December 2010 - Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce
December 2010 - Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce
December 2010 - Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce
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Table <strong>of</strong> Contents<br />
1. President’s Note<br />
2. Elimination <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong> Beach<br />
Pass<br />
3. Government Affairs Report<br />
4. Economic Development<br />
Committee Report<br />
5. Write to Congress to Support<br />
Job Growth<br />
6. Emotional Attraction =<br />
Economic Growth<br />
7. Health Care Investment in<br />
China<br />
9. Algenol Announces Lee as<br />
Integrated Bio-s Refinery Site<br />
10. Love <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong> Nominations<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong>
President’s Note<br />
Christine Ross<br />
President & CEO<br />
The Economic Development<br />
Committee continues to forge<br />
ahead making progress toward establishing<br />
an Economic Development<br />
Council for the City <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong><br />
<strong>Springs</strong>. This past month we<br />
made several presentations to key<br />
community partners who have<br />
indicated that they will invest in<br />
this worthwhile and timely endeavor.<br />
We gave an update to the<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> City Council on <strong>December</strong><br />
1, <strong>2010</strong> giving them an overview<br />
<strong>of</strong> progress to date and plan going<br />
forward. We hope that they will<br />
see fit to partner with the business<br />
community at this historic<br />
time, to foster sustainable diversified<br />
economic development. This<br />
is a time for unprecedented collaboration<br />
which will magnify the<br />
strength <strong>of</strong> each organization’s efforts.<br />
During the holiday season, please<br />
make it a point to do business<br />
with your local purveyors whether<br />
a national chain or an individual<br />
family run shop. If you are a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> this awesome <strong>Chamber</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Commerce</strong>, try using your<br />
fellow <strong>Chamber</strong> members. Challenge<br />
yourself to buy everything<br />
on your shopping list without using<br />
the Internet or a catalog. This<br />
will infuse the economic benefits<br />
<strong>of</strong> the holiday season directly into<br />
our community. In turn, you just<br />
may help someone keep their job,<br />
put food on the table or make a<br />
house payment. Every single individual<br />
purchase helps get us<br />
closer to the end <strong>of</strong> this historic<br />
economic downturn.<br />
May you and your family experience<br />
peace, love and generosity<br />
this holiday season.<br />
Until next time,<br />
Christine Ross<br />
President & CEO<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Area <strong>Chamber</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Commerce</strong><br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> Beach Parking Pass Eliminated<br />
• As <strong>of</strong> Jan 1, 2011 no <strong>Bonita</strong> Beach parking stickers will be valid anywhere.<br />
• <strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> beach parking stickers will be replaced by Lee County Parks & Recreation (LCPR)<br />
stickers which are sold on an annual basis from date <strong>of</strong> purchase and are $60.00. These stickers will be honored<br />
at BBP until they expire. The last <strong>of</strong> these will expire on November 30, 2011.<br />
• LCPR stickers can be purchased on line at www.leeparks.org or at the following locations…Terry<br />
Park, Estero Rec Center, Veterans Rec Center, WaKe Hatchee Rec Center and Matlacha Community Center.<br />
• LCPR sticker will continue to be valid at 1 & 10 and all our other locations. Please check the Lee<br />
County Parks & Recreation website for more details.<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> Beach Park (BBP) is the parking area with the 94 spaces on the south side <strong>of</strong> Doc’s Beach House. Parking<br />
meters are set at $2.00 per hour.<br />
Access 1 is the parking area with 25 spaces on the north side <strong>of</strong> Doc’s. Parking meters set at $2 per hour.<br />
Accesses 2 thru 9 continue northward along <strong>Bonita</strong> Beach Road. Each <strong>of</strong> these has 3-5 spaces with one handicapped.<br />
All are free!<br />
Access 10 (aka Little Hickory Island) is at the north end <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong> Beach. There are 35 spaces and the meters<br />
are set at $1 per hour.<br />
1<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong>
Government Affairs<br />
Report<br />
This month the Government Affairs Committee<br />
met with County Commissioners<br />
Frank Mann and Tammy Hall. We had the opportunity<br />
to share detailed information with<br />
both <strong>of</strong> them on issues <strong>of</strong> importance to <strong>Bonita</strong><br />
<strong>Springs</strong>, its residents and businesses. We<br />
had more than three hours <strong>of</strong> one on one time<br />
with both and feel that we have strengthened<br />
the communication channels allowing for an<br />
even closer working relationship.<br />
We weighed in on the <strong>Bonita</strong> Beach pass situation<br />
successfully advocating for a delay so<br />
that a more detailed discussion could take<br />
place between County Parks Department<br />
employees and the City’s leadership.<br />
Although we were not able to maintain the<br />
$10 pass, the Mayor feels that our concerns<br />
were heard and that the County’s new pass<br />
was created with more <strong>of</strong> our requirements<br />
in mind. We tracked the progress <strong>of</strong> the<br />
City’s Chapter Four zoning regulations and<br />
provided feedback to the City Attorney at<br />
each opportunity which was factored in to<br />
City decisions. As usual we will be tracking<br />
both City Council and County Commissioner<br />
meetings in order to provide advocacy for<br />
our members.<br />
Until next month.<br />
Scott Duvall<br />
Government Affairs Committee<br />
Patrick Vanasse - Chairman<br />
RWA Consultants, Inc.<br />
Pat Ahlm<br />
Algenol Bi<strong>of</strong>uels<br />
D. Wayne Arnold<br />
Q. Grady Minor and Associates, P.A.<br />
Bob Dipesa<br />
Wholesale Screen Printing & Embroidery<br />
Scott Duval<br />
Brennan, Manna & Diamond, P.L.<br />
Brian Farrar<br />
BCF Management Group<br />
Mike Hoyt<br />
The Lutgert Companies<br />
Tom Lehnert<br />
Banks Engineering<br />
David McKee<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Utilities, Inc.<br />
Debbi Redfield<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Fire Control & Rescue District<br />
Maribel Slabaugh<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Assistance Office, Inc.<br />
G. Donald Thomson<br />
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.<br />
Where you want to be<br />
25071 <strong>Chamber</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Commerce</strong> Drive<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong>, FL 34135<br />
(239) 992-2943<br />
www.<strong>Bonita</strong><strong>Springs</strong><strong>Chamber</strong>.com<br />
Ted Treesh<br />
TR Transportation Consultants, Inc.<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong><br />
2
Economic Development Committee Monthly Report<br />
Joe Ariola,<br />
Chairman, Economic<br />
Development Committee<br />
T h i s<br />
m o n t h<br />
the Econ<br />
o m i c<br />
D e v e l -<br />
opment<br />
C o m -<br />
m i t t e e<br />
m a d e<br />
present<br />
a t i o n s<br />
to the<br />
Board <strong>of</strong><br />
BSU and the City Council advocating<br />
for the establishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the first Economic Development<br />
Council for the City <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong>.<br />
We reviewed the proposed scope<br />
<strong>of</strong> work and structure; noting<br />
that most <strong>of</strong> the first eighteen<br />
months <strong>of</strong> work would be focused<br />
on the supporting the<br />
existing business base. Investors<br />
were informed that the<br />
Council’s success would be<br />
measured by factors such as the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> new meter installations<br />
for BSU, jobs created,<br />
the number <strong>of</strong> businesses being<br />
provided project management<br />
assistance and the reduction <strong>of</strong><br />
empty commercial and retail<br />
space. We presented the outline<br />
and investment opportunity<br />
to more than 50 members<br />
<strong>of</strong> the business community at a<br />
reception on <strong>December</strong> 2. We<br />
had good dialogue and felt that<br />
everyone had the opportunity<br />
to become more familiar with<br />
the vision and goals.<br />
We will present a detailed report<br />
to the City Council on<br />
<strong>December</strong> 15 and hope that we<br />
will gain buy in from the Council<br />
at that time.<br />
Joe Ariola<br />
Economic Development<br />
Committee Chairman<br />
Economic Development Committee<br />
Joe Ariola - Chairman<br />
Key Bank<br />
William Clegg<br />
UBS Financial Services Inc.<br />
Jan Conrad<br />
Owen-Ames-Kimball Company<br />
Andrew DeSalvo<br />
Premier Commercial Properties<br />
<strong>of</strong> Southwest Florida<br />
Ned E. Dewhirst, P.E.<br />
Oakbrook Properties, Inc.<br />
Margaret Emblidge<br />
Margaret Emblidge & Associates, LLC<br />
Brian Farrar<br />
BCF Management Group<br />
Kevin Hawkesworth<br />
Shaw Development, LLC<br />
Dawn Huff<br />
Lee County School District<br />
Chief Phil Kinsey<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Fire Control &<br />
Rescue District<br />
David Likosar<br />
CenturyLink<br />
Richard Mancini<br />
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes &<br />
Holt, P.A.<br />
Joseph A. Murgalo<br />
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point<br />
Resort and Spa<br />
David Neill<br />
Naples News Media Group<br />
Ben Nelson<br />
City <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong><br />
Kevin Newingham<br />
Lee Memorial Health System<br />
Fred Partin<br />
<strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Utilities, Inc.<br />
Glen Salyer<br />
Lee County Economic<br />
Development Office<br />
Sabra Smith<br />
Algenol Bi<strong>of</strong>uels<br />
3<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong>
Write to Congress to Support Job Growth<br />
Support the American Job Protection Act<br />
Starting in 2014, a business<br />
with 50 or more full time<br />
"equivalent" employees must<br />
provide employer-sponsored<br />
health insurance or pay steep<br />
fines (about $2,000 per employee).<br />
The health insurance<br />
must be government-approved,<br />
covering a broad range<br />
<strong>of</strong> benefits chosen by Washington<br />
bureaucrats but paid<br />
for by employers. In addition,<br />
some businesses that already<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer generous health benefits<br />
will be fined $3,000 for each<br />
employee who instead opts<br />
into the new health insurance<br />
exchanges.<br />
Boosting exports <strong>of</strong> American<br />
goods and services has the potential<br />
to create millions <strong>of</strong><br />
good American jobs, as President<br />
Obama has acknowledged.<br />
In his January 27 State<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Union address, he declared:<br />
“We will double our exports<br />
over the next five years, an<br />
increase that will support two<br />
million jobs in America …We<br />
Under the mandate, a business<br />
with 50 or more full time<br />
"equivalent" employees must<br />
provide employer-sponsored<br />
health insurance or pay steep<br />
fines (about $2,000 per employee).<br />
The health insurance<br />
must be government-approved,<br />
covering a broad range<br />
<strong>of</strong> benefits chosen by Washington<br />
bureaucrats but paid<br />
for by employers. In addition,<br />
some businesses that already<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer generous health benefits<br />
will be fined $3,000 for each<br />
employee who instead opts<br />
into the new health insurance<br />
exchanges.<br />
This policy is already destroying<br />
jobs – businesses are reluctant<br />
to expand and risk hiring<br />
what would amount to the<br />
50th employee, as well as hesitant<br />
to take on new projects<br />
that will require additional<br />
staff. Employers are also attempting<br />
to limit their exposure<br />
to the $3,000 fines by<br />
reducing the number <strong>of</strong> lowskilled<br />
employees on staff,<br />
Support American’s Export Markets<br />
have to seek new markets aggressively,<br />
just as our competitors<br />
are. If America sits on the<br />
sidelines while other nations<br />
sign trade deals, we will lose<br />
the chance to create jobs on<br />
our shores… And that’s why<br />
we will continue to shape a<br />
Doha trade agreement that<br />
opens global markets, and<br />
why we will strengthen our<br />
trade relations in Asia and<br />
with key partners like South<br />
who are more likely to trigger<br />
these fines. Due to the uncertainty<br />
and high costs caused<br />
by the employer mandate, reductions<br />
in hiring and spending<br />
are already hurting the<br />
economy, long before the devastating<br />
impact that will occur<br />
once the provision is goes<br />
into effect in 2014.<br />
Recently Senator Orrin Hatch<br />
(UT) introduced the American<br />
Job Protection Act, which<br />
would repeal the job-killing<br />
employer mandate.<br />
Write to your Senators now<br />
and encourage them to support<br />
the repeal <strong>of</strong> this provision by<br />
cosponsoring the legislation.<br />
Click here to Support the<br />
American Job Protection Act.<br />
Korea, Panama, and Colombia.”<br />
Write to your Senators and<br />
Representative, encouraging<br />
their support <strong>of</strong> the continued<br />
expansion <strong>of</strong> America’s export<br />
markets and the international<br />
trade agenda.<br />
Click here to send your<br />
Senators your support.<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong><br />
4
Emotional Attraction = Economic Growth<br />
Ian Scott, Director, Community<br />
Advancement, American<br />
<strong>Chamber</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Commerce</strong> on Friday,<br />
November 19, <strong>2010</strong><br />
According to findings from a<br />
3 year study by Gallup, cities<br />
that elicit the strongest emotional<br />
attachment for residents<br />
also had the highest rates <strong>of</strong><br />
GDP growth. Three relatively<br />
subjective qualities – social <strong>of</strong>ferings,<br />
openness and beauty<br />
– were determined to be the<br />
leading drivers <strong>of</strong> emotional<br />
attachment. Here’s how Jon<br />
Clifton, deputy director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Gallup World Poll analyzed the<br />
results:<br />
“Our theory is that when a<br />
community’s residents are<br />
highly attached, they will<br />
spend more time there, spend<br />
more money, they’re more productive<br />
and tend to be more<br />
entrepreneurial.”<br />
26 communities with Knight<br />
owned newspapers, including<br />
Charlotte, Detroit, Lexington,<br />
Miami and Wichita, were surveyed<br />
for this study.<br />
What Attaches People to<br />
Their Communities<br />
What makes a community a<br />
desirable place to live What<br />
draws people to stake their future<br />
in it Are communities<br />
with more attached residents<br />
better <strong>of</strong>f<br />
Gallup and the John S. and<br />
James L. Knight Foundation<br />
launched the Knight Soul <strong>of</strong><br />
the Community project in<br />
2008 with these questions in<br />
mind. After interviewing close<br />
to 43,000 people in 26 communities<br />
over three years, the<br />
study has found that three<br />
main qualities attach people<br />
to place: social <strong>of</strong>ferings, such<br />
as entertainment venues and<br />
places to meet, openness (how<br />
welcoming a place is) and the<br />
area’s aesthetics (its physical<br />
beauty and green spaces).<br />
We’ve seen now why attachment<br />
is an important metric<br />
for communities, since it links<br />
to key outcomes like local economic<br />
growth (GDP). So, the<br />
next obvious question is: what<br />
drives attachment After three<br />
years <strong>of</strong> research, the results<br />
have been very consistent, and<br />
possibly surprising.<br />
First, what attaches residents<br />
to their communities doesn’t<br />
change much from place to<br />
place. While we might expect<br />
that the drivers <strong>of</strong> attachment<br />
would be different in Miami,<br />
Fla., from those in Macon, Ga.,<br />
in fact, the main drivers <strong>of</strong> attachment<br />
show little difference<br />
across communities. In<br />
addition, the same drivers have<br />
risen to the top in every year <strong>of</strong><br />
the study.<br />
Second, these main drivers may<br />
be surprising. While the economy<br />
is obviously the subject <strong>of</strong><br />
much attention, the study has<br />
found that perceptions <strong>of</strong> the local<br />
economy do not have a very<br />
strong relationship to resident<br />
attachment. Instead, attachment<br />
is most closely related to<br />
how accepting a community is<br />
<strong>of</strong> diversity, its wealth <strong>of</strong> social<br />
<strong>of</strong>ferings, and its aesthetics.<br />
This is not to say that jobs and<br />
housing aren’t important.<br />
Residents must be able to meet<br />
their basic needs in a community<br />
in order to stay. However,<br />
when it comes to forming an<br />
emotional connection with the<br />
community, there are other<br />
community factors which <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
are not considered when<br />
thinking about economic development.<br />
These community<br />
factors seem to matter more<br />
when it comes to attaching<br />
residents to their community.<br />
And finally, while we do see<br />
differences in attachment<br />
among different demographic<br />
groups, demographics generally<br />
are not the strongest drivers<br />
<strong>of</strong> attachment. In almost every<br />
community, we found that<br />
a resident’s perceptions <strong>of</strong> the<br />
community are more strongly<br />
linked to their level <strong>of</strong> community<br />
attachment than to that<br />
person’s age, ethnicity, work<br />
status, etc.<br />
Source: Knight Soul <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Community, http://www.soul<strong>of</strong>thecommunity.org/<br />
5<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong>
Health Care Investment in China<br />
By: John Tang, Esq.<br />
In 2009, the Chinese government<br />
announced that health<br />
care reform would be a major<br />
component <strong>of</strong> its $586 billion<br />
stimulus package. It’s a clear<br />
sign <strong>of</strong> a market opening up<br />
and investment opportunities<br />
abound. Here’s a quick look at<br />
the Chinese health care system<br />
today, how it’s poised to<br />
change and where some <strong>of</strong> the<br />
opportunities might be.<br />
People Change<br />
Average life expectancy in<br />
China has increased by nearly<br />
three decades since 1949.<br />
There’s no question that<br />
where people live, how people<br />
live and the expectations people<br />
have <strong>of</strong> the nation’s health<br />
care infrastructure are rapidly<br />
changing. This means increasing<br />
demand for medical services<br />
aimed at an aging population,<br />
including both formal<br />
facilities like clinics or hospitals<br />
as well as the options for<br />
home-based care. As a direct<br />
result, China’s medical devices<br />
market is estimated to<br />
almost double in size between<br />
2006 and 2014 to $28 billion<br />
a year. For example, according<br />
to the China Market Research<br />
Group, the number <strong>of</strong> cardiac<br />
patients in China is growing<br />
at a 20-30% annual rate, with<br />
the market for cardiovascular<br />
stents increasing by 40% annually.<br />
As many developed<br />
nations work their way out <strong>of</strong><br />
economic slowdown and cut<br />
back on expenditures in this<br />
area, the Chinese market poses<br />
a real opportunity.<br />
The Gaps<br />
As per the Chinese stimulus<br />
plan, nearly 90% <strong>of</strong> China’s<br />
citizens are now covered by<br />
a universal health care system.<br />
Health-care facilities<br />
throughout the country are<br />
being upgraded, including the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> 30,000 hospitals,<br />
clinics, and care centers.<br />
Much <strong>of</strong> the new development<br />
is focused on the rural areas <strong>of</strong><br />
China which have lagged far<br />
behind major cities in providing<br />
access health care resources.<br />
U.S. companies that have<br />
the ability to work with smaller<br />
localities and <strong>of</strong>fer products<br />
or services aimed at growing<br />
health care from a grassroots<br />
level have the advantage.<br />
Call for Quality<br />
A growing middle class in<br />
China means a demand for<br />
more than the basic level <strong>of</strong><br />
service provided by the government.<br />
Statistics from the<br />
Chinese Ministry <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
show that the personal spending<br />
on medical services doubled<br />
from 21.2% in 1980 to<br />
45.2% in 2007. What are sophisticated<br />
Chinese health<br />
care consumers asking for A<br />
recent China Market Research<br />
Group survey <strong>of</strong> doctors, hospital<br />
staff and patients found<br />
a clear preference for foreign<br />
products. The majority <strong>of</strong> respondents<br />
said that they were<br />
willing to pay 20% or more for<br />
Western brands because they<br />
believed them to be more reliable<br />
and <strong>of</strong> higher quality.<br />
All <strong>of</strong> the above means there<br />
is currently a monumental<br />
opportunity for U.S.-based<br />
companies looking to become<br />
players in the Chinese health<br />
care arena. Last year, the Chinese<br />
government announced<br />
that “by 2020, the world’s<br />
most populous country will<br />
have a basic health-care system<br />
that can provide safe, effective,<br />
convenient and affordable<br />
health services to all.”<br />
Much <strong>of</strong> that development is<br />
in full swing now. Don’t miss<br />
out!<br />
John Tang is an attorney with<br />
the business law firm <strong>of</strong> Brennan,<br />
Manna & Diamond,<br />
with an <strong>of</strong>fice at 3301 <strong>Bonita</strong><br />
Beach Road, Suite 100, <strong>Bonita</strong><br />
<strong>Springs</strong>, Florida 34134. His<br />
practice is focused on international<br />
business transactions.<br />
John has assisted many businesses<br />
in opening their doors<br />
to the Chinese market. He<br />
can be reached at jtang@bmdllc.com<br />
or by calling (330)<br />
374-6249.<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong><br />
6
Algenol Announces Lee County as Site<br />
for Integrated Bio-sRefinery<br />
Algenol Bi<strong>of</strong>uels Inc. (www.algenolbi<strong>of</strong>uels.com) announced that it plans to build its<br />
demonstration bio-refinery adjacent to its recently opened laboratories on Lee Road in<br />
Fort Myers. Building the plant in Lee County will reduce costs and accelerate commercialization<br />
<strong>of</strong> Algenol’s Direct-To-Ethanol technology, which produces ethanol directly<br />
from carbon dioxide using blue-green algae. According to Paul Woods, Algenol’s founder<br />
and CEO, having bio-refinery and research laboratories all on one site will facilitate collaboration<br />
among Algenol scientists, engineers and partners. Construction is planned to<br />
begin during the first quarter <strong>of</strong> 2011.<br />
Love <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong> Nomination Criteria<br />
The criteria for the Love <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong> award reads as follows:<br />
Nominee must be one who consistently chooses to use his/her time, energy and/or money<br />
to make a difference in the lives <strong>of</strong> people living within the service area <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Bonita</strong><br />
<strong>Springs</strong> Community Foundation. The recipient will be a person who actively encourages<br />
and performs community service and helps to improve the quality <strong>of</strong> life in the <strong>Bonita</strong><br />
<strong>Springs</strong> area. The individual should promote empowerment, self-sufficiency, and positive<br />
change in others. The nominee can express their Love <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bonita</strong> either as an active<br />
volunteer or as an employee <strong>of</strong> a community organization. Current <strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Community<br />
Foundation Board members are not to be considered for a nomination.<br />
The <strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> Community Foundation Board will make the final award selection.<br />
A grant by our Community Foundation will be made to a <strong>Bonita</strong> <strong>Springs</strong> charity in the<br />
name <strong>of</strong> the award winner.<br />
Click here to view the nomination form.<br />
7<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2010</strong>