Two Lee County chambers of commerce, one amid a search for a new CEO, are partnering together for a short-term leadership partnership.
The SanCap Chamber, covering Sanibel and Captiva Islands, has signed a six-month contract with the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce to provide management services. The CEO of the Fort Myers chamber, representing some 700 professionals and businesses across Southwest Florida, had been industry veteran Robert Goltz; he was named CEO in November 2023 and left the post late last month, a spokeswoman for the Fort Myers chamber says.
Officials from both chambers, in a statement, stress the arrangement is a contract — not a merger.
“Both chambers will remain separate organizations with their own boards, finances, identities and memberships,” SanCap Chamber president and CEO John Lai says in the statement. “Our primary responsibility and focus will continue to be serving our Sanibel-Captiva members.”
The SanCap Chamber, under the agreement, “will provide strong organizational oversight, ensuring the Greater Fort Myers Chamber maintains consistent day-to-day operations and continues delivering meaningful benefits to its members throughout the CEO transition.” That includes a more unified advocacy presence in the upcoming legislative session; enhanced cross-promotion and potential cost efficiencies; access to a wider network of regional partners, customers and collaborators; opportunities to co-host events, share programming and participate in larger-scale initiatives; and a stronger foundation for future collaboration, the release states.
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber’s board “and a committee of business-savvy leaders,” the release adds, “will conduct a comprehensive search for its next CEO in the coming week.
“We’re pleased to be entering into this management partnership with SanCap as we focus our energy on a thorough and thoughtful search for our next CEO,” Greater Fort Myers Chamber chair Jen Whyte says. “This agreement allows us to continue to build momentum, serve our members and strengthen our chamber during this transition. John Lai and his team have demonstrated the leadership, professionalism and resilience we believe are essential to a successful chamber, and we’re confident this partnership positions us well for continued growth.”
Goltz’s two-year stint at The Greater Fort Myers Chamber came after Brian Hamman, a Lee County commissioner, held the CEO post for about a year, from July 2022 to August 2023. Prior to Harman and an interim leader, Colleen DePasquale had overseen the chamber for about a decade.