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Highlands Today

Fortier Named President Of LP Chamber Board

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Special to Highlands Today

Published: September 7, 2008

LAKE PLACID - The Lake Placid - Chamber of Commerce has a new president of the board and three new directors.

Jeanne Fortier took over as president at the beginning of this month. Joining her on the board are Susie Bishop, Tina Gottus and Vicki Spires.

Fortier moved to Lake Placid in 1972 with her husband, Mark, and worked at Wauchula State Bank, until leaving to start a family in 1978. Daughter Erin was born in 1978 and son Todd was born in 1979. Jeanne and Mark now have two grandchildren, Skye and Reef.

Along the way, while raising her family, there was plenty of volunteer work at Lake Placid Elementary and Lake Placid Middle, leading a Brownie and Girl Scout troop for eight years, committee chairman of Boy Scout Troop 482, and involvement in the youth soccer program.

She has been active in the Placid Lakes Volunteer Fire Department as secretary for 18 years, supporting her husband, Mark, who is the fire chief. She is the editor of the church newsletter at the First Presbyterian Church, where she also serves as a deacon.

She is in her second term as president of the Lake Placid Merchants Association and is involved in as many chamber and merchant association activities that promote the town of Lake Placid and local businesses.

A part-time job in retail sales led to a full time position and the desire to open her own business. In February 2003, Home & Office Essentials opened on South Main Avenue, supplying the area with office supply and furniture needs.

Starting with herself and one part time person, the business has grown in staff to four full time employees, and Mark now works full time with his wife in the business.

Susie Bishop

Susie Bishop is the business development manager for Atlanticblue.

Headquartered in Lake Wales, Atlanticblue is a real estate management, acquisition and development company. They own and operate Blue Head Ranch on approximately 65,000 acres in Highlands County producing beef cattle, citrus, turf, sod and specialty crops.

Bishop has been with the company since October, 2006. Prior to that she was the business development manager at Glades Electric Cooperative and preceded that position as the area director for United Way of Central Florida's Highlands County Division.

Being a native of Highlands County, Bishop has a strong commitment to the county and serves as a board member for numerous community organizations including; Highlands County Education Foundation, Highlands County Citrus Growers Association, Highlands County Ag-Venture, Highlands County EDC, Highlands County Cattlewomen, Sebring International Raceway Hall of Fame Board and Heartland Agriculture Coalition.

She earned her bachelor's degree at Warner Southern College and was a graduate of the 2005 Leadership Highlands Class.

Bishop resides in Highlands County with her husband of 27 years, Nick, a fourth generation dairy farmer. They have two sons, Roland and Drew, who also reside in Highlands County.

Tina Gottus

Tina Gottus, has been publisher of Highlands Today for more than five years.

Before taking over as publisher, Gottus was the advertising director at Highlands Today for five years. She led her department to 34 Florida Press awards including Best In Show.

Along with newspapering, she serves on the board of directors for the Children's Museum of Highlands County and is a member of the Avon Park Noon Rotary Club. She also attends Bible Fellowship Church in Sebring.

A native of Highlands County, Gottus attended Webber International University and earned a master's of business administration degree.

She is married to John Gottus of Sebring and has two children - Joshua, 2, and Amy, 1.

Vicki Spires

Vicki Spires, senior mortgage banker at Eagle Home Mortgage, started her career in Lake Placid at Bank of America, where she worked as branch manager.

She then moved to Highlands Independent Bank as a retail loan officer and before joining Eagle Home Mortgage she worked for Countrywide also as a retail loan officer.

She lives with her husband, Jeff, and two children, Courtney 15 and Cassidy 11 in Lake Placid.

Spires has been a resident of Lake Placid for 37 years. She is also involved in Lake Placid Jaycees, Lake Placid Elementary Student Advisory Council and a member of the Highlands County Health and Facility Board.

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