IT'S YOUR BUSINESS: Business news releases Thursday, March 18, 2010

BSU Member-Customers return incumbents to board of directors

Bonita Springs Utilities member-customers re-elected incumbents Bob Bachman, Hank Hochstetler and Robert Sharkey to its board of directors for a three-year term.

Bachman has served on the board since November 2000 and is owner/president of WBG SW Florida. Hochstetler, a retired real estate broker and community volunteer, has served on the board since 1990. Sharkey, a retired Florida Department of Corrections lieutenant joined the board in 2009.

Bonita Springs attorney Jim Kerr, whose firm monitored the election for the 10th time, announced the results during BSU’s March 16 annual meeting. He reported that more than 21,000 ballots were mailed, and the League of Women Voters of Lee County counted 4,074 valid ballots.

The annual meeting also included reports about the state of the utility. Board President Dave McKee expects that current economic conditions will continue in the region throughout 2010 but reported that the diligent efforts of the board and BSU staff have positioned the utility to maintain its solid financial position and reliable service.

Executive Director Fred Partin reported that 20 percent of BSU’s 121 employees have been with the utility for at least a decade, with an additional 32 percent on board for five to ten years. Only 131 new water meters were installed during 2009, but 1,084 old meters were replaced as part of the utility’s maintenance program.

Director of Finance Debbie Bautista reported that freezing employee compensation, limiting discretionary spending and deferring construction projects improved the utility’s bottom line. BSU enjoys strong working capital position, debt service coverage and credit ratings.

Director of Engineering Mike Liggins said 21 capital projects contributed an approximate asset value of $2.4 million during 2009. BSU completed nine major projects, including the Windsor Road water-storage tank, last year.

The board of directors meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the BSU offices on East Terry Street. Board members also serve on various subcommittees and work groups, devoting 10 to 60 hours a month working with the utility’s management and staff. In addition to Bachman, Hochstetler and Sharkey, the board includes Paul Attwood, Frank Liles, John Mathes, Dave McKee, Steve McIntosh and Jim Strecansky.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 40,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

- Contributed by Laurel Smith, Gravina, Smith & Matte

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Cashion named controller for The Club at Mediterra

Stephen J. Cashion has been named club controller at The Club at Mediterra in North Naples. In his new position, Cashion will be responsible for the financial management of The Club including payroll/ benefits, fiscal reporting, bank relations, taxes, budgeting, member relations and process implementation.

Cashion has more than twenty-five years experience in financial management with an emphasis on results-oriented financial leadership in land development and country club environments. Prior to joining the professional team at Mediterra, Cashion was club controller at Spanish Wells Golf & Country Club in Bonita Springs and also served as chief financial officer of West Bay Development in Estero.

He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.

In December the members purchased The Club at Mediterra from the community’s developer. The members now own all The Club facilities including the two championship golf courses, golf learning center and short-game practice area, the 25,000-square-foot clubhouse and Sports Club with five Har-Tru tennis courts, outdoor pool, three spa rooms and fitness center. The members also own the private Mediterra Beach Club on the Gulf of Mexico which features an elevated swimming pool, expansive sundeck, and indoor and al fresco dining.

The Club at Mediterra has achieved national recognition as one of the top golf facilities in America. It has been honored with the Environmental Leaders in Golf Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and Golf Digest magazine and has been named by Golf Magazine as one of the 50 Best Golf Communities in America. Mediterra has also been named one of the top 100 golf communities in America by Travel + Leisure Golf for four consecutive years and twice by Links magazine. It was the first-ever 36-hole course to earn Audubon International’s Silver Signature Sanctuary status.

Mediterra is located on Livingston Road two miles north of Immokalee Road in North Naples. For additional information, contact The Club at Mediterra at 239-254-3022.

- Contributed by Amy Gravina, Gravina, Smith & Matte Marketing and PR

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State rebate program offers incentives for buying efficient appliances, recycling old ones

Southwest Florida residents looking to replace an old cranky refrigerator, reduce their energy bills or make an income tax refund go further may want to consider heading to Home-Tech’s showroom between April 16 – 25. For 10 days only, Florida residents can get 20 percent of the price of a new ENERGY STAR refrigerator, clothes washing machine, dishwasher, freezer, room air conditioner, or gas-tankless water heater back as a cash rebate from the state. Plus, they’ll get an extra $75 for recycling the units they replace.

“This is a great time for homeowners who have been thinking of getting a new appliance to do so,” says Mike Hendershott, sales manager for Home-Tech. “It could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save.”

Residents who purchase multiple new appliances and recycle old ones can apply for a rebate or incentive on one type of each eligible appliance, up to a maximum of $1,500 per address. The state will award rebates on a first come, first served basis until the program budget is depleted. According to program information on the Florida Energy & Climate Commission Web site, the state is allocating $17,585,466 of the funding it received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to implement the program. It states that a small portion of the money will be used to administer the program, with the rest being used to provide rebates on purchases of ENERGY STAR appliances and incentives to recycle old appliances.

For Home-Tech’s service agreement customers, the deal is even sweeter: those with Gold service level agreements already get a discount off Home-Tech’s retail appliance prices. The ENERGY STAR rebate is offered on top of these savings. Customers who do not currently have a service agreement can sign up for Gold coverage and also receive both Home-Tech’s Gold discount pricing and the state rebate.

“Gold-discount price savings often cover the cost of a one-year service agreement in and of themselves,” Hendershott says. “When you also figure in the state rebate, the savings really add up. Customers could even buy multiple-year service agreements to lock in today’s premium price and spend roughly the same amount on their appliance when they get their rebate from the state.

“By adding a service agreement, you’re not just buying an appliance, you’re also buying piece of mind,” Hendershott adds. “And the service agreement covers all of the appliances in your home, not just the one you purchase.”

Unlike the original “Cash for Clunkers” incentive that applied to automobiles, customers must apply for rebates on their own following purchase – dealers will not apply the rebates to their purchase price. Hendershott encourages customers to buy and apply for their rebates early to maximize their savings.

“We anticipate a lot of demand for appliances,” Hendershott says. “Manufacturers have been working to build up inventory, but customers should still shop early for the best selection.” Home-Tech stocks a wide array of ENERGY STAR refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers that qualify for the program. Unlike “big box” stores, Home-Tech also services appliances, so its sales representatives have inside knowledge of each model and can help customers choose the best option to meet their needs.

More information on the Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate program can be found online at www.myfloridaclimate.com. Home-Tech’s entire appliance lineup can be viewed online at www.home-tech.com, or in store between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

- Contributed by Carolyn Rogers, Briggs Rogers

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Lee County Manager Karen Hawes will be special guest speaker at luncheon

Karen Hawes, the Lee County manager, is expected to provide insight to the County’s budget process, along with an overview of major infrastructure projects and initiatives. Other topics on the agenda include the use of economic stimulus funds, implementation of Smart Growth policies, and improving energy efficiency in the County’s 3.6 million square feet of owned and leased facilities. Lee County Commissioners awarded the county manager position to Karen Hawes last September, following her service as Interim County Manager and Director of Human Services for the county. Following her presentation, County Manager Hawes will respond to questions of specific interest to the real estate and development community.

The meeting is sponsored by Advanced Roofing & Sheet Metal, and will begin promptly at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13th in the Osprey Room at Pelican Preserve’s Clubhouse, on Treeline Avenue at Colonial Boulevard, one mile east of I-75 exit 136 in Fort Myers. Admission is $25.00 for members and $35.00 for guests, which includes lunch. Reservations are required by April 7th and may be made at the REIS web site: www.reis-swfl.org.

For further program information: Kevin M. Fitzgerald, (239) 437-3330 ext. 201 .

- Contributed by Bill Burdette, Real Estate Investment Society

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After all, it’s your business.

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Have news about your business to share with Southwest Florida? Send it to business@naplesnews.com and to our Business and Government Content Editor Dave Osborn at djosborn@naplesnews.com. We’ll post these on the Business page at naplesnews.com every day and will publish these as space allows in the daily Business section and Business Monday in the Naples Daily News. Start watching online daily for these postings!

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