Greater Fort Myers Chamber celebrates new headquarters at Collaboratory
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of its new headquarters at Collaboratory with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Community leaders, chamber members, nonprofit partners and business professionals gathered to commemorate a new chapter focused on strengthening partnerships and expanding opportunities throughout Southwest Florida.
Located at Collaboratory, the new headquarters provides a welcoming, centrally located hub for members, businesses and community partners. The chamber will host meetings, committee gatherings, networking events and educational programs while increasing accessibility for members of its partner organization, Sanibel-Captiva Chamber, who conduct business in Fort Myers.
Following recent collaborations with the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association's Southwest Florida Region, the Greater Fort Myers Chamber connects a network of more than 1,600 members spanning Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties. The expansion represents a broader investment in regional collaboration, creating additional opportunities for cross-sector engagement among businesses, nonprofit organizations and community leaders.
“Our responsibility is to create value for our members while strengthening the relationships that help Southwest Florida thrive,” said John Lai, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Myers and Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce. “Establishing our headquarters at Collaboratory reflects how our organization continues to evolve alongside the communities we serve. Bringing businesses, nonprofit organizations and community leaders together under one roof creates an environment where relationships can grow and ideas can turn into action.”
Collaboratory, Southwest Florida's community foundation and regional convener, brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, educators, government agencies and community leaders to address the region's most pressing challenges. Its space features modern meeting rooms, event space and technology that can accommodate chamber networking events, committee meetings, educational programs and more.
“The strongest communities are built when people from different sectors bring their perspectives, experiences and expertise to the same table,” said Dawn Belamarich, president and CEO of Collaboratory. “We're honored to welcome the chamber to Collaboratory and excited to see the ideas, partnerships and solutions that will grow from sharing the same space.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony included remarks from chamber and Collaboratory leadership, tours of the new headquarters and opportunities for attendees to connect while exploring the collaborative workspace.
To learn more or become involved with Collaboratory, call 239-274-5900 or visit Collaboratory.org.
About Collaboratory
Collaboratory is Southwest Florida’s regional community foundation and convener, committed to coordinating solutions to the region’s most pressing social challenges by 2040. For more than 50 years, Collaboratory has mobilized philanthropy and stewarded more than $147 million in charitable investments across a five-county region by bringing together nonprofits, education, government and private-sector partners to drive systems-level change. Through grantmaking, scholarship administration, community research, capacity building and cross-sector collaboration, Collaboratory aligns resources, talent and data to ensure donor dollars are strategically invested for measurable, lasting impact and a stronger, more resilient Southwest Florida. To learn more and get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.Collaboratory.org.