Nominees to Date

To date, the following companies have been nominated for the Adam Smith Award for Socially Conscious Businesses:

* Bonita Bay Group
* Wilson Miller
* Tithe & More
* Sunshine Pharmacy
* TMI
* Robert of Philadelphia
* “B”
* Whole Foods
* Planet Smoothie Naples Center (franchise)
* Chick Fil-A Naples Center (franchise)

Bonita Bay Group is a large, privately-owned development company that has a high public profile for its charitable giving, its enthusiastic employee volunteerism, and its good business practices: they seem a natural for certification as a Socially Conscious Business. http://www.bonitabaygroup.com/

Wilson Miller is also a large company, based in Naples but operating throughout the state. Their good corporate citizenship, employee relations, and environmental focus recommend them for our award. http://www.wilsonmiller.com/

I have written about Tithe & More, the real estate brokerage, before on this blog. They are one of my favorite companies ever. http://www.titheandmore.com/

Sunshine Pharmacy has garnered excellent press for its helping the less-fortunate to fill their prescriptions. http://www.mysunshinepharmacy.com/

TMI is a remarkable firm, a business incubator in Immokalee started by two retired IBM executives, both members of Greater Naples Leadership, who are dedicated to making a difference in the economy of that less-fortunate town to our east. I am dying to get them a website! I’ll write more about TMI soon.

Robert of Philadelphia is an upscale hair salon that has a tremendous reputation for giving. To date, Robert has more nominations than any other business. One activity of note is their involvement in locks of love (http://www.locksoflove.org/) http://ropsalons.com

“B” is the still-hush-hush technology start-up I am helping launch. Written right into B’s corporate charter is a dedication to give 10% of its profit to charity. B will also employ disabled veterans – but I’ve already said too much. (For more of this type of “too much,” poke around the earliest entries of my business blog: www.savvycapitalist.blogspot.com).

As a firm based out of our region, Whole Foods is ineligible for the Adam Smith Award this year. However, I will be blogging about this remarkable company more in the future; you’ll see soon why we are going to recognize them with an honorable mention if nothing else, for the impactful work accomplished thus far by the team – and especially the team leader, Damien Garcia – at their North Naples store. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

Rounding out the list so far are two franchises. I am friends with both franchisees – no surprise there, as I’m attracted to giving people and, I'm grateful to say, usually vice-verse.

Jason Swinford, owner of our local Planet Smoothie of Naples Center, gave away well in excess of ten thousand dollars for fundraisers in his first year of business, before his shop was even profitable; now in his second year, he hasn’t let up that admirable pace. That commitment to the community has won him the good will of Naples. Ask Jason if doing the right thing pays.

Chick Fil-A of Naples Center, is similarly committed to giving back. Owner PJ Rodriguez is more engaged in giving than most companies I have observed, and his employee relations are admirable as well.