Horizon Council Committees & Task Forces

Shaping Lee County's business community.

The Horizon Council hosts a series of committees dedicated to strengthening Lee County’s business community and economic growth. These committees are guided by Lee County’s business members who work side-by-side with the community to build stronger relationships. 

If you are interested in joining a committee, please contact Warren Baucom, Director of Partnerships & Entrepreneurial Activities, by emailing wbaucom@leegov.com.

2026 Horizon Council Committees

  • Arts and Culture Committee
    • Chair Devon Parker  – devon@sbdac.com – Assess the needs of cultural organizations in Lee County and provide recommendations on methods to meet such needs, increase connection to business support, and to expand the role of the institutions in Economic Development place-making initiatives.
  • Business Issues Committee
    • Chair Gary Tasman – gtasman@cpswfl.com – identify issues impacting business development, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. Provide guidance for businesses to support and improve the resilience of the local economy. Develop a marketing initiative to create an identity for Lee County, activating innovation in communities, businesses, and organizations
  • Business Resources Committee
    • Chair Karen Moore – publisher@swfloridabusinesstoday.com – Develop a SWFL Entrepreneurial Ecosystem map for use in EDO, Horizon Council, Horizon Foundation, and partner organization efforts. Prepare summary for use in identifying opportunities to fill gaps and connect organizations and businesses with needed resources.
  • Bylaws/Governance Committee
    • Chair Richard Akin – richard.akin@henlaw.com – Conduct periodic review of Horizon Council bylaws and recommend changes as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee. 
  • Sports Council Committee
    • Chair Adam Palmer –adam@adampalmer.com –provide support, awareness, and advocacy for the county’s Sports Development efforts as they contribute to the overall economic, social, and cultural development of Lee County.
  • STEM to Career Connection Committee
    • Chair Shelby Baucom – shelby@swflstemeducation.com – Inventory and connect with SWFL educational institutions and community-based STEM efforts to engage students from all levels, including ways to promote these program’s successes. Identify opportunities for HC and small businesses to host and support local STEM events leading to the retention and attraction of a highly skilled workforce. Promote the HF-Edison Awards AI/HI Challenge.
  • Strategic Planning Committee
    • Chair Ben Spence – ben.spence@leehealth.org – Oversee and coordinate the implementation of the strategic planning initiatives for the Horizon Council. The committee will guide the alignment of the Horizon Council work to meet the Advocating, Hosting, and Action directives identified in the Strategic Planning work.

2026 Horizon Council Task Forces

  • Development Finance Task Force
    • Chair Dan Eveloff – daniel.eveloff@regions.com –  Identify Federal funding mechanisms to support development projects to maximize the investment in Southwest Florida.  Analyze Lee County’s demographic and property data to identify appropriate areas eligible Federal programs.
  • Remote Work and Home-based Businesses Task Force
    • Chair Matt Roepstorff –    matthewroepstorffesq@gmail.com   Provide date-driven insights and assess strategies to support remote workers and home-based businesses in Southwest Florida.  Assess barriers to success for such workers and businesses, including quality-of-life factors. Explore solutions and recommendations to position Lee County as a destination of choice for remote workers and home-based businesses.
Arrow-up