HM Restaurant Group promotes Sletten to private events manager

HM Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Dixie Fish Company and the coming-soon Bonita Fish Company, has promoted Joe Sletten as the private events manager. Sletten will oversee rentals and catering at the Doc Ford’s Lounge at the restaurant’s Fort Myers Beach location, as well as the new waterfront space planned for Bonita Fish Company on Fort Myers Beach.
“Joe has held various roles in the company during the past 10 years,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group. “His enthusiasm and hospitality make him the perfect person for this new position.”
A graduate of the University of St. Thomas, Sletten has previous private event and catering experience in Wisconsin. He started as a seasonal employee for the restaurant group, working winters in Southwest Florida.
“HM Restaurant Group is very supportive in guiding and encouraging team members to grow with the company,” said Sletten. “They truly make it a family atmosphere; many lifelong friendships have emerged over the years.”
Offering private event space for 25 or more guests, Doc Ford’s Lounge is located in the bar area of the Fort Myers Beach restaurant and offers a choice of food options prepared by the restaurant. Guests can order from the full menu, a limited menu or curated packages. The lounge is open for private event use based upon availability.
Sletten will also manage rental opportunities at the private event space at Bonita Fish Company adjacent to Dixie Fish Company and Doc Ford’s Fort Myers Beach location. Overlooking Matanzas Pass on the site of the former Bonita Bill’s, the scenic setting can accommodate 150 guests without tables and chairs, 70 guests with tables and chairs, and will feature coastal selections inspired by Bonita Fish Company’s seafood menu.
Reservations are currently available for Doc Ford’s Lounge and Bonita Fish Company. Contact Sletten at joesletten@hmrestaurantgroup.com or call 239-788-4067.
HM Restaurant Group, a Gulfshore Business 2025 Best Places to Work, is reimagining the block between the Fort Myers Beach restaurants for dining, entertainment, waterfront and marina access.
Bonita Fish Company, expected to open in late 2025, and Dixie Fish Company pay homage to the heritage and history of old Florida fish houses. Dixie Fish Company is a 2023 Yelp Top 100 Florida Restaurant and one of Tripadvisor’s top-rated restaurants on Fort Myers Beach.
With locations on Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach and two in St. Petersburg, on the St. Petersburg Pier and in Jungle Terrace, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim. Known for its sauces, spices, passion and signature Yucatan shrimp – Sletten’s favorite dish – Doc Ford’s is beloved by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant.
The restaurant is a perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. The pier location was named the country’s No. 1 restaurant for Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and Dixie Fish Company are renowned for delivering a legendary guest experience.