The Tampa Hillsborough EDC is officially recognized by Enterprise Florida as Hillsborough County’s primary business recruitment and retention economic development team in partnership with Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace and private Investors. Its primary mission is to create jobs that pay above average wages and to broaden the tax base by generating new, sustainable capital investment.

We are looking for an outgoing, self-motivated and experienced professional to join our team as a Project Coordinator for business retention and expansion efforts in Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. This person will be responsible for assisting in outreach and interaction with corporate CEOs within targeted industry sectors, real estate consultants and other community partners through business retention visits, industry specific trade organization meetings, phone calls and face-to-face meetings.
Responsibilities

• Assist in marketing programs and services to local, target industry business contacts to generate new economic base
• Engage with local Workforce board and other EDC stakeholders to maintain up-to-date program details and funding availability
• Identify site visit contacts to help close deals and create local jobs for the community
• Participate in local retention building initiatives and follow-up contact
• Maintain contacts database and project status updates
• Assist to implement sales and marketing plan by cataloging projects to maintain client interface
• Assist in preparation for strategic task force meetings
• Partner with EDC team to obtain performance objectives
• Ability to collaborate and work in a team environment to accomplish goals

Education, Experience, and Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in business, marketing, or economics preferred
• Minimum of two years project coordinator or project manager experience
• Detail oriented, self motivated business professional
• Economic development experience preferred
• Knowledge of financing concepts and government programs a plus
•  High degree of competence with customer management databases and Microsoft Office applications

Competitive salary is commensurate with experience & a comprehensive benefits package is offered after 90 days.
If you are qualified & interested in this position, please send your resume to: HR@TampaEDC.com

The Tampa Hillsborough EDC is officially recognized by Enterprise Florida as Hillsborough County’s primary business recruitment and retention economic development team in partnership with Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace and private Investors. Its primary mission is to create jobs that pay above average wages and to broaden the tax base by generating new, sustainable capital investment.

We are looking for an outgoing, self-motivated and experienced professional to join our team as a Project Manager for business retention and expansion efforts in Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. This person will be responsible for outreach to corporate CEOs within targeted industry sectors, real estate consultants and other community partners through business retention visits, industry specific trade organization meetings, phone calls and face-to-face meetings.
Responsibilities

• Market programs and services to local, target industry business contacts to generate new economic base
• Design and participate in local retention building initiatives and engage in follow-up contact by arranging
• appointments
• Partner with local Workforce board to promote programs available
• Implement sales and marketing plan
• Participate in strategic task force meetings
• Proactively organize site visits that close deals and create local jobs for the community
• Continually update Director, Business Retention & Expansion on performance metrics and maintain accurate
• and up-to-date accounts
• Partner with EDC stakeholders to accomplish sales and marketing goals
• Ability to collaborate and work in a team environment to accomplish goals

Education, Experience, and Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in business, marketing, or economics preferred
• Minimum of four years professional project management experience
• Economic development experience preferred
• Knowledge of financing concepts and government programs
• High degree of competence with customer management databases and Microsoft Office applications
• Some overnight and weekend travel required.

Competitive salary is commensurate with experience & a comprehensive benefits package is offered after 90 days.
If you are qualified & interested in this position, please send your resume to: HR@TampaEDC.com

September 12 – 13, 2012: St. Petersburg

November 8 – 9, 2012: Orlando

January 30 – 31, 2013: Tallahassee

May 8 – 9, 2013: Orlando (Board Meeting Only)

August 7 – 8, 2013: Northwest Region

October 30 – 31, 2013: Miami

Release Date: May 2, 2012
Contact: Cheryl.Kirby@FloridaSBDC.org 

Pensacola, FL: A recent survey conducted by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, theSmall Business Index Survey, sees things looking up for small business owners. This includes more and more businesses seeking to hire new employees, less facing lay-offs, and more small businesses able to obtain capital. According to the survey, 37% of small businesses are looking to hire new employees in the next six months. This is excellent news for the Florida economy.

In 2011, the Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) helped small and medium-sized businesses create and save 16,914 jobs and increase sales revenues by $317.9 million. However, no success comes without obstacles. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed were concerned that government regulations or taxes would negatively affect or even inhibit them from owning their own small business. The Florida SBDCs offer educational training workshops and seminars that cover a wide variety of topics, including government regulations, licensing, and taxation, to help businesses overcome obstacles.

Another main concern was access to capital. Of the small businesses sampled, 20% were unable to secure necessary financing for their business and 39% believe it will be even harder to obtain necessary financing in the next six months. The Florida SBDCs work with small and medium-sized businesses to make that easier. In 2011, the FSBDCN helped its client businesses gain access to $96.6 million.  Although the FSBDCN does not loan money, its certified business consultants help businesses assess funding opportunities, identify potential financing sources, evaluate eligibility, and help them prepare documentation required by the lender.

In the same survey, 45% were concerned about economic uncertainty.  Through no-cost, confidential consulting, Florida SBDC professional consultants work with businesses to ensure they have the critical knowledge, data, and tools they need to make smart business decisions concerning the future.  In 2011, 15,183 small and medium businesses turned to the FSBDCN for professional business consulting—businesses in critical need of more than just information but meaningful, results-driven guidance and expert advice.

“Florida’s small and medium-sized businesses are vital to Florida’s economic recovery,” said Jerry Cartwright, State Director of the FSBDCN and Member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council. “They are the job creators in our state and the Florida SBDC Network is committed to providing the professional assistance and expertise they need to grow and succeed,” said Cartwright.

According to the survey results, the trends are looking up with more and more businesses seeking to hire, less facing lay-offs, and more obtaining capital to operate and grow their businesses. To ensure that the trends continue in a positive direction, businesses need access to good data, professional expertise and educational training—key elements of Florida SBDC programs and services.

For over 35 years, the Florida SBDC Network has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations, dedicated to providing emerging and established business owners with management and technical assistance, enabling overall growth and increased profitability for the businesses and economic prosperity for the state.  To learn more about the Florida SBDC Network or to find a SBDC near you, visit www.FloridaSBDC.org or call 1.866.737.7232.

The Florida SBDC Network, a statewide service network of 39 centers, is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, hosted by theUniversity of West Florida and accredited through the national Association of SBDCs.

BROWARD COUNTY, FL –  The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Broward County’s official public/private partnership for economic development, reported at its mid-year meeting on Thursday, May 3, 2012 that it helped attract 13 new company relocations and expansions during the first half of its 2011-12 fiscal year that ended March 31.  This resulted in 780 new value added jobs, 943 retained jobs and more than $9 million in new capital investment.   The announcement was made by Alliance Chairman J. David Armstrong, Jr., president of Broward College.

Some of the companies that relocated or expanded in Broward County include (with anticipated job additions over the next three years):

Saveology.com, will be adding 700 new jobs in Margate, retaining 550 jobs and making a $2.4 million capital investment.

Interplex Sunbelt, Inc. will be adding 17 jobs in Tamarac and making a $1.4 million capital investment.

American Medical Depot, will be adding 50 new jobs in Miramar, retaining 97 jobs and making a $5 million investment.

Juratoys, will be establishing its U.S. headquarters in Fort Lauderdale and initially adding 5 new jobs.

The keynote speaker at the meeting was Kathleen Hays, host of “The Hays Advantage” on Bloomberg Radio, the number 1 business radio show in America.  Ms. Hays was introduced and later interviewed by Mike Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation. The topic of their discussion was “The U.S. Economy, Jobs and the Fed – What’s Ahead in 2012.”

Alliance President and CEO Bob Swindell cited the great work of Mason Jackson and WorkForce One Employment Solutions and said, “I’m pleased to say that the unemployment rate in Broward County is now 7.5%, which is the lowest it has been in three years.  Also, Broward County gained more manufacturing jobs in the last year than any other metro area in the state.   Broward County has now experienced 18 consecutive months of over-the-year job growth.”

The Alliance’s Educational Excellence Builds Business (E²B²) Action Team Chairman Norm Seavers, associate vice president of the Institute for Economic Development at Broward College, presented the Alliance’s World Class Faculty Award to Florida Atlantic University Associate Professor Dr. Pierre-Philippe Jean Beaujean.  Dr. Beaujean is in the FAU Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering and is well-known for his work with the military and Homeland Security in underwater acoustic telemetry communications and positioning using sonar technology.  His program is housed at SeaTech, the renowned Dania Beach marine studies campus of FAU.

More than 400 people attended this year’s meeting which was held at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance (www.gflalliance.org) is Broward County’s official public/private partnership for economic development.  Its mission is to lead Broward County in building a stronger and more diverse economy by stimulating the creation of new jobs and capital investment while facilitating the growth and retention of businesses in Broward County.   Services offered by the Alliance include assistance with business relocation or expansion and site selection; incentive programs and information; market research; and serving as a liaison for workforce development between WorkForce One Employment Solutions, educational institutions and the business community.  To learn more, call(954) 524-3113.

Media contact:
Ron Drew, APR
Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
(954) 627-0130
rdrew@gflalliance.org

The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) press release covering national employment and unemployment estimates for April 2012 and the BLS Commissioner’s statement released Friday morning are attached.

• ·         The national unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in April 2012, down 0.1 percentage point from the March rate of 8.2 percent and down 0.9 percentage point from 9.0 percent a year ago.

• ·         Total nonagricultural employment was 132,989,000 in April 2012, an increase of 115,000 jobs (+0.1 percent) over the month and an increase of 1,816,000 jobs (+1.4 percent) over the year.

Florida’s April 2012 labor statistics will be released on May 18, 2012.

The Florida Economic Development Council, Inc in accordance with its bylaws and in conjunction with the 2012 FEDC Nominating Committee, are conducting a call for nominations for the 2012-14 Regional Directors. The process for open nomination will be held until May 10, 2012. Voting will be May 11 – 15, 2012 in each region.

Please email Amy Evancho at aevancho@fedc.net with your nomination specific to your region. You must be a member in good standing with the ability to serve 2 consecutive years.

FEDC Regional Director’s Roles and Responsibilities are as follows:

Overall Regional Relations:
1. Be the face of FEDC within region
2. Communicate with members within region
3. Assist the FEDC office to:

a. Promote the FEDC brand and mission within the region
b. Encourage and drive  membership within the region
c. Identify speaking opportunities that promote the FEDC mission

Legislative
1. Coordinate grass root efforts/Calls to Action within the region
4. Assist FEDC to gather local/regional legislative items that may be of interest for FEDC
5. Help to be the pulse of local/regional issues and communicate those issues to FEDC

Communications
1. Communicate regularly with members within region
2. Assist FEDC in further developing regional communications
3. Assist FEDC to populate your regions portion of the website (new item)
4. Be a cheerleader for FEDC initiatives, membership and events
5. Provide feedback to FEDC office as to needs and wants of members

Professional Development
1. Work with FEDC to develop regional events for professional development
2. Promote the importance of ED Pro-D and FEDC regional and state events

Other Items
1. Work with members in region to identify FEDC Volunteer of the Year (1 selected per region)
2. Work with FEDC and YP group to build YP efforts within region
3. Assist in the coordination for silent auction items for conference

 In anticipation of the funding the State of Florida has provided to serve second-stage growth entrepreneurs, this RFP process seeks to identify partner organizations that are local entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) or a team of ESOs that will partner with the Florida Economic Gardening Institute (GrowFL) to deliver economic gardening programs locally or regionally.

Please see the RFP below.  For your convenience, the budget form and the company pre-qualification form have been attached separately and are set up as forms so they can completed as electronic documents, if you would like to do so.

2012-2013 EG Statewide Initiative RFP
Attachment A – Budget
Attachment B – Company Pre-Qualification Forms 

For questions, contact:
Tammie Nemecek
Director of Partner Development
Florida Economic Gardening Institute (GrowFL) at the University of Central Florida
12201 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Orlando, FL 32826
239.253.1688
Tammie.Nemecek@ucf.edu

The City of Cocoa is looking for an experienced Economic Development Specialist to assist in the creation of economic development and redevelopment programs; promote and market the City; implement strategies to attract and recruit business and industry to the City; and support and retain existing businesses. This position is also responsible for coordinating economic development activities and projects and maintaining information on available property, utilities, taxes, zoning, transportation, community services, incentive programs and innovative financing tools.

A complete job description and application is available online at www.cocoafl.org.