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The text and photo below are excerpted from the April 2012 issue of Gulfshore Business magazine, where Suzanne Specht was recognized as one of 29 influential women in Southwest Florida.

The Influentials
Twenty-nine powerful women whose drive and accomplishments have helped make Southwest Florida strong.

Author: Kristie Aronow, Phil Borchmann and AC Shilton
In Southwest Florida business circles, women like Samira Beckwith, Sandy Stilwell or Gail Markham shine as examples of leadership and success. And thankfully for our community, there are scores more. They may differ in style, from high-profile to low key, but their common quality is that they wield the influence to get things done.

So, who are these women power players? We consulted with a number of sources and came up with the following list of 29. Of course, listings of this kind are subjective, and we realize that there are others who may have been missed. We also left out elected officials because of races coming up this summer. But this isn't intended to be a roster of the most popular or recognizable figures; rather it's meant to celebrate Southwest Florida's powerful women.

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Suzanne Specht Assistant Director, Small Business Development Center at Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers A former loan officer for a major bank, Specht has been counseling small-business owners in Southwest Florida for more than 12 years. Recently selected as a Women Making History honoree from the American Business Woman's Association's Neapolitan chapter, Specht's counseling has resulted in more than 140 business startups and capital formation of more than $15 million dollars.

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