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Brandon Hume, co-owner of one of Southwest Florida’s fastest-growing plumbing and HVAC contractors, has been named a 40 Under 40 honoree by Gulfshore Business.
The monthly business magazine circulates in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties and annually honors rising stars in key industries for “making a difference in those careers and in the community.” Many of this year’s honorees were singled out for their commitment to the region’s recovery and revitalization following Hurricane Ian in September 2022.
A Massachusetts native, Hume, 38, graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. The aspiring pro golfer traded his putter for a partnership with older brother Rick Hume Jr., 40, who had recently started the company out of his pickup truck with just a few tools.
The older Hume earned his own 40 Under 40 honor in 2021 from Business Observer, a weekly business newspaper that circulates from Tampa Bay through Naples on Florida’s Gulf coast.
Pro-Tec Plumbing & Air now has more than 60 employees, with locations in Naples, Fort Myers, Ave Maria and Babcock Ranch. The company completes more than 10,000 service calls annually. Earlier this year, Pro-Tec was named a finalist in the annual GrowFL Companies to Watch, which celebrates “high-performing, second-stage companies that demonstrate innovative business strategies and excellent potential for future growth,” its second such nod in the past three years.
“I’ve learned the difference between being a boss and being a leader,” Brandon Hume told Gulfshore Business. “It’s far more important to be a humble owner with a positive attitude, who is approachable, who trusts and empowers the team, and lets them make mistakes to learn and grow from, than it is to be the ‘Boss’ with an ego who’s best at everything. The boss will only stunt growth and demotivate others, keeping them from being the best they can be. A leader will build a team that shares vision (and) passion, is loyal and wants to achieve goals set together, resulting in success and growth.”
Away from work, Hume leads Pro-Tec’s charitable and philanthropic campaigns in support of organizations that include Wounded Warriors of Collier County, Home Base Southwest Florida, Toys for Tots, Humane Society Naples, David Lawrence Centers and The Immokalee Foundation. Gulfshore Business celebrated its 40 Under 40 honorees on Sept. 20 in Bonita Springs. The award winners were also featured in a WINK News special that can be viewed online.
