Hardware store entrepreneur named chair of Fort Myers university

Prominent Southwest Florida entrepreneur Michael Wynn, president of Sunshine Ace Hardware, has been named chair of the Florida Gulf Coast University’s Board of Trustees.  

Wynn replaces Blake Gable, CEO of Barron Collier Cos., in the chair role. Gable was chair of the board for six years, according to a statement. 

Wynn now leads a 13-member board that serves as the governing body for the school in Fort Myers. The board, the release states, holds the university president responsible for the college’s operations and management, performance, fiscal accountability and compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, including those set by the Florida Board of Governors. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Wynn to the Board of Trustees in March 2022.

“With 100,000 net new jobs needed in the five-county region of Southwest Florida alone by the year 2030, FGCU has never been more important to the success of our region and protecting our quality of life,” says Wynn, who earned an MBA from FGCU in 2005, in the statement. “I am honored to be able to play a small role in helping lead this incredible organization that continues its evolution as an innovator in academic excellence.”

In addition to his role at FGCU, Wynn serves as second vice chair for NCH Healthcare System’s Board of Trustees, is a Leadership Florida board member and is a member of the Florida Council of 100. Additionally, Wynn is co-founder of the Resnick-Wynn Family Business Conference hosted annually in partnership with FGCU.

As president of Sunshine Ace Hardware since 2005, Wynn has led an ambitious growth period with a retail portfolio that now includes 15 hardware, paint and gift stores, with four additional locations under development, the release states. The Naples-based company is among Florida’s largest family-owned home improvement retailers and one of Ace Hardware’s top 10 franchisees in America. 

For more on Wynn’s career, listen to his appearance on the Business Observer’s "From the Corner Office" podcast.