BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/New_York X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VEVENT UID:1710@aboveboardchamber.com DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230511T113000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230511T130000 DTSTAMP:20230502T142503Z URL:https://www.aboveboardchamber.com/events/fort-myers-board-walking-find ing-a-board-that-aligns-with-your-values-interests-and-expertise/ SUMMARY:Fort Myers: Board Walking - Finding a board that aligns with your v alues\, interests\, and expertise DESCRIPTION:At our May meetings\, we will discuss "Board Walking!" and the benefits of joining a non-profit board and how they can be a great way to contribute to a cause you care about\, develop your skills\, and expand yo ur network. However\, it's important to research and finds a board that al igns with your values\, interests\, and expertise.\n\nCome meet and learn from our amazing emcee and panelists listed below and see why you need to join us. If you sit on a board of directors\, want to find one for you/you r Company to get involved in within your community\, or want your board me mbers to come to learn how to make your board stronger\, this is the meeti ng for you! \;\n\nMeet our Sponsor\n\n Blake Day\, President of Day A djusting and Consulting\, has a passion for helping homeowners overcome th e challenges they face today with their insurance claims. With his in-dept h knowledge of the insurance industry\, the entrepreneurial-minded Day is recognized as an expert in first-party property insurance claims. His care er has focused on residential and commercial claims adjusting with a highl ight on developing systems that optimize the claims handling timeline. Bla ke is a member of the Above Board Chamber of Florida.\n\nMeet our Emcee:\n \n Sarah Owen\, President &\; CEO of Collaboratory\, leads a passionat e and diverse team of possibility makers committed to coordinating the sol ving of all the social problems in Southwest Florida on a daring 18-year d eadline.\nHer journey into the nonprofit sector began as the leader of a g rassroots hunger-fighting organization\, following a career in investor re lations\, public relations\, and corporate communications. Her corporate e xperience was in the automotive and engineering industries\, and Sarah was sought out by innovators and entrepreneurs developing emerging technologi es. Sarah brings this focus on innovation to her work at Collaboratory. In 2017\, Sarah oversaw the execution of a public-private partnership with t he City of Fort Myers to create the Collaboratory’s headquarters in the historic Atlantic Coast Rail Depot\, a $10.5 million project funded with N ew Market Tax Credits. The LEED Gold campus comprises the renovated 1920s ACL Depot and a 14\,000-square-foot addition designed to provide a physica l and virtual space to connect the region’s problem solvers and their wo rk\, including nonprofit organizations\, businesses\, resident partners\, and governmental agencies. A graduate of Florida Southern College and the University of South Florida\, Sarah holds a bachelor’s and master’s de gree in education\, as well as certifications in environmental sciences\n\ nMeet our Panelists:\n\n Samira K. Beckwith is a recognized pioneer in th e hospice and healthcare field. Her expertise and lifetime commitment to q uality care are acknowledged throughout the state\, nationally\, and inter nationally. She was appointed to The White House Conference on Aging and s erved on a panel for the Senate Special Committee on Aging. She has testif ied before the House Judiciary subcommittee on the need for legislation to enable better care and comfort for those at the end of life. Within the s tate of Florida\, she was given special recognition by Governors DeSantis\ , Scott\, and Bush\, having been appointed to their respective committees\ , including the Transition Advisory Committee on Health and Wellness\, the Board of Directors for the Florida Center for Nursing\, and the Long-Term Care Advisory Committee. Governor Jeb Bush describes Dr. Beckwith as “a visionary who provides leadership on a local and national level - passion ate about ensuring the highest quality of service” after she served on h is Long-Term Care Advisory Committee. As a dedicated champion for palliati ve care and end-of-life issues\, Samira has served as Chair for both the N ational Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the National Hospice Foundation. In addition\, she is the Founding President of the Florida PAC E Providers Association and a Founding Director of the National Partnershi p for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation. Samira's leadership\, career acco mplishments\, and commitment to diversity have also been honored. She was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor\, bestowed upon distinguished Amer icans who exemplify outstanding qualities in their personal and profession al lives. Samira received a sociology degree and a Master's in Social Work from The Ohio State University\, where she later served on the Alumni Ass ociation Board of Directors. Samira received The Ohio State Medalist Award \, presented to alumni who have gained national or international distincti on in a chosen field\, and was granted Doctor of Humane Letters degrees fr om Southwest Florida College and Piedmont College.\n Jeannine Joy\, Presi dent and CEO of United Way of Lee\, Hendry\, and Glades Counties. Before t aking the President and CEO position in June 2019\, Jeannine was Vice Pres ident of Resource Development and Marketing. She has been with the organiz ation for twenty-seven years. Jeannine has helped raise and distribute ove r $195 million and has worked with hundreds of community leaders and thous ands of volunteers. Joy is a member of the Above Board Chamber of Florida. \n Sandra Stilwell Youngquist is CEO and owner of Stilwell Enterprises &a mp\; Restaurant Group\, owning six restaurants\, Inn\, an Inn\, Shopping C enters\, and a food truck based out of Captiva Island\, Ft Myers\, and Boc a Grande. She has been self-employed since she was 17 years old. She helpe d Organize and is on the Board of Directors of Gulf Coast Business Bank in Ft. Myers\, a new Community De Novo Bank. She is the past President and T rustee of SWFL Children's Charities (SWFL Wine Fest). They proudly passed the 25-million-dollar mark of funds to charities such as Golisano Children 's Hospital. She is serving on Resilient Lee\, a group charged with delive ring a comprehensive plan for Hurricane Resiliency &\; Build Back after Hurricane Ian. The task force has several divisions\, and she co-chairs t he Planning &\; Capacity Branch along with Syd Kitson from Babcock Ranc h. Is Southest. She is on the Executive Board of Directors of Hope Hospice \, The Horizon Foundation\, Junior Achievement of SWFL\, the Board of Trus tees of Habit For Humanity\, and Past President of Pace Center for Girls\, and currently serves on their National Board of Trustees. She is on the b oard of Trustees for Lee Health Foundation\, the Advisory Editorial Board of Gulfshore Life Magazine\, and the Advisory Board of FGCU Resort and Hos pitality School -School of Business. She serves on The Captiva Community P anel. She serves on Healthy Lee\, an Advisory Board for Lee Memorial Healt h Systems.\n Joann Elardo\, Founder/Owner of Cape Spirits Inc. and Founde r / Owner of Wicked Dolphin Distillery\, Commercial Quest / L &\; E Cap ers – Commercial Investments\, and Founder of Cape Coral Animal Shelter. JoAnn Elardo\, the founder of Wicked Dolphin Distillery\, which was recent ly named one of GrowFL's Companies To Watch for 2016\, is a serial entrepr eneur of broad and varied scope. Having worked in the film\, video\, and f inance space\, Elardo owned and operated a large shoe distribution company in Europe until she sold the company and moved to Florida in 2008. "I mov ed to Florida because I needed a break from the cold Eastern Europe winter s\," Elardo said. "At the time\, I had some investments in commodities and \, in particular\, sugar. One evening I was analyzing my sugar commodities while drinking a cocktail made from a lousy rum. I asked myself why isn't someone making a good Florida rum\, and that is when I decided to start W icked Dolphin." Elardo approaches rum making in the craft distilling tradi tion\, using premium ingredients to make a superior product. "With Wicked Dolphin\, we really wanted to celebrate Florida\," she said. "Most of our ingredients are from Florida. We have very fertile soil and grow phenomena l fruit down here\, and we want to tap into local ingredients and work wit h local farmers. Our spice is not a canned spice like large rum makers. Yo u'll get real spice that we handpick with added local honey." Elardo's adv ice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to work hard because if it were easy\, e veryone would be doing it.\n\nMeet our featured Non-profit: 4Kids\n\nRick Jacobs is the Executive Director of 4KIDS Southwest Florida\, a faith-base d foster care licensing agency serving the 5 Southwest Florida county regi on. Rick has decades of experience in the foster care world\; he and his w ife have fostered over 30 children and adopted 3\, joining their three bio logical children. Prior to 4KIDS\, Rick served as the Executive and Worshi p Pastor at First Baptist of Pompano\, FL\, and he was the Worship and Adm inistrative Pastor at Riverside Baptist Church in Ft. Myers for 11 years. https://www.4kids.us/\n\n \;\n\n\n\nFor information on becoming an Ann ual Sponsor\, a Meeting Sponsor\, an Angel Lunch Sponsor\, a Member\, or a n Ambassador\, or for more information\, please call 239-910-7426 and ask for Jeanne Sweeney\, CEO/ Founder of the Above Board Chamber of FL. Togeth er we can sail into 2023 and make it our best year yet!\nThank you to CONR IC pr + marketing for helping us with our press releases and website to ge t this important meeting out!\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.aboveboardchamber.com/wp-content/upl oads/2023/04/Lee-County-may-ad-2023.jpg CATEGORIES:Fort Myers Meeting LOCATION:Crowne Plaza at Bell Tower\, 13051 Bell Tower Drive\, Fort Myers \ , Florida \, 33907\, United States GEO:26.551324;-81.86838 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=13051 Bell Tower Drive\, Fo rt Myers \, Florida \, 33907\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Cr owne Plaza at Bell Tower:geo:26.551324,-81.86838 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20230312T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR