Greater Fort Myers Chamber opens new HQ

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce has opened a new headquarters designed to bring Southwest Florida’s business and nonprofit community support system under one roof.

The chamber celebrated its move to Collaboratory, a Fort Myers-based community foundation and regional meeting hub, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday. The new headquarters, at 2031 Jackson St. in Fort Myers, will host networking events, educational programs, committee meetings and other chamber gatherings.

The move comes as the chamber expands its regional reach through partnerships with the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association’s Southwest Florida region. Together, the organizations connect a network of more than 1,600 members across Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties, according to the chamber.

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber itself represents nearly 700 businesses and professionals, according to a release.

“Our responsibility is to create value for our members while strengthening the relationships that help Southwest Florida thrive,” says John Lai, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Myers and Sanibel-Captiva chambers, in the release.

The new office also will give Sanibel-Captiva Chamber members a central place to conduct business while in Fort Myers.

The opening marks another step in a relationship between the two chambers that began during a leadership transition at the Fort Myers organization. In December, the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber signed a six-month agreement to manage the Fort Myers chamber’s day-to-day operations after former CEO Robert Goltz departed.

Officials said at the time that the arrangement was not a merger and that both chambers would retain their own boards, finances, memberships and identities. The partnership was intended to maintain chamber services while the Fort Myers organization searched for a new leader, as well as create opportunities for shared events, advocacy and programming.

Lai is now president and CEO of both chambers.

The chamber’s new home, Collaboratory, regularly brings together businesses, nonprofits, educators, government agencies and other groups to work on regional issues. Its Fort Myers facility includes meeting rooms, event space and technology that can support chamber programming.

“The strongest communities are built when people from different sectors bring their perspectives, experiences and expertise to the same table,” Collaboratory President and CEO Dawn Belamarich said in a statement.

Collaboratory has managed more than $147 million in charitable investments across five Southwest Florida counties during its more than 50-year history. The organization also administers grants and scholarships, conducts community research and helps coordinate regional initiatives.

Community leaders, chamber members and nonprofit representatives attended Tuesday’s ceremony, which included tours of the headquarters and remarks from chamber and Collaboratory officials.