Hamman says he'll stress growing county businesses as Fort Myers Chamber chief

Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman started as chief executive officer of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce a couple of weeks ago with a vow to bring Chamber members more information on their importance to the county's economy.

Hamman said he sought the job after an opening developed and the vacancy was advertised. He replaces Dianna Ryan, who had been serving as interim president.

He will remain in his $100,000 per year post as county commissioner for District 4, which includes Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and much of downtown Fort Myers, extending across Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, past the planned Midtown district to Winkler Avenue.

"I have always admired the operation of the Camber in my professional career before I became a commissioner," he said. "This is actually something that allows me to continue to build on the reason I ran for commissioner and that is growing the business community, creating jobs and improving our quality of life."

Brian Hamman friendly to local business

Hamman has taken a pro-business stance on issues before the county commission dating to his appointment by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2014. He often speaks from the commission dais in support of initiatives to bring well-paying jobs to the county.

"Our board of directors has been continually impressed by Brian's leadership in business and within our community," the chairwoman of the Chamber board of directors, Michele Hoover, said in a statement. Hoover, an accountant, said she was confident that Hamman would "lead in our mission of connecting, empowering and unifying our members and community."

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There is some uneasiness among members of a watchdog group created a few years ago whose members have their own questions about the appointment.

"We‘re wondering, can he represent the public fairly when 40 hours of his time is spent advocating for business?" said Charlotte Newton of Women for a Better Lee. "We’re very concerned."

Newton added that the Chamber's work to promote business, which she advocates, may create an inherent conflict, even when complying with all relevant Florida laws.

Hamman said taking the helm of the Chamber, which represents more than 700 businesses, has kept him busy in his first weeks with goals for future Chamber activity.

"We definitely need to work on advocacy, making sure that these folks are informed  about issues that are important to their business," Hamman said. "I want our future generations, including my children —  who are 12 and 6 — to have good-paying jobs when they grow up here and raise their family here instead of moving away."

Hamman sought advice from the county attorney's office about the potential for conflicts of interest when holding the dual role as commissioner and Chamber executive.

He has reviewed opinions from the Florida Commission on Ethics, which has reviewed situations involving other chambers of commerce.

A 2015 case considered by the ethics commission, quoted by Hamman and the county attorney's office, involved an unnamed member of a city council in one of Seminole county's seven cities. That council member was also paid to serve as president of the local chamber of commerce.

The ethics commission advised the public official to "tailor your chamber role to be divorced from chamber lobbying concerns," suggesting abstaining during voting and refraining from participating in appropriation of public funds that benefit particular entities — which is the approach Hamman vows to take on the commission.

The advisory opinion found no conflicts in being a city council member along with working for the chamber of commerce but suggested the councilor keep the two roles separate.

Attorney Pam Seay, who teaches at Florida Gulf Coast University, said such advisory opinions released  by the attorney general's office or ethics commission, often rely on statements of the facts submitted by the person or agency seeking the opinion.

Seay takes the position that conflicts of interest can become an issue, sometimes inadvertently and sometimes intentionally, so conflicts are best avoided.

"It's not a problem until it's a problem, and it has the very strong potential of becoming a problem," Seay said. "To  expand, grow and make a better business community is a goal of county commissioners in many ways, but you have to look at the broader view, the residents who are not members."

Another member of the FGCU faculty takes the position that being a chamber executive need not be a disqualifying factor for public office.

Peter Bergerson, a professor of political science, said conflicts of interest arise in government, and office holders should be aware of that potential.

"I don't think you can just say he should not serve because of his employment," Bergerson said. "His actions and behavior on the commission must be monitored, he himself can be one who is very diligent about any conflict of interest or any unethical behavior or decisions."

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Hamman said he discussed the dual role of commissioner and Chamber executive with County Attorney Richard Wesch and the county legal staff before taking the Chamber job and will review potential conflicts  on a case-by-case basis.

"I wouldn't have accepted it if it wasn't something that I wasn't  allowed to do," Hamman said. "Since it's very common for elected officials to have outside employment, there are already many checks and balances and forms and procedures to file so that we know how to handle the situations, and we will follow those rules."

The entire commission has been involved in businesses located in Lee County and elsewhere.

In Lee County, commissioners Kevin Ruane, Mike Greenwell and Sandelli operate local businesses. Ruane's holdings also include companies out of state. The late Frank Mann tended to his Lee County real estate holdings, and the late Commissioner John Manning was an employee benefits consultant.

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce has had little formal interaction with the commission over the past decade; a review of a decade of commission minutes reveals no direct interaction between the Chamber and commissioners during meetings.

The Fort Myers-based chamber received a $5,000 grant from the county two years ago. It was one of 17 grants to chambers of commerce at the suggestion of Sandelli to help people out of work in the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 connect with potential employers.

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Millionaire Lee County commissioners

Hamman said he decided to work two jobs to better support his family.

He claimed net worth of $354,430 as of Dec. 31, 2021, according to his  financial statement filed June 13 with the state ethics commission. He has also worked in real estate sales and with his father's electrical contracting business during a family illness.

His ethics report was filed before he started his Chamber job. He declined to disclose his Chamber pay when asked by The News-Press, stating that he was not sure the Chamber would authorize it. He will be required to list the salary when filing his 2023 financial disclosure form.

Hamman is the only member of the county commission who is not a millionaire.

Ruane reported net worth of $27 million in his last filing, Sandelli reported $4 million, and Cecil Pendergrass reported a $1.5 million net worth. Mann, who died in June, reported $3.4 million is assets in his last financial disclosure.

Greenwell filed his 2021 income tax return with his statement of candidacy and reported income of $1.2 million last year and assets of $16.3 million.

Hamman took over at the Chamber of Commerce during the third week in July and said he has been concentrating on benefits of membership.

"The first thing we have got to do is let the members know they are very important to the Chamber," Hamman said. "We have got to give greater value to our members and that's beyond networking. It is giving good information to the members about what is going on  in their area, in Lee County."

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Brian Hamman to head Fort Myers Chamber, keep Lee commissioner post