Upcoming business meetings

The Urban Land Institute Southwest Florida District Council will host a "Learn from the Best" program on Thursday, Aug. 21. The event will be held at the Estuary at Grey Oaks clubhouse, 2785 Estuary Drive in Naples. Registration and networking begins at 5 p.m. with the program at 5:30 p.m.

The guest speaker will be Alan D. Reynolds, chairman and chief executive officer of WilsonMiller, Inc. Headquartered in Naples, the firm is a multidisciplinary planning, design, engineering and surveying firm with a history of more than 50 years in professional consulting. WilsonMiller is currently ranked 157th on Engineering News-Record's 2008 list of Top 500 Design Firms in the United States.

Reynolds will share his knowledge about his chosen career path and share his advice on how to make it to the top. The event is free and cocktails and snacks will be served. For more information or to register, contact the ULI Southwest Florida District Council at (800) 321-5011.

The Lee County Tourist Development Council will hold an advertising workshop on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. at the Visitor & Convention Bureau, 12800 University Drive, Suite 325 in Fort Myers.

The Gulf Coast Society of Fundraising Executives will hold its annual Fundraising Conference, "Going Green for the Green," on Friday, Sept. 12 at Hodges University, 4501 Colonial Blvd. (corner of Colonial and Winkler) in Fort Myers.

This is Southwest Florida's most comprehensive fund raising conference. The event will showcase Southwest Florida's environmentally friendly and cost-saving green ideas with a program designed to provide the latest non-profit fund raising skills and trends.

Keynote speakers include Jane Gilbert, founder of Dream in Green and popular speaker Greta Schulz of Proactive Training. Topics include sustainable practices for your non-profit, relationship-based fund raising, planned giving, grant writing and non-event fund raising.

Registration is open and includes the conference from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., continental breakfast and refreshment breaks. Register by Aug. 18 and enjoy early-bird pricing at $75 for non-members and $65 for members. A one-year membership is $35 and can be added onto your conference registration. Visit www. gcsfre.org for more information.

The Southwest Florida Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development and the HR Collier Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management announced that MacGregor, cartoonist and illustrator for The News-Press, will be the speaker at its Aug. 20 meeting at 11:30 a.m. at the Country Club of Naples.

MacGregor will present "Thinking Creatively" using an interactive presentation to open up the right side of the brain. He will unplug participant digital/electronic habits and show how to be an "out-of-the-box" thinker. He will assess participants' right- and left-side brain dominant habits and open up the mind's eye for more creative solutions. Participants will feel refreshed to go out and create.

Cost is $20 for members; $25 nonmembers and guests; $25 for walk-ins.

Registration deadline is noon on Aug. 15; register by sending an e-mail to Lori-Ann Martell at lmartell@advancedmedicalcenter. com