Awards & Recognition

Local Brightway Insurance team members earn national top 2% recognition

02/05/2026

Brightway Insurance is proud to announce that three members of Brightway Insurance, the Smith & Mitchell Agency-Michael Beeson, Kain Groves, and April Luettich­have been recognized nationally as Top Client Advisors, an honor awarded to the top 2% of advisors across the country. The recognition was presented at Brightway’s annual national conference, which brings together leading…

Dunbar High School teacher named national winner of Cyber.org award

02/02/2026

Dunbar High School teacher Dan Trembley has been named one of four national winners of the CYBER.ORG Annual Educator Award. This recognition highlights Trembley’s exceptional contributions to cybersecurity education and his impact as one of the nation’s leading educators in the field. Trembley has played a key role in advancing cybersecurity education since the Academy for…

Christopher Alan Homes earns eight awards at 2026 CCCIA Showcase of Homes

01/29/2026

Christopher Alan Homes recently earned eight awards at the 2026 Cape Coral Construction Industry Association Showcase of Homes for its St. Augustine model in Cape Coral. The annual CCCIA Showcase of Homes Awards recognizes outstanding achievement in residential construction among the region’s most exceptional homes and builders. Christopher Alan Homes, Southwest Florida’s largest privately owned…

Bonaquist | Allen earns national recognition for $7 million settlement

01/26/2026

Bonaquist | Allen Attorneys at Law has been recognized by TopVerdict.com for securing one of the Top 50 Wrongful Death Settlements in the United States recently. The firm, which actually ranked in the top 25, earned this distinction for achieving a $7 million settlement on behalf of its client. “This recognition reflects our firm’s ongoing commitment to…

Greater Naples Chamber president and CEO named a 2025 Women to KNOW in Florida honoree

01/26/2026

The Greater Naples Chamber announced Kristina Park, the organization’s president and CEO, has been named a 2025 Women to KNOW in Florida honoree, a statewide recognition celebrating influential and accomplished female leaders. The honor is presented by KNOW Women, a global female media company dedicated to elevating women who are making meaningful impact in their…

Five SWFL companies being honored as global innovators at 2026 Edison Awards

01/24/2026

Five Southwest Florida businesses are among the list of distinguished companies that will be hailed as global innovators during the 2026 Edison Awards, an international competition that culminates in April with a celebratory event in Fort Myers. The Edison Awards released its 2026 finalists on Jan. 20, noting the winners are a “curated collective of…

Amy McQuagge named board chair of Pace Center for Girls Lee

01/21/2026

Amy McQuagge, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank’s vice president and director of marketing, has been named board chair for the Pace Center for Girls Lee. McQuagge joined the PACE board of directors in 2020. She has since held several roles within the organization, including vice chair of the board, chair of both the board development and…

Veronica LeBlanc elected to Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium board of directors

01/21/2026

Veronica LeBlanc, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank’s vice president, head of retail sales and Gateway Branch office manager, has been elected to the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium board of directors. LeBlanc is a banking veteran with over 25 years of experience in the industry. She is actively involved in the community and has held various…

Corey McCloskey named #115 among Swanepoel Power 200  

01/21/2026

John R. Wood Christie’s International Real Estate today announced that President Corey McCloskey has been recognized as #115 among the country’s top executives on the 2026 Swanepoel Power 200 list (SP 200). In 2024, McCloskey was promoted to the position of president of the three-generation family-owned firm. She joined the company in 2003 as a staff member,…

Wilson & Johnson associate attorney passes the Florida Bar Exam

01/16/2026

Wilson & Johnson announced that Courtney N. Smuder, an associate attorney in the firm’s Trusts & Estates practice, has passed the Florida Bar Exam. Smuder joined Wilson & Johnson in May 2024. She focuses on estate planning, probate, and trust administration, bringing both legal knowledge and financial industry experience to her work with clients. Smuder…