Horizon Council honors Lee County's 2008 industry leaders

Stilwell The Horizon Council recognized six local companies and one individual for their leadership and innovation during the 2008 Industry Appreciation Week Luncheon held at the Harborside Event Center. The award winners were:

General Business: WilsonMiller

Since 1956, WilsonMiller has provided comprehensive engineering services throughout the southeastern United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. In 2006, the company doubled its Lee County presence when it moved its Fort Myers office into a new 32,000-square-foot facility in Gateway. For the past two years, WilsonMiller has implemented an Innovation Program to enhance the firm's working environment, processes and procedures and to stimulate innovative thinking within the organization.

Information Technology: Entech Computer Services

The vision of Entech Computer Services is to be recognized as Florida's foremost computer-related solution provider, and it intends to achieve that vision by providing unparalleled customer service based on the Golden Rule. A full-service computer consulting firm, Entech specializes in sales, service, network design, installation and administration. Entech offers a family friendly environment for employees and supports the arts and many community organizations.

Hoolihan Manufacturing: Marine Concepts

Marine Concepts is one of the most extensive and experienced fiberglass tooling companies in the U.S., with locations from Cape Coral to Sarasota, employing more than 125 skilled workers. The company's recent diversification efforts into military applications, theme parks and other industries have helped keep sales up. Marine Concepts is an environmentally friendly company and offers numerous employee benefits. The staff has donated more than 70 units of blood to the blood mobile and is active in the Lee County community.

Tourism: Stilwell Enterprises

What started with one employee and the purchase of the small Captiva Inn in 1999 has now grown to 145 employees, five restaurants and a retail shopping plaza. Along the way, owner Sandy Stilwell has managed to solve some of the neighborhood's parking and sewage problems and created a successful synergy for the area's touristrelated businesses. She uses an aggressive Internet-based marketing campaign to attract business to the properties, and spends a lot of her time fine-tuning things like employee training, customer service and point-of-sale technology in order to grow smart — not just fast.

Business Expansion: 21st Century Oncology

21st Century Oncology, a leading developer and operator of radiation therapy centers, has been operating for nearly 20 years and has 49 freestanding hospital-based centers, which serve cancer patients in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Nevada and North Carolina. The company is building a new corporate headquarters building on Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. Its recent expansion will create 140 new full-time jobs with salaries averaging 115 percent of the average Lee County annual wage. The estimated economic impact of the company's expansion over the next four years is an estimated $36 million.

Horizon Council Lifetime Achievement Award: Tom Hoolihan

Long-time Horizon Council member and real estate developer and broker Tom Hoolihan was one of the original members of the organization at its 1991 inception, and he has served in every position on its board. Hoolihan created the Tommy Hoolihan Real Estate and Lifestyle Center and owns Riverbend Golf, Riverclub and Vision One Realty Group.

New Business: Tigris Pharmaceuticals

Founded in 2005 in Bonita Springs, this biopharmaceutical company acquires the rights to commercially develop therapeutic technologies to address urgent medical needs, including oncology and infectious diseases. The leadership team has achieved approval for 15 worldwide products and has led the initiation of hundreds of clinical trials. This team, led by Dr. Edmundo Muniz, has a combined 60-plus years of experience in pharmaceutical research - with most of that experience at one of the nation's top pharmaceutical companies.

The Horizon Council is a public-private group that works toward improving the business environment in Lee County.