Capo Security and Grow Healthy Receive Durso Excellence in Business Awards

The Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council at its annual awards gala May 9 presented two local companies with Carl F. Durso Excellence in Business Awards. The small business winner was Capo Security and the larger business award went to Grow Healthy.

Durso was a longtime Lake Wales supporter and Chamber executive director. Criteria for the award includes length of time in the community, number of employees, growth or expansion of the business over time, capital investment, company's community involvement and contributions including fundraising assistance, local and statewide professional and/or civic leadership by key management and unique qualities – creativity of the business.

Jerry Miller of Duke Energy, along with last year's winner Frank Papadopoulos of Lake Wales Family Restaurant presented the small business award to Capo Security.

Capo Security was formed in 2010 by Giovanni Fazzini, who started the business with wife Jessica out of his home, knocking on doors to offer home security alarms. Capo now employs 10 people and offers a wide range of home alarm security systems, Medical alert, business surveillance and monitoring solutions. Fazzini serves on the Chamber Board and is immediate past president of Rotary on the Ridge. He is involved in youth sports and other community volunteer activities.

"Capo Security was founded on the basic principle of honesty and outstanding service. They protect what matters most, and that's you," Miller said. He said Capo security expects to reach $1 million in sales this year and has experienced growth year after year.

Fazzini grew up in Babson Park, played sports in Lake Wales and graduated as valedictorian of Frostproof High School, where he lettered in four sports.

Last year's winner Jason Penrod from Family Elder Law presented the large business award to Grow Healthy, which harvests marijuana to supply the growing Medical cannabis oil industry in Florida.

Penrod praised company executive Darrin Potter, who has worked in various capacities and now oversees the plant growing operation, which in Lake Wales started with 25 plants now includes about 6,000 plants on 33 acres.

"Darrin is at the top of his industry and Grow Healthy is helping a lot of people," Penrod said, noting Potter's work is helping many people with cancer or Parkinson's disease.

Potter said after graduating from University of Central Florida in 2009 he told his parents he was moving to Colorado to grow Medical marijuana. He helped start several companies there and returned to Florida in 2014 to start Grow Healthy, which received its license in 2017.

"None of this would be possible without the 92 employees we have in Lake Wales working and the 175 we have across the state," Potter said.

Penrod said Grow Healthy started with about 25 plants and now has more than 6,000 in Lake Wales.

The company operates from an 185,000 square foot former mattress factory on SR 60 west of Lake Wales. This year it opened its corporate headquarters in downtown Lake Wales and announced plans to open 30 Medical marijuana dispensaries throughout Florida.

Grow Healthy is a member of the Lake Wales Chamber President's Circle and the Economic Development Council.

"I feel overwhelmed and undeserving. I feel like the employees deserve the award. I feel the company deserves the award," Potter said. "I'm just the guy who started it. They're the ones who really drive it and make it what it is. I'm just glad to get it started and help it grow to what it's become."