Lee County: The Business of Win-Win
Thank you to our sponsors
Ellen Fox and Keith Grossman
A negotiation that results in a “winner” and a “loser” is not a negotiation that is worth the emotional and financial resources for either side. We are all better off negotiating in a way that all involved can accept the results. Meet our panelists and learn this skill!
Meet our panelists:
Marni Sawicki, Mayor of Cape Coral Marni was elected as the first woman mayor of Cape Coral, the 10th largest city in Florida. With a Master’s degree in business, she has spent 20+ years in the insurance industry, where her most recent role was that of Vice President of Marketing for a specialty insurance wholesale company. She is now the CEO/President of her own strategic marketing company, Indigo Pros and uses her expertise to aid small to medium-size companies in everything from strategic planning to executive coaching.
Rob Carvell is co-owner and principal to Brodeur Carvell Fine Apparel in the Bell Tower Shops Fort Myers. Rob has over 35 years experience as a specialty store retailer. His knowledge and experience of the Florida lifestyle allows him to buy a merchandise mix that distinguishes Brodeur Carvell as a unique place to shop for Men and Women. Rob attributes his success, strength and love for Retail to his career with Jacobson’s in Fort Myers where he personally assisted clients in SWFL, starting his career in 1986. Since 2003, Brodeur Carvell has served the needs of Southwest Florida residents & visitors with fine apparel for business and pleasure. Their knowledgeable staff offers a wealth of experience in fine apparel, service and an unending attention to detail for your clothing needs for everyday, travel or special events.
Stephanie Davis has kept her finger on the pulse of the Fort Myers social scene since her Downtown Diva column debuted in The News-Press 18 years ago – for the past five years, she’s been penning a column for Florida Weekly called “The Diva Diaries”. As part of her Diva duties, Stephanie snaps up to 100 photographs a week at area fundraisers and events which are published in the Florida Weekly Society Pages. She also writes two monthly columns for Gulfshore Life magazine – “Ms. Adventure” and “Scene & Heard”. Stephanie is an actress and director – her theatre involvement includes Florida Rep, The Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Theatre Conspiracy, and Laboratory Theater of Florida.
Claudine Leger-Wetzel, VP Sales and Marketing at Stock Development . Claudine is responsible for all areas of Sales and Marketing for Stock Development. Manage master planned communities in Southwest Florida as well as builder program for Stock Development. Responsibilities include strategic community planning, product development and planning, sales & marketing, model merchandising, public relations and community involvement. Stock Development/Stock Signature Homes has built over 4,000 homes since its inception and has been named Builder of the Year (2009 and 2013), Developer of the Year and most recently in the Builder 100 by Builder Magazine which ranks the top 100 Builder sin the US along with numerous other awards.
Emcee: Stephen Blancett, International Artist In addition to being an international known fine artist, Stephen Blancett is also the President of Pulse Technology Solutions based in Fort Myers. For the past eight years, he has also served as the National Art Director for Natural Awakenings magazine, a healthy living publication that is based in Naples and franchised in 95 cities in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, with a readership of over three million. For six years Blancett was with Reed International, a major publishing firm. As Senior Art Director there, he helped create national-award-winning advertisements and publications for clients such as Citibank, Delta Airlines and AT&T. For nine years he served as President and Creative Director at Media Associates, where his clients included Reebok, Teledyne Waterpik and Rubbermaid. He served three terms as president of the Southwest Florida chapter of the American Advertising Federation. Stephen volunteers his free time to local children and HIV/AIDS related charities. He has been honored with a Red Ribbon Award from Positive Outreach Services and Southwest Florida’s Mary Award for Humanitarian of the Year. He served four years on the Board of Directors for the Island Coast AIDS Network (ICAN), and one year as President. For the past 16 years, Stephen has donated both his time and art to the annual Arts for ACT Gala and Fine Art Auction, benefiting Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. (ACT). He currently serves as the Chairperson for that event. Proceeds from Stephen’s art has raised over $70,000.00 for local charities.
Our featured non-profit is Cathy Robinson Executive Director of "Friends Together" sponsor by Pulse Technology Solutions. Friends Together empower people to respond effectively to current social issues that affect their own and their community’s wellbeing and safety.We accomplish this goal by educating about and providing safe spaces for open and informed conversations on topics such as HIV/AIDs, reproductive health, domestic violence, bullying, and sexual orientation. Through education, Friends Together inspires today’s generation to take action to improve their lives and the local and global community.
Ellen Fox is the Owner and Operator of Fox Insurance. We are a local full-service insurance agency that caters to small businesses, providing group health and property casualty and workers compensation coverages. We take your business seriously and hope to have an opportunity to speak with you about your companies needs.Above Board Chamber member’s can always call for a no obligation consult to talk about any of the concerns you have about your insurance portfolio.
Keith Grossman, Grossman Law & Conflict Management Keith is a lawyer, a Family and Civil Court mediator certified by the Florida Supreme Court, and a Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator. He is also the author of the ResolvingConflictsNow.com blog.Keith helps businesses and individuals develop skills to manage conflict and build consensus. He does this by providing a variety of services, including training, group facilitation sessions, and one-on-one coaching. Keith also sit on the Advisory Board for the Above Board Chamber of Florida.
Special thanks to our 2017 Annual Sponsors
CONRIC PR and Marketing
Fuller Online Solutions
E. Sue Huff and Associates
Pulse Technology Solutions, LLC
Spada Salon & Day Spa
Your Walking Billboard
Charlie McDonald Photography
Lady in Pink Photography
Signarama North Ft, Myers