David Barton, founder of Horizon Council, dies at 89
Horizon Council founding member and the organization’s first chairman, David Barton, has died at age 89.
The longtime Southwest Florida developer and business leader, who died Feb. 13, had been battling an illness at his farm in Ocala.
Originally from Meriden, England, Barton worked in manufacturing in his home country.
In 1987 he and his wife Margaret – who met and were engaged onboard the Queen Mary — decided to make Cape Coral their permanent home after several holidays to Florida in the 1980s.
Barton saw the potential for growth in Cape Coral and worked tirelessly to develop the North Cape Industrial Park, a 92-acre manufacturing and service industry site that is home to more than 100 businesses. His wife Margaret and his son Simon worked with him for many years building the business.
Barton also found time to stay involved with the local community and promote growth and development in the area as Chairman & founder of the Horizon Council in Lee County, the founder and executive director of the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association and served on the Industrial Development Authority for many years.
Margaret Barton said she wants people to remember her husband of 60 years as a man with strong family values and traditions, high moral character, a strong sense of community and many sizable career achievements.
David Barton was instrumental in furthering economic development efforts in Lee County as a founding member of the Horizon Council in 1991. At the time, the county had several economic development organizations competing for county dollars.
Barton and other business leaders developed a cohesive, forward-looking plan for growth in the county that was transparent and allowed all voices to be heard.
Their plan led to the Horizon Council becoming the official advisory board to the Lee County Board of Commissioners on economic development issues, also providing vision, guidance and support to the Lee County Economic Development Office in its mission.
Barton went on to serve as chairman of the council for four years. His efforts were crucial to building the foundation for this critical public-private advisory board. He also served on the board of the Industrial Development Authority for 30 years. In addition, he was a founding member and executive director of the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association.
Guido Minaya, Horizon Foundation president and founding member of the Horizon Council praised Barton for his vision in forming the organization.
“David really laid the groundwork for the Council. It was his meticulous focus on how we could collaborate as business organizations, as municipalities, as the county to really introduce economic development county wide that led to where we’re at today,” Minaya said.
Tom Hoolihan, founding member of the Horizon Council and longtime friend of Barton’s, echoed Minaya’s sentiments.
“David was the bridge. He brought the group together,” Hoolihan said. “David said this is how it’s going to be, and agreement was reached rather quickly, but you have to have boots on the ground and David did that.”
Barton is survived by his wife, three children, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends for viewing from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at Fuller Metz Funeral Home, 3740 Del Prado Blvd. Cape Coral. A Catholic prayer service will be conducted at 6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial contributions be made to St. Judes. David’s final resting place will be in England.