Strong after Ian; six businesses honored at 2022 Lee Industry Appreciation Awards

Lee County is back and open for business following Hurricane Ian.

The 2022 Industry Appreciation Awards were held Friday to a recording-breaking crowd inside the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, honoring local businesses for their hard work and impact on Southwest Florida.

Nearly 600 people watched as six business walked away with awards for making strides in areas, such as manufacturing, technology and inclusion. The annual awards — sponsored by the Horizon Council, Horizon Foundation and Lee County's Economic Development Office — also commended businesses on their resiliency after Hurricane Ian's reign of terror on the region in September.

The ceremony was rescheduled from their original date in October. Horizon Foundation President Christopher Spiro said they had a challenge with finding a new date for their event in a nice location after Ian.

Check out last year's winnersLee County recognizes seven businesses, nonprofits at Industry Appreciation Awards

And the year before thatLee County businesses honored at 2019 Industry Appreciation Awards

Between the pandemic and Ian, Spiro added that the businesses and community in Lee County have really banded together to make each other stronger over the past three years. He said he was looking forward to acknowledging that during the ceremony.

"It just goes to show that the community believes in itself and believes in each other and are here to lift everybody up together," Spiro said. "It is really inspiring to see those people and be a part of that and just see how people band together without having to be asked … it just happens."

Horizon Council Chair Mark Stevens discussed how much the awards, held for the past 28 years, have grown and evolved with new categories. Receiving high number of applications, he said Lee County has an unbelievable range of industry and businesses to offer.

"We have a beautiful climate. We have beautiful beaches, we have beautiful waters, the hurricane can't take that away … but people want more," Stevens said. "They want more for their families. They want more for their employees, so that's why it's been such a hotbed of growth. And the Horizon Foundation and the Horizon Council have been a big part of it."

Here are the winners of the 2022 Industry Appreciation Awards.

Inclusion and Diversity Award: Minaya Learning Global Solutions

The Inclusion and Diversity Award recognizes a local business that demonstrates strong vision and leadership in overcoming social and diversity obstacles, leading to an improved business environment and results.

The award was given to Minaya Learning Global Solutions, a corporate learning services that develops and delivers corporate education and training to Fortune 500 companies. Their clients include IBM, Emerson, HP, and Forrester Research.

The strategic learning architects received the award due to their commitment to developing their clients’ number one resource – their people. Diversity and inclusion has always been at the heart of this minority-owned and woman-owned business.

In addition to a diverse team of six employees in Fort Myers, Minaya has more than 100 diverse contractors working globally, all of whom assist clients with their diversity initiatives.

Technology Award: Vectra Digital

The Technology Award recognizes a local technology-focused company that is committed to growth and adding new technology-related products and/or services, customers, and staff and supports the technology community in Lee County.

The award was given to Vectra Digital, a Fort Myers digital marketing company at the forefront of artificial intelligence-based technology development. Harrison Ambs, Chief Strategy Officer, said it was a great feeling to be recognized for their team's hard work.

"It was an honor … the fact this is a combination of both public and private (companies) and to be recognized with some companies that have been in the area for 20, 30 years longer," Ambs said. "These are foundational industries that have said, 'Hey, you are a company that's very young. We think you and everybody that was with you, your team, is doing something special and we want to recognize you.'"

Innovator of the Year Award: My Undercover Agent

The Innovator of the Year Award recognizes a local business that develops advanced or innovative technologies that have a positive impact on Lee County’s growing economy and within its industry.

The award went to My Undercover Agent, a Cape Coral based real estate technology start-up envisioned, developed and founded by Kari Leftwich-Wolfe in 2016.

By developing technology to elevate the real estate industry internationally, My Undercover Agent serves as a prime example of the budding ecosystem in Lee County for tech-startups.

Manufacturer of the Year Award: HF Scientific Inc.

The Manufacturer of the Year award recognizes a local manufacturing business in Lee County that exhibits excellence and growth in leadership, performance, profitability, and workforce relations.

HF Scientific Inc. claimed the top spot, with Senior Product Manager Charlie Pasquarilla saying it was a tremendous honor to be nominated and receive the award.

"This is a great community, coming to a lot of these local events, especially since the pandemic and the fact that everything's been opening up, I've met a lot of tremendous people in the community that are many of the transplants like us, that chose this place to call our home," Pasquarilla said. "It's becoming a new tech hub, a new manufacturing hub, a new place of innovation, and it's exciting. It's exciting to be part of that."

The company moved its headquarters from Canada to Fort Myers in 1980, was acquired by the leading brand Watts in 2005, and expanded its footprint with the opening of a new state-of-the-art, 35,000-square-foot facility.

HF scientific is a leading global producer of instrumentation, test kits and chemical reagents used for monitoring water quality in a variety of applications. According to organizers, the company is a leader in its industry and holds many patents for innovative products.

Small Business of the Year Award

This award recognizes a company with up to 50 employees that has been in business a minimum of six years in Lee County and offers high-quality products and services with superior customer service.

Spiro & Associates, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations and Brand Architecture grabbed the award, with Chief Commercial Officer Christopher Spiro joking that he feels like the Susan Lucci of the ceremony, winning after being nominated 27 times.

Most of all, he was proud of those sitting at the table also representing the company.

"So proud of the people that were sitting here down at (Table 89), those are the people that make my engine go round," Spiro said. "Like I said in the middle of my logo, there's an 'and' and ampersand, it's inclusive … I'm no good without my associates and I couldn't have been prouder."

Under the leadership of Spiro, Spiro & Associates has accelerated client performance for 37 years through game-changing marketing, advertising, public relations and branding. In addition to creating a new “No Walls” office space, the company recently expanded its services with an in-house app development team, a full-service social media department, and a digital photo and video studio.

Spiro added that winning the small business award meant a lot, sharing that 80% of the state's businesses are made up of 10 employees or less.

"When you have a small business, you recognize that there is a very large competitive market out there. Lee County itself is also home to tons of small businesses, and to be able to be recognized and stand out head and shoulders above the top … It was wonderful," Spiro said.

Lee County’s Large Business of the Year: Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.

The Large Business of the Year recognizes a company with over 50 employees that has been in business a minimum of six years in Lee County and offers high-quality products and services along with superior customer service.

Nabbing the award towards the end of ceremony, Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. took home the top spot.

The oldest law firm in Fort Myers, Henderson Franklin, Starnes & Holt was established in 1924 and has grown to become one of the largest locally-based law firms between Tampa and Miami. The firm employs more than 55 attorneys.

Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt has been recognized with top honors at the national, state and local levels.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Winners for 2022 Industry Appreciation Awards were announced. See who.