The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Committee will host a virtual program on “Transitioning Your Passion or Hobby into Your Career” at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Attendees will hear from three local business and nonprofit leaders who have turned their passions into their professions. Speakers include Alison Hussey of the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), Angela Melvin of Valerie’s House and Jen Whyte of Fort Myers Brewing Company.
Hussey is the executive director of CROW. Prior to joining CROW, she was an attorney specializing in corporate, criminal, family, estate planning, probate, real estate and adoption law. She brought her professional and legal background with her to CROW, and today she works with the nonprofit’s board of directors, hospital and visitor education staff, volunteers and the community in an effort to further CROW’s mission. Hussey brings enthusiasm to her role as a teambuilder, manager, fundraiser and animal lover, working to promote and educate the local and global communities in order to protect, heal and conserve wildlife.
Melvin is the founder of Valerie’s House, a nonprofit that provides children who have lost a loved one a loving place where they can grieve together, connect with others their own age and heal after the loss of a parent or sibling. A fourth-generation native of Southwest Florida, Melvin’s mother, Valerie, died in a car accident in 1987 in Fort Myers when Melvin was 10 years old. That devastating loss sparked a lifelong passion in Melvin to find a place that could help other children like her. Valerie’s House is thriving today, serving more than 150 children in the community on a monthly basis.
Whyte is co-founder and co-owner of Fort Myers Brewing Company, Lee County’s first microbrewery. When Whyte and her husband Rob moved to Southwest Florida in 2011, they found there was untapped potential for a local brewery in Fort Myers. They couldn’t pass up this opportunity to turn her passion for business, her husband’s love of brewing and their joint love of people into a business. Fort Myers Brewing Company opened in 2013, and today its brews are poured at 1,041 locations, including 620 bars and restaurants, and are available for purchase in 421 retail outlets, including grocery, package and convenience stores.
The Women in Business program is $10 for members of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and $15 for future members. Attendees can register in advance at FortMyers.org to receive webinar login credentials.
About the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce:
Serving Lee County and surrounding areas since 1989, the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a business organization of professionals who support and promote a progressive, sustainable community. The Chamber represents over 750 businesses, professionals, and individuals throughout Lee County, providing opportunities for members to participate in a variety of meaningful networking, educational and community- and business-focused programs and events. The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is located at 2310 Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers. For additional information regarding membership opportunities or events please call 239-332-2930 or visit www.fortmyers.org. For the latest news and updates, follow the Chamber on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gfmcc or Twitter at @FtMyersChamber.
About Women in Business:
Part of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, the Women in Business committee is dedicated to helping women achieve their fullest professional and personal potential. A variety of networking and educational programs are offered throughout the year, typically the first Wednesday of every month from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
