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Pooling resources for the good of the community and destination is vital in this ever-changing economic climate. To celebrate the value of teamwork between business and tourism, the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) and the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Inc. are seeking nominations for the Chrysalis Awards to honor businesses and individuals who have positively impacted the local community.

Award nominations are due on March 12, and are open to any member of the local business community, regardless of whether or not they are directly a part of the tourism industry. Award recipients will be announced at a jointly hosted Celebration of Business & Tourism Awards Luncheon and Trade Show on May 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Harborside Event Center in downtown Fort Myers.

The new awards, designed to foster a stronger alliance between the tourism industry and the county's business community, will honor recipients in the categories: Business Development, Eco-Innovation, Cultural Achievement, Education, Sports and Sales & Marketing. A seventh award category is the VCB's longstanding Junonia Award, created to recognize those individuals who have positively impacted the local tourism community by demonstrating unique capabilities, leadership, commitment and dedication.

A panel of local business community leaders will judge nominations and select one award recipient in each of the six categories. And, as in past years, the Junonia will only be awarded at the sole discretion of the VCB.

Business and individual nominees for the six Chrysalis Awards will be judged on their innovation in their respective category, how they have distinguished themselves in the community, the results of their efforts to promote the destination, their contributions to business and tourism partnerships for the overall benefit of the county, and their work to foster growth and sustainability.

"We're celebrating our work together to create stronger relationships that encourage new visitors and ultimately new businesses for our area," said Marietta B. Mudgett, executive director of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, whose organization initiated the joint program. "Tourism and business partnerships improve community growth, encourage vacationers to our destination, and create job opportunities for our citizens."

The Celebration of Business & Tourism Awards Luncheon and Trade Show where the awards will be announced will feature a trade show from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the awards luncheon will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Costs to attend the event are $25 for a single admission and $250 for a reserved table for eight attendees. Those who wish to exhibit in the trade show will pay $120 for a booth, which includes two admission tickets. The event is projected to attract about 300 attendees.

Those who wish to nominate a business or individual to receive a Chrysalis Award can visit the Upcoming Events section of LeeVCB.com, where they also can register for event attendance and trade show participation through a link to the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Web site at fortmyers.org.

For questions or further event details, contact either Christine Davlin at the VCB at cdavlin@leegov.com or 239-338-3500, Glee Ann Agius at the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce at Glee Ann@fortmyers.org or 239-332-2930, ext. 211, or Colleen DePasquale, event chairperson, at Colleen.DePasquale@hilton.com or 239-790-3500.

News-Press.com

Tags: chrysalis, elebration of Business & Tourism Awards Luncheon, Community and destination,

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