Calendar of Events

Calendar of Events

May 13: Legislative outlook: Former state lawmaker Carole Green will present a legislative outlook to the Real Estate Investment Society at a lunch meeting in Fort Myers. The lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Magnolia Room of Pelican Preserve. Cost is $25 for members and $35 for guests. To reserve, go to www.reis-swfl.org, email [email protected] or call 239-410-1253.

Economic diversification: The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee's Institute for Public Policy & Leadership will hold a free roundtable discussion on economic diversity from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Selby Auditorium in the Roberta Leventhal Sudakoff Pavilion on the USF campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. discussion panelists will include Kathleen Baylis, president/chief executive officer of Sarasota County Economic Development Corp.; Richard Lutovsky, president/CEO of Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce; John Rhodes, president of Moran Stahl & Boyer; and Brenda Workman, director of business retention and life sciences for Enterprise Florida. For reservations, visit sarasota.usf.edu/ippl or call the USF Event Hotline at 941-359-4602. 

May14: Tech open house: The Tampa Bay Technology Forum and the Stanford Research Institute will host an open house with startup mentoring and a presentation by Jonathan Baer. The meeting will run from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at The University of Tampa Vaughn Center, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Baer has been both a venture capitalist as well as the founder and CEO of two venture backed companies, including eBoomerang, an enterprise software company, which was sold in 2006, and Artificial Muscle Inc., a spinout from Stanford Research Institute. Visit tbtf.org and click on the events calendar for more information.

May 15: Builders' forecast: The Gulf Coast Builders Exchange and the home builders associations of Manatee and Sarasota counties will host a forecast dinner and mini-tradeshow starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Polo Grill and Bar, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch. The meeting will feature Tony Polito, Tampa Director of Metrostudy, who will present his forecast for the Sarasota-Manatee area's residential and commercial real-estate market. Cost is $60 per person. Deadline to reserve is May 9. For more information, visit www.gcbe.com and click on the events calendar.

May 21: Legislative roundup: The Economic Development Council of Collier County will host a reception for business leaders with the area's legislators to discuss the recent state legislative session. The reception will take place at Hamilton Harbour Yacht Club in Naples from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. Register online at www.enaplesflorida.com. Cost is $40 for members and $55 for nonmembers.

May 31: Naples chamber annual dinner: The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual black-tie dinner from 6 p.m. until midnight at The Naples Grande Resort, 475 Seagate Drive, Naples. Cost for the event is $160 per person or $1,750 for a corporate-table sponsor. For more information e-mail [email protected] or visit napleschamber.org and click on the events calendar.

June 5

Business ethics: The Uncommon Friends Foundation, an organization that promotes good corporate ethics, will host a dinner to announce the winner of its 2008 business ethics award at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs. Finalists include Bonita Bay Group, Hope of Southwest Florida and Riverside Bank. For details, visit www.uncommonfriends.org or call 239-533-2130.