2025 Don Eslick Estero Person of the Year Award Dinner
2026-02-26 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Estero Country Club, 19501 Vintage Trace Circle, Estero, United States
2025 Don Eslick EsteroPerson of the Year Award

Lawrence Antonucci, MD, MBA
will be Honored at
The Don Eslick Estero Person of the Year Award Dinneron Feb. 26, 2026
6 PM | Estero Country Club at The Vines
Please Join us to celebrate excellence in the Estero community as Engage Estero presents the prestigious Don Eslick Estero Person of the Year Award. This annual event pays tribute to Don Eslick’s remarkable qualities and outstanding service to Estero.
The award ceremony will be February 26, 2026, at the elegant Estero Country Club at The Vines.

Tickets

This year’s recipient is Dr. Larry Antonucci the President and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Health. Since 2017 he has led the Lee Health team in making many improvements to healthcare in the greater Estero Area and Southwest Florida. They include Lee Health Coconut Point, the University Highlands facility, Bonita Health Center and SWFL Proton Center. It’s not only facilities and equipment, but includes additional services and staff to provide better health care for our residents. And Lee Health continues to plan for future improvements to the greater Estero area as our community grows.

“Engage Estero looks forward to an exciting and enjoyable event to recognize Dr Larry Antonucci’s & Lee Health’s contribution to our well-being in Greater Estero. FGCU’s Bower School of Music and the Arts will showcase the talents of Quang Vo, an internationally award-winning pianist from Vietnam and a junior Piano Performance major at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he studies with Dr. Michael Baron. This underscores the extraordinary range of talented individuals that makes Estero such an amazing place to live and enjoy.
This unforgettable evening starts with a delightful Happy Hour at 6 pm, where you can indulge in tables filled with assorted cheese, fresh berries, crisp vegetables, and crackers. Enjoy two complimentary tickets for wine or beer and for those looking for something special, a cash bar will be available for mixed drinks.
At 6:50 p.m., we’ll transition to a sumptuous dinner featuring an exquisite selection of entrees to satisfy every palate. Choose from a combo of Grilled Petite Filet with Jumbo Marinated Shrimp, Stuffed Airline Chicken, or the Vegetarian option of Cauliflower Steak. Each meal is thoughtfully curated, including a fresh Winter Green salad and a decadent dessert.
So, mark your calendar, register to attend and be part of a night to remember! Don’t miss out on the highlight of the evening: the award presentation, which celebrates Dr. Larry Antonucci and the Lee Health teams exceptional achievements and contributions. Your presence at this event is a chance to show appreciation for Dr. Antonucci and Lee Health’s continuing dedication to our community. Let’s acknowledge their hard work and inspire one another to continue building a brighter future for Estero.

Tickets

Thank you to our Sponsors

Antonucci, a strong advocate for empowering front-line staff, leads Lee Health with a focus on elevating the human experience in healthcare. He emphasizes compassionate care, communication, and a safe environment, while also serving on various healthcare-related boards including the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees and a member of the FGCU Foundation Board. He has lived and served in SWFL for more than 30 years.
In thanking Engage Estero’s President, Allan Bowditch, for the award, Dr. Antonucci said, “The mission of Lee Health is to be a ‘trusted partner,’ and our relationship with Estero is proof that we continue to invest to keep Estero a great place to live, work, play, and retire. As citizens of Estero ourselves, we remain committed to growing with the community.”

The Engage Estero “Don Eslick Estero Person of the Year Award” is an annual event memorializing Don Eslick for his clarity, vision, persistence, and significant contributions to the Estero community, and to honor those that make exceptional contributions to improving the quality of life in Estero.
If you would like to learn more about the history of Estero and the positive impact that a dedicated team of committed, unpaid volunteers who helped create such a sought-after destination in Southwest Florida had on our quality of life, please click here to purchase a copy of “Forging a Better Path” that provides an insight into what helped shape the past and influence the future of Estero.

Support our Efforts
Engage Estero throughout the year as an all-volunteer IRS-registered 501(c)3 organization does have certain operating expenses, and we encourage individuals, organizations and companies to support our efforts and help us cover operating expenses through donations and contributions. You can learn more about how you can help us by contacting us at info@esterotoday.com or at this link: https://esterotoday.com/donate

ENGAGE ESTERO, INC., IS QUALIFIED AS A 501(C)3 CORPORATION WITH THE IRS – EIN #20-1606763 AND IS REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA. YOU MAY REQUEST A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA REGISTRATION (CH41780) AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR VISITING WWW.800HELPFLA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. OUR CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, AND WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
