Fifth Avenue Advisors » craig

Tim Cartwright named to Gulfshore Business Power Players

craig — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:08:52 +0000

Tim Cartwright named as Power Player in Gulfshore Business.

The individuals who shape our communities in Southwest Florida come in a variety of styles, from high-profile to low-key. What they have in common, though, is that they wield the power to get things done. These movers and shakers use personal resources as well as talents and brains to make a difference. And when they speak, others listen—and often follow.

To arrive at this year’s list, we called upon several sources to identify candidates and whittle them down to our final 47, listed here alphabetically. Southwest Florida boasts movers and shakers who hold sway on national and international levels as well as local, and many deserve recognition. For our list of Gulfshore power players, we tended to focus on those individuals who influence our own communities and who gained attention during the year for their accomplishments.

Fifth Avenue Advisors prepared if Chicago Cubs gives a second chance

craig — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:11:55 +0000

Mesa gets Cubs Spring Training nod.

Hurdles may still present opportunity for Collier County

Organizers prepared if Collier County gets second chance

NAPLES, FL (January 27, 2010) – While the Chicago Cubs will work exclusively with Mesa, AZ, to negotiate a new Spring Training facility, leaders in Collier County, FL, will continue to develop plans while monitoring Mesa’s progress.

From the first meetings with Tom and Laura Ricketts, it was easy to recognize their integrity and commitment to Cubs fans. This was evident today by their decision to respect the history and tradition in Mesa.

The non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Cubs and Mesa provides an exclusive negotiation period to complete work towards a final agreement. Within a stated timeframe, multiple legislative and funding hurdles, including a voter referendum, must be cleared by the City of Mesa and State of Arizona; otherwise, the team can stop negotiations, and re-start discussions with Collier County.

Project Home Run! sponsors have proposed a public-private partnership utilizing tourist development taxes, state funds designated for baseball and private funding. Neither county sales taxes nor county property taxes are being considered to pay for the project.

Florida Governor Crist stated, “Today’s decision by the Chicago Cubs to exclusively negotiate with Arizona officials ends one phase of their pursuit of a new spring training home and begins another. The dedicated civic leaders involved with Project Home Run! and the State of Florida remain ready to bring the Cubs to Naples should the remaining hurdles to a binding agreement not be overcome. The Ricketts family has been open and honest and I wish them well. Florida stands ready to step in.”

Florida Cubs Website and Petition

craig — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:59:37 +0000

Website for updates on the efforts to bring the Cubs to Collier County:

www.floridacubs.com

Naples News Guest Commentary: Economic Gardening

craig — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:33:05 +0000

Guest commentary: Economic gardening: growing jobs at existing businesses

By Timothy Cartwright / Board member, Economic Development Council of Collier County

Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Economic Development Council of Collier County (EDC) announced at its annual meeting this month a new approach to helping existing businesses.

Economic gardening is an innovative, entrepreneur-centered economic development strategy focusing on a long-term approach designed to generate new jobs from the community’s existing base of businesses of second-stage companies. According to the Edward Lowe Foundation, “Second-stage companies are those that have grown past the startup stage but have not grown to maturity. They have enough employees to exceed the comfortable control span of one owner/CEO and benefit from adding professional managers, but they do not yet have a full-scale professional management team.

“A business typically begins to enter its second stage when it approaches $1 million in total receipts. The transition process can continue until it hits $100 million in receipts, although for most companies $50 million represents the upper limit of second stage. By $100 million, a firm will have to be professionally managed in order to continue to thrive and grow and be in its third stage of development. Employee numbers and revenue ranges vary by industry, but the population of firms with 10 to 100 employees and/or $750,000 to $50 million in receipts includes the vast majority of second-stage companies.”

Economic gardening was first developed by the city of Littleton, Colo., as a demonstration program and has since emerged as the latest trend in business retention and expansion. Economic gardening programs can have the most direct impact for long-term, sustainable strategies to grow and to diversify our economy.

Presenting this approach at the meeting was Steve Quello, president of CEO Nexus, a market research consultant serving CEOs of second-stage businesses and economic development organizations. His expertise includes the design and implementation of economic gardening programs. “With limited resources, communities have to allocate resources strategically, and in times like this industrial recruitment efforts may not be as effective as supporting expansion programs targeting resident businesses,” he said. “Most jobs are created and sustained over time by the creation and expansion of local companies.”

The EDC will promote the economic gardening framework through expansion of program offerings for resident companies. These programs will focus on stage-specific needs of these growth companies, filling gaps along the continuum of entrepreneurship and, most importantly, building and creating an entrepreneurship culture in the community.

The first program the EDC will be offer is the CEO connectivity and mentoring program. These programs allow current CEOs to discuss with one another the issues that are important and specific to their current stage of growth. Over the next three months, the EDC will be seeking interested second-stage businesses who wish to participate in this program. This program is specifically for the CEO-level executive. To participate in the CEO Economic Gardening program, please contact Brooke Gabrielsen at the EDC, (239) 263-8989, ext. 109.

Cartwright is president of the Gulf Coast Venture Forum, a nonprofit organization of investors. He also is the managing director of Compass Advisory Group LLC, a firm he founded in 2003. Compass is an investment bank that completes mergers and acquisitions and corporate restructurings for middle-market companies. For more information about the EDC or to become involved, visit www.eNaplesFlorida.com or call (239) 263-8989.

Tim Cartwright will address Law School

craig — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:41:19 +0000

NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

January 8, 2009

Naples investment advisor Tim Cartwright will deliver the keynote address at the 10th annual Entrepreneurs Law School on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Florida Gulf Coast University. Entrepreneurs Law School is a chance for small business owners to interact with local attorneys who specialize in issues that affect small businesses.

Mr. Cartwright, the founder and managing director of Compass Advisory Group and president of the Gulf Coast Venture Forum, will speak on the topic of “The Stress and Frustration of “Maybe” – Why is Raising Capital so Difficult?” He has more than 16 years of experience in strategic consulting, business transactions and financial services. Compass Advisory Group provides services primarily in mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Cartwright also established By-Products Interactive, an electronic trading, market research and publishing company; and Benchmark Solutions, a supply chain consulting firm. He earned his MBA from J. L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Entrepreneurs Law School is coordinated by the Small Business Development Center of FGCU; this year’s sponsors are the law firm of Roetzel & Andress, Key- Bank and Briers CPA. Hour-long sessions throughout the day will be conducted by attorneys who are experts in the legal matters of small business.

Compass Advisory Group advises Invest Holdings, Inc. on recent transaction

craig — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:31:08 +0000

Open Finance Network Acquires the operating subsidiaries of Invest Holdings, Inc.: American Securities Group and Epluribus, Inc.

CHARLOTTE–Open Finance Network has acquired American Securities Group, an independent broker/dealer and Epluribus, Inc, a software developer, located in Boca Raton, FL.

American Securities Group, Inc., (Member FINRA/SIPC) is a fully disclosed introducing Broker/Dealer offering back-office services and access to a variety of Separate Account Managers to independent Investment Advisors. American Securities Group also offer discount online brokerage services. Epluribus, Inc. is the developer of the Wealthware Trading Platform.

Open Finance Network President Vic Esclamado said, “The acquisition of American Securities Group was an important step in our overall strategic plan to provide full-service, enterprise-wide services to the independent financial advisor market.”

Open Finance Network is a leading provider of open architecture front- and back-office technology and service solutions for family offices and fee-only advisors. OFN’s solutions empower advisors by eliminating the administrative and financial friction involved in delivering best-of-class approaches across their business, wealth and portfolio management processes. OFN is based in Charlotte, N.C., one of the nation’s leading financial technology and services centers. The company has a full-time staff of approximately 100 people and has over $14 billion in assets under administration.

Compass Advisory Group advised the shareholders of Invest Holdings, Inc. on this transaction.