Lee/ Collier 40 under 40

Lee 40 under 40

Steve Brown Jr., 39

Vice President of Development, John Madden Co., Fort Myers

There's a lot riding on Steve Brown Jr.

Brown, 39, is the vice president of development for John Madden Co., the development company charged with building a research park on land owned by Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers.

Economic development and local government officials are praying the project brings desperately needed diversification to an area that's been overly dependent on real estate and tourism for its well-being. The hope is that big-name scientific companies will locate offices there, providing high-wage jobs and attracting similar companies.

"It's gonna be OK," Brown says reassuringly. "There is sunshine at the end of the rainbow."

Initially, Brown plans to develop 275,000 square feet of space and he's working hard to sign rapidly growing scientific companies as tenants. He's targeted companies in the pharmaceutical and environmental-sciences, among others. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year on what's being called Madden Research Loop though no tenants have signed on yet.

For Lee County, the project can't happen soon enough. The construction boom has come to a halt, airport-passenger traffic has dropped for the first time in recent memory and the unemployment rate has doubled in one year.

Brown acknowledges that the economic downturn has made everyone more cautious, but he says fast-growing companies with long-range plans won't stop expanding. "The reason they call it a cycle is that it's a cycle," he says. "If we were driven by real estate, we would obviously not be doing this."

In his position, Brown evaluates and directs new projects such as the one in Fort Myers for Madden, a highly successful developer who made his fortune by opening up a new area of Denver to development. Brown, who is married to Madden's granddaughter, Blair, has lived on Sanibel island since 1991.

Brown is responsible for putting the development teams together, which he must do from scratch for every project. That's because Madden has just eight employees currently managing $300 million worth of projects. He hires a fresh team for every project, from the construction manager to the architects and public relations professionals. "You're paying a 40% premium but you get 100% efficiency," Brown says.

The biggest challenge for the Fort Myers project is the difficulty tenants tell him they will have finding qualified labor. "They don't want to move a lab here and have a choice of only two people to run it," Brown says. "That's the biggest obstacle."

Brown is counting on the growth of Florida Gulf Coast University's new engineering school to help fill the talent gap. "The university will have to mature," he says. In the meantime, he hopes any new tenant can tap into graduates from the University of Florida because there aren't many jobs available in Gainesville. "It's a mobile university," he says.

The other challenge is to keep local enthusiasm for the project high. "I hope they don't lose interest," Brown says. While some economic development officials are putting a big focus on attracting biotechnology companies to the Gulf Coast, Brown says other industries could be as beneficial. "It's not a biopark," he says. "We're not pigeon-holing ourselves." For example, companies that focus on renewable energies could be one industry that might mushroom here.

Brown also hopes companies locate facilities in Fort Myers for the same reason he lives on Sanibel: "I'm a huge fan of the beach, boats and fish." He docks his 22-foot powerboat at Gramma Dots, a marina with a well-known restaurant on Sanibel. "I'm an environmentally friendly fisherman; I never catch anything," he jokes.

If the pressure from economic development officials isn't enough, there's also the family business to maintain. Conversations about development are always a hot topic at the dinner table and long into the night. "When you work for your family's company, you're always working," Brown says.

Kevin, 33, & Karen Dubree, 35

Co-Owners,

HIT Fitness, Naples

HIT Fitness is no ordinary gym.

There are no mirrors, no thumping hip-hop music and no gym rats hanging around.

Kevin, 33, and Karen Dubree, 35, co-owners of HIT Fitness in Naples, make sure clients get a full strength workout in as little as 20 minutes twice a week with personal supervision at every step. Some clients come in their work suits during lunch and hardly break a sweat.

The Dubrees bring the same kind of no-nonsense focus to their business. There are no plans for a spa, food, yoga classes or other revenue-generating amenities or activities that are common to many fitness centers. The Dubrees personally coach clients on 16 MedX workout machines that cost as much as $8,000 each in a small, 1,200-square-foot room. "Maintaining control is very important," says Kevin Dubree.

Natives of Chicago, the husband and wife were both personal trainers who focused on building clients' strength under the idea that "less is more." That training philosophy maintains that a body's recovery from exercise is just as important as the exercise itself, so workouts emphasize slow motion and longer recovery between sessions. The machines are set to muscular exhaustion and clients move quickly from one to the next so they can be done in 20 minutes.

Kevin Dubree was the manager of a similar facility in Chicago when a client suggested he open one in Naples. He and Karen moved to Naples in 2004 and opened HIT Fitness in August 2005 (HIT stands for high-intensity training). The couple says they spent between $75,000 and $100,000, borrowing off the equity on their then-rapidly appreciating home. They started out slowly, providing 10 workout sessions per week.

But the business grew as word spread. Now, the Dubrees book as many as 160 workout sessions a week Monday through Saturday. Still, to maintain a regular source of income, Karen Dubree, a former municipal-bond trader, works part-time as an executive assistant to a hedge-fund investment firm in Naples.

HIT Fitness' customers include athletes looking for extra strength training, busy professionals who don't have time for long workouts and older people who may want the personal attention that another gym can't provide. They have customers as young as 10 years old and as old as 85. Although word-of-mouth accounts for most of their new clients, the Dubrees get referrals from physical therapists and doctors, too.

There are no membership fees; customers pay as they go and can't work out without a trainer's supervision. Gyms often require membership fees to keep customers coming back and ensure a steady income stream for the business, but the Dubrees say that is counterproductive. "A lot of people don't want to commit," says Kevin. It costs $55 per session, but you can buy 10 for $450.

Because Naples' residential population is so seasonal, the Dubrees have had to learn to adjust their business accordingly. Most of their clients are over age 45 and a significant number are over age 60, they report. So the Dubrees have been working to attract full-year residents. For example, they paired a training plan with golf professionals who are also looking for clients in the summer. Both have benefited from Tiger Woods' focus on the combination of strength training and golf perfection.

The Dubrees are planning to eventually hire more trainers for their Naples facility so as many as four can help customers at any given time. So far, a softer economy hasn't impacted HIT Fitness, they say. "The clientele is upscale," says Karen Dubree. "People have to take care of themselves."

The Dubrees are considering expanding HIT Fitness to the North Naples area, though not too far north of Naples that they move outside the orbit of affluence. They want to do it themselves and have turned down offers to franchise their business. "You really lose that personal touch" by franchising, says Kevin Dubree.

Brian Olitsky, 37

Owner, Smile Design, Bonita Springs

Brian Olitsky's office doesn't look, smell or sound like a dentist's. In fact, the word "dentist" doesn't appear anywhere.

When patients enter Olitsky's Smile Design office, they are greeted by incense, aromatic teas, gurgling fountains and receptionists who never wear scrubs. Olitsky himself wears business-casual clothes and dons a gray vest only when he's operating.

Olitsky, 37, specializes in the rapidly growing field of cosmetic dentistry. When he opened his practice on May 19, 2005, Extreme Makeover was one of the most popular television shows. The reality show highlighted ordinary people changing the way they looked with cosmetic and dental surgery. "I knew it was going to be big," he says.

But building his Bonita Springs practice wasn't easy. For one thing, most insurance companies don't pay for cosmetic dental work that can cost as much as $40,000. Getting patients was so challenging the first year that he had to work part-time at another dental office to make ends meet. "It was definitely scary that first year," he says.

What's more, his second daughter was born two weeks before he opened his new practice. "It was a good time for her to be born because we weren't busy," Olitsky laughs.

But Olitsky grew up in a family of dentists. His father is a dentist in Fort Myers and his brother practices in Jacksonville. He gets advice from them as well as a study group he joined with other entrepreneurial dentists, though he wishes he'd taken more business classes in college.

Like many recent graduates of dental school, Olitsky was saddled with student-loan debt. Initially, he worked for another dentist in Cape Coral to build up enough savings to open the Bonita Springs office. Most banks wouldn't lend to him without a substantial down payment, but Bank of America had a special lending division for dentists that loaned him $500,000. "That was just to open the doors," Olitsky says.

It took Olitsky a year to build his practice in Bonita Springs. Many customers refer friends and family, but he also gets new patients by spending about 10% of the practice's income on advertising in glossy fashion magazines. He estimates about 70% of patients are referrals and 30% are from advertising and marketing.

Bonita Springs is a fast-growing town in south Lee County with wealthy people who can pay for cosmetic dentistry. So far, the economic downturn hasn't had an impact on his practice. "There's still a lot of money out there, it's just changing hands," he says.

The key to building a successful practice is to help patients relax while they undergo procedures that can last as long as eight hours. During breaks in surgery, patients can sip tea and listen to satellite radio in a Zen room that features a massage chair while burning incense wafts through the air. Herbal neck wraps and nitrous oxide (also called laughing gas) also help soothe anxious patients.

Olitsky uses other methods to help patients relax. For one thing, he buys cements and other teeth-filling materials that don't have the odor that often permeates most dental offices. "Once that smell gets in the office, it never comes out," he says.

Olitsky's staff doesn't dress in scrubs and he wears business-casual clothes. In the operating room, he dons a more-soothing-colored grey jacket while patients can watch television on a flat screen that swivels in front of them or listen to satellite radio on headphones. The drills he uses are located behind patients so they can't see them.

In his spare time, Olitsky competes in triathlons. "I do an Ironman a year," he says, pointing to medals and photos on his wall. During peak training times, he runs for an hour and a half and bikes 10 miles before work. After work, he swims an hour and a half. It took him 15 hours to finish his most recent triathlon, the Ironman Arizona race on April 13. When he's not training for a triathlon, he stays in shape by running a couple marathons a year.

Now that his Bonita Springs office is profitable, Olitsky is taking on another challenge: He recently acquired a second practice in Naples for $350,000. This one was easier to finance with a loan from US Bank because it is an existing practice. He's borrowing a page from the triathlon playbook to build the business: "I'm going to get there as fast as I can."

lee/collier

David B. Genson, 38

The Barron Collier Companies

Vice president of engineering

Education: Master of Business Administration, Florida Gulf Coast University (2003), Bachelor of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1993)

Hometown: Port Washington, Wisc.

First job: A dishwasher at a greasy little Italian restaurant in Wisconsin.

Years on Gulf Coast: 10

Marital status: Single

Hero: My mother, who has been an inspiration to me by showing me that by working hard and staying down-to-earth with your life, you will succeed beyond anyone's imagination.

Business person you most admire: Paul J. Marinelli (former CEO of Barron Collier Companies). Mr. Marinelli's great leadership and vision has been, by far, the most influential on me in my business career.

Favorite book, why?: Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. It's just amazing how this book describes the trials and tribulations of the Lewis and Clark expedition and the importance of it all.

Most inspirational book: Love by Leo Buscaglia. I read this book during college and it has opened my eyes to all that life and love have to offer.

Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting

Best place to network: Any Urban Land Institute meeting or seminar.

I can't live without: Making someone's day a little better before ending my day.

Best way to relax and let off steam: A long run after work.

Three most useful Web sites for work: colliergov.net, sfwmd.gov, naplesnews.com

Three favorite Web sites: Google Map, Wall Street Journal, and Beer Advocate (I am a big fan of different types of beer...)

Type of cell phone: Motorola Razr and Blackberry

Community group you're most involved with: I spend a fair amount of time with several, but the most enjoyment comes from cooking for the Guadeloupe Center's annual Thanksgiving in the Park in Immokalee Florida.

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: The need to further diversify ourselves economically and attract more high-wage industries and the need to expand and update our current transportation infrastructure with other alternative modes.

Three words that describe you: Intense, reliable, and perfectionist.

If I had a magic wand, I'd: Turn my girlfriend's cat into a Rottweiler!

Favorite lunch spot: Fernando the Bull Cuban Cafe

Jerron K. Hull, 33

Aim Engineering and Surveying Inc.

Chief operating officer

Education: B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Florida

Hometown: LaBelle

First job: Survey crew rod man for AIM Engineering and Surveying, Inc. in 1986 at age 12

Years on Gulf Coast: 33 years, fifth generation

Marital status: Married, with one-year-old son, Brooks.

Business person you most admire: Denis Roza, former president of Harper Brothers Construction

Favorite book, why?: A Land Remembered. It reminds me of Old Florida

Most inspirational book: Good to Great by Jim Collins

Favorite movie: Tommy Boy

Best place to network: The Farmers Market in Ft. Myers

I can't live without: My wife Ashley and my son Brooks

Best way to relax and let off steam: Spending time in the Big Cypress National Preserve

Three most useful Web sites for work: Wall Street Journal, The News Press and the Lee County Property Appraiser

Three favorite Web sites: EBay, Google Earth, and iTunes

Type of cell phone: Blackberry

Community group you're most involved with: Lehigh Chamber of Commerce (former board member)

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: Economic diversification and attracting knowledge workers

Three words that describe you: Humble, conscientious, patient

If I had a magic wand, I'd: invent inexpensive, personal air travel

Favorite lunch spot: The Farmers Market in Ft. Myers

Ron Waldrop, 37

Waldrop Engineering

Founder

Education: BSCE from University of Texas

Hometown: Austin, Tex.

First job: Summer job with Texas Department of Transportation

Years on Gulf Coast: 15 years

Marital status: Married with three children.

Hero: My Dad.

Business person you most admire: My Dad.

Favorite book, why?: Leadership by Rudy Giuliani. It calls for accountability in the work that you perform and stresses the importance of being a strong leader.

Most inspirational book: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.

Favorite movie: Old School

Best place to network: Sporting Events

I can't live without: Texas Longhorn football

Best way to relax and let off steam: Hanging out with my kids

Three most useful Web sites for work: Inc.com, businesspundit.com, portfolio.com

Three favorite Web sites: Orangebloods.com, Google.com, ESPN.com

Type of cell phone: Mogul Pocket PC.

Community group you're most involved with: Youth sports

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: Hurricanes and over-regulation by government

Three words that describe you: Aggressive, honest, intelligent.

If I had a magic wand, I'd: Free all children from any pain and suffering. All kids deserve a chance at a bright future.

Favorite lunch spot: P.F. Chang's.

Mary Tardiff, 30

LandQwest Commercial

Director of asset management

Education: Marketing Director Certification through Simon Property Group – August 2000; Professional Property Management Program through PCDI (online college) – October 2004

Hometown: Cape Coral

First job: Cashier at Food Lion

Years on Gulf Coast: Two years

Marital status: Engaged

Hero: Those who fight the war on terrorism for our freedom; Those who hold true to their beliefs.

Business person you most admire: Condoleezza Rice

Favorite book, why?: "How to Argue and Win Everytime" by Gerry Spence. The author teaches you the methods of communicating with people in the courtroom, at work and at home. The power of words. Understanding corporation dynamics. The power of listening. "Like any game, one cannot play the corporate game successfully without understanding the game."

Most inspirational book: Become a Better You by Joel Osteen

Favorite movie: The Untouchables, because one man can stand up and make a difference even in the face of adversity.

Best place to network: ICSC Convention in Orlando; Lee County Chamber

I can't live without: My family and close friends

Best way to relax and let off steam: Workout session at the gym then into my pajama's and reading a good book

Three most useful Web sites for work: www.leepa.org; www.sunbiz.org; www.dol.gov

Three favorite Web sites: www.review.net; www.foxnews.com; www.imdb.com

Type of cell phone: AT&T Tilt Smart Phone (windows based so I can receive my emails at all times no matter where I may be)

Community group you're most involved with: American Red Cross

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: The impact of subprime mortgage putting pressure on economic growth resulting in foreclosures and a decline in business investments and consumer spending which drives the economy. Energy and gas prices are affecting our industry from tourism to casual dinning to retail expenditures.

Three words that describe you: work-a-holic, loyal, energetic

If I had a magic wand, I'd: stop the war on terrorism and bring our troops home

Favorite lunch spot: Longhorn Steakhouse

Anthony Farhat, 31

PGI Homes Inc.

Co-owner, vice president, director of sales and marketing

Education: After a stint in college, I decided to gain real world experience and became involved in the family construction business.

Hometown: Annapolis, MD

First job: At the age of 12, I started spending summers working

for my father's construction business

Years on Gulf Coast: 10 years

Marital status: Married to my true love, Tia

Hero: My grandfather. He taught me how to be a man at a very young age. He demonstrated early on with real-world examples of how to manage money and network with influential people. He taught me to be comfortable with older people which has stayed with me throughout my entire life. He was instrumental in the development of my social skills.

Business person you most admire: My father. I believe in business

there are two distinct personality types..."foundation" people and "vertical" people. My father is a "foundation" man. He had a start-up agenda operating on smaller budgets, limited marketing capabilities and consistently rolled up

his sleeves to be a very hands-on manager. He focused on building a quality

reputation. By luck I happen to be vertically minded. My focus is on growth of revenue and profits. I have an opportunity to consider and explore new markets, refine processes and procedures and experiment with creative marketing. A vertical management style can only work effectively if a strong foundation is already in place. My father laid a solid, strong foundation for the next generation to build upon.

Favorite book, why?: My favorite book is titled "The Missing Piece

Meets the Big O." It's a children's book.This story compares the difference between two fragments of a circle trying to fit together and roll down a hill and the more successful scenario of two independent circles rolling down the hill side by side. Although it talks about a relatively simple concept, it touches on the very complex fact that relationships are difficult with two fragmented people who try to fit together (co-dependent) and very successful relationships with two whole people who proceed through life independently side by side.

Most inspirational book: "Who Moved My Cheese?" This book is

overwhelmingly valid when applied to the construction and real estate business. Our industry is in a constant state of change. The top professionals are fully aware of these cycles and are well prepared for the change in environment.

Favorite movie: The Usual Suspects

Best place to network: Political fundraisers

I can't live without: Competition

Best way to relax and let off steam: I enjoy going out with the guys,

sharing a meal, a drink and an occasional cigar.

Three most useful Web sites for work: census.gov, economic development department and the property appraiser sites for any county I conduct business.

Three favorite Web sites: I'm an online shopping addict: nordstrom.com, saks.com, and thomaspink.com

Type of cell phone: Blackberry (business), Motorola (personal)

Community group you're most involved with: Most recently, politics.

I've hosted four fundraisers in the past six weeks. In addition to exceptional networking and a sense of accomplishment, I feel like I'm contributing to the overall good of the area and the industries I represent.

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: Property taxes and insurance. Most of us agree that a large portion of our local economic

health relies on people moving to Florida, buying homes and spending some of their retirement funds here in the local economy. I feel as though we are dangerously close to turning away a portion of the baby boomer population that would otherwise fit in well with the Florida landscape if taxes and insurance were fairly priced.

Three words that describe you: Loyal, fair and impatient

If I had a magic wand, I'd: look into the future

Favorite lunch spot: Rumrunners at Cape Harbour

Allison D. Megrath, 37

Land Planning Solutions

Principal and founder

Education: Bachelor of Arts (Honors), Urban Studies, University of Toronto, 1993

Hometown: Brockville, Ontario, Canada

First job: AD Johnston & Associates, (land planning consultant, self-employed, 1993)

Years on Gulf Coast: 4

Marital status: Married to my awesome husband, Matt Megrath, since 1998

Hero: My heroes are my two brothers, Robin and Ryan Johnston.

Business person you most admire: Ted Turner

Favorite book, why?: Aesop's Fables because of the timeless life lessons in morality

Most inspirational book: The Carolina Way, by Coach Dean Smith

Favorite movie: The Breakfast Club

Best place to network: Conferences of related industries

I can't live without: My faith

Best way to relax and let off steam: Breakfast at the beach with my family

Three most useful Web sites for work: www.planning.org; www.myflorida.com; www.floridaplanning.org

Type of cell phone: Blackberry Pearl

Community group you're most involved with: Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: Taxes and industry diversity

Three words that describe you: Focused, reliable and funny

If I had a magic wand, I'd: stop global warming

Favorite lunch spot: The Turtle Club

Craig Dollison Peden, 38

Rib City Group, Inc.

President

Education: Johnson & Wales Culinary Institute

Hometown: Tampa

First job: Dishwasher at Smitty's restaurant

Years on Gulf Coast: 38

Marital status: Married to Dawn for 14 years with daughter Cameron 12 and son Chandler 9

Hero: My Grandfathers, Smitty Brohard and Gene Peden

Business person you most admire: My father, Paul Peden

Favorite book, why?: Janet Evanovich, for her humor

Most inspirational book: Anything that improves my golf swing

Favorite movie: Star Wars

Best place to network: The Veranda restaurant

I can't live without: My Family

Best way to relax and let off steam: Fishing

Three most useful Web sites for work: www.ribcity.com; www.flra.org (Florida Restaurant Association) and www.restaurantowner.com

Three favorite Web sites: www.itunes.com; www.bassproshop.com and www.cabelas.com

Type of cell phone: iPhone

Community group you're most involved with: The Coastal Conservation Association

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: Downturn in the housing industry and coastal conservation

Three words that describe you: Assertive, funny and approachable

If I had a magic wand, I'd: Retire and move to the Keys

Favorite lunch spot: The Veranda restaurant

Erik Heben, 39

Private Wealth Consultants

Chief Financial Officer/Managing Partner

Education: BS from Kent State University

Hometown: Canton, Ohio

First job: Busboy at Chi Chi's Mexican Restaurant in Canton, Ohio

Years on Gulf Coast: 13. Moved down to Fort Myers in October 1994 with everything I owned in a 1990 Ford Probe.

Marital status: Married to Paula, my wife of 10 years. Two boys, Peyton & Preston

Hero: Today my hero is any politician who does what is right without thought to political consequence.

Business person I most admire: I have found that many business people you admire from afar are not as grand when you are up close and personal. I admire successful business people who are able to attain that level of success while maintaining their integrity, honesty and loyalty. I have worked with my partner in Private Wealth Consultants, Leo Boisvert, since 1994 and I have witnessed firsthand his commitment to those qualities.

Favorite Book: I love all non-fiction but right now I am enjoying The Lexus and the Olive Tree by Thomas L Friedman

Most inspirational book: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Favorite movie: Legends of the Fall

Best place to network: Golf course. You can really get a feel for a person after 18 holes of golf.

I can't live without: Time with my family

Best way to relax and let off steam: Boxing once a week

Three most useful Web sites for work: www.bloomberg.com, www.mypwc.net, www.cnbc.com

Three favorite Web sites: www.espn.com, www.collegefootball.rivals.com, www.bloomberg.com

Type of cell phone: Palm Treo 700WX

Community group you're most involved with: Florida Gulf Coast University Athletic Department

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: Economic slowdown, infrastructure.

Three words that describe you: Honest (some might say to a fault), trustworthy, curious

If I had a magic wand: I would create a reusable energy source so oil will go by way of the Dodo bird.

Favorite lunch spot? Thai Garden in Fort Myers

KP Pezeshkan, 39

Kraft Construction Company Inc.

Vice president of business development and marketing

Education: International Business & Marketing

Home Town: Born in Schlangenbad, Germany, moved to Teheran, Iran, and have lived in Naples for 29 years. I speak fluent German and Farsi.

First job: Digging ditches at the age of 15 and then going to work at a gas station at night

Years on Gulf Coast: 31

Marital status: Happy seven

Hero: Spiderman – "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"

Business person you admire most: My father, hands down! Everyone knows this guy. He is well respected, never puts his head down, always stands tall. He has taught me that success is not measured by what you drive, where you live or who you know. Success is knowing that there can always be more and better but if you appreciate what you have and make the best of it, there is nothing better.

Favorite Book and Why: I really enjoy reading books about ancient civilizations, especially Egypt. "Ancient Egypt" by Barry Kemp is one of those books. It enables you to look back in time, challenges your mind with the mysteries of how a 3,000-year-old civilization built these enormous cities by hand and sheer brute strength.

Most inspirational book: I know this will sound corny, but I think the Bible is the answer for me. I attended a Christian middle school and high school and we read the biblical stories and discussed their meanings and messages on a daily basis. It's a book that gives direction, hope and wisdom. It's a guide to living a life of peace and joy. I don't know too many other books that can do that other than perhaps other religious texts.

Favorite movie: The Gladiator with Russell Crow. A story of honor, a man who fights for what he believes, upholds his promise he made to a dying man and avenges his death only to die himself to save a civilization. I loved the movie so much that I had a replica of The Gladiator costume made and put in my office at home.

Best place to network: I attend almost every networking event. I can't really come up with a favorite. However, the events that are related to charities always seem to have great attendance by many of the industry professionals and respected community leaders.

I can't live without: My wife and kids. My life is all about them. Nothing else comes even close!

Best way to relax and let off steam: Laying down next to my four- and six-year-olds and watching them fall asleep in my arms

Three most useful Web sites for work: It's a secret. My sources of information are one of my tools that keep me ahead of the game so I don't want this in the hands of my competition. However I will share the simple sites such as www.naplesnews.com ,www.construction.com , www.collierappraiser.com

Three favorite Web sites: www.naplesnews.com, www.msn.com. I also have a personal Web site that I only share with my immediate family and friends. It is a pictorial timeline of my life with my wife and children, my family, my friends. Since my wife and I have family all over the world it allows them to keep up with what's new in our lives.

Type of cell phone: BlackBerry

Community group you're most involved with: I'm on the Board of Junior Achievement, the Edison Foundation Board, The Collier County Fair Board, The Board for Collier Chamber of Commerce.

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: The construction industry has slowed dramatically and since this is one of the catalysts that supports the local economy the slowdown has affected the middle- and low-income population drastically. Transportation I would say is next on my list. With the economy on the downside and gas prices rising, if there were other forms of transportation that you'd find in larger cities, more people would commute.

Three words that describe you: Fun, outgoing, memorable

If I had a magic wand, I'd: Create the world as God intended it to be: No hate, no war, no sadness, no fear. I may also want to rule it since it's my magic wand.

Favorite lunch spot: Hard to say since I am always on the go. I love sushi, so anywhere there is sushi you'll find me.

Samantha Scott, 23

Pushing the Envelope Inc.

Vice president

Education: Bachelor's Degree in marketing with a minor in advertising

Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska

First job: After-hours secretary at my high school, 15 years old

Years on Gulf Coast: 18

Marital status: Married to my best friend and business partner, Derek

Hero: Lance Armstrong. He does what he is passionate about (athletics) and brings people together to give back to others at the same time (LIVEstrong).

Businessperson you most admire: My husband, because starting a successful company over a weekend is only easy if it's a lemonade stand.

Favorite book, why?: "Oh the Places You'll Go," by Dr. Seuss, It's encouraging and whimsy at the same time

Most inspirational book: Fish! by Stephen Lundin, Ph.D., Harry Paul and John Christensen

Favorite movie: Underworld

Best place to network: American Advertising Federation of Southwest Florida meetings. It's a great mix of advertising, marketing, PR and vendors.

I can't live without: My family or my phone

Best way to relax and let off steam: visit my best friend and our favorite city, San Francisco, for weeklong touristy trip of cool sites and good wine

Three most useful Web sites for work: google.com, fpraswfl.org and entrepreneur.com (specifically the small business section)

Three favorite Web sites: slingpage.com (for Web site sharing/surfing) webshots.com (for photo browsing & sharing) and yahoo.com (for news & personal email)

Type of cell phone: Mogul, through Sprint – it's my 5th limb, I don't go anywhere without it.

Community group you're most involved with: Children's Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida. I've been on the board for two years, handle their PR/marketing efforts pro bono and act as the marketing chair for their ongoing capital campaign.

Two most important issues affecting the Gulf Coast: 1) Real estate as it relates to sustainable development and 2) Child Abuse/Family Violence

Three words that describe you: determined, compassionate & honest (even when it hurts)

If I had a magic wand, I'd: teach the world to sing in harmony, no, actually I'd create a million more so I wouldn't have to choose just one thing to change

Favorite lunch spot: McGregor Cafe, can't beat sweet tea from a mason jar