J U LY 3 - J U LY 9, 2020 | TH R E E D O LL A R S
FLOR IDA’S NE WSPAPER FOR T HE C - SUI T E
Entrepreneurs | Homebuilder grows, thrives through simple sales strategy. PG.10 PASCO • H ILL SBOROUG H • PIN ELL AS • P OLK • M A N ATEE • SA R ASOTA • C H A R LOT TE • LEE • COLLIER
Kettle AIR SUPPLY Mettle
Boat and RV dealers are riding a counterintuitive sales boom. Challenges — inventory issues, for starters — loom. PAGE 12
Brett McGill | CEO, MARINEMAX
COURTESY PHOTO
COMPANIES
DATA SNAPSHOT
ENTREPRENEURS
Up in the Air
Hard Days
Take the Wheel
Se ver a l a i r por t s i n t he re g ion are enjoying a nice change of pace as people start to fly again. PAGE 5
The hotel industry collapse has been staggering. Even worse? Some believe it might not come back until 2022. PAGE 6
REAL ESTATE
James Gallagher is using his time with a Michigan auto giant to grow a Fort Myers software firm. PAGE 8
COMPANIES
PANDEMIC RESPONSE
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Copy That
School Ties
Peak Opportunity
Despite a dip in sales, printing firm invests $300,000 to target a new segment of business. PAGE 6
Tampa loan executives for Valley Bank believe the economy will rebound in the region sooner than later. PAGE 14
Officials ready to open $76 million pier project. 15 Furniture company sells Lakeland warehouse for $24.5 million. 15
PAGE
3 Mentor, ‘dean’ of real estate lawyers, dies at 91. Receive the top Business Observer news of the day in your inbox.
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DON’T MISS
College presidents are facing some of the toughest leadership challenges of their careers. PAGE 7
California firm buys Charlotte County complex for $16.85 million. 14