Florida Economic Development Council » South Central

Florida Economic Development Council Honors Volunteers: Richard L McLaughlin Award Given to Eight Recipients in Florida

Brittany — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 01:57:35 +0000

The Florida Economic Development Council honored eight volunteers for their contributions to economic development in Florida. Each recipient was celebrated at the Volunteer of the Year Awards Luncheon at the 2011 Florida Economic Development Conference.

“Economic Development is driven by partnership and leadership. Each of the 2011 Richard L McLaughlin Award winners have dedicated their professional life to bettering their communities by leading from example and forging new, successful partnerships,” says Amy Evancho, President and CEO of Florida Economic Development Council.

The celebrated individuals are:

Kim Williams, President of Hamilton Leasing Partnership and Marpan Supply Company, Northwest Region;

Doug Conkey, Chairman, North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, Clay County Commissioner and Appointee of the Regional Transportation Study Commission, Northeast Region;

Ron Inge, President, Inge and Associates, Southwest Region;

Ray Ferrero, Jr, Chancellor, Nova Southeastern University, Southeast Region;

Peter Buczynsky, President, PharmaWorks, Tampa Bay Region;

Suzanne Norris, Market President, Mercantile Bank of North Central Florida, North Central Region;

Mary Kay Burns, RN BSN MBA Health Officer, Desoto County & Charlotte County-Interim, South Central Region;

David Pace, President of New Broad Street Group, 2010-11 Chairman of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission’s Board of Directors, East Central Region.

Okeechobee facility to become ‘largest advanced biodiesel demonstration plant in the world,’ company says

Brittany — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 01:47:39 +0000

OKEECHOBEE — A California petroleum company is acquiring an existing production facility in Okeechobee, creating new jobs while increasing the region’s presence in the biofuels market, the company announced in a news release Wednesday.

LS9, a South San Francisco company that bills itself as “the Renewable Petroleum Company,” said it anticipates 15 to 20 operations jobs will be created throughout a demonstration period.

The project also is expected to generate approximately 30-50 construction jobs over the six month retrofit period, as well as preserving job opportunities in the Okeechobee region through the company’s of use local suppliers and contractors.

The facility will be retrofitted to accommodate LS9’s proprietary, one-step fermentation process that converts renewable raw materials into low-cost, low-carbon transportation fuels and chemicals, the company said.

The project is designed to enable the production of 50,000 to 100,000 gallons of its “UltraClean Diesel” by late 2010. “This level of production will validate the commercial viability of LS9’s UltraClean Diesel technology before moving to full-scale commercial production,” the company said in its release.

“LS9’s acquisition of this state-of-the-art fermentation facility … represents significant promise for the U.S biofuels sector, and it benefits the Okeechobee economy,” said LS9 CEO Bill Haywood said in the news release. “The new facility will allow LS9 to demonstrate that our one-step manufacturing process is ready and capable of bringing low-cost, low-carbon fuels to market while creating and preserving jobs in the Okeechobee area.”

LS9 describes itself as a low-cost producer of renewable advanced diesel products.

“LS9’s UltraClean Diesel is the only finished diesel directly produced by fermentation of renewable raw materials in a single step,” the firm says in its release. “The company’s proprietary one-step process has higher yields and removes additional production costs associated with the multi-step processes required by other renewable diesel technologies.

“A leader in synthetic biology, LS9 genetically engineers microorganisms to precisely produce fuels to have desired properties such as cetane, volatility, oxidative stability and cold-flow, while offering an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to conventional diesel.”

LS9 officials say they are currently producing “significant” amounts of UltraClean Diesel at its pilot plant in South San Francisco.

“The new Okeechobee facility will allow LS9 to move its technology from proven pilot capabilities to commercial demonstration scale production in 2010. Once the retrofit is complete, the facility will be the largest advanced biodiesel demonstration plant in the world,” the company said.

Over 30 Vendors at Inaugural South Florida Ag Expo This Weekend

Brittany — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:37:33 +0000

CLEWISTON, Fla., Feb. 14, 2011 – The South Florida Ag Expo will be held this weekend in Clewiston. The Expo features the latest innovations in agriculture, and the University of Florida’s Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will present continuing education classes on-site.

“For our first expo, I’m very excited to have over 30 vendors coming to Hendry County,” said Roger Harrison, Economic Development Council President and CEO. “Our hope is to expose and educate area farmers, ranchers and others in agri-business to methods that help them as they go about the business of feeding the world.”

The Expo is being held in conjunction with the Weeks Auction Company’s 16th Annual Sugarland Auction and Farm Expo, an event that draws a local and international crowd. Organizers expect more than 700 agri-business people to attend. Sponsors include Hendry County EDC, US Sugar Corporation, Southeast Renewable Fuels, LLC, Pavese Law Firm, EnSite, John Deere, Everglades Farm Equipment, Lake Okeechobee Regional Initiative (LORI), Sygenta, Helena, CPS, BASF, AGCO, Case IH, FFGA and Kelly Tractor Company.

The Expo is at 610 San Luiz Ave., on the east side of the former Clewiston airport. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday. The event is open to the public. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, visit www.southfloridaagexpo.com.

CONTACT: Roger Harrison
Hendry County EDC
863-675-6007
sflagexpo@gmail.com

FEDC Member Appointed to Goodwill Board of Directors

Brittany — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 05:36:32 +0000

Goodwill Welcomes Harrison to Board of Directors

North Fort Myers- Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. (www.goodwillswfl.org) is pleased to announce that Roger Harrison of LaBelle has joined the organization’s volunteer Board of Directors.

Harrison is the President and CEO of the Hendry County Economic Development Council. Despite arriving Southwest Florida just this year, Harrison has already made a large volunteer commitment to the region. He serves on the board of directors of the Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board, the Henry County Regional Medical Center Foundation, and is President-Elect of the Clewiston Rotary club.

Harrison holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Georgia College and State University (Milledgeville, Ga.), and his Bachelor of Arts from Presbyterian College (Clinton, SC). He is studying for a Doctorate in Public Administration from Valdosta (Ga.) State University with an anticipated graduation date of May 2012.

Also joining Goodwill’s board of directors are Hugh Kinsey and Cindy Newmaster, both of Fort Myers.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. helps people with disabilities and other barriers to employment discover and develop their full potential through work and career development services. In 2010, Goodwill provided vocational and social services to 10.300 Southwest Floridians in Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry, and Glades counties.