
The recognition honors individuals whose philanthropy reflects a deep commitment to the Sanibel-Captiva community.
Through Boren and King’s gift of underwriting the breakfast, every dollar raised through ticket and table sales will directly support CFI’s Community Impact Fund.
Children on playgrounds around the world climb structures shaped by King’s design work at Landscape Structures, the company he founded and grew into an internationally recognized name in play design.
Boren brings decades of leadership experience from her career as a partner with Spencer Stuart, and she currently serves on CFI’s board of directors.
On Sanibel, their generosity has supported organizations including the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), Community Housing & Resources (CHR) and CFI.
Boren and King are also CFI donor-advised fund partners and supporters of CFI’s Accelerate Small Business Loan Program.
As the founding spirit of generosity chairs, they will help welcome guests and set the tone for a morning celebrating the many ways generosity shapes Sanibel and Captiva.
Event tickets are $225 per person; tables are also available.
For tickets or more information, visit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/generositybreakfast/event/generositybreakfast2026/.
BONITA FISH COMPANY ADDS NEW ENTREES
The Bonita Fish Company expanded its brunch menu, introducing three new entrees that put fresh twists on breakfast favorites and mimosas by the bottle.
The new brunch entrees include:
– Potato hash bowl: Seasoned potatoes, onions and peppers with white cheddar cheese and andouille sausage topped with two eggs and a cilantro-lime sauce
– Fried chicken biscuits and gravy: Crispy hot-honey chicken with homemade sausage gravy
– Steak and eggs: Chimichurri aioli-topped steak with breakfast potatoes and two eggs
The Bonita Fish Company is also offering brunch specials, including a new mimosa bottle and a mimosa flight featuring fresh-squeezed orange, pomegranate and grapefruit juices.
The restaurant serves brunch Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The HM Restaurant Group manages the Bonita Fish Company, as well as Doc Ford’s and the Dixie Fish Company.
For more information, visit bonitafishco.com or call 239-314-5132.
The Bonita Fish Company is at 702 Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Myers Beach.
GFMCC HOLDS ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce (GFMCC) celebrated its fifth Annual Chamber Awards on July 30 at the Luminary Hotel and the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers.
Emceed by Gulf Coast News anchor Lisa Spooner, it recognized individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations whose leadership, innovation and commitment continue to strengthen the Southwest Florida business community.
The award winners were:
– APEX Award: Anjali Van Drie of Family Initiative
– Community Impact Award: Robbie Roepstorff of Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands
– Entrepreneur of the Year: Dean Piccirillo of HBKS Wealth Advisors
– Nonprofit Excellence Award: The Heights Foundation
– Volunteer of the Year: Amanda Berens of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida
– Young Professional of the Year; Ashleigh Droz of Florida Gulf Coast University
– Small Business of the Year: Bay Street Yard
– Large Business of the Year: Entech
Attendees celebrated not only the award recipients, but the continued collaboration between the chamber, SanCap Chamber and Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, reinforcing a shared commitment to promoting prosperity across the region.
The chamber also recognized its volunteers, committee leaders and sponsors, while celebrating the presentation of more than $36,000 in scholarships through the Chamber Foundation’s Women in Business Committee to non-traditional students attending Florida SouthWestern State College and Florida Gulf Coast University.
JOHN R. WOOD UPGRADES CAPE OFFICE
John R. Wood Christie’s International Real Estate completed major waterfront improvements at its Cape Coral office.
The improvements address wear from age and time on the water, including surface cracking in the seawall and pilings that had eroded below the waterline. The proactive upgrades will keep the property safe, accessible and built for the long term.
The project included the installation of 162 feet of new vinyl sheet piles in front of the existing seawall, along with a new, wider 20-inch cap poured along the full length of the wall.
A new 4-by-25-foot landing dock was also added on the east side of the property, restoring boat access in an area where a dock existed several years ago.
The new dock will allow agents to more safely and easily pull up by boat and take customers from the office to view waterfront homes and neighborhoods throughout Cape Coral’s Gulf-access canal system.
New access from the rear of the building, including steps down to the dock, is also underway.
The project was completed by Honc Marine Contracting.
Additional landscaping work is also planned, along with new signage and exterior lighting to highlight the dock and waterfront access for evening tours and events.
The John R. Wood office is at 4017 Del Prado Blvd. S., Cape Coral.
COUNTY BOARD APPOINTS TWO TO TDC
The Lee Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) appointed Councilwoman Darla Bonk and Sandra Stilwell Youngquist to the Lee County Tourist Development Council (TDC).
Bonk will represent the city of Fort Myers as the municipality that generated the highest revenues from the tourist tax in the most recent fiscal year. Stilwell Youngquist will serve a four-year term in the newly created seventh industry voting seat.
Bonk was elected in 2020 to serve as the Ward 6 representative on the Fort Myers City Council and was re-elected in 2024. A Fort Myers native with over 20 years of executive experience across Fortune 200 companies, nonprofit leadership and management consulting, she is chief executive officer and co-owner of Architectural Metal Flashings. Bonk holds a degree in communication from Lee University and was named one of the “40 Over 40 Women to KNOW in Business” in America.
Stilwell Youngquist is chief executive officer and owner of Stilwell Enterprises & Restaurant Group. A lifelong hospitality professional who got her start at age 10 on Fort Myers Beach, she has owned and operated restaurants in Lee since 2001 and is the author of “Resilient Spirit.” Stilwell Youngquist is a trustee of Florida Gulf Coast University, a past president of SWFL Children’s Charities (SWFL Wine Fest) and a recipient of the Gulfshore Business Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award.
The 11 voting seats of the TDC are composed of the BoCC chair or designee, three elected municipal officials and seven representatives from the tourism industry, of whom not fewer than three nor more than five are owners or operators of tourist accommodations subject to the tourist development tax. All members must be electors of Lee County.
SAN CAP COMMUNITY BANK HIRES JONES
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank announced the addition of Colin Jones as loan servicing assistant at its Bridge Branch in Fort Myers.
In his role, he will supports the bank’s lending operations by assisting with loan servicing activities and delivering exceptional service to borrowers and internal teams.
Jones earned a Bachelor of Science in business, with a concentration in marketing management, from Virginia Tech. During his academic career, he was named to the Dean’s List and gained experience as a treasury management intern with the bank, where he supported cash management initiatives, assisted with fraud prevention efforts and collaborated across departments to enhance customer service.
Prior to joining the bank full-time, Jones gained customer service and operations experience across the e-commerce, property services, professional services and recreation sectors, developing strong communication, problem-solving and relationship-building skills.