Business: Office Depot in Bonita Springs closing

Office Depot at the Bay Landing shopping center in Bonita Springs will close Nov. 15.

Store manager Adrian Pena said the 16 employees can move to Office Max at Coconut Point, 8004 Mediterranean Drive, off U.S. 41 north of Coconut Road in Estero, or Office Depot at 10455 Tamiami Trail N., south of Immokalee Road in North Naples.

The two former competitors merged into one $17 billion company in November 2013 called Office Depot Inc. With more than 2,000 stores, the company is closing at least 400 locations in the United States to reduce overlap, expected to save the Boca Raton-based office-supply chain $75 million a year by the end of 2016.

Office Depot Inc. expects to generate adjusted operating income of not less than $200 million in 2014.

The 10-year-old store at 27251 Bay Landing Drive has a sale on all office supplies. “We’re trying to sell everything,” Pena said.

Meet portfolio manager event Friday

Tom Moran, managing director – investments, senior PIM portfolio manager of Moran Edwards Asset Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, will host the firm’s first “Meet the Portfolio Manager,” seminar of the season on Friday at 10 a.m. at the Moran Edwards office located in the Wells Fargo Building, 5801 Pelican Bay Blvd., in Naples.

Moran will discuss his outlook for the economy and the market.

Seating is limited, so please make a reservation by calling 513-2511 or visit MoranEdwards.com.

J.L. Wallace begins classroom build out

J.L. Wallace Inc. has begun a four-classroom interior build out for the Rhodora J. Donahue Academy in Ave Maria. The outside shell of the building was built first, and the inside space is being completed in phases.

J.L. Wallace also did the work for Phase I, Phase II and Phase III. The 3,500 square feet build-out consists of new classrooms and a supply closet.

Ted Gadory is serving as project manager with Steve Dzialo serving as superintendent for J.L. Wallace on the project and Robbyn Spears as project manager assistant. Jason P. Tramonte Architect Inc. provided design services.

Pushing the Envelope wins two awards

Pushing the Envelope, a Fort Myers marketing communications firm, was recently honored with two Awards of Distinction at the annual Golden Image Awards ceremony by the Florida Public Relations Association.

The awards were for a social media campaign called “Get on the Love Boat” for Pure Naples, a local marine attraction company and The Branding of the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach. An Award of Distinction highlights an outstanding public relations program.

The Golden Image Awards competition is conducted annually by the Florida Public Relations Association to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida and to encourage and promote the development of public relations professionalism in the state.

Newsmakers

Rooney joins Naples law firm

Derek P. Rooney has joined GrayRobinson’s Naples office. Rooney practices in land use and local government law, and is board certified in city, county, and local government law by The Florida Bar. He represents private and government clients on questions of general municipal law, land use and public-private partnerships.

Rooney serves as town attorney for Fort Myers Beach; as counsel to the Charlotte County Industrial Development Authority, the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida; and as special counsel to a number of other local government entities. He previously served as an Assistant County Attorney in the Charlotte County Attorney’s Office, where he had a multi-disciplinary practice involving land use, real estate and land development, environmental law, municipal finance and economic development.

Williams joins David Lawrence Center

Dr. Emily Williams has been appoined part-time staff psychiatrist in Children’s Medical Services at David Lawrence Center. She is board certified in general psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Williams earned her bachelor of science degree in psychology from Davidson College in Davidson, N.C. She then went on to earn a master of public health degree from the University of Texas School of Public Health and her doctorate degree from Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. She completed her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship as well as her general psychiatry residency at Palmetto Health and University of South Carolina where she was named Resident of the Year.

Hoyer hired as estimator at Gates

Stuart Hoyer has been hired as an estimator at Gates. He is responsible for comprehensive estimating for material take-offs and labor estimates as well as developing subcontractor scopes and bidding criteria. He collaborates with our executive staff and the project team in all preconstruction services including sequencing, design review, constructability and life cycle analysis, value engineering, cost/budget analysis, and strategic planning all aspects of the projects.

Hoyer’s 18 years of experience includes both estimating and project management for education, military, residential, recreation, and retail projects of all scopes and sizes, with an extensive background in concrete and masonry.

Feichthaler earns real estate law certification

Eric P. Feichthaler, partner at Burandt, Adamski & Feichthaler Law Firm in Cape Coral, has earned board certification in real estate law from the Florida Bar.

Feichthaler served as mayor of Cape Coral from 2005-2008. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Miami, his juris doctor from Georgetown University Law Center and Master of Laws in taxation from New York University.

Cott joins Karpus Investment

Richard M. “Rick” Cott has joined Karpus Investment Management as managing director and relationship manager, business development for Florida.