Al Giacalone elected president of NFM Chamber
Al Giacalone, a Realtor at Rockstar Realty, is the incoming president of the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce.
He will take over the position on Jan. 1 after being voted to replace two-term president Carolyn Graves, who runs Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. She did not run for a third term.
“Somebody nominated me and an election was held and I was in that position,” Giacalone said. “I love to volunteer for them. I help out with a lot of the events. It’s a great organization.”
As president, Giacalone will be given the task of continuing to move the Chamber forward, which it has done by leaps and bounds over the past two years, with its only hiccup being the postponement of the Lee County Family Fun Day, also called the “Redneck Games.”
“We want to continue to have a presence and with that our membership will grow,” Giacalone said. “Hopefully, we’ll gather the support from sponsors and revive it, but that’s up to the board.”
Giacalone seemed a natural for the position, as he has been very active in the organization since joining in 2008. He was a two-term honorary mayor of North Fort Myers in 2012-13 and served as a member on the board of directors and as a director for the North Fort Myers Civic Association.
Chris Jackson, executive director of the chamber, said Giacalone brings his devotion to the organization.
“He’s a go-to guy where if you ever need anything done, he can help make it happen. I’m glad he’s stepping up to a leadership role again,” Jackson said.
Graves said Giacalone’s involvement in the community in a myriad of areas makes him the perfect choice. Most recently, he helped the civic association and the chamber co-sponsor the candidates forum at the rec center.
Graves will remain on the board as past president for one year so Giacalone will be able to garner her insight.
“She’s done great for the chamber. She has helped with a lot of events over the past two years, so I’m sure she’s looking for some relief,” Giacalone said.
Under Graves’ watch, membership has been maintained, and the Redneck Games were a success the two years they were held.
The North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is “established with the purpose of advancing commercial, industrial, civic, and cultural interests of North Fort Myers and its surrounding communities,” its mission statement says.