Horizon Council founding member and the organization’s first chair, David Barton, died at 89. The longtime Southwest Florida developer and business leader had been battling an illness at his farm in Ocala, Horizon Council officials said.

Originally from Meriden, England, Barton and his wife, Margaret, moved to Southwest Florida in 1987. He saw the potential for growth in Cape Coral, taking a fledgling North Cape Industrial Park and developing it into a 92-acre manufacturing and service industry mecca home to more than 100 businesses.

Barton was instrumental in furthering economic development efforts in Lee County as a founding member of the Horizon Council in 1991. At the time, the county had several economic development organizations competing for county dollars. Barton and several other business leaders developed a cohesive, forward-looking plan for growth in the county that led Lee County Commissioners to vote to direct all funding to the group.

Horizon Council became the official advisory board to the commissioners on economic development issues, also providing vision, guidance and support to the Lee County Economic Development Office in its mission.

A visitation will take place at Fuller Metz Funeral Home, 3740 Del Prado Blvd. S. in Cape Coral, from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 21.