101525 North Fort Myers Living

Denise Vidal LCEC chief leads by example

Tommy Bohanon Foundation to host 6th annual Softball Tournament and Toy Drive

Thanksgiving weekend

The sixth annual Tommy Bohanon Foundation Softball Tournament and Toy Drive is set for Thanksgiving weekend, with team registration now open.

The seasonal family event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 29, starting at 8 a.m. The tournament for toys will take place at the Northwest Cape Coral Softball Complex at 1030 NW 16th Place in Cape Coral.

The one-day tournament and toy drive will benefit local families in need. Attendees will be able to enjoy bounce houses, holiday craft vendors, food trucks with exciting action on the softball fields. To help kick start the holiday spirit, Santa will make a special guest appearance. The admission fee is a new, unused toy on the day of the tournament.

More than $70,000 worth of toys and contributions was raised during the event’s first five years. All donations go toward a shopping spree at which the recipients can purchase both gifts and necessities.

The registration fee is $500 — or $350 worth of unwrapped, new toys per team, for up to 12 players. To register a team or make a donation, visit: TommyBohanonFoundation.org.

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes reach their full potential on and off the playing fields. Its programs and community outreach events have helped hundreds of children in Southwest Florida.

Opportunities to help as a volunteer, participant or donor can be found at TommyBohanonFoundation.org. For more information, contact Katie Bohanon at 239-671-0441 or Katie@TommyBohanonFoundation.org.

event to take place on Saturday, Nov. 29

About

the Tommy Bohanon Foundation

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes reach their highest potential on and off the playing field. Former NFL fullback Tommy Bohanon returned to his hometown in Southwest Florida to pursue his vision of ending generational poverty for at-risk youth. The foundation funds annual scholarships, sports equipment grants to local high schools, youth football camps, seminars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits. For more information about the Tommy Bohanon Foundation, visit TommyBohanonFoundation.org or call 239671-0441.

Lee County Parks & Recreation offers Fall Festival events

Lee County Parks & Recreation has a number of plans Fall Festival events throughout October.

Events include:

• 6-9 p.m., Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday starting Friday, Oct. 10, through Friday, Oct. 31, Fall Festival, Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers.

The Fall Festival will include a pumpkin patch, inflatables, hayrides, Scarecrows in the Park, the Halloween Express train and concessions.

Parking for the Fall Festival event is $3 per vehicle. Prices vary per activity.

For more information visit www.leeparks.org/ lakespark or call 239-533-7578.

• 5-8:45 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 18, Spooktacular Night, Estero Park, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero.

Come out to the park for a night of family friendly and spooktacular fun. Enjoy a trunk-ortreat, food trucks and a donation drive benefiting the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW). Stay for a Movie in the Park, featuring “The Minecraft Movie,” rated PG, starting at 7:15 p.m. Bring chairs or blankets. Family Initiative’s Sensory Trailer will be on-site for anyone needing a quiet space during the event.

Admission is free.

For more information visit www.leeparks.org/ estero or call 239-533-1470.

• 6-8:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24, Family Fall Festival, North Fort Myers Park, 2000 North Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers.

This is a free family event for all ages. Activities include a costume contest, candy, games, a photo booth, a live DJ, prizes and more. Community

businesses and organizations will have booths set up with information, samples of products and candy.

Admission is free.

For more information visit www.leeparks.org/ nfm or call 239-533-7200.

• 6:30-8:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24, Monster Mash Bash, Veterans Park, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres.

Bring your little ghouls and goblins for a night of free spooky fun at the park. Activities include a Trick or Treat Trail, music and games.

Admission is free.

For more information visit www.leeparks.org/ veterans or call 239-533-7530.

• 6:30-9:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25, Trunk or Treat and Movie in the Park, Wa-Ke Hatchee Park, 16760 Bass Road, Fort Myers.

Enjoy a frightfully fun evening for the whole

family. Come in your favorite costume and start the night with trunk-or-treating. Stay for a Movie in the Park featuring “The Goonies,” rated PG, starting at 8 p.m. Bring blankets and chairs. Food trucks will be on-site.

Admission is free.

For more information visit www.leeparks.org/ wake or call 239-533-6850.

For more information about Lee County Parks and Recreation locations, amenities and special events, visit www.leeparks.org, call 239533-7275, email leeparks@leegov.com or visit leeparksandrecreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Residents and visitors can also explore more than 30 locations and earn rewards through Parks, Points & Perks, a free digital pass program available through May 2026. Learn more at www. visitfortmyers.com/ParksPass.

Denise Vidal, executive vice president and CEO of Lee County Electric Cooperative, was recently named among Florida’s most influential business leaders as part of Florida Trend’s “Florida 500.”

Civic invites you to take part

Hello again, North Fort Myers.

Congratulations to our NFMCA 2025 Beach Week Winner, Katie Johnson of North Fort Myers. Enjoy your week sponsored by RAL Resorts, Fort Myers Beach. We thank everyone who participated and helped to make our fundraiser a success.

The North Fort Myers Civic will again this year have a tent set up to participate in the North Fort Myers Rec Centers Fall festival on Oct. 24. Stop by and say hello, play a game and win a prize.

Just a reminder the Veterans Angel Tree will be going up in the NFM REC center on Nov. 17, until Dec. 19. North Fort Myers Amvets Post 50 Ladies Auxiliary will be one of our sponsors this year if you are interested in sponsoring a veteran please stop by and pick a tag off the tree to show your appreciation to our local veterans. Last year we were able to deliver 73 gifts that our community stepped forward to provide. For more information feel free to email me at tonihillnfmcivic@gmail.com or 239-244-7890.

The North Fort Myers Civic Association is proud to announce that we will be cosponsoring

the 2026 Touch A truck with the Lee County Parks and Rec on Jan. 10, 2026 at the Lee County Civic Center Complex. Save the date! Vendors welcome — contact Jzukaitis@leegov.com.

Let me ask you, does any of this sound interesting to you? I invite you to come to a meeting. We meet the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the NFM Recreation center. Our Purpose: Promote charitable, educational, art, community, civic and cultural development in North Fort Myers, lessening the burdens of government, lessening neighborhood tensions through promotion of community events and combating community deterioration. We are always looking to add to our membership and welcome applications to the Board of Directors. Or to volunteer at one of our many fun and fulfilling events. We welcome fresh ideas.

We are honored to be winners again in the North Fort Myers Neighbor’s “Best Of 2025.” We certainly thank everyone who voted for us.

As North Fort Myers advocate since 2000, the North Fort Myers Civic Association serves as non-

profit corporation by a proud team of North Fort Myers volunteers to promote pride in North Fort Myers and be a public forum to hear the voice of the community. To solve issues and to empower the residents and business community. Our November meeting will be on Nov. 18, at 6:30 p.m. due to Nov. 11 is Veterans Day and the Rec Center will be closed.

Toni Hill, president nfmcivic@gmail.com, tonihillnfmcivic@gmail. com

Follow us on Facebook and our website www. nfmcivic.com

Toni Hill, President North Fort Myers Civic Association

Fraud alert: The never-ending toll scam

They seemingly arrive daily. “You have unpaid tolls.”

Many of us are now aware of this fraudulent message, but have questions regarding the content.

We presented some questions to Joshua Hanchey, Senior Technology Specialist at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Question: “Is merely visiting the listed web site damaging in any way?”

Answer: “If you visit a suspicious website (especially one that looks like spam, phishing, or appears to be a scam), it could potentially harm your device, steal your data, or trick you into giving personal informa tion. Simply visiting the site might not be damaging in itself, but if the site is malicious, it could try to install malware, use browser vulnerabili ties, or redirect you to other harmful sites.

Best Practice:

suspicious sites. If you acciden tally visit one, close the page immediately, and run a security scan on your device.”

Question: “This particular message asks you to reply with a “Y” and then to open the link. What do we need to know?”

Answer: “If you’re asked to reply with “Y” or any similar response to a message, it’s often a sign of a scam, phishing attempt, or a fraud. Replying to such messages can confirm to the sender that your number is valid and may lead to more spam or malicious attempts. Best Practice: Don’t reply to unsolicited messages, especially if you didn’t expect them. If in doubt, ignore the message.”

“Is it best to block the caller? “Report

“Blocking the caller is a good immediate response to stop any further communication. Many phones and messaging apps (like iMessage, for example) allow

Block the number or contact and report it as junk or spam. This helps your phone or app provider prevent further unwanted communications from that number. Deleting the message also clears it from your inbox but does not stop the caller from trying again.”

Responding to these message have the potential to reveal personal information, compromise your accounts and/or expose sensitive data, provide validation of your text number (or email address) and may result in the installation of

When uncertain as to the validity of a received message, search for the agency’s contact information using the internet and directly contact them to verify the validity of the message.

Wanted: Golfers for Calvin Peete Classic

Story by Chuck Ballaro

The ninth-annual Calvin Peete Golf Classic promises to be the best ever when it returns to Magnolia Landing on Saturday, Oct. 25, for an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

It is the biggest fundraiser for the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and attracts a lot of sponsorships and golfers every year.

Right now though, there are not as many golfers or foursomes who have signed up as in the past.

Wendy Murray, executive director at the Chamber, said this is the biggest event for the Chamber all year and has been a huge success every year it’s been held.

“We get national recognition as Calvin Peete lived in North Fort Myers. We always had his

trophies and memorabilia at the Chamber,” Murray said. “We have sponsorship opportunities for as low as $100 and volunteer opportunities.”

Local businesses can get involved and put information in the golfers’ swag bags and businesses can also get involved by sponsoring holes and contributing raffle prizes. So far, sponsorships have been excellent.

Lee County Insurance is once again the title sponsor. There are also some sponsors willing to buy down some of the foursomes who sign up. Not all, but some. For more information on that, call Murray at the Chamber at 239-997-9111.

But the thing she is really looking for most are golfers. Right now, there are only 10 foursomes signed up and Murray needs 18, since the venue charges for 18 foursomes whether 18 play or not.

There is a lot a player gets for his/her spot in the tournament. This time there will be a Bloody Mary bar, a cigar bar, as well as contests for the

closest to the pin and putting. Players can purchase yardsticks and mulligans as well.

There will also be door prizes, raffles, and an Italian buffet after the tournament. The winning foursome will get the hats Calvin Peete wore when he played.

All this is included with a player’s $125 fee or $450 for a foursome.

Peete, who lived in North Fort Myers during his hey-day, was a true golf pioneer as the winner of 12 PGA tournament titles, a two-time member of the United States Ryder Cup team, and a Vardon Trophy recipient for the PGA tour’s lowest scoring average in 1983. Peete was the leading AfricanAmerican PGA tournament title holder prior to the emergence of Tiger Woods.

For more information and if you want to contribute, call Murray at 239-997-9111.

Bayshore celebrates school expansion with groundbreaking Story

by Casey Bradley Gent

Bayshore Elementary School in North Fort Myers first began welcoming students in 1967. On Oct. 3, with several generations of former Bayshore students in attendance, school district officials — including Superintendent Dr. Denise M. Carlin and District 5 School Board Member Armor Persons — held a groundbreaking to celebrate the impending addition of 22 state-ofthe-art classrooms.

The $50 million expansion, which will finish a conversion to a full K-8 campus, is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026.

“This school has shaped my family,” Persons said. “Both my children, and now my grandson, attended Bayshore Elementary.”

He added that expanding Bayshore to house sixth, seventh and eighth graders had been the main topic of interest among his constituents when he began campaigning three years ago.

“A lot of people are really glad this is happening,” Persons said, smiling.

His daughter, State Rep. Jenna Persons-Malicka, attended the groundbreaking with her dad.

While the Gateway High School marching band played in the background, adding energy to the celebratory event, Persons-Malicka reminisced.

“Being back at Bayshore brings me a lot of good memories,” she said.

Pointing to a large tree in the school yard, Persons-Malicka said even the tree and the shade it brings were special parts of attending Bayshore Elementary.

Carlin believes the expansion of Bayshore will

honor the school’s cherished past, while ushering the facility into the modern era with brighter bigger spaces.

Clarisa Parovi, architect for ADG Architecture. LLC, helped design the addition.

“We expect this addition to last 50 to 60 years without aging,” Parovi said. “Safety, security for kids and long days in livable spaces are all important pieces of this design.”

Principal Ben Ausman has been the leader of Bayshore Elementary for the past nine years. He credits the teachers, students and families with

School District of Lee County Honor Guard open the ceremony for the groundbreaking at Bayshore Elementary School.

making his school a special space. “We can’t wait for next year; for the expansion to be complete. It’s going to give us more space, and we’ll all be able to breathe again,” Ausman said during a brief address to the parents and officials gathered Friday, Currently, construction tape and signage adorn the walls inside the school. Big changes are on the horizon. While Bayshore added sixth and seventh graders over the last two years, the addition of eighth graders will begin next fall.

—NFMNL

LCEC CEO Denise Vidal named among state’s most influential business leaders Florida Trend recognizes

Story by CJ Haddad

Alocal CEO has garnered state-wide recognition for her impact as part of an exclusive list of leaders in the Sunshine State.

Denise Vidal, executive vice president and CEO of Lee County Electric Cooperative, was recently named among Florida’s most influential business leaders as part of Florida Trend’s “Florida 500.”

The annual publication, developed through a year-long research initiative by Florida Trend editors, highlights the most impactful executives across key industries who are helping shape Florida’s economic future.

“It was truly an honor, I have to say,” Vidal said of being named to the Florida 500 in the energy category. “I was grateful and humbled by the recognition. It’s just an honor to be named among so many of Florida’s most talented and accomplished leaders. To me, the recognition, it’s not just personal, it reflects the work of our entire LCEC team, from the dedicated employees to the support of the board of trustees, we’re just very fortunate to have a dedicated board.”

Executives are selected based on “impact, community service and leadership.”

The Florida 500 selection process includes months of research, interviews, and input from industry experts, economic development leaders, and community stakeholders throughout the state, according to floridatrend500.com. The result is a highly selective, biographical look at Florida’s top business leaders who are driving progress and innovation in their fields. “I hope it serves as an example to others — especially younger professionals coming up in the industry, or just business in general — that if they have focus, flexibility, perseverance, that they can achieve their goals no matter how big they seem,” Vidal said. “The experience just reminds me that leadership is not just about titles, it’s about service and impact, and just inspiring confidence in others so that they can also reach their potential.”

Vidal, 60, was appointed CEO of LCEC in late 2019 after serving in a wide range of leadership roles over her 20-plusyear career at the cooperative. She was nominated for the Florida 500 by an anonymous individual. She said making the list wasn’t something that she was thinking about, and that she doesn’t perform her duties for recognition.

“I do what I do to serve the company, the employees, the board, the members,” Vidal said. “Somebody out there is seeing some good. Especially when I scroll through all of those people on (the Florida 500), some of them are also in my industry and have inspired me. They’re my peers. I’ve learned from them and work with them on all of our challenges. It’s great to feel like people are recognizing the good work that I do on behalf of LCEC. They’re recognizing the organization as well.”

Vidal’s experience with LCEC spans customer service, finance, accounting, and marketing. Prior to, she had a career in telecommunications.

“I just always knew at a young age I wanted to be in the corporate business world,” she said. “I just wanted to continually grow. I wanted to learn. I wanted to add value wherever I worked.”

Education has always been a top priority for Vidal as well. She made it a focus to earn an undergraduate, graduate, and Masters of Business Administration in accounting.

She reached the executive level at her telecommunications job before the company changed course, which in turn brought

those who drive progress & innovation in their field

PHOTOS PROVIDED

almost like you can do anything. All of that experience made us really successful when Ian hit and when other hurricanes hit a couple years after that. We plan for hurricanes. We update that plan every year, we practice it, we train with it — everybody knows what their role is. We just moved into Hurricane Ian restoration without skipping a beat.”

With Hurricane Ian being one of, if not the most devastating storm in the region’s history, LCEC was all-hands-on-deck in restoring power to a grid that was completely in the dark. Vidal describes the experience as almost exhilarating, which she admits could sound odd.

“It’s a moment where team LCEC is at its best,” she said. “We’re all focused on one goal, and that is to get power restored as safely and quickly as humanly possible. Part of the exhilaration was stretching ourselves so much because that was such widespread damage. Our entire service area was really ground zero. Added to that was about 25 to 30% of our team members had direct damage. That was new in terms of trying to help people emotionally through that when they also had to stay focused on their role in the restoration.”

Vidal said Ian required LCEC to bring on more resources than they’ve ever had to in its 85-year history due to the magnitude of damage. There were thousands of other industry professionals that came in to work alongside LCEC employees.

“It was amazing how well we worked together and how quickly everyone melded together, and how safely we worked,” she said. “We had no safety incidents in that whole restoration.”

Vidal said it being a state-wide effort, LCEC was able to conjoin with state officials and departments with which they wouldn’t otherwise interact.

“I was super proud of my team,” she said. “I can’t even express how proud I was to work alongside the team through that.”

LCEC headquarters are in North Fort Myers, in the same location where the cooperative originated in 1940. Approximately 450 skilled employees are positioned throughout the six-county service territory, including Immokalee, Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Sanibel/Captiva, Pine Island, Ussepa, Cabbage Key, Marco Island, Everglades City, Ave Maria, and parts of Lehigh Acres.

LCEC is a member-owned cooperative, which Vidal said gives the team a very clear focus.

“We don’t have that balance that a for-profit company has to do between what’s best for shareholders and what’s best for customers,” she said. “We get to focus just on members — they’re one in the same. It really drives our focus to what’s important. Every decision we make, we think about the members first.

“When the financial position allows, the board will approve some of the equity to be returned back, whether it’s a credit on the bill or, possibly, if the member is inactive they might get a small check, so we’re able to operate in that manner through the equity ownership.

“We are also living in the communities we serve, so with us being really focused in our service territories, the employees all live in those communities. That gives us just an added benefit of understanding the membership needs.”

From a small power plant with just 15 miles of power lines and 158 members, to now serving 240,000 customers across six counties, LCEC has had a front-row seat to the growth in the region while playing a major role in utility service. Vidal said while areas are different in the way they’re served, growth across the board is on a level playing field.

Vidal to Southwest Florida.

A year after arriving, she joined LCEC as a marketing supervisor. Her past experience quickly allowed Vidal to take on other leadership roles within the company.

She managed the call center, moved into accounting, and eventually had an executive position where she oversaw a variety of support areas of LCEC. Eventually, she was asked to take on the role of CFO which she held for 11 years until the board appointed her (after a long interview process) as CEO.

“It was a little bit surreal to move into (the CFO) role,” Vidal said. “It was a really good match. I really enjoyed that role a lot and it positioned me well to be considered for the CEO role. As

CFO you learn even more about the company and you expand on your relationships and your industry experience. It just really ballooned from there.”

Under her leadership, LCEC has successfully navigated historic challenges, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain challenges, rapid community growth and devastating hurricanes like the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Ian. Just months after taking on the title of CFO was when the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe.

Vidal said LCEC had to work in a different way while keeping things transparent to customers. Like most employers,

working together and side-by-side was not viable at the time, which Vidal said was one of the biggest challenges for the company, which she said really thrives on employees physically working together. Office employees went to remote work, while those out in the field either worked solo or practiced social distancing.

“I can’t not recognize the team,” Vidal said of how LCEC navigated that time. “It was another just proud and humbling experience because the team just came together so well. We had to be very flexible and just adapt very quickly (and) make it as transparent to our members as possible and I think the team really succeeded. When you get through something like that, it’s

“We’re always looking forward,” Vidal said of LCEC’s handling of growth. “We do 10-year forecasts, so the growth is not a surprise when it hits. We understand then what that growth needs, and we can manage it in a disciplined manner to make sure that we’ve got the plant and the infrastructure in place when it’s needed. It’s planning the work and working the plan. We also have great guidance from our board who represent the members from all of the different areas and they’ve got such a diverse experience amongst them that really helps us as well.”

Vidal said it’s also vital to have strong relationships with suppliers, that LCEC is negotiating the best terms for costs, and that they have the best talent possible to be as effective and efficient as possible.

LCEC CEO Denise Vidal named among state’s most influential business leaders Florida Trend recognizes

Story by CJ Haddad

Alocal CEO has garnered state-wide recognition for her impact as part of an exclusive list of leaders in the Sunshine State.

Denise Vidal, executive vice president and CEO of Lee County Electric Cooperative, was recently named among Florida’s most influential business leaders as part of Florida Trend’s “Florida 500.”

The annual publication, developed through a year-long research initiative by Florida Trend editors, highlights the most impactful executives across key industries who are helping shape Florida’s economic future.

“It was truly an honor, I have to say,” Vidal said of being named to the Florida 500 in the energy category. “I was grateful and humbled by the recognition. It’s just an honor to be named among so many of Florida’s most talented and accomplished leaders. To me, the recognition, it’s not just personal, it reflects the work of our entire LCEC team, from the dedicated employees to the support of the board of trustees, we’re just very fortunate to have a dedicated board.”

Executives are selected based on “impact, community service and leadership.”

The Florida 500 selection process includes months of research, interviews, and input from industry experts, economic development leaders, and community stakeholders throughout the state, according to floridatrend500.com. The result is a highly selective, biographical look at Florida’s top business leaders who are driving progress and innovation in their fields. “I hope it serves as an example to others — especially younger professionals coming up in the industry, or just business in general — that if they have focus, flexibility, perseverance, that they can achieve their goals no matter how big they seem,” Vidal said. “The experience just reminds me that leadership is not just about titles, it’s about service and impact, and just inspiring confidence in others so that they can also reach their potential.”

Vidal, 60, was appointed CEO of LCEC in late 2019 after serving in a wide range of leadership roles over her 20-plusyear career at the cooperative. She was nominated for the Florida 500 by an anonymous individual. She said making the list wasn’t something that she was thinking about, and that she doesn’t perform her duties for recognition.

“I do what I do to serve the company, the employees, the board, the members,” Vidal said. “Somebody out there is seeing some good. Especially when I scroll through all of those people on (the Florida 500), some of them are also in my industry and have inspired me. They’re my peers. I’ve learned from them and work with them on all of our challenges. It’s great to feel like people are recognizing the good work that I do on behalf of LCEC. They’re recognizing the organization as well.”

Vidal’s experience with LCEC spans customer service, finance, accounting, and marketing. Prior to, she had a career in telecommunications.

“I just always knew at a young age I wanted to be in the corporate business world,” she said. “I just wanted to continually grow. I wanted to learn. I wanted to add value wherever I worked.”

Education has always been a top priority for Vidal as well. She made it a focus to earn an undergraduate, graduate, and Masters of Business Administration in accounting.

She reached the executive level at her telecommunications job before the company changed course, which in turn brought

those who drive progress & innovation in their field

PHOTOS PROVIDED

almost like you can do anything. All of that experience made us really successful when Ian hit and when other hurricanes hit a couple years after that. We plan for hurricanes. We update that plan every year, we practice it, we train with it — everybody knows what their role is. We just moved into Hurricane Ian restoration without skipping a beat.”

With Hurricane Ian being one of, if not the most devastating storm in the region’s history, LCEC was all-hands-on-deck in restoring power to a grid that was completely in the dark. Vidal describes the experience as almost exhilarating, which she admits could sound odd.

“It’s a moment where team LCEC is at its best,” she said. “We’re all focused on one goal, and that is to get power restored as safely and quickly as humanly possible. Part of the exhilaration was stretching ourselves so much because that was such widespread damage. Our entire service area was really ground zero. Added to that was about 25 to 30% of our team members had direct damage. That was new in terms of trying to help people emotionally through that when they also had to stay focused on their role in the restoration.”

Vidal said Ian required LCEC to bring on more resources than they’ve ever had to in its 85-year history due to the magnitude of damage. There were thousands of other industry professionals that came in to work alongside LCEC employees.

“It was amazing how well we worked together and how quickly everyone melded together, and how safely we worked,” she said. “We had no safety incidents in that whole restoration.”

Vidal said it being a state-wide effort, LCEC was able to conjoin with state officials and departments with which they wouldn’t otherwise interact.

“I was super proud of my team,” she said. “I can’t even express how proud I was to work alongside the team through that.”

LCEC headquarters are in North Fort Myers, in the same location where the cooperative originated in 1940. Approximately 450 skilled employees are positioned throughout the six-county service territory, including Immokalee, Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Sanibel/Captiva, Pine Island, Ussepa, Cabbage Key, Marco Island, Everglades City, Ave Maria, and parts of Lehigh Acres.

LCEC is a member-owned cooperative, which Vidal said gives the team a very clear focus.

“We don’t have that balance that a for-profit company has to do between what’s best for shareholders and what’s best for customers,” she said. “We get to focus just on members — they’re one in the same. It really drives our focus to what’s important. Every decision we make, we think about the members first.

“When the financial position allows, the board will approve some of the equity to be returned back, whether it’s a credit on the bill or, possibly, if the member is inactive they might get a small check, so we’re able to operate in that manner through the equity ownership.

“We are also living in the communities we serve, so with us being really focused in our service territories, the employees all live in those communities. That gives us just an added benefit of understanding the membership needs.”

From a small power plant with just 15 miles of power lines and 158 members, to now serving 240,000 customers across six counties, LCEC has had a front-row seat to the growth in the region while playing a major role in utility service. Vidal said while areas are different in the way they’re served, growth across the board is on a level playing field.

Vidal to Southwest Florida.

A year after arriving, she joined LCEC as a marketing supervisor. Her past experience quickly allowed Vidal to take on other leadership roles within the company.

She managed the call center, moved into accounting, and eventually had an executive position where she oversaw a variety of support areas of LCEC. Eventually, she was asked to take on the role of CFO which she held for 11 years until the board appointed her (after a long interview process) as CEO.

“It was a little bit surreal to move into (the CFO) role,” Vidal said. “It was a really good match. I really enjoyed that role a lot and it positioned me well to be considered for the CEO role. As

CFO you learn even more about the company and you expand on your relationships and your industry experience. It just really ballooned from there.”

Under her leadership, LCEC has successfully navigated historic challenges, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain challenges, rapid community growth and devastating hurricanes like the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Ian. Just months after taking on the title of CFO was when the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe.

Vidal said LCEC had to work in a different way while keeping things transparent to customers. Like most employers,

working together and side-by-side was not viable at the time, which Vidal said was one of the biggest challenges for the company, which she said really thrives on employees physically working together. Office employees went to remote work, while those out in the field either worked solo or practiced social distancing.

“I can’t not recognize the team,” Vidal said of how LCEC navigated that time. “It was another just proud and humbling experience because the team just came together so well. We had to be very flexible and just adapt very quickly (and) make it as transparent to our members as possible and I think the team really succeeded. When you get through something like that, it’s

“We’re always looking forward,” Vidal said of LCEC’s handling of growth. “We do 10-year forecasts, so the growth is not a surprise when it hits. We understand then what that growth needs, and we can manage it in a disciplined manner to make sure that we’ve got the plant and the infrastructure in place when it’s needed. It’s planning the work and working the plan. We also have great guidance from our board who represent the members from all of the different areas and they’ve got such a diverse experience amongst them that really helps us as well.”

Vidal said it’s also vital to have strong relationships with suppliers, that LCEC is negotiating the best terms for costs, and that they have the best talent possible to be as effective and efficient as possible.

CLEAN CRAWL SPACE.

“All of those things are going to help manage your costs,” she said. “We’re very cost-conscious for sure. That translates into things being affordable. It’s a constant balancing act and it takes all of us working together to be successful at that.”

Being named as a top business leader in Florida, Vidal said she would describe her leadership style as servant leadership.

“When I say servant leadership — I’m here for the employees and I’m here for the members,” she said. “I’m not here for personal gain or recognition, I’m here to enable affordable and reliable power to members and enable the employees to make that happen for members.

“I’m also fortunate to have found in LCEC, an organization that matches my values where I put service at a high level, I put integrity at a high importance, so that makes it easier to come to work every day and help team LCEC through whatever the latest challenge is.”

Being part of the community beyond just keeping the lights on is something that is paramount for LCEC and Vidal. The cooperative can be seen throughout the region sponsoring events and playing a role in charitable causes.

“It’s one of our core principles and values,” Vidal said. “It’s very, very important that we support the communities in which we work and

which sees each of LCEC’s 450 employees be able to take a work day volunteering and giving back.

The “Pay if Forward” program is for LCEC employees who volunteer and give back on their own time — they track their hours and when they reach 50 hours, LCEC will donate $50 to the charity of that employee’s choice up to $100.

There’s also the LCEC “500 club,” where employees who volunteer 500 hours of their time are recognized and put into a drawing, where $500 is given to a charity.

Of course, the team at LCEC is exceptionally proud of the honor bestowed to Vidal by being named to the Florida 500.

“We could not be more proud to have her as our representative,” said LCEC spokesperson Shannon Williamson. “We’re not surprised, either. We have gone through so much with her as CEO (with COVID and Hurricane Ian, as well as supply chain challenges). It’s just kind of been one test after another, and she just keeps getting us through it.”

Williamson describes Vidal as “humble” and “personable.”

“She’s a fighter,” she said. “She makes sure that the members get the same opportunities others do, and makes sure that everyone else is thought of first.”

Williamson said with Vidal being a female in a prominent leadership

role, that she’s someone she looks up to.

“Seeing that she is who she is in doing all of this, it makes me feel empowered,” Williamson said.

In her six years at LCEC, Williamson said Vidal showed the utmost resolve and perseverance through Hurricane Ian.

“Denise lost a lot during Hurricane Ian,” Williamson said. “She could have stepped away or stepped back, but she stepped forward because she knew that the organization and all of the members needed her. She put everyone else in front of her needs. That’s a leader. Everyone here was all-hands-ondeck, and that was because of her.”

Vidal is a mother, grandmother, and a wife, and is the fifth CEO in LCEC’s history (second woman).

Vidal has an adventurous side as well. She enjoys riding dirt bikes, four-wheelers, sailing, skiing, and the outdoors in general.

As for her future with LCEC, she said, “I hope that I can make a lasting impact that acts as a springboard for the team that carries on after me to just keep doing the right things and good things for the community in terms of not just being reliable and affordable power, which is our mission of course, but all of the ways LCEC contributes to the community.”

To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.

Ag Expo participation leads to scholarships

a head start for the recipients to start saving for college, trade school, or wherever their life takes them.

Five recipients were recently awarded the SWFL Ag Expo 2025 4-H/FFA Scholarships in multiple categories.

University of Florida IFAS Extension Lee County 4-H Agent Arielle Pierce said the first year the SWFL Ag Expo began they looked at the needs of the community to see where they could give back. The greatest need was to give back to the youth, so they can hopefully stay rooted in agriculture.

The path of looking for a career in agriculture in the future began the opportunity for youth to apply for scholarships.

“It has been a really good two years. We are looking forward to the traction that we have had,” Pierce said.

The scholarships were open to any senior division youth ages 14-18 who participated as a livestock or creative living exhibitor during the 2025 SWFL Ag Expo. She said it provides

The majority of the youth who have received the scholarship participate in the North Fort Myers clubs.

“What is unique about this specific scholarship is it is more on the life skills they are learning,” Pierce said of both hard and soft life skills. “We are giving them the ability to show off their skills.”

The winners included Lainey Fisher for the SWFL 4-H/FFA Agriculture Expo Senior Scholarship for $1,000, Simeon Kumher for the SWFL 4-H/FFA Extension Food Systems Scholarship for $500, Whitney Taylor for the SWFL 4-H/ FFA Leadership Scholarship for $500, Veronica Rosauer for the SWFL 4-H/FFA Exemplary Citizenship Scholarship for $700 and Boone Stewart for the SWFL 4-H/FFA Graduating Senior Scholarship for $1,200.

Rosauer said she feels honored to have been chosen as the recipient of the scholarship, as well as a great accomplishment as she has shown her animals over the years there.

“I have been involved in 4H for 12 years. I got started because my mom found the organization. I have been involved with all my siblings in it. I made so many friends and I have learned so many work ready skills through the organization,” she said.

Rosauer has shown rabbits, chickens and ducks. Ducks are her favorite because they are very unique.

“I have shown them twice,” she said of the ducks. “Every time I have shown them, I learn something new.”

Rosauer said she enjoys showing them because she brings their pool, which is accompanied by the public asking many questions.

“They can be pretty loud. I showed a pair – a girl and a boy. When you separate them, they can get noisy. Everyone always loves to pet them,” she said.

Although she graduated out of the program, she is returning as a volunteer and has one more BBQ contest – one of the last things she will be doing.

Rosauer, who lives in Fort Myers and was a homeschool student, is now attending Florida Southwestern State College where she is studying nutrition and biology with the hope to become a nurse.

There are many skills from 4-H that she still uses. Some of those include leadership, self-managing time and her responsibilities, organizing a schedule for work, school and caring for her animals and being able to talk

with people.

“Being able to talk with people has really helped me overcome my fear of talking to anyone or presenting a presentation to new people,” Rosauer said.

Community remains her favorite part of 4-H. She said everyone she has met has always stuck out to her as someone who has inspired her or become a friend.

“I have made my best friends through 4-H. All the adults are phenomenal – inspiration for me, and always look up to and always reach out to them for advice,” Rosauer said. “If anyone is interested in 4-H definitely try it out and experience it. Everyone should try it out. It will change your life.”

Fisher said she has participated in the Ag Expo for the last two years, and has done a great deal with 4-H.

“I am obviously very thankful for the scholarship,” she said.

Fisher was in 4-H for seven years, starting in seventh grade. She became involved in the state and national level showing hogs and goats across the state.

The goats went to nationals with Fisher and the hogs went to the local market shows.

“I have gone to almost everything 4-H has offered me – every state event and executive board,” she said.

Through the years she has acquired many life skills – public speaking and how to talk to others,

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communication and working skills.

Fisher now attends Florida Gulf Coast University where she is pursuing environmental studies. This is her first semester.

“I am more prepared for college because of 4-H,” she said. “I collaborate with others on assignments and keeping up with deadlines.”

In 4-H, she had to keep record books and keep up with expenses and how much feed her hogs had each day.

“It definitely taught me a lot of skills I will carry on for the rest of my life,” Fisher said. There are two avenues to take in her studies – the legal side of agriculture, and the land development side. She said it is important that the natural wetlands are preserved in Florida and that the middle ground is found for agriculture land and in a growing state.

“Once I get out of school there are two options – go to be an agriculture lawyer, or more into the science area – soil,” Fisher said.

When she was 7, her family moved to the

Buckingham area from Mississippi.

“Honestly, it is exciting,” Pierce said about this scholarship opportunity. “There are a lot of opportunity out there for youth. Life is competitive. It is exciting to give another opportunity.”

She went on to say that there are never enough ways to recognize children and the youth in the community.

A phenomenal aspect of this scholarship is the community can help, as the funds are derived from the community giving back during the buyback period of the market animal auction.

“The community recognizes the need for it and supportive of it as well,” Pierce said, as the funds have been enough to award every scholarship for two years. “They can continue to give back to the scholarship fund in the buy back process.”

The market animal auction is usually the last Saturday of the SWFL Ag Expo.

“That is honestly one of the largest ways people can give back to the scholarship,” Pierce said.

She said there is an agricultural culture in Lee

County, which receives support from a lot of families for the programs to keep it alive.

“We try to create as many opportunities to success as much as possible,” Pierce said.

The theme of the 2026 Southwest Florida Ag Expo is “Roots ‘n’ Rides: A Celebration of Tradition,” which will be held from Thursday, Feb. 26, through Sunday, March 8, at the Lee County Civic Center Complex, 11831 Bayshore Road. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will kick off the event at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26.

The theme was chosen to honor the area’s agricultural heritage while continuing to spotlight the Southwest Florida youth involved in 4-H, FFA, and other programs.

There will be livestock exhibitions, creative living displays, midway rides and attractions, as well as food. For more information visit www. swflagexpo.com.

First responders keep our community safe

Story by Meghan Bradbury

There are many opportunities for the community to stay safe, as well as educate themselves on how to do so in North Fort Myers.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Autumn King said there are 54 sworn officers assigned to the North Fort Myers precinct. The precinct is at 121 Pondella Rd.

There are many public education programs provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

“Citizens Academy is an amazing public course where members of the community are invited into the Sheriff’s Office and provided an in-depth look at all our agency has to offer,” she said. “This includes tours through our agency buildings, hands-on training simulation, and presentations from all of our specialty units.”

There are three fire stations in North Fort Myers – TrailDairy Circle, Barret Road and Slater Road – with a total of 61 firefighters/EMS employed.

There are numerous programs the fire department provides to help the community,

according to North Fort Myers Fire Control District Public Education Officer Christi Fulton. The programs run the gamut from smoke alarm assist, fire extinguisher training, helmet fitter, AED education and CPR training, to lift assist.

Fulton said the Smoke Alarm Assist program is a shared program with American Cross and helps residents change batteries, advise on hardwired alarms, and install up to three alarms.

Another program is through Community Emergency Response Team, which is a shared program with FEMA.

“A community/resident works with the fire department for preparation efforts for all disasters,” she said.

The fire department also offers Files for Life, a resource they give out by drop in or through their safety seminar to identify a residents’ emergency information.

Fulton said they also offer juvenile fire setter intervention, which is a multiple week course for active juvenile fire setters.

The fire department also wants to make sure animals are safe through their pet locater decal sticker, which communicates to first responders that an animal could be present in a home.

She said they also offer sharps, located at all three stations to provide disposal containers and

disposal of containers containing used needles and syringes

The fire department also involves themselves in the community through blood pressure checks at any of the three stations, the NFMFD Christmas Toy Drive, public safety seminars, fire station and apparatus tours and parade participation.

One of the areas in which public safety is of importance is preparing for storms.

“The safety of our residents is a top priority. Help us help you by preparing for any weather event to keep from being in any harmful situation,” King said. “We are here to keep you safe and will always provide quick and accurate information in the event of a hurricane, so stay informed and have a plan.”

There are also steps winter residents can take once they return to their homes – check their home – inspect for any damage, test smoke detectors, alarms and secure the property.

Fulton said other ways to stay safe throughout the year are by trimming trees, inspecting roofs and testing generators, as well as knowing neighbors, especially those with special needs. She said updating contacts, adjusting plans and insurance checkups are also important.

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