Good Afternoon,

Nominations for the 2013 FEDC Awards Close Today

Last minute nominations are still being accepted! Please help us celebrate excellence, innovation and the achievements of you and your team at the 2013 FEDC Conference. Please visit our conference website right away and get your final nominations in before you leave your office.

For more details on the nomination process and eligibility, visit the 2013 FEDC Awards page on fedcconfernce.com.

Book Your Hotel Room for the 2013 FEDC Conference

The 2013 FEDC Conference will be at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport. Conference attendees can book their room today for only $134 per night. Our room block is filling up quickly. Make sure you do not miss out on the FEDC rate by booking your room as soon as possible.

For more details on the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport visit the hotel page on fedcconferencecom.

Call for Nominations and Willingness to Serve FEDC’s 2013-2014 Executive Committee

• Vice Chair of Professional Development
• Vice Chair of Economic Development Advocacy
• Vice Chair of Finance
• Vice Chair of Membership and Regional Relations
• Vice Chair of Marketing and Communications

Learn more about the nominating process on our website, fedc.net.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

Nominations for the 2013 FEDC Awards Open Until Friday, May 17, 2013

Celebrate Excellence, Innovation and Achievement!Do you know someone that has continued to dedicate their career to growing Florida? Heard of a project that produced outstanding job creation results? The 2013 FEDC Awards celebrate a variety of milestones including personal career achievements and urban, regional and rural team successes that have advanced Florida’s business climate and economy. Nominations accepted until Friday, May 17, 2013 for the following awards:

• Eunice Sullivan Economic Development Professional of the Year Award
• Toni Jennings Workforce Development Professional of the Year
• Young Professional of the Year Award
• Richard McLaughlin Economic Development Volunteer of the Year Award
• Recognizing Outstanding Achievement and Acknowledgement of Excellence in International Business ($95 Entry Fee)
• Recognizing Outstanding Achievement in the Location/Expansion in the State of Florida: Deal of the Year Award ($95 Entry Free)
• Promotional and Marketing Innovation Awards ($95 Entry Fee)

Reminder: The Richard McLaughlin Economic Development Volunteer of the Year is awarded to 1 volunteer from each region. A total of 8 awards are given each year. Contact your FEDC Regional Director if you have any specific questions when nominating for your region.

For more details on the nomination process and eligibility, visit the 2013 FEDC Awards page on fedcconfernce.com.

Professional Development Opportunities at the 2013 FEDC Conference

This year’s conference is jam-packed with opportunities for you to expand your knowledge on economic, workforce and community development.Leaders from around our state and nation will be teaching you what matters most – check out the highlights from the Plenaries and Breakout Sessions we have scheduled for you:

Plenary Speakers

• Amy Liu, Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
• Rick Harper, Ph.D,  Director of UWF’s Office of Economic Development and Engagement & Senior Policy Advisor on Economic Affairs, Senate President’s Office
• T. Phillip Dunlap, Direcor of Economic Development, City of Auburn
• Kim Lear, Generational Consultant &BridgeWorks Speaker

Breakout Sessions

• Financing Your Project
• Let’s Kick (Start) It! Becoming a Technology Start-Up Friendly Community
• Industrial Development/FTZ – Intermodal Facility in Columbia County
• Workforce Retention Expertise from Dick Finnegan – Renowned Author and Speaker
• Export Assistance – Brookings 10 Step Guide
• Military andDefense in Florida: $64 Billion Industry
• A Glimpse into Technology Tools to Support Economic and Workforce Development
• Transportation/Transit Planning as an Economic Development Enabler
• Anatomy of a Successful Project
• ED Liaisons – A Great Addition to the Project Development Team
• Entrepreneurs and Innovation
• Working with International Prospects
• Space Florida and Its Applicability to ALL of Florida
• Marketing Your Community or Region
• Educating and Engaging Stakeholders
• America’s Gateway Logistics Center

For more details on the 2013 FEDC Conference Agenda visit our conference website, fedcconference.com.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

Final Day of Session

Its the final day of the  2013 Session and I’m sure many share the sentiment with me that it’s finally over. The themes this year have been change and transparency. While economic development, as usual, come to the forefront, many other initiatives have also moved to the surface. Please look for our complete legislative recap early next week as everything is finalized today.

On a personal note, I cannot begin to thank the FEDC Board, members, friends, statewide partners and others who waived in support of economic development and all issues affecting the business climate in Florida. As we all know it takes a team of dedicated professionals who have passion to help reach out to the legislature. Additionally for those of you who personally sent emails, made calls whether it be once or multiple times, don’t think it doesn’t matter. Those calls play a vitally important role for us to reach our legislative goals.

Looking Forward to the 2013 Florida Economic Development Conference

As we close the door on the 2013 Session, please turn your attention to the 2013 FEDC Conference at the Hyatt Regency, Orlando International Airport June 26-28. As you always spread the word during Session, please spread the word out to other groups and organizations. This years conference is setting up to be the best ever! I look forward to seeing you there. Don’t forget to visit the conference website for all the information on the agenda, award nominations and other details: fedcconference.com.

Nominations Open for 2013 Florida Economic Development Awards

FEDC leadership would like the opportunity to honor your achievements at the 2013 Florida Economic Development Conference. Nominations will be accepted until May 17th, 2013 for the 2013 FEDC Awards including Marketing and Promotional Awards, Eunice Sullivan Economic Development Professional, Toni Jennings Workforce Development Professional, Young Professional of the Year, Richard McLaughlin Economic Development Volunteer of the Year, Excellence in International Business and Deal of the Year. You can submit all nominations online on the conference website. 

May you all have a great and restful weekend and thank you for all you do!

Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

Final Week of Session

One week to go and counting and it is all hands on deck.Now more than ever, we need all of you to reach out to both the House and Senate to ask them to show their support for economic development. While you may think that having sent a note or made a phone call in the past few weeks is enough, I ask you to please spend a few moments more to send a message to legislators on behalf of the economic development community throughout Florida.

FEDC has been working hard to ensure our message is powerful and that legislators understand we need their support of the economic development funding for our partners and the toolkit. All of the members of both the House and Senate are listed on the FEDC website. Simply click on the links to download the legislator contact information and send them a message.

Thank you to all of you who have been working hard and diligently to show how powerful the ED community is in Florida!

Thanking Volunteers

This week is National Volunteer Week, a time to celebrate people doing extraordinary things through service. I would like to thank the FEDC Board Members, Regional Directors and Committee Members who so freely give of their time and resources to advance the mission of the FEDC. Their tremendous dedication allows us to continue to grow resources and advocate for economic development at a local and state level.

Recognizing Success

Congratulations to Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO of BDB of Palm Beach County. Smallridge was recognized by Sun Sentinel and received the Excalibur award for small business leadership. More details are provided at sun-sentinel.com.

Congratulations to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance team. The Greater for Lauderdale Alliance was recognized by Business Facilities Magazine receiving the 2013 Economic Development Award for a population greater than 500k. More details are provided at businessfacilities.com.

FEDC leadership would like the opportunity to honor your achievements at the 2013 Florida Economic Development Conference. Nominations will be accepted until May 17th, 2013 for the 2013 FEDC Awards including Marketing and Promotional Awards, Eunice Sullivan Economic Development Professional, Toni Jennings Workforce Development Professional, Young Professional of the Year, Richard McLaughlin Economic Development Volunteer of the Year, Excellence in International Business and Deal of the Year. You can submit all nominations online on the conference website.

Thank you for all you do,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

Show your Support of Economic Development:

Session is coming to a close in just two weeks but our work is far from done. It is time for a full court press in order to make sure economic, workforce and community development tools are fully funded. We need each of you to help by taking just a few moments and letting your local delegation know just how important economic development is to the success of our state.

By the end of next week both the House and Senate will begin negotiating the legislation and budget. The Senate conferees have been announced and you can download the complete list here. As soon the House is announced we will get the information out to you. These legislators are especially important to contact. Again, it only takes a few minutes to show your support of economic development and can have a huge impact in funding.

Next week we will send several calls to action with specific ways you can help. The entire economic development package put forth by the Governor is critically important. Much of the negotiating is just beginning so there is still time to show support and improve outcomes.

Register for the 2013 Florida Economic Development Conference: 

I would also like to remind you that the FEDC conference planning committee is organizing an amazing conference for you! You will not want to miss the 2013 Florida Economic Development Conference! You can find out everything you need to know on our conference website:fedcconference.com.

We have extended early bird registration 5 more days because we experienced technical issues on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you tried to register and saw incorrect prices associated with your membership and registration abilities in our online store we apologize for the inconvenience. All issues with checkout have been corrected. Please remember to login to the online store using the email address associated with your FEDC membership.

This extended date of Wednesday, April 24, 2013 is is our final, FINAL, deadline and will not be able to make any exceptions if you miss this great deal. It only takes a few minutes to register and you will save $90.00! The early-bird rate is good through Wednesday  April 24, 2013 at 11:59pm. Please register today and explore theconference website! 

#PrayforBoston

Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people affected by the Boston Marathon Bombers. We cannot imagine the fear, confusion and pain caused by such a senseless act. We pray for a speedy recovery of those injured and that those who lost loved ones find peace in knowing they are in a better place. As the events continue to unfold we hope that the brave men and women that are protecting Boston stay safe themselves.

Thank you for all you do,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

Today is the 39th day of Session and as week 6 comes to a close, we need your continued, time-sensitive responses to support FEDC’s and our statewide partners’ legislative successes. Here are updates and next steps:

Today, HB 663 - Economic Gardening Technical Assistance passed it’s third reading on the House Floor. Representative Hudson, Porter and Combee have been great champions for this program. The companion in the Senate, SB 1012 by Senator Hays, passed in Senate TED Appropriations yesterday

Enterprise Florida continues to focus on the budget. We are actively speaking with legislators to support and encourage EFI’s efforts and would like to see the Senate move their appropriations up and we need both chambers to be more in line with the Governor’s recommendations. The budget conference will likely start next week so we will have more updates and calls to action in the coming days.

A big focus and priory for all of us is HB 391 -Exemptions from Tax on Sales, Use, & Other Transactions, co-sponsored by Representative Magar and Economic Development and Tourism Subcommittee, passed the House Economic Development and Tourism Subcommittee on April 10th with a vote of 9 to 3. It is now expected to be heard in the House Economic Affairs Committee on Tuesday, April 16th at 2:00pm. Please call and email thecommittee members and voice your support and the importance of this bill. 

Space Florida is focused on two specific bills that are set to be heard in Senate Appropriations next week:SB 1132 - Department of Transportation by Senator Brandes and SB 0236 - Tax Refund Programs by Senator Hukill. Please show your support.

The Small Business Development Center needs our support and asks that we all continue to reach out to our local delegation, especially the House side. SB 0224 - Florida Small Business Development Center Network by Detert codifies the SBDC program and aligns the efforts and investments of the network with state economic development and higher education. The funding request is $7M recurring.This bill aligns FSBDC statewide policies with the statewide strategic economic development plan and statewide goals of the university system, specifies the composition of the FSBDC statewide advisory board, specifies the business assistance support services offered and business markets served by FSBDC, and requires regular reporting by the FSBDC on service activity and outcomes, including information on the economic benefits to the state. The appropriation will:

• incentivize regional service to create jobs, institute best practices, and serve new or underserved areas of the state
• be purposed to expand capacity (consulting hours) of entrepreneurial and business development services
• be leveraged, at a minimum, $1 for $1 with non-state investment

Thank you to those of you who have been contacting your legislators and updating me on your responses. This is critical to our continued outreach. We truly appreciate everyone working so hard!

Session isn’t the only exciting thing on our schedule here at FEDC…we are gearing up for an excellent 2013 Florida Economic Development Conference! The conference committee, led by Ed Randolph, is doing an amazing job in building the agenda.

We are extending the conference registration early bird rate one week so REGISTER before NEXT Friday, April 19th to take advantage of the $90 savings! Early bird registration is only $285! Visit fedcconference.com for all conference related details – including a link to register and book your hotel!

Thank you for all you do,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

The House and Senate have both released their budget recommendations. As we move into the second month of Session we need your help in contacting legislators. It is imperative that you stress the importance of a strong economic development toolkit. You can use the “Why we do economic development” talking points to create a message and email your legislators.

Enterprise Florida provided a great breakdown of the Governor’s Office, House and Senate recommendations:

Image Source: Enterprise Florida Capitol Connection Issue 4

We will continue to work with our partners to close the gaps in funding so Florida remains a competitive state with strong economic growth. As you can see from above there are gaps that urgently need to be closed.

I also would like to remind you all that early bird registration for the 2013 Florida Economic Development Conference is available until April 12th, 2013. We will be announcing speakers and breakout session in the coming week and look forward to seeing you all in Orlando!

Thank you for all you do,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

As we end the fourth week of the 2013 Legislative Session, economic development continues to be a hot topic as both the House and Senate are considering the Subcommittee recommendations for funding. There are very big differences in both the House and Senate vs. the Governor’s recommendations. The House is recommending $73M and the Senate is at $20.02M.

It will be important to continue to actively reach out to your local delegation members to stress the importance of funding the toolkit. If you have been speaking to your legislators, please email me so we can keep track and follow up here in Tallahassee,

This week CS/HB 663 – Economic Gardening Technical Assistance passed unanimously through a second Committee stop. The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will hear SB 1012 Economic Gardening Technical Assistance this coming Monday at 12:30pm.Please reach out to your Senate and House delegation before then to let them know the importance of this program. We have an legislative toolkit put together for you that allows you to tweet pre-filled messages to committee members and personalize pre-filled emails.

The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will also hear SB 0518 – Economic Business Incentives during their April 1, 2012 meeting. This bill encourages manufacturing investment, prevents pyramiding of taxes through the product to the end consumer, encourages the increase of exports, stimulates business growth and creates well-paying jobs. When you reach out to legislators in support of SB 1012 please make sure to include your support of SB 0518.

I thank you all for emaling, calling and tweeting legislators in response to our call for action to support HB 663 yesterday. Several representatives mentioned that hearing from economic developers across the state made an impact in their understanding and decision process. I know we can all continue to make an impact this Session and I look forward to continued opportunities to work together in support of Florida’s economic development.

Happy Easter and Passover,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council

Good Afternoon,

Happy Anniversary! Please join me in congratulating Gray Swoope as he celebrates his two-year anniversary as Secretary of Commerce and President & CEO of Enterprise Florida. Gray’s tenure here has resulted in a more cohesive and robust framework for Florida’s economic development network. Gray, we are happy you are part of the team!

As we finish week three of the 2013 Session here are some noteworthy legislative items and areas for you to participate in the process:

SB0406 / HB563– Reporting Requirement For Economic Development Agencies – Enterprise Florida, Space Florida and DEO are very supportive of this bill. It codifies in statute what the agencies are already doing. The media portrays this as “holding economic development agencies feet to the fire” when in fact each agency is already in compliance and welcomes the assistance with annual audits and reporting requirements.

SB0236 / HB4013 – Tax Refund Programs (QTI/QDSC) – This bill to remove the lifetime cap on QTI and QDSC awards is moving through both the House and Senate and looks very promising. There is one more stop in both the House and Senate.

SB0518 – Economic Business Incentive (Sales Tax Exemption for Manufacturing) – This bill is moving. It has not been heard yet in the Senate but expected to be soon. For those of you who have strong relationships with Senator Negron, please reach out to him to tell him how important the sales tax exemption is. Here is a link to an article that appeared in the Naples Daily News this week about Negron’s view of the bill. Not only should you reach out to him but also the members of both the House and Senate to show your support.

Most importantly to note, this week the Senate Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee came out with their first round of budget recommendations. The Committee recommended a substantially lower number than what the Governor requested for the fund containing economic development incentives. The Governor’s recommendations were $105M. The Committee recommendation was $16M.  This link will take you to the specific budget line items for the Department of Economic Opportunity. Recommended pages to read: 24-37.

While this is the first round and many rounds of negotiations are yet to take place, it is also VERY IMPORTANT that both the House and Senate hear from you, the economic development community. At the very least write your local delegation to tell them how important these programs are to keeping Florida going in the right direction with job growth and job creation. A sample letter for you to use is available on our website. I would suggest that you also personalize it to them by giving an example of a successful project(s), and how their funding of the toolkit made this possible.

Please take a few minutes to visit our Legislative Call to Action Page for week three and email, tweet, and share this message with legislators, community leaders and your peers.

Have a great weekend and week ahead,
Amy Evancho
President and CEO
Florida Economic Development Council