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Bruce Laishley is a man to know in Charlotte County.
In fact, you might consider Laishley a one-man economic development machine. He's got varied business interests across the area, from marinas to restaurants and real estate.
So, it's little surprise that the Florida Economic Development Council handed Laishley its volunteer of the year award.
Most recently, Laishley was instrumental in recruiting Cheney Brothers to the area. The Riviera Beach-based food distribution company plans to build a 250,000-square-foot warehouse at Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park and hire hundreds of new employees.
Laishley has tried to persuade Cheney for years to build the facility, to better supply his restaurants. When the company said it didn't have enough business to justify the expansion to Charlotte County, Laishley helped the distributor garner more business on this coast through his connections in hospitality circles. Within a year, Cheney had enough business to warrant the new building.
Besides the Cheney deal, Laishley is working on a plan to bring a water park and resort to Charlotte County that might turn around Murdock Village.
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