FGCU’s emphasis on entrepreneurship in the Lutgert College of Business continues to pay dividends for alumni as well as the local workforce and economy.
After graduating in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Marc Devisse decided to launch his own company, Tri-Town Construction of Fort Myers, starting in 2006 with small remodeling jobs of a few hundred dollars. Despite the decline in the local housing market in 2007 and 2008, Tri-Town achieved exponential growth and has reached more than $2 million in annual sales.
Running a licensed general contracting company was never part of the plan for Devisse, but being a business owner seemed to be his destiny. While studying at FGCU, he worked as a project manager on a large-scale construction job under Fort Myers developer Rich Galvano, whom he says became a mentor.
Part of Tri-Town’s success could be credited to business practices that Devisse learned while at FGCU, he says. Quality, ethics, environmental consciousness, teamwork and supporting American-made products are pillars of his company, he says.
“I understand that this business is centered on trust and referrals,” Devisse says.
He hopes to put his business experience to work for the greater good, too. Devisse recently announced plans to run for the Bonita Springs City Council in District 1. The election is in March.
“I know it’s going to be a lot of work, but I feel that I am a great fit for the position,” he said on Facebook. “Running my own business for the past 10 years has taught me many things that will make me successful if given the opportunity.”
Giving back to the community is another value instilled at FGCU. Devisse has served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and is a founding member of Kiwanis Bonita. He also launched his own charity golf tournament. Last spring, the sixth annual Tri-Town Classic Charity Golf Tournament raised more than $10,000 for the Passion Foundation: A Melanoma Initiative, which helps build shade structures over playgrounds in Southwest Florida and raises awareness about the importance of sun safety.
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