Award recognizes business owners who rise above adversity

Five small-business owners who have succeeded in the face of adversity will be honored at a luncheon Thursday, Nov. 5. One nominee will win the 15th annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award.

The program, coordinated and sponsored by Oswald Trippe and Company, recognizes successful small businesses and shares their stories so that other entrepreneurs may benefit from their experiences.

“We were thrilled to have a record number of 18 nominations this year,” says OTC’s Scott Gregory, the Blue Chip organizer. “The judges had a difficult task selecting the five finalists.”

This year’s distinguished finalists are: David Herman and Todd Strackbein of Herman • Strackbein Construction Inc.; Steve Eagan of In Bloom Flowers; J. Robert (Bob) Long and Matt Chambers of JRL Ventures Inc./Marine Concepts; John Trotter, vice president, of Mermaid Manufacturing of SW FL Inc.; and Diane Caputo of Old Monty’s Restaurant & Pizzeria.

The awards luncheon, set for 11:30 a.m., will take place at Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe St., Fort Myers. For information, contact Stacey Mercado at 985-7614 or smercado@otc1.com. 