SanCap Chamber cuts the ribbon at new Sanibel Captiva Trust Company office

A SanCap Chamber ribbon-cutting on Sanibel Island this week celebrated the opening of a new office location for Sanibel Captiva Trust Company at 2450 Periwinkle Way, a relocation that had been set in motion before Hurricane Ian.

“Sanibel Captiva Trust has been a major financial and philanthropic attribute of the community since 2001,” said John Lai, SanCap Chamber president and CEO. “Its move to a new office gives us good reason for excitement as an indicator of recovery and forward motion in our community.”

Formerly located on Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel Captiva Trust had begun construction on the new Periwinkle Way office before Hurricane Ian hit. Seven feet of flood water destroyed the original office and most of its contents, but mostly spared the new building because of its early stages of construction. With no drywall yet installed, the waters swept in and out, delaying the project but not damaging the infrastructure. The firm is also opening a Bell Tower, Fort Myers, office later this month.

“Our Naples and Tampa offices immediately jumped in with our company disaster plan by rerouting our mail, manning our phones, and offering office space, living quarters, and office support while we helped clients and friends with everything from finding shelter, helping them access their accounts, and providing much needed communication to their families,” said S. Albert D. Hanser, founder and chair.

The community offered support, too, including Re/Max Realty, Broadway Palm, Robb & Stucky, and Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers. They helped Sanibel Captiva Trust with office space and venues for special events it hosted.

“We know our clients and their families,” said Sanibel president Jeffrey A. Muddell. “We develop investment strategies that align with their estate plans, addressing an array of situations such as retirement, wealth transfer, tax mitigation, divorce, loss of a spouse, business succession planning, and more.”

With the motto, “Always do the right thing,” Sanibel Captiva Trust Company provided client and much-needed nonprofit support during the pandemic and hurricane recovery. It also supports the SanCap Chamber’s efforts.

“The chamber has demonstrated true leadership navigating through this storm, and we’re honored to be supportive members during this time,” said Hanser. “It has kept a critical line of communication among businesses and the community. As the rest of the island is focusing on resiliency, we know there are even better days ahead for the chamber as we work towards the celebration of Sanibel’s 50th anniversary.”