The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center has named Eric Dennis as the new director of the Heights CareerTech Institute (HCTI), the organization’s transformative post-secondary career and technical education initiative designed to prepare Southwest Florida residents for high-demand careers and strengthen the regional workforce.
Currently under construction in the Harlem Heights neighborhood, on the corner of Pine Ridge Road and Gladiolus Drive, HCTI is a $42 million workforce development project of The Heights Foundation that will provide hands-on training in skilled trades and career pathways aligned with Southwest Florida’s growing labor needs. Scheduled to open in fall 2026, the institute will serve approximately 500 students annually, creating accessible pathways to viable careers while advancing economic mobility for families across the region.
Dennis brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in career college education, with oversight of programs spanning skilled trades, business, power sports, culinary arts, and medical fields. A native Floridian from Winter Haven, he has dedicated his career to expanding opportunities through education and workforce training.
A product of the Citrus Center Boys’ Club, Dennis credits youth development organizations with shaping his belief in the power of community-based programs to change lives.
“Eric brings exceptional experience in career education leadership and a deep commitment to student success,” said Kathryn Kelly, founder, president and CEO of The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center. “His passion for empowering both students and staff makes him the ideal leader to guide Heights CareerTech Institute as we prepare to open this transformational campus. Eric understands that workforce education changes not only individual lives, but entire families and communities.”
Dennis said he is honored to join an organization with such a strong legacy of impact in Southwest Florida.
“I am excited to join The Heights Foundation team, which has already accomplished so much for Southwest Florida through The Heights Center and Harlem Heights Community Charter School,” Dennis said. “Career education is essential to every community because without it, we cannot build a strong workforce or strong neighbors. When we train graduates to enter the workforce, we are not only supporting that graduate, but entire families. The power of education is endless.”
Throughout his career, Dennis has been recognized for fostering productive, positive workplace cultures and empowering faculty and staff to take ownership of their roles. He is especially passionate about helping industry professionals transition into teaching roles, noting that tradespeople, chefs, and medical professionals often become extraordinary instructors and mentors for students.
At HCTI, Dennis will lead academic and operational planning for the new campus, helping shape curriculum, faculty recruitment, and student success strategies as the institute prepares to welcome its first class.
The Heights CareerTech Institute is being developed to meet the urgent need for skilled workforce talent in Southwest Florida and will serve as a cornerstone for economic opportunity in the region.
For more information about Heights CareerTech Institute, visit www.heightscareertech.org or call (239)786-1642. Email Eric Dennis at eric@heightscareertech.org.
About the Heights CareerTech Institute
The Heights CareerTech Institute is a post-secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) school that will provide high-demand career training and credentials to help students enter viable, family-supporting careers. Located near the Harlem Heights neighborhood, the Institute will serve students across Southwest Florida and play a critical role in regional workforce development.
About the Heights Foundation and the Heights Center
The Heights Foundation works to build strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood. Our mission is to support education and wellness, promote family and community development, and provide the benefits of enrichment and the arts. The Heights Center, supported by The Heights Foundation, is a place for Education, Opportunity, and Enrichment. Heights Early Learning serves more than 85 babies through 4 years old. The Heights Center serves 153 children in AfterSchool and 160 children in SummerCamp. The Harlem Heights Community Charter School serves 200 children from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Harlem Heights was originally settled as a rural agricultural community. Approximately 780 children live in a mixture of single-family homes and multi-family apartments. Demographically, the population is approximately 78% Hispanic, 16% African-American, and 6% Caucasian. The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average, with family income 40% below the county average. As a result, families cannot easily access family support services in downtown Fort Myers and benefit greatly from programs within the neighborhood.
