e-LinkVolume 2, 2nd Quarter, 2012

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e-Link is a quarterly newsletter for our tenants, vendors and business partners to stay linked in with the projects, accomplishments and development at Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field.

Robert M. Ball, A.A.E., Executive Director

April 2012

¾ Southwest Airlines debuted their new Boeing 737-800 aircraft on a flight from Baltimore to Southwest Florida International Airport on April 11.

¾ The Lee County Port Authority was recognized by the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association for several projects at the 2012 Local Image Awards. LCPA received the Grand All Image Award, the top award of the competition, as well as an Image Award for its Base Ops Dedication Ceremony in the Public Relations Programs - Special Events category. The Southwest Florida International Airport “Fly Me to the Moon” Art Exhibit Brochure was recognized with a Grand Image Award, the top award in its division, and an Image Award in the Printed Tools of Public Relations - Brochure category. In addition, LCPA received an Image Award and a Judges’ Award for this publication, e-Link, the Lee County Port Authority’s Business Newsletter in the Audio/Visual/Online Tools of Public Relations - Online Newsletter category.

May 2012

¾ Southwest Florida International Airport became an associate member of the International Air Carrier Association (IACA) on May 2, 2012 to help promote and develop air transportation and tourism with member airline partners. IACA represents 31 airlines that transport more than 100 million passengers annually to 650 leisure destinations worldwide. It will be a new forum for RSW to exchange information, address issues of common concern and develop relationships with airlines to encourage travel to leisure markets like Southwest Florida.

¾ Page Field hosted the Florida Aero Club (FAC) for their Spring State Fly-In on May 18-20. Thirteen aircraft and more than 60 members attended the weekend event and enjoyed several local attractions including the Murder Mystery Dinner Train and the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, as well as a tour of Base Operations.

¾ Base Operations at Page Field dispensed a record 115,622 gallons of aviation fuel to its customers in May. This volume represents a 50 percent increase in sales compared to the same period last year.

FAC State President Anthony Rostaino presented Barry Bratton, LCPA general aviation director, with a certificate of appreciation.

From L to R: Erin Croop, LCPA public affairs coordinator; Angie Strait, APR, LCPA public affairs coordinator; Victoria Moreland, LCPA public affairs director; Barbara-Anne Urrutia, LCPA public affairs manager

e-LinkVolume 2, 2nd Quarter, 2012

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Robert M. Ball, A.A.E., Executive Director

¾ The Lee County Port Authority and HMSHost have joined together to bring Sweet Unity Farms Gourmet Coffee to Southwest Florida International Airport. Sweet Unity Farms, located in Tanzania, is a cooperative of African farmers producing Arabica beans dedicated to delivering a healthy, socially conscious, environmentally friendly exceptional coffee to the market place. Sweet Unity Farms' mission is to provide the highest return to local farms through direct trade practices. Every cup of coffee contributes to improving healthcare, education, energy and access to potable water for impoverished East African coffee farming families.

¾ The Lee County Port Authority's Development Division hosted seven schools and more than 140 students at Southwest Florida International Airport as part of the Lee County School District STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Program. The purpose of this program is to provide students an opportunity to learn more about how STEM education and careers can be applied in the “real world” by visiting organizations that employ professionals with STEM educations and background, with the ultimate goal of encouraging students to apply their learning and college degrees here in Southwest Florida. Students were given presentations on aviation-related and technical career opportunities and tours of the airport's Baggage Handling System, Communication Center and Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting Station.

June 2012

¾ JetBlue Airways began new daily nonstop service to New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) on June 11. This service is operated with their 154-seat A320 aircraft.

¾ HMSHost is now partnering with the Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry and Glades Counties

to donate extra and unused items from Southwest Florida International Airport's food concessions. The program was started earlier this year to send food to those in need and to date more than 3,617 food items have been donated to the Salvation Army including sandwiches, salads, fruit cups and yogurt parfaits.

¾ The Lee County Port Authority received the Outstanding Environmental Project Award for the Page Field General Aviation Terminal Complex by the Florida Planning and Zoning Association on June 22 at the FPZA 60th Annual State Conference. The FPZA annual awards have become a standard for land development and public/private planning statewide and LCPA is glad to be recognized for our sustainability and environmental efforts.

From L to R: Rachel Whitcomb Layton, FPZA past president; Josh Philpott, LCPA planning manager; Renee Kwiat, LCPA environmental compliance manager; Ellen Lindblad, LCPA planning & environmental compliance director; Brady Woods, FPZA president

e-LinkVolume 2, 2nd Quarter, 2012

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Robert M. Ball, A.A.E., Executive Director

¾ The Lee County Port Authority hosted INTRADE commissioners from South America, as well as Canada, to introduce them to the business and air trade opportunities at RSW.

¾ Approximately 700,000 bags travel through Southwest Florida International Airport during the second quarter of each calendar year.

Meet The Paradies Shops @ RSW

Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) has been recognized for its unique concessions program by Airport Revenue News (ARN) and Airports Council International–North America. We can thank our retail concession operator, The Paradies Shops, for providing us with such a variety of award-winning shopping options at our airport. The Paradies Shops, an Atlanta-based company, operates more than 550 stores in 75 airports and hotels throughout North America and has

PARADIES (Continued on Page 4)

From L to R: Ben Siegel, LCPA deputy executive director - administration; Frances Reaves, Latin American Connection; Kristin Jackson, Congressman Connie Mack's Office; Gustavo Rodriquez, Chilean Trade Commissioner; Claudio Ramirez, INTRADE president and Canadian Trade Commissioner; Bob Ball, LCPA executive director; Jennifer Diaz, Becker-Poliakoff; Fernando Navia, Ecuadorian Trade Commissioner; Mark Busalacchi, LCPA properties director; Jan-Erik Hustrulid, business development coordinator, Owen-Ames-Kimball Company; Mily Sega, commercial assistant, Peru; Judi Gietzen, Estero Chamber director; Carol Obermeier, LCPA aviation market development director; Debi Montenieri, Estero Chamber president

e-LinkVolume 2, 2nd Quarter, 2012

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Robert M. Ball, A.A.E., Executive Director

PARADIES (Continued from Page 3)

been named the nation’s Best Overall Airport Retailer for 17 consecutive years by ARN. They have also received numerous accolades and awards for customer service, store concepts, design and operations. The PGA TOUR Shop – with a location at RSW – has been named one of Golf World magazine’s 100 Best Golf Shops for the past 17 years. In addition, the Southeastern Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives named the company its 2012 Corporate Member of the Year.

RC Landerfelt, general manager of The Paradies Shops at RSW, describes the company as being created and sustained through relationships. “The company began because of a friendship between two men, and maintaining good relations with our customers and business partners is a core value of The Paradies Shops,” he says. In the late 1950s, Dan Paradies of the family-owned business, Paradies and Company, a wholesale distributor of housewares and toys, was contacted by his friend, Atlanta Mayor Bill Hartsfield to open a store at the Atlanta Municipal Airport. In 1960, The Paradies Shops began with an Atlanta airport toy store and today the company is celebrating more than 50 years in the business of offering airport retail to the traveling public. The Paradies Shops' mission statement includes exceeding customers’ expectations and part of this is reflected in the company’s constant effort to offer new and interesting options for airport travelers. “It’s important to stay up with the demands and trends of the shopping public,” Landerfelt explains. “We have expanded our selections of premium waters, energy drinks, gourmet snack foods and electronics.” As more and more people travel with laptops, iPads and e-readers, they have seen a decrease in the demand for standard books, magazines and newspapers. As a result, The Paradies Shops at RSW have reduced the size of their periodical and book sections and added a larger selection of electronics and accessories. Now, you can pick up an extra set of headphones and revamp the look of your laptop with a fashion-forward Vera Bradley carrying case ‒ all in one stop!

Also, Southwest Florida International Airport was the first market where Paradies introduced food concessions, pairing Dunkin’ Donuts with The Beaches Travelmart stores at two locations in the main terminal. The pairing gives customers access to hot coffee, fresh donuts and sandwiches and traveler convenience items all in the same store. The success of this brand at RSW resulted in Paradies-operated Dunkin’ Donuts appearing in other airports, including Sarasota Bradenton International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The Paradies Shops is a very important business partner to the Lee County Port Authority. In 2011, LCPA received more than $2.71 million in revenue for retail concessions. Aside from that, their 18 beautiful stores help make Southwest Florida International Airport a world-class facility by offering our passengers quality, value-based products combined with some of the best customer service in the industry!