This week the FEDC Board met in Sarasota for the FEDC Board meeting and the Enterprise Florida Stakeholder and Board meetings. These meetings provided an excellent opportunity for the Stakeholders to contribute to the economic development legislative agenda.
Mark Sweeney, a principal with McCallum Sweeney Consulting, provided an update to the competitive study that was conducted two years ago and discussed how far Florida has come in implementing many of their recommendations. The update highlighted the many improvements Florida has made to enhance operations, implement regulatory streamlining and showcase that Florida indeed is open for business.
It is important to note that as we navigate through the 2015 Session as an economic development community, we need to advocate for the necessary tools needed to help businesses grow, retain and create jobs. We must also advocate for the resources that Enterprise Florida needs in the way of project managers and a marketing budget to adequately compete on the national and international stage. This is very critical to FEDC members. We need you to help shape our agenda and to respond when FEDC calls for action to advocate for those resources.
Next week, you will be receiving the FEDC member survey. Please take a few moments to fill it out. We need your input as we finalize the rest of this year and start planning for next. Please don’t think that someone else will fill theirs out and you don’t need to - we need you to respond! This will help me and the FEDC Board to bring programs, policy and events that mean the most to you.
North Florida Economic Development Academy – Sept 15 & 16 + Oct 9 & 10
The North Florida Economic Development Academy (EDA) is a comprehensive, four (4) day program designed to provide a basic understanding of the concepts and methods of Economic Development, and to help local communities build stronger community sales teams who are better able to recognize, prepare for, and respond to opportunities. Participants will walk away with an understanding of the rules and roles that guide the development process, ethical considerations, and critical best practices. Scholarships are made available through the NFEDP’s Regional Rural Development Grant provided by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and the generous investments from our Corporate and Public Agency partners! The conference will be held September 15-16 and October 6-7, 2014 at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites in Tallahassee. Florida Registration is limited to thirty participants. Priority will be given to economic development professionals and elected officials.
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Florida TaxWatch: Public investment in Tourism Paying Off
Each year, millions of tourists visit the Sunshine State to explore Florida’s natural beauty and delight in its man-made thrills and attractions. The revenue collected from the state’s thriving tourism-centered economy helps keep tax rates low for our full-time residents. But the tourism industry does much more than pad the state’s coffers. The findings in this report from the TaxWatch Center for Competitive Florida highlight that Florida is well on its way to welcoming 100 million visitors per year. The number of tourists coming to the state has been steadily increasing as a result of a commitment to invest in tourism-related marketing, and Florida TaxWatch projects that the 100 million mark will be reached in 2015.
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Deloitte To Open U.S. Delivery Center, Create 1,000 Jobs
Deloitte Consulting LLP (Deloitte) will open a U.S. Delivery Center in the Orlando, Florida, region creating up to 1,000 new jobs over the next four years and making a capital investment of $24.6 million in Seminole County. The professional services firm will locate in a 130,000 square foot facility in Lake Mary and will hire software development, system analyst and information technology positions. "The selection of Deloitte to locate a major presence in the Orlando region tells the world that Orlando is also a great place for business," said Rick Weddle, president and CEO of the Orlando Economic Development Commission.
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Florida Ranks No. 2 In Tech Job Creation
In just the first six months of 2014, Florida has created nearly as many tech jobs as the state did in all of last year. That puts Florida in the No. 2 spot in a new report from Dice, a career site for technology and engineering professionals.
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The National Business Incubation Association Relocates Headquarters To Orlando, Florida
The National Business Incubation Association, the world’s leading organization advancing business and entrepreneurship, will relocate its headquarters and establish a Global Training Center for Business Incubation and Innovation in Orlando, Florida. "NBIA’s decision to relocate here is a great opportunity for the whole community," said Rick Weddle, President/CEO of the Orlando Economic Development Commission, which assisted NBIA in its headquarters relocation decision. "It will benefit UCF’s currently established incubation program, small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs."
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Voalte Launches Lab in Sarasota To Enhance Innovation
One of Southwest Florida’s fastest-growing technology firms plans to open a new research center this month in the downtown HuB incubator. Voalte Inc., a Sarasota company that develops smartphone software for health care providers, will launch a new Voalte Labs division at the 1680 Fruitville Road incubator to study technological advancements that could help improve its products. "The company is leading the way in establishing our area as the Southeast’s epicenter for health and life sciences innovation," Mark Huey, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County, said in a statement about Voalte.
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Enterprise Florida To Lead Delegation For Global Logistics Trade Show In Brazil
Enterprise Florida (EFI) will lead a delegation of Florida-based logistics and distribution companies to Movimat + Transport & Logistics in Brazil from September 16-18. The two co-located trade shows will provide Florida companies with networking opportunities and face-to-face appointments with the top businesses in this leading global marketplace. EFI Senior Vice President of International Trade & Development Manny Mencia said, "Participating in this trip will provide companies with tremendous exposure. As the gateway to Latin America, Florida's logistics and distribution industry is poised to grow further with the Panama Canal expansion, and the numerous infrastructure developments and upgrades underway around the state. This trade show in Brazil is another great opportunity for Florida companies to expand globally."
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Forbes Magazine Names West Palm Beach Top Florida City For Business
Forbes magazine has named West Palm Beach as the top city in Florida for business and careers. Nationwide, West Palm Beach was ranked No. 54. Raleigh, N.C., topped the list, followed by Des Moines, Iowa, and Provo, Utah. West Palm Beach also made the Forbes lists for one of the best places for education (No. 55), job growth (No. 105) and the cost of doing business (No. 142).
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Glades County Officials Break Ground On New Facility
Glades County officials held a ground-breaking ceremony for the soon-to-be construction site of the Glades County career training facility and the construction site of Glades County Emergency Operations Center. Tommy Perry, President of Glades County Economic Development Council was pleased to attend as EDC has been involved with the training center as part of their efforts to promote development of the logistics and manufacturing site near the training center. Mr. Perry commented, "The EDC is excited to see the training center break ground as it will provide training for companies seeking a highly educated workforce as well as providing specialized training for logistics and manufacturing employees. This facility will enhance EDC’S ability to compete and lure logistics and manufacturing companies to Glades County.".
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Osceola County Is Partnering To Create The Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center
Osceola County is partnering with the University of Central Florida and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council to establish a 100,000-square-foot research and incubation facility focused on the next generation of universal smart sensors. The Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center will be the home of research aimed at advancing technologies that will shape the future of automobiles, surgical devices, home appliances and a host of other devices. Officials seek to recruit or create the world’s first industry-led smart sensor consortium. "We've asked ourselves for years what comes next after Medical City, and it's this infrastructure project," says Rick Weddle, president and CEO of the Orlando Economic Development Commission, another partner in the center. "This is how the communities of the future are being built, and this is what technology-led economic development is all about."
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Winter Haven Call Center to Add 250 Jobs
The Results Companies plans to more than double the workforce at its Winter Haven call center before the end of the year. The company is adding 250 jobs to its Winter Haven facility which opened in 2010, a company spokeswoman said Thursday. David Petr, president and CEO of the Central Florida Development Council, said he sees this as the latest evidence of the county’s economic growth. "We are seeing the expansion of business throughout Polk County, in companies large and small," Petr said via email. "With an ideal location, strong transportation network, highly skilled workforce, and tremendous quality of life, I am not surprised to see this significant growth happen."/p>
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Port St. Joe Celebrates Creating A More Competitive Community
A community celebration Monday in Port St. Joe completed the initial effort under a Competitive Florida Partnership grant with city and county economic development stakeholders transitioning into the next phase of filling in the vision of a more economically-competitive community. The celebration completed roughly six months of work under the grant, an effort from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
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Mega Industrial Site Projected To Bring More Than 25,000 Jobs To Sumter
Sumter County is unveiling plans for a mega industrial site projected to create 25,791 jobs by 2035, Sumter County officials said. The site would serve as an inland port where freight and merchandise would be collected and distributed throughout Florida and the Southeast United States. "We want to be recognized as the first-stop location for a lot of new freight movement coming through the Panama Canal for the East Coast of the United States," said Matt Walsh, the county’s economic development coordinator. "We will be able to coordinate industrial growth with residential growth."
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Bio-Med Firms May Bring 200 New Jobs to Hernando County
County commissioners Tuesday will consider approving economic incentives for two companies that potentially could bring 200 jobs to Hernando. Both are biomedical firms and would be located at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport & Technology Center. County Commissioner Jim Adkins credited the work of Valerie Pianta, economic development supervisor, and County Administrator Len Sossamon, who took over permanently the duties of economic development in June after a six-month trial.
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