40 Under 40

These 41 people—including one married couple we believe deserve recognition together for their achievements and generosity—are leading Southwest Florida toward a brighter future. They are a source of hope and inspiration, and we are proud to salute this year’s 40 under 40.

Joann Asztalos
Age 29
Position marketing director
Company Congress Jewelers
Why her Since moving from New Jersey in 2006 to take a marketing manager position with Congress Jewelers, Asztalos has coordinated marketing activities for the opening of the jeweler’s fifth location as well as Congress’ acquisition by a national company, and she was promoted from marketing manager to director of marketing.As the point person for Congress’ philanthropic initiatives, she is involved with more than 70 charitable activities each year. She’s especially proud of a comprehensive marketing campaign that involved everything from new print ads and TV spots to revamping the Web site, and she was the driving force behind replacing the jeweler’s catalog with a successful weekly planner.On her own time, the West Virginia University graduate volunteers for the Naples Winter Wine Festival and is active in the Bonita Springs and Naples chambers of commerce.
Off the clock She’s been practicing yoga since she was a child, and says an addiction to the Food Network Channel has inspired her to start cooking. —Sarah Hoffman

Ericka Bastile
Position publisher
Company Naples Dog
Why her Once an aspiring veterinarian, Basile used her degree in molecular biology from Auburn University to study parvovirus in dogs and in vitro fertilization in cattle. She couldn’t bring herself to euthanize animals, so she redirected her path in the animal world three years ago and launched Naples Dog, a canine-lifestyle magazine. In addition to abundant photos of area pooches, tips and pet-related news, each issue features a rescue or shelter dog that is given a makeover and tracked on its quest for a "forever home." A lifelong animal-shelter volunteer, Basile serves on the Gulf Coast Humane Society board of directors, volunteers for The Humane Society Naples and is a certified member of the disaster team for the Humane Society of the United States.
Off the clock Basile spends time with her two children, ages 7 and 10, and her rescued pets: three dogs, seven cats, seven turtles and six rabbits. —Angela Voelker

Ryan Bell
Age 33
Position sergeant for the forensic division
Employer Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Why him Bell became sergeant in the forensic division of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office not only to catch criminals but also to figure out how they think. He majored in psychology before getting his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice at Hodges University. One of 11 members of LCSO’s dive team, the Fort Myers native was a leading investigator and appeared on Court TV and Dateline NBC in the high-profile case of Donald Moringiello, the Fort Myers Beach man convicted of killing his wife.
Bell gives presentations in forensics to local students, and he’s involved in numerous charity events, especially those that benefit children. “They can’t control the environment they have been placed in,” he says. Among them are the March of Dimes, the annual Easter Bunny Toy Run for the Children’s Hospital and the annual Pat Healey Poker Run.
Off the clock He’s been busy mowing unkempt lawns at foreclosed homes in his neighborhood. —Angela Voelker

Juan Bendeck
Age 38
Position attorney
Company Hahn Loeser + Parks LLP
Why him Bendeck always knew that he wanted to help people, so he became an attorney. The University of Florida graduate not only advises clients in estate-planning needs, but he is often there to comfort them in their grief.
Bendeck volunteers for Goodwill Industries, where his wife, Enas, is a vocational therapist. He helped a young man with Down syndrome find a job, and he and his wife provide at-risk children with such opportunities as a recent trip to a Tampa science museum.
As chairman of the Republican Hispanic Assembly of Collier County and a member of the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Bendeck is an advocate for the Hispanic community, which has grown significantly since he moved here with his family in 1980. “Being fortunate enough to have achieved the level of education I have achieved and being in the place I am, I [feel] compelled to be a voice for Hispanics,” he says.
Off the clock An amateur photographer, he says his best subject is his infant daughter, Julianna Sophia. —Angela Voelker

Jennifer Cable
Age 33
Position manager of administration
Company HSA Engineers & Scientists
Why her When Cable accepted a job five years ago as a receptionist at HSA, her goal was to become partner in the engineering firm. This year she reached that goal. “I’m a hard worker, and I’m very determined,” she says.
Cable routinely works 12-hour days running the office, overseeing the administration staff and making sure that every HSA project is letter-perfect. Anyone who does business with HSA talks to or works with Cable.
A graduate of Riverdale High School in Fort Myers, she is equally committed to her volunteer work. Two years ago she started collecting canned food for Ronald McDonald House Charities in Fort Myers. Now, she organizes blood drives, collects can tabs and pennies and works at events on behalf of the agency. She also participates in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and volunteers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Adopt-a-Road Program.
Off the clock Even with all those 12-hour days, Cable earned her massage therapy license. “I do that on the side,” she says. —Sharyn Lonsdale

Christina Calgaard-Maulsby
Age 29
Position marketing officer
Company TIB Bank
Why her When Coconut Point opened in TIB’s neighborhood, she figured the bank should do the neighborly thing, so she organized a marketing campaign that had bank officials going shop to shop with cookies to welcome the new businesses. Another campaign highlighted print ads not of bank officials, but of satisfied clients. “It was good for us and good for customers, too,” she says.
That’s the kind of innovation and enthusiasm that helped Calgaard-Maulsby move up from TIB’s marketing coordinator to marketing officer in just two years.
She commits her own time to her “calling”—volunteering with Footsteps to the Future, which helps children who have aged out of the foster care system. Appointed earlier this year to its board of directors, she mentors the young women, and she and her husband regularly open their home to them and involve them in community activities and experiences they might not otherwise get.
Off the clock She enjoys going to the beach with her husband and two Chihuahuas.—Sarah Hoffman

Dr. Andrea Cambio
Age 38
Position dermatologist
Company Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery
Why her With an M.D. from Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, Cambio is committed not only to treating people but also to educating them about skin care and sun protection. A member of the American Academy of Dermatology’s Public Awareness Committee and the National Association of Medical Communicators, she often gives presentations on the subjects and has been quoted in national media, including 20/20, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal. She visits local schools and participates in the SKIN (Skin Knowledge and Information Network) initiative for public education.
She practiced in New York City until she and her family moved to Cape Coral last year.
Her interest in dermatology sprang from a love for painting. “I’ve always felt like I was an artist trapped in a doctor’s body,” she explains. “I felt that dermatology was a combination of [both]; it’s a very visual specialty.”
Off the clock Besides abstract-expressionist painting, she enjoys boating with her husband and two daughters.—Jennifer Freihofer

Dr. Jorge L. Camina Jr.
Age 32
Position chief of pediatrics
Company CHS Healthcare Children’s Health Network
Why him The white paper that scrolls across the doctor’s exam table is often covered with sketches by the time Camina is finished. Most of his patients are Hispanic or Haitian, and many don’t speak English. “A lot of times, they understand the drawings better than words,” he says.
And he doesn’t just write prescriptions and send them on their way; he teaches those with such lifelong conditions as diabetes or asthma how to maintain good health. “They hate me for it because I sit there and grill them on it,” he says.
A Miami native, he attended the University of Miami and Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico before completing his residency in pediatrics at the University of Florida. A pediatrician at Golden Gate Pediatrics, his role expanded in January to chief of pediatrics for the nonprofit CHS Healthcare, which serves primarily impoverished children. Camina, who also worked at several CHS clinics, serves as liaison between physicians and administration, does quality control and peer reviews, deals with scheduling and handles some financial issues.
Every other Thursday, after the clinic doors close at 5 p.m., Camina volunteers for the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Program in Collier County. “I do histories and physicals for children who need physicals to get into school,” he says. “I do 12 to 15 physicals a night.”
Off the clock He and his wife, Tami, met in medical school and moved to Naples because it’s between their Miami and Port Charlotte relatives. —Denise Scott

Heather Christie
Age 38
Position business coach, co-founder and president
Company ActionCOACH
Why her After a successful career as a partner in a 100-attorney law firm in Chicago and later as a healthcare and energy lobbyist, Christie took on a business-coaching venture, ActionCOACH, to satisfy her entrepreneurial inclination. Although she still practices law some, she says, “Business coaching had me so inspired about how altruistic it is to help other people be successful. It was, in my mind, even a notch above what I could have contributed as an attorney.”
Christie, who trains other business coaches around the world, won the 2007 Coaches Choice Award, which is given annually to one coach out of more than 1,000 in 24 countries.
Closer to home, she is on the board of directors for the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and an American Heart Association volunteer. “My goal,” she says, “is to leave everybody in a better place after I’ve met them.”
Off the clock An avid reader and tennis player, she’s also mom to three rescue cats.
—Jennifer Freihofer

Dr. Elizabeth Cosmai-Cintron
Age 35
Position cardiologist
Company Florida Heart Associates
Why her Cosmai-Cintron’s impressive list of credentials includes fellow in the American College of Cardiology, member of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and diplomate of the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology. Sought for her expertise in heart health, she has been interviewed for local TV segments and has given presentations to communities, to employee groups and within the Lee County school system. “I’m really involved in women’s issues, so many of my talks are focused on women and heart disease,” she says.
Raised in Kissimmee, she received her M.D. from the University of Florida. During her residency at the University of Miami, she says, “We were exposed to a lot of cardiac patients, and I found them the most interesting because there were [so many options] to help them once they were diagnosed with a cardiac problem.” She joined Florida Heart Associates in Fort Myers in 2005 and is now a partner.
Off the clock The mother of two young sons loves to run whenever she has free time. —Jennifer Freihofer

Kristen Coury
Age 39
Position producing artistic director and founder
Company Gulfshore Playhouse
Why her Just four years ago, Coury was living the dream in New York City—producing and directing shows on Broadway for Walt Disney Theatrical Productions and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s company. So what brought her to Naples?
“New York and I have always had a love-hate relationship,” she explains. “When we traveled here on vacation, my husband and I discovered a wonderful community in the sun. We decided to move here lickety-split.”
She founded Gulfshore Playhouse, which focuses on new works and classics and brings professionals in from around the country. The Playhouse does not yet have its own permanent space, so it works out of theaters in Sanibel, Fort Myers and Naples. The upcoming season will be its first with three shows, including one Florida premiere, Another Night Before Christmas.
Coury also started the Art Smart initiative, an in-classroom education program for students from first grade through high school that helps augment curricula through theater-based activities.
Off the clock She plays tennis and reads voraciously. —Jennifer Freihofer

Jenny Craig
Age 35
Position wellness consultant
Employer self-employed
Why her She believes in turning frustration into understanding.
Craig, who gives corporate and individual wellness seminars and provides coaching, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in psychology and master’s in clinical social work. She came to realize that the more that she understood about herself, the better she could communicate with others. She has traveled to nine countries, immersing herself in their cultures, and has helped numerous people succeed by understanding how their words and emotions affect others.
Certified by the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work, Craig also serves as chair of the Neapolitan chapter of the American Business Women’s Association and is involved with the Naples Backyard History project. 
She’s written Weighing Your Options, a book about how thoughts and emotions affect one’s body, and she recently finished a similar book for children.
Off the clock Jenny likes to fish and scuba dive and tries to exercise every day. —Angela Voelker

John DeAngelis
Age 39
Position owner and vice president
Company DeAngelis Diamond Construction
Why him A business owner, missionary and family man, DeAngelis credits the right market, hard work and, above all, God for his and his company’s success. He and his partner, David Diamond, founded their construction company in 1996 based on Christian values. Its projects since then include Naples Dodge, its first project; 289 residential condominiums at Coconut Point, its largest project; and dozens of churches, its most rewarding projects.
As a board member of Transform Asia, DeAngelis works to rescue children and women from prostitution in Cambodia and feed hungry children. His family visited Cambodia twice to bring necessities and toys to children in need and is planning a third trip. He is also on the board of Kingdom Mobilization, which unites Christian ministries globally. Locally, DeAngelis and Diamond built Liberty Youth Ranch for orphaned children, and DeAngelis serves on the board.
Off the clock DeAngelis plays electric guitar and loves driving fast cars. He and his wife mentor young married couples through their church. —Cori Sue Morris

Jennifer Figurelli
Age 38
Position vice president and senior trust officer
Company Comerica Bank
Why her Figurelli started out 10 years ago in the banking industry as an administrative assistant. Today, she’s a vice president and senior trust officer, heading up Comerica Bank’s trust department in Naples, and she’s earned the bank’s “Most Valuable Person” award two years in a row, in 2006 and 2007.
A certified trust and financial advisor and licensed life insurance agent, she helps people dealing with major life events, such as retirement, death or divorce. Figurelli, who has lived in Naples for more than 30 years, is involved with a number of local charities—not only through helping her clients in their planned giving, but also as a volunteer for the David Lawrence Foundation and Youth Haven Inc., among others.
“My passions are in healthcare and human services,” she says, and her biggest reward is gaining the trust and appreciation of her clients.
Off the clock Figurelli enjoys visiting state and national parks, including the Everglades, Corkscrew Swamp and Koreshan State Historic Site. She and her family love minor league baseball games. —Cori Sue Morris

Andrew “Drew” Fitzgerald
Age 38
Position president
Company Delisi Fitzgerald Inc.
Why him Fitzgerald went against the odds and launched an engineering and land planning firm in May 2006, just as the housing market started to tumble. He attributes the firm’s success to its attention to clients, as well as resisting the urge to add a lot of staff and grow too quickly. “When things turned, we really banded together as a team,” he says.
His company has taken on high-profile public and private projects in Southwest Florida, focusing on forming consensus partnerships with the community and government agencies. He worked with property owners and utilities representatives to plan for utilities needs along Burnt Store Road. He also works with stakeholders in the controversial Density Reduction/Groundwater Resource area in Lee County.
In addition, Fitzgerald is involved with the United Way of Lee County and is donating the civil engineering design work for a 9,700-square-foot expansion.
Off the clock An avid diver, Fitzgerald was looking forward to taking his six-year-old daughter in August on her first snorkeling trip in the Keys. —Sarah Hoffman

Liz Givens
Age 38
Position executive director
Employer NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Lee County Inc.
Why her Personal experience with depression fueled Givens’ passion for helping people with mental illnesses, and she’s accomplishing that by forging effective partnerships between public agencies and private businesses.
She moved NAMI into a social service alliance to open the Dunbar United Way Resource House last year, a one-stop shop that provides services from healthcare and grief counseling to reintegrating homeless people into society. She brought a crisis intervention program to local law enforcement to teach officers how to deal appropriately with mentally ill people. She’s also a leader in the new Mental Health and Addictions Coalition of public agencies and local businesses, which is developing a strategic plan for addressing the community’s needs.
The business partners have connections with legislators, and they bring “fresh ideas and approaches” to the challenges, she says. “Those in the field get burnt out and get used to being told ‘no.’ [The business partners] can really see it as something we can overcome.”
Off the clock This Staten Island, N.Y., woman married a Florida native. “The deal was, I would say ‘y’all’ if my husband would say ‘not for nothin’,’” she says with a laugh. —Jill Tyrer

Lane Houk
Age 37
Position founder/CEO
Company HeroCare
Why him A former Army combat field medic, intensive care nurse and Christian minister, Houk went into real estate and mortgage banking in 2002. That’s where he saw firsthand the obstacles faced by Southwest Florida’s teachers, police officers, firefighters, nurses and public servants. The community relies on them, but they couldn’t afford to live here.
In early 2007, Houk launched HeroCare, a nonprofit organization that targets, screens and oversees a network of professionals and companies that provide those “community heroes” with discounted services in lending, real estate, insurance, financial planning, construction, title and escrow.
The organization helped nearly 70 people by July with another 343 in process. Now with five full-time staff members and more than 100 affiliates, it has expanded into 12 states.
An avid education supporter, Houk also volunteers on the Business Advisory Council for Dunbar High School and the Quality Improvement Committee for the Lee County School District.
Off the clock Houk is a coach for the Everblades youth hockey program, in which his sons, ages 5 and 7, participate.—Denise Scott

Michelle Jones
Age 39
Position director of sales and marketing
Company Adventure Training Concepts
Why her After years as an Army commander, traveling the world on combat missions, Jones put her team-building, training and leadership expertise to work in the corporate world. Along with her former Delta Force and Army Ranger husband, she opened Adventure Training Concepts, a corporate team-building company.
Programs are customized and can last from a few hours to a few days at Naples-area ropes courses or on the road. Themes range from Mission Impossible to Downtown Naples Adventure and Women’s Empowerment Adventure, each with different team-building exercises.
“I have to live my life with a purpose and a passion. Teaching others is my passion,” she says.
That passion spills over into her volunteer work with the PACE Center for Girls in Immokalee. “Why else be in business and successful if you’re not giving back and helping others succeed?” she says.
Off the clock A skilled martial artist in combat aiki jujitsu, Jones took first place in the 1998 U.S. Open for martial arts and self-defense. —Denise Scott

Lisa Ketcham
Age 39
Position co-owner
Company Mason’s Bakery
Why her After Lisa Ketcham and her husband, Chris, took over his family’s downtown Fort Myers bakery 10 years ago—revamping the business and tripling sales in one year—the national Retail Bakery Association sought them out to share their success story with struggling bakery owners. Ketcham now mentors others across the country in bakery management. “It’s training a whole new generation,” she says. “Convenience isn’t everything. Sometimes good things take a while.”
In her “spare” time, Lisa has organized the March of Dimes Chef Auction five times—a task that has special meaning because one of her three children was born nearly nine weeks prematurely. For the past four years, she has also baked about 6,000 pies total during the busy holidays for the Lee Memorial Military Fundraiser. Mason’s sells the pies at cost to the hospital system, which sells them to benefit local soldiers and their families in need.
“We put on our game face come November,” she says. “We don’t sleep. We don’t meet with brides. It’s pie time. They did a job for our freedom. We’re able to give them a hand back.”
Off the clock “I’m a wicked poker player. There’s a local pub poker league—no money, just chips. It’s great therapy.”—Denise Scott

April Kettelle
Age 32
Position president and chief operating officer, ASI Florida; vice president, Total Home Florida
Companies Automated Shading and Total Home Interior Solutions
Why her After dabbling in real estate sales and country-club management in Naples, Kettelle spent three-and-a-half years as a marketing analyst in Chicago. When she met her current business partner, Gavin Sword, he told her about a mom-and-pop shading business he was considering buying right in her hometown. Kettelle found herself saying, “It doesn’t hurt to try.”
Since they acquired Automated Shading five years ago, revenues have shot from $1.6 million to more than $3 million, and new offices are thriving in New York City and Miami. They’ve also started Total Home Interior Solutions, which provides build-out packages in high-rises.
Kettelle, a 2007 alumna of Leadership Collier, launched Get Involved Stay Involved to help fellow graduates stay active in community efforts.
Off the clock Kettelle loves to travel, and recently swam with sting rays in Grand Cayman. —Jennifer Freihofer

Ed Kiernan
Age 34 
Position executive vice president, chief marketing officer
Company Peter Jacobsen Sports
Why him Kiernan has always been the youngest guy in the room. After graduating from Mount Union College in Ohio in two-and-a-half years with a B.S. in sports marketing, Kiernan, at 22, was the youngest tournament director of the PGA Tour. “I walked into a meeting in Connecticut, and a woman actually asked me if I was there representing my father,” he says. At 24, he signed on with Peter Jacobsen, a sports marketing and entertainment company.
Now, as a partner in Jacobsen’s firm, Kiernan travels 220 nights a year, overseeing marketing for big-name brands such as Red Bull, Ketel One vodka, Lexus and CVS at offices around the country. “My wife’s a saint, especially with a four-year-old,” he says.
Kiernan, who moved to Bonita Springs in September 2004 after living in various cities across the country, created the United States Golf Association’s first corporate partnership in 2006, making Lexus the exclusive official vehicle of the USGA.
Off the clock Inspired by Jacobsen’s guitar skills and guitar collection (he has about 25), Kiernan recently took up the acoustic guitar. —Cori Sue Morris

Dr. Stephen J. Laquis
Age 36
Position ophthalmologist
Company Stephen J. Laquis, M.D.
Why him When Laquis arrived in Bonita Springs as a new doctor, the first patient he treated suffered severe facial trauma after a faulty firecracker exploded in his face. Although the man lost his eye, Laquis was able to save his facial structure. More often, Laquis performs more common procedures such as surgeries to correct eyelids, skin cancers, eye-socket tumors or tear-duct damage.
Laquis began his solo practice in 2002 with his wife, Nicole. She managed the front desk and patient charts, and he handled the finances on weekends. To pay the bills, he was on call at all Southwest Florida hospitals for an entire year, excluding two weekends, and Nicole worked as a nurse practitioner.
Six years later, he has expanded his practice with an office in Fort Myers. He performs about 30 procedures a week and still finds time to serve as chief of ophthalmology for Lee Memorial Health Systems and to teach occasionally at the University of South Florida. 
Off the clock This Trinidad native enjoys scuba diving and spear fishing. —Cori Sue Morris

Emily Lewis
Age 31
Position manager, family services division
Company Charlotte County Human Services
Why her When families in Charlotte County run low on hope, Lewis can help. She oversees parenting programs, programs for troubled children, a health clinic, a food pantry and other programs committed to serving bereft families. “We want a family to be able to walk through the door and get everything they need,” she says.
To accomplish this, Lewis acts as the glue holding everyone together. She sits on the boards of 18 county organizations, creating dialogue and partnerships between agencies to ensure county resources are used effectively without overlapping programs.
Prior to her work with family services, which she began in September 2006, Lewis led the Educator Preparation Institute at Edison College, training teachers across Southwest Florida. It was the first time a collective effort of Florida’s community colleges had produced a workforce training initiative that addressed a critical shortage in Florida—and Lewis received the Davis Productivity Award for her efforts. 
Off the clock This mother of two is a certified spa consultant whose part-time business involves teaching women to perform their own beauty treatments, including pedicures and microdermabrasions. —Cori Sue Morris

Paul Lodato
Age 32
Position station manager
Company WRXY-TV
Why him The youngest station manager for The Christian Television Network, Lodato heads up its local affiliate, WRXY.
“I view TV as a way to enhance people’s lives and help them prosper,” says Lodato, who strives to create programming that is practical and fulfilling. He hosts his own show, “Times of Refreshing,” which features interviews with international gospel recording artists.
Lodato, who is committed to helping others find their life’s purpose through music and faith, runs the station’s Love Basket Program, which provides aid to people in financial distress. He and his team are also working to create the Global Vision Video Institute, a school that trains students in camera work, lighting and graphic design.
Prior to arriving in Naples four years ago, Lodato worked as a music pastor in Tampa and as the sales and marketing team leader for Impact Productions, a Tulsa film company that promotes Christian-based endeavors.
Off the clock Lodato, a gospel singer, comes from a musical family. His father studied violin at Juilliard; brother Dave plays cello and violin; and his twin, Richard, also sings gospel. —Cori Sue Morris

Tim Mackay
Age 38
Title senior vice president of retail banking
Company Fifth Third Bank, South Florida
Why him After starting his days at 5 a.m. with a six-mile run, Mackay spends most of his days as the “coach” in Fifth Third’s regional and financial centers, where he observes and teaches bank managers.
“The most rewarding aspect of my job is the coaching and career development—helping them grow in their jobs,” he says. “I get the most pride when someone moves up, gets promoted or realizes success out of development items we’ve been working on.”
Mackay also manages the division’s finances and is a three-time recipient of Fifth Third’s President’s Circle Award for his performance as both manager and retail executive.
As president of the board of directors of the Naples Zoo, Mackay handles the strategic planning and finances for the seven-year-old nonprofit. He also serves on the board of trustees for the YMCA of the Palms, acting as a financial advisor to the Y’s staff and executives.
Off the clock At the end of the day, he returns home to his wife, Tricia, and their eight-year-old quadruplets. —Cori Sue Morris

Marisa Mendelson
Age 26
Position FOX 4 TroubleShooter investigator
Company WFTX-TV
Why her She gives a voice to the voiceless, holds the powerful accountable and uses the media to help people. That’s how Mendelson describes what she considers the best job in the world.
Mendelson’s on-air stories got help for an elderly woman who lost thousands of dollars after a storm shutter business took her money but didn’t do the job, and for a family who couldn’t afford to get rid of bees that infested their home. Her investigation into local construction lien problems became a part of the file that Sen. Burt Saunders used for a Senate bill to get more consumer protection against double fees. It died in committee, but it gained Mendelson the prestigious Florida Bar Media Award.
A native Floridian, Mendelson has emceed events for Child Care of Southwest Florida, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the North Naples Professional Firefighters Honors and Awards.
Off the clock In her spare time she writes songs, plays guitar and spends time with her dog, Gizmo. —Carol DeFrank

Jason Hamilton Mikes
Age 30
Position real estate attorney
Company Quarles & Brady LLP
Why him A real estate attorney for only five years, Mikes has distinguished himself by adding an unprecedented 50 clients to the firm’s roster. His MBA gives him business-oriented legal expertise that attracts clients and referrals. A Stetson University graduate, Mikes serves as a trusted advisor to developers, boards and community managers. 
He’s active in organizations including the Economic Development Council of Collier County and the local Urban Land Institute chapter. “I’m involved in the community because I want to be, not just to build my practice,” he says. “As a sixth-generation Floridian, I’m concerned about the future of this area and want to lend my perspective of what I think is necessary to build a better city, county and state.”
He has received the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award and serves as pro bono general counsel to St. Matthew’s House.
Off the clock He sings, plays guitar, piano and saxophone, and says he wins more than he loses playing poker. —Carol DeFrank

Vince Modarelli
Age 39
Position business owner
Company PRstore
Why him Modarelli quit a perfectly good job as an advertising sales manager to start his own business.
He bought a PRstore franchise, which provides small businesses that often can’t afford to keep marketing pros on retainer with tools they need for advertising, and he plans to use his marketing experience to expand services. “Businesses are struggling. Since my expertise is integrated marketing, I plan to offer business consulting and coaching in the near future,” he says.
Modarelli believes a healthy business atmosphere provides the framework for a healthy community. He received the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce’s Volunteer of the Year award for starting Market Pulse, a localized economic outlook forum. He also received the Rotary Service-Above-Self award for spearheading a campaign that raised money to build an elementary school for 200 children in Guatemala. He is co-chair for Leadership Bonita.
Off the clock He says he’s never been on a boat wishing he were on the golf course, but he has been on the golf course wishing he were on a boat. —Carol DeFrank

Scott O’Donnell
Age 37
Position teacher of deaf children
Employer Golden Gate Elementary School
Why him Between two jobs, O’Donnell works up to 13 hours a day. A teacher by day and a waiter by night, he still finds time to take his students on after-school trips and offer free sign-language classes to their parents.
He received the Collier County Teacher of Distinction award in 2007 after being nominated by a grateful parent who said he gave her daughter a more positive outlook.
His students are involved in a county boating program and received free airplane rides from a group of private pilots—experiences they might never get otherwise, he says. 
“For four years I’ve been teaching them not only sign language, English and reading, but also about life,” he says. “When I talk to them about bad things like smoking or drugs, and they get it, that’s more gratifying than any award that I could receive.”
Off the clock O’Donnell practices the arts: guitar, sculpting, painting and martial arts. —Carol DeFrank

Craig Peden
Age 38
Position president
Company Rib City Grill
Why him Peden oversees the operations and policies of 12 corporate and 15 franchise restaurants in nine states. His grandfather started in the restaurant business in 1948, and his father followed suit in the early 1980s and bought out Rib City in the mid ’90s. “Because of them, I get to do what I love,” says Craig. “The beauty of this business is that it’s never boring.”
A graduate of the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, N.C., Peden’s plans include opening five to seven franchises and two corporate restaurants annually. He will soon take over for his father in the daily operation of Veranda, one of the oldest restaurants in the area.
Peden and his business donate more than $20,000 in goods and services to Lee and Collier county organizations annually. “We can’t help every organization, but we do our best to help as many as possible.”
Off the clock Peden likes to hunt, fish and snow ski. —Carol DeFrank

Alexander A. Pezeshkan
Age 27
Position director
Company Kraft Enterprises
Why him A graduate of Curry College in Massachusetts, Pezeshkan worked to get a handle on all aspects of the Naples real estate market, first working in Northern Trust’s lending department, then learning about real estate appraisals at Armalavage & Associates and then as membership director for Naples Bay Resort. Now he picks up tips from his dad, Fred, chairman and CEO of Kraft Enterprises Co., where Alexander directs construction, purchasing and property valuation. 
A Naples native, Pezeshkan attended the Community School of Naples and continues to support the school. He also serves on advisory boards for the Naples Community Redevelopment Agency and the county’s Department of Juvenile Justice as well as the Collier sheriff office’s citizen complaint review panel. He’s been active in young Republican organizations and in political campaigns and says he might consider going into politics.
Off the clock A sports and travel enthusiast, he is in the process of earning his pilot’s license. —Cori Sue Morris

Tim Philbrick
Age 39
Position owner
Company Print and Copy Center of Naples
Why him When Philbrick moved to Naples from Michigan in 1992 he had a job waiting for him at his uncle and cousin’s Print and Copy Center. Five years later, he bought out his cousin to become the sole owner.
He has succeeded by keeping up with technology, keeping his loyal customers happy and giving back to the community—which has including donating at least $10,000 in copy and print services. “We really believe that success is directly tied to quality of effort you put into working with quality people and making your community a better place to live,” he says.
He received the Red Cross Good Neighbor award in 2007 and 2008 for donating services and a Volunteer of the Year award from the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, for which he organized eight golf events in 10 years. 
He also coaches girl’s basketball for the Naples Girls Basketball Foundation and at St. Elizabeth Seton School, where his 11-year-old daughter goes.
Off the Clock Philbrick loves creating his own marinades and grilling. —Sharyn Lonsdale

David Plazas
Age 32
Position community conversation editor
Company The News-Press
Why him Plazas started as a beat reporter with The News-Press in 2000 after receiving his master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. In 2005 he was named the first editor of Gaceta Tropical, the company’s weekly Spanish-language newspaper, and continued to move up the editorial ladder. He is the founding president of the Southwest Florida Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
As community conversation editor, Plazas is in charge of the opinion pages and the editorial board. He creates conversation panels to discuss topical issues and serves on parent company Gannett’s Leadership and Diversity Council and Innosight 25, a corporate initiative to “spread innovative and creative thinking across the company.” Plazas, who is also pursuing an MBA at Florida Gulf Coast University, has received numerous awards from Gannett, professional societies and community agencies. 
He is enthusiastic about an upcoming project to help the area “develop a vision” and “create conversation to start building our community back up” from its economic slump. 
Off the clock He enjoys dancing, and appeared in the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s first Dancing with the Stars fundraiser performing the cha-cha. —Sharyn Lonsdale

Claudia Rands
Age 36
Position owner and operator
Company Domino’s Pizza stores
Why her Claudia Rands was fired from her first job at Domino’s Pizza. At only 14 years old, she lied about her age to get a job where her older brother worked. The next time she worked for the company, she had a degree in hospitality management, and brother Phil owned five of the stores in Clearwater. In 2004, she expanded the company to Fort Myers, and the siblings now have 11 Domino’s.
A board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lee County and a business partner with Lee County Public Schools, “I’ll do anything for kids,” she says. Last year her company donated 50,000 gift certificates to the schools, mostly for reading-incentive programs.
“It’s tough to grow up nowadays. If there’s something I can do that makes a little bit of a difference, that’s great,” she says.
Off the clock Rands, who has a 10-year-old cat named Pepperoni, rarely eats pizza. “I’m on a low-carb diet,” she says. —Sharyn Lonsdale

Scott Saxon
Age 38
Position general manager
Company Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
Why him If you plan to see the Tony Award-winning musical Wicked at Mann Hall next season, you can thank Saxon. He has the final word on which living legends, hot new acts and Broadway shows appear, and after seeing Wicked on Broadway, he says, “We just had to have it.”
Since taking over management of the hall two years ago, he has shown a strong commitment to the community, especially children. A board member of the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and of the Alliance of the Arts, he speaks enthusiastically about the High School Music Awards, which he helped create. It gave students the chance to perform on stage at Mann Hall, rewarded four students with $2,500 scholarships to Edison College and presented a school with $2,500 for its theater program.
During last year’s run of The Producers, Saxon introduced “Broadway Gives Back,” which has so far raised $20,000 for area nonprofits.  
Off the clock Saxon is a “huge, huge [Pittsburgh] Steelers fan.” —Sharyn Lonsdale

Leigh Eby Scrabis
Age 39
Position deputy director
Company Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency
Why her Scrabis grew up in Fort Myers, graduated from Fort Myers High School and received her degree in civil engineering from the University of Florida. After a stint as manager of the Imaginarium, she signed on as community redevelopment specialist with the Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency in 2004. Now, as deputy director, her job is to improve the downtown streetscape—“everything on top of the ground,” as she says.
After the agency’s marketing manager left, Scrabis volunteered to start twice-monthly coffees with downtown businesses to discuss ways to get through the disruption caused by the revitalization projects. Scrabis says these coffees, along with the Friday Night live music series and other events, have pulled the community together and “helped them help themselves.” 
A member of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation grants committee, she is dedicated to her community outside of work, too, and is active with the American Cancer Society. 
Off the clock Scrabis spends free time with her husband and two children riding bikes and “rediscovering” the town where she grew up. —Sharyn Lonsdale

Todd Stephenson
Age 38
Position director of Florida operations
Company Boston Red Sox
Why him Stephenson is living a dream: a career in baseball with the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. He has a degree in sports management from North Carolina State University and has been with the Sox since January 2003.
As director of Florida operations, Stephenson oversees all aspects related to Boston Red Sox spring training and all other Red Sox operations in Fort Myers. This can range from coordinating commercials featuring Red Sox players to acting as community liaison, running day-to-day facilities operations and negotiating local business deals. After the team heads north, Stephenson stays in Fort Myers, maintaining the team’s presence and building relationships, such as its partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida on an annual golf tournament that raises about $500,000 each year.
He is also a board member of the Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Florida 4C (Community Coordinated Care for Children).
Off the clock Stephenson doesn’t play baseball, but he loves golfing and fishing. —Sharyn Lonsdale

Mindy Sylvester-Pepera
Age 36
Position realtor
Company Downing-Frye & Co.
Why her In 2007, while other realtors struggled or gave up on the business, Mindy Sylvester-Pepera brought in more than $15 million, making her No. 15 in sales out of 750 agents at Downing-Frye Realty in Naples. And she’s happy to offer tips when other realtors ask, even in this highly competitive market. “If you can help somebody, it always comes back to you,” she says.
A former fitness trainer in Chicago, she put her real estate skills to work helping for professional and retired athletes relocate quickly and confidentially. She now has a national network of agents working with her.
In 2006, a thyroid condition made it difficult for the first time in her life to control her weight. Sylvester-Pepera started the Naples Weight Loss Challenge for nearly 400 people and personally ran an 11-week boot camp.
She also serves as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Collier County and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.
Off the clock “I’m a self-improvement book junkie. Every year I read 50 to 60.” —Sharyn Lonsdale

Lisa Barnett Van Dien
Age 39
Position attorney and partner
Company Cheffy, Passidimo, Wilson & Johnson
Pieter Van Dien
Age 37
Position vice president and manager of estate department
Company Northern Trust
Why them Since starting their law careers in Naples, Lisa Barnett Van Dien and Pieter Van Dien have earned their share of honors. Lisa, a past director of the Collier County Bar Association, was appointed in 2006 by then-Gov. Jeb Bush for a four-year term to the 20th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, which is responsible for reviewing and recommending applicants for non-elected judicial positions.
Pieter is president-elect of the Collier County Bar Association, and both contribute actively to professional and community initiatives.
When they met in 1996 at the University of Richmond School of Law in Virginia, neither thought they would end up living and working just blocks from each other in Lisa’s hometown. Now neither can imagine being anywhere else. “I’ll be 38 and president of the bar association,” says Pieter. “In New York City, is that going to happen?”
They volunteer for The Humane Society Naples and Big Brothers Big Sisters, and they’re very involved with the Bar Association’s holiday activities for local children. Lisa is also a founding board member of the Children’s Museum of Naples. Nearly seven years after agreeing to file the group’s articles of incorporation, she is eagerly awaiting the groundbreaking scheduled for January 2009.
Off the clock Both Van Diens work out every day and have participated in triathlons.  Pieter, who was active in amateur Motocross before their daughter was born, races his BMW car at the Sebring track. —Sharyn Lonsdale

Carlo Zampogna
Age 29
Position attorney
Company Woodward, Pires & Lombardo, P.A.
Why him After graduating from law school at Creighton University in Omaha, Zampogna signed on with Woodward, Pires & Lombardo in his hometown of Naples, specializing in civil and commercial litigation and real estate. This summer he was elected to the Florida Bar Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Division.
He spends much of his free time sharing his passion for the law—and for soccer—with students. This past year he was recruited by a former teacher to coach the mock trial team at Seacrest High School. He also volunteers as a youth soccer coach and donates some “Saturday time” to Habitat for Humanity.
Zampogna says his father, who was a family doctor from a small town in Italy before immigrating, taught him how to be successful and compassionate. “I listen to everything [clients] have to say and take care of them the best that I can.”
Off the clock Now that his one-year-old daughter has started talking, he can’t wait to teach her Italian. —Sharyn Lonsdale

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