Fort Myers attorney named one of Gulfshore Life’s Men of the Year

Fort Myers attorney Joe North has been named one of the Gulfshore Life’s Men of the Year.

There are not many people in Southwest Florida who don’t know the name and face of Joe North. After years of service to his community, he has earned it.

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North’s efforts over the years have earned him some of the highest honors. He had no clue his jingle would blow up, but every neighborhood hero needs a popular theme song, so it’s only fitting that North, an attorney, has one too.

“The law firm has donated $100,000 to the Black History Society to jump-start the cultural center that’s going to be built there,” said North.

“Every year we donate a lot of money and sponsor the City of Palms Classic, which brings in young talent from all over the country to play basketball in front of our local community,” said North, “and the community has been looking forward to that since I was in high school. “

His ad plays on the radio, billboards line the roads, city buses with his name drive around Southwest Florida, on the same streets North grew up on.

“I wasn’t the polished product you see. Now I can tell you that, but I had the usual childhood, you know, I loved sports,” said North. “I grew up on Barton Street. I’ve lived there since I was 4 years old, in the house that my dad built with his own two hands.”

North spent his childhood on this street that now bears his name.

“It was very special for me to know that that street that I grew up on,” said North, “Barton Street, is now going to be called Joe North Way, because I’ve got such great memories about that street. That street is really at the root of who I am, so for the city to honor me in that way is pretty special.”

Carl Burnside is the principal of Dunbar High School. He said North deserves this honor.

“This street is an amazing tribute for an amazing man,” said Burnside.

It’s a special honor for an attorney and man who the community will tell you is special.

“He’s no ordinary Joe,” said Burnside.

“To me, he represents the highest standards of what you want young people to see and emulate,” said Burnside.

Burnside grew up with North and is now the principal of the school with a football stadium named after North.

“We’ve known each other forever, and I still tease him about that, the fact that I have a better jump shot than he does,” said Burnside.

“At Dunbar High School, we have a slogan that says achievement is the expectation. Joe’s life shows that with achievement. He’s exceeded all expectations,” said Burnside.

For North, it’s about leaving behind a legacy of service to the very place, community and people who made him who he is, down to the very street.

“He represents the highest standards of what you want young people to see and emulate,” said Burnside.

“If I’m leaving a legacy at all, it’s going to be that ‘he was all about the community,'” said North.