FM Jan 05 - Orlando, Inc.

w w w. o r l a n d o. o r g
The Central Florida region's job market is
ablaze with jobs in the healthcare, hospitality
and high-tech industries. Find out what the
fastest-growing occupations are and how
they affect the region’s economy.
INSIDE
Get Educated
with ExtraCredit
BANKING AND FINANCE
Small Business
is Big Business
Conventional
Wisdom
Common
Sense
Reform
THE COMMUNITY SOURCE
FOR SMART BUSINESS
J A N UA RY 2 0 0 5
volume 8 number 1
EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER —
ORLANDO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PRESIDENT & CEO JACOB V. STUART
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ROBERT RECKER
ADVISORY BOARD SCOTT FAGAN
SHELLEY LAUTEN
CYNDI MATZICK
RUTH MUSTIAN
VILMA QUINTANA
KRISTINE VORPAGEL SHIELDS
LISA WINKELBAUER
PUBLISHER — KNIGHT IMAGES INC.
PRESIDENT & CEO MICHAEL HINN
VICE PRESIDENT—PUBLISHING KEVIN O’NEIL
[email protected]
EDITOR IN CHIEF TRACEY VELT
[email protected]
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR JACK ROTH
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SARAH SEKULA
CONNIE SUE WHITE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR MIKE FORISTALL
ART DIRECTOR BARBARA GEORGOUDIOU
PRODUCTION ARTIST TRICIA HEATH
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR NICK GEORGOUDIOU
PRODUCTION COORDINATORS JEN WONDRELY
KAREN RAY
PUBLICATION COORDINATOR CARRIE BRKICH
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR MONIQUE RANDALL
ADVERTISING MANAGERS KATRINA RINI
JACKIE CANDELARIA
FirstMonday is published monthly and prepared by the Orlando Regional Chamber of
Commerce and Knight Images. All copyright privileges are reserved by the publisher.
Any reproduction in whole or in part without express written consent is strictly
prohibited. FirstMonday welcomes articles, story ideas and feedback. However, neither
the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce nor Knight Images assumes responsibility
for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, negatives or transparencies.
FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
KNIGHT IMAGES 130 South Orange Ave
Suite 150
Orlando, Florida 32801
Phone 407-206-1011
Fax 407-206-1019
[email protected]
ORLANDO REGIONAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE P.O. Box 1234
Orlando, FL 32802-1234
Phone 407-425-1234
Fax 407-835-2500
[email protected]
ADVERTISING INFO Kevin O’Neil,VP Publishing
407-206-1011
[email protected]
Monique Randall
407-805-0548
[email protected]
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on the cover:
Hot Jobs 21
Get Educated With ExtraCredit 10
Small Business is Big Business 13
Conventional Wisdom 28
Common Sense Reform 32
CONTENTS 01.05
F E AT U R E S
D E PA RTM E N T S
21 HOT JOBS
6
8
16
18
24
28
30
32
35
38
UPFRONT
13
FOCUS ON | banking and finance
COVER STORY
The Central Florida region’s job market is ablaze
with jobs in the healthcare, hospitality and
high-tech industries. Read on to find out what
the fastest-growing occupations are and how
they affect the region’s economy.
REGIONAL WRAP
TECH KNOW
LIVE AND LEARN
ON LOCATION
DESTINATION
STATE OF THE ARTS
ISSUES WATCH
CHAMBER INSIGHT
PARTING SHOTS
To the delight of small
business owners, local
banks are providing
more products
and services geared
toward the little guy.
Check out the new and
exciting offerings.
10 GET EDUCATED ON EXTRACREDIT
The Earned Income Tax Credit program will give low-wage
workers and Central Florida an economic boost. We’ll give
you tips for promoting the program to your employees.
NEWS INDEX
55 West 24
Coding Edge Inc. 9
Florida Hospital System 21
Abdo & Burts LLC 24
Colonial Properties 24
GrayRobinson 33
Association to Preserve the
Eatonville Community Inc. 30
Downtown Development Board 18
FAIRWINDS Credit Union 38
Greater Orlando
Regional Association 24
Lake Eola Charter School 19
Orlando Museum of Arts 30
The Christ School 18
Baldwin Park 24
Fishkind and Associates 22
Howard Middle School 19
Lockheed 16
Peabody Hotel 23
The Ginn Co. 8
Boeing 16
Jardon and Howard
Technologies Inc. 16
Magic Financial Services/
Magic Properties 24
Real Estate
Research Consultants 21
United Arts 30
Brevard Community College 8
Florida Agency for Workforce
Innovation 21
Channel Intelligence 22
Florida Chamber of Commerce 32
Kinetics 9
CHEP 8
Florida High Tech Corridor 16
Kuhn Development 24
Metro Orlando Economic
Development Commission 16, 21
Reunion Resort
& Club of Orlando 8
Northrop Grumman 8
Science Applications
International Corp. 16
Orlando/Orange County
Convention & Visitors
Bureau 22, 28, 30
University of
Central Florida 8, 21, 38
Votesmart.org 33
Southern Wine and Spirits 9
THE FIRSTMONDAY MISSION
FirstMonday gives you positive, credible and compelling stories that focus on the key trends, people, businesses and events that drive Central Florida’s growth and progress.We aim to build a strong, vibrant and diverse community.
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UPFRONT
the Central Florida region through their products, services and community advocacy. With a
strong, committed business community,
our region will continue to serve as a model
for excellence across the nation.
Look for these new highlights:
The Issues Watch department will look at
what local leaders are doing to prevent special
interests from taking control of Florida’s
Constitution.
Read about the burgeoning growth of the
modeling and simulation industry’s premier
event in Tech Know.
Interested in finding out how arts and cultural
events affect our local economy? Read about it
in the new State of the Arts department.
FirstMonday Gets a Boost
The region’s office condominium market is
booming. Find out why in On Location.
Four huge conventions are in Central Florida
this month. Read about the economic impact
in Destination.
WELCOME TO THE new FirstMonday. With this
issue, we’re launching the all-new community
source for smart business.
At the core of the new publication is the content.
We also have carefully planned features on
the growth trends of the technology, healthcare
and service occupations in the region and tips
Content that focuses on key areas in the Central
for helping your lower-wage employees apply
Florida region that are important to building
for the earned income tax credit.
community. The new departments and features
For those who have grown accustomed to
are carefully aligned with the Orlando Regional
FirstMonday original format, Chamber Insight
Chamber of Commerce and myregion.org — to
provides more familiar territory. You’ll also
bring seven counties and 84 cities together to plan
still see the Chamber Calendar of Events,
for the future.
New Member Listings and a focus on what
In this issue, you’ll see a fresh, new design with
consistent departments that give you information
on local issues, profiles of innovative companies
matters most to our members and the 3.1
million people who call Central Florida home.
We’re striving to give you the key trends,
and tips for promoting your business. Specifically,
people, businesses and events that drive the
you’ll see editorial that includes transportation,
Central Florida region’s growth. Think of us as
tourism, education, legislative and policy issues
your community source for smart business.
and real estate.
We’re working overtime to give readers the
information they need to grow their communityminded businesses — the local businesses that
contribute to the economic growth and vitality of
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Jacob V. Stuart
President
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
REGIONAL WRAP
FROM BREVARD COUNTY TO POLK COUNTY, BUSINESSES
ARE THRIVING. HERE’S A SEVEN COUNTY VIEW OF WHAT’S
GOING ON IN THE REGION.
BREVARD COUNTY
The Brevard Community College Small Business
Development Center hosts monthly roundtable
discussions, workshops and clinics for small
businesses and new ventures. The workshops
focus on finance and legal issues, recordkeeping
and taxes, insurance and business plans. For
more information, visit www.bcctraining.com
or call (321) 433-5570.
GIVE US THE SCOOP
Sign a multi-million dollar deal?
Develop a technology that makes
doing business easier? We want
to know! FirstMonday is looking
for details about what local
businesses are doing for [and with]
the business community.
We want to hear about your
partnerships, new technology,
community awareness and more.
To submit your information, please
e-mail Editor-in-Chief Tracey Velt at
[email protected]. We look
forward to hearing from you.
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LAKE COUNTY
Revenues from the 2001 voter-approved penny
sales-tax referendum are beginning to shape
substantial improvements to Lake County’s
infrastructure. The Board of County
Commissioners will proceed with several
projects designed to maximize the revenues
from the second 15-year term of the penny
sales tax. Two significant projects include the
beginning phases of a major renovation to
the Lake County Judicial Center and a facelift
to the Lake County Fairgrounds.
ORANGE COUNTY
University of Central Florida leaders recently
approved a campus growth blueprint out to
the year 2015.
CHEP, an Orlando-based global supplier of
pallets and containers, was key in testing a
new inventory-management system, using the
same technology that allows drivers to glide
through the E-Pass lane. The company, which
employs 500 in Central Florida, is using the
technology, known as radio-frequency identification (RFID) to track merchandise from the
factory to the store. CHEP started field-testing
of the RFID tags with 34 manufacturers and
350 distributors that leased 250,000 pallets
with RFID tags. According to CHEP, the testing
led to the development of tags that are more
impervious to dust, dirt, grime, wind and rain.
Now, CHEP markets the radio-frequency tags in
its Plus ID service as a key element in a client’s
supply-chain management.
Northrop Grumman recently pledged
$25 million to the University of Central Florida
to enhance the school’s research in extreme
ultraviolet lithography, a process that could
allow computer chips to become smaller and
more powerful.
OSCEOLA COUNTY
The Central Florida second-home market is still
going gangbusters; just ask those at Reunion
Resort & Club of Orlando in Osceola County.
According to Developer Bobby Ginn, the resort
posted $72 million in sales at Reunion Grande,
luxury condominiums priced from $675,000.
Within two hours of opening the condos for
showings, all 82 available condo units and
14 villas at Seven Eagles, the residential
development on the Tom Watson-designed
REGIONAL WRAP
golf course, were sold. The Ginn Co. has posted
nearly $500 million in sales at the 2,300-acre
resort since opening it in late 2001.
built at 4440 Old Tampa Highway and will create
300 jobs in the area.
In 2004, Osceola County government
contributed some $834,550 to various
non-profit agencies through its Social Services
Master Plan. According to the Osceola County
Community Services Division, some 28
agencies, including Transition House and the
Center for Drug-Free Living, requested a total
of $1.36 million in funding for the 2004–2005
fiscal year.
SEMINOLE COUNTY
Kinetics, a subsidiary of NCR Corporation,
recently announced that Canadian low-fare
carrier WestJet has become Kinetics’ 14th
airline customer. Kinetics is developing
WestJet’s first Web check-in system, which
will be deployed some time in the first quarter
of 2005. With headquarters in Lake Mary, the
company is now delivering its TouchPort II
self-service kiosks to the following:
AeroMexico, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines,
Aloha Airlines, America West Airlines, ATA
Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines,
Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Northwest
Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines
and WestJet.
POLK COUNTY
Southern Wines & Spirits of America, the
nation’s largest distributor of such products, is
building a multimillion-dollar facility in Lakeland.
The planned building is 640,000 square feet and
will cost some $10.5 million. The facility will be
Coding Edge Inc., headquartered in Sanford,
recently introduced a new technology in
emergency room billing. BillStat is a wireless,
invoice-generating system developed for
emergency room doctors who treat self-pay
patients, such as foreign travelers. Using a
handheld, wireless device, emergency room
doctors can produce a patient statement in
as little as 30 seconds.
VOLUSIA COUNTY
In a move across Central Florida to preserve
the environment and slow urban sprawl, the
Daytona Beach appellate court recently refused
Volusia County’s referendum on urban growth
boundaries, citing unclear language in the
ballot question. In Volusia County, almost three
fourths of voters approved the measure that
called for managed growth.
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AN ESTIMATED $15 MILLION is waiting
sponsoring an ExtraCredit campaign
to be put into the hands of eligible,
to get the word out.”
hard-working families in the Central
The ExtraCredit program will
Florida region, through the Earned
help businesses spread the word to
Income Tax Credit (EITC). Established
thousands of individuals who are still
in 1975, the EITC is a federal income tax
not getting the credit, either because
credit for low-income workers that could
they haven’t heard about it or because
potentially bring millions into Central
they don’t know how to apply for it.
Florida’s economy by putting money in
“Be a hero to your employees. Let
the pockets of working families.
your employees know how to apply,”
In 2002, the EITC lifted 4.9 million
people above the federal poverty line,
says Stuart.
The average credit is $2,000 on
top of what an employee might get in
GET EDUCATED ON EXTRACREDIT
taxes, and since the credit is retroactive
for three years, you can potentially get
$8,000 in the mail, says Maria T. Diaz
Urbino, ExtraCredit project director for
The Chamber’s
new tax credit
awareness program
helps stimulate the
Central Florida economy.
By Sarah Sekula, Contributing Writer, FirstMonday
more than any other federal aid
the Orlando Regional Chamber of
program, according to the Center on
Commerce. “That’s a down payment for
Budget and Policies Priorities. Through
a house, a car to go to work or money
tax credits of as much as $4,300,
for education.”
low-income individuals or families
“Most cities rely on a public rela-
can pay off debt, put food on the table
tions campaign,” says Orange County
or save for the future.
Chairman Rich Crotty. “In Central
“The EITC targets those in our
Florida, we added the component of
workforce who earn at the lower end of
partnering with the business commu-
the pay scale — the people who keep our
nity to engage them in educating their
tourism industry humming, who take
low-income employees on how the
care of our children while we’re at work,
EITC can help them.”
who staff our hospitals and schools, who
The ExtraCredit campaign — funded
man our retail establishments, who stoke
by the City of Orlando, the Edyth Bush
the engine of our economy,” says Orlando
Charitable Foundation and Orange
Mayor Buddy Dyer. “With more money in
County Government — will educate
their pockets, these workers will better
workers and encourage family economic
meet their basic needs — keeping a roof
success by communicating with
over their heads, food on their tables,
minority and faith-based organizations,
getting healthcare when they’re sick,
agricultural organizations and social
obtaining reliable transportation to and
service communities. The campaign
from their jobs, and affording safe places
will foster partnerships with the area’s
to leave their children while they are at
250 largest Central Florida businesses,
work,” he adds.
particularly with their human resource
departments, to educate eligible workers
IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY
“The EITC positively impacts the
about EITC through educational forums,
seminars, meetings and literature.
individual and our community,” says
Jacob Stuart, president of the Orlando
Regional Chamber of Commerce. “The
WHO QUALIFIES?
In 2002, more than 21 million families
funds are available, and we want to
and individuals filing federal income tax
ensure eligible families receive the
returns — nearly one of every six families
tax refunds they deserve. To facilitate
who file — claimed the federal EITC,
our communications, the Chamber is
according to the Center on Budget and
In 2002, the EITC lifted 4.9 million people
above the federal poverty line, more
than any other federal aid program.
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RICH CROTTY
BUDDY DYER
KAREN VAN FOSSAN
JACOB V. STUART
Orange County Chairman
Mayor of Orlando
Territory Manager,
Internal Revenue Service
Orlando Regional Chamber
of Commerce President
“Generating new sources of income
always boosts the local economy.
The extra money gives families more
budget flexibility to help them
improve their quality of life.”
“Orlando is lucky because many local businesses are
deeply committed to the well being of their employees.
Employees who are financially secure and feel their
employer cares about them are also more loyal and
less likely to miss days of work due to childcare,
housing and transportation crises.”
“EITC makes work more attractive
than welfare and in many
instances helps families make the
transition from public assistance
into the labor force.”
“As the tax season approaches, we plan to seize
the opportunity to work with Central Florida
businesses to educate their employees about
the EITC. The goal is to move low-income
workers toward economic self sufficiency.”
Policies Priorities. To be eligible for
a full or partial refund, the taxpayer
must have earned income of:
At least $1, but less than $11,490
($12,490 if married, filing jointly)
if there is no qualifying child
$30,338 ($31,338 if married, filing
jointly) if there is one qualifying
child
$34,458 ($35,458 if married, filing
jointly) if there is more than one
qualifying child
HELP SPREAD THE WORD
“Businesses are vital to this
campaign,” says Crotty. “Business
owners can help educate their
eligible employees and direct
them to professionals assisting
in tax preparation.”
Promoting the EITC to employees through your human resource
department is an effective way
for you to communicate this
program. Here are other methods
of conveying the information:
Include an EITC stuffer with workers’ W-2 forms or their paychecks.
Post fliers in employee lounges
and waiting rooms.
Publish articles in employee
newsletters.
Record an informative on-hold
phone message explaining
the program.
Make EITC education a part of
new-hire orientation.
Include EITC information in
employee manuals.
The EITC puts money in the
pockets of working families,
enhances the benefits available
to workers through their employers and grows the local economy
with millions of new dollars in
circulation.
For more on the ExtraCredit Program
visit www.orlando.org.
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banking and finance | FOCUS ON
SMALL BUSINESS IS big business.
become a hot bed for business
Just ask any banker.
start-ups. “Central Florida is a
Traditionally, banks were struc-
significant small-business
tured to benefit bigger businesses.
market,” says Timberlake. “There
But the emergence of a growing
are great opportunities in this
number of successful small- to
region for these businesses and
mid-sized businesses has forced
the banks that service them.”
banks to rethink the way they do
business. Now, banks are offering
more small-business-friendly perks
A DIFFERENT ANIMAL
Small businesses are unique.
such as free business checking
They require a different set of
services, no monthly transaction
products and services than do
requirements, courier services,
middle market and global
business check cards and flexible
companies. Their loan approval
Small Business Administration
process needs are very specific.
(SBA) loan options.
They also have limited cash flows,
In an effort to attract and better
so each bank account movement
serve small business owners, banks
can’t cost them too much. Banks
have deployed various banking
must take all of these factors into
solutions built specifically for
account when servicing them.
small businesses.
According to Bruce May,
Underserved No More
BANKS ARE PROVIDING MORE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES GEARED TOWARDS THE LITTLE GUY.
By Jack Roth, Contributing Editor, FirstMonday
According to Mathy Hogan,
“A lot of bigger banks
are trending towards
trying to help smaller
businesses because
they eventually turn
into big businesses.”
ALAN ROWE, FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK
president of Mercantile Bank
assistant vice president of business
of Central Florida, many small
services at FAIRWINDS Credit
businesses don’t have full-time
Union in Orlando, bank structures
accountants, let alone a chief
are changing to reduce cost and
financial officer, so a bank’s
fees for smaller businesses, and
products need to be designed to
streamlined packages will elimi-
make banking easier for them.
nate unneeded services and costs.
“For larger companies, bank
“Banks have certainly made
relationships are won on the price
things easier for small businesses
of services, but for small business-
now,” says Ed Timberlake,
es it’s the level of service given that
president of Bank of America in
makes the difference in banking,”
Central Florida. “Services used to
says May.
be one-size-fits-all, which meant
Other unique characteristics
that smaller businesses got lost
come into play when small busi-
in the shuffle. Now we have
nesses diversify. A bank’s job is to
specialists who focus strictly on
recognize the evolution of the
small businesses.”
client,” says Timberlake. “As they
There are a growing number
of small business owners in the
United States, and Florida has
grow, their needs change.”
Some of these needs require
expanded bank services. fm 01.05
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FOCUS ON | banking and finance
“We’re seeing many small businesses
converting from a rent or lease status
of business banking at SunTrust Bank.
According to a TNS Financial Services
are looking for retirement services and
“This is driving a projected 15
solutions. “They’re taking steps to
percent national growth rate in
to buying commercial real estate or
Small Business Owners survey, more
ensure a comfortable retirement,” says
the number of new small business
owning the property they occupy,” says
than one million business owners will
Mark Reina, SunTrust’s senior vice presi-
retirement plans in 2004.”
Doug Elmore, executive vice president
be facing retirement by 2008, and many
dent of Florida group business banking.
According to Reina, with an
expectation of the economy
rebounding in the next 12
months, nearly half of all small
companies expect to expand
operations and product offerings.
INTERNET BANKING SOLUTIONS
One way banks are able to offer
small businesses more convenient
and cost-effective services is
through technology. Internet banking solutions enable small business owners to reconcile balances
on their own, transfer funds, make
loan payments, and handle
accounts payable and receivable.
“Small businesses have tight
cash flows, so the fact that they
don’t have to come here to move
funds is a big deal to them,”
says Wayne Washington, vice
president of loan services for
FAIRWINDS Credit Union. “It
helps streamline their time, and
providing them with the ability
to download information and
perform administrative tasks
seamlessly represents an
invaluable service.”
The key is to make it easy and
efficient for them, adds Mike
Sleaford, president and CEO of
Colonial Bank of Central Florida.
The small business owner often
needs to move money back and
forth quickly, and Sleaford believes
that banks should provide the
tools necessary to enable the small
business owner to accomplish as
many banking transactions as
possible via the internet with a
minimal amount of training.
“Small business owners often
wear multiple hats,” he says.
“This gives banks a wonderful
opportunity to cross all boundaries in order to provide consultation and services to fulfill many
business banking needs.”
Bank of America’s Timberlake
feels strongly that technology
fm 01.05
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itself isn’t the answer. “We need to
banking and finance | FOCUS ON
experience and insights to our clients and
and retention. “The only way to be successful
develop strong relationships with them.”
in these areas is through a quality customer
May of Mercantile Bank believes that branch
managers should be in tune with the needs of
service program. Quality customer service
benefits all customer segments.”
small businesses. “In order to consult properly, we
must know their business and see their operation
Internet banking was quickly adopted by
many small businesses seeking to retain
control of their finances.
put the intellectual capital piece on the table,”
first-hand, and this is why you won’t find many
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
Every day, more banks are realizing that small
of our branch managers in the office,”he says. “For
businesses are very important. The benefit to
our people, it’s a closer,one-on-one relationship
small business owners will be better loan rates,
that represents a partnership in success.”
tiered pricing and more services — and all
Although customer service has always been a
because of increased competition from banks
to get their business.
he stresses. “We need to have the people in
priority with credit unions, Washington believes
place to offer the proper advice, especially to
an increased awareness of customer service
“The small business segment is the largest
small businesses.”
across the board is good for small businesses
opportunity for many banks now,” says Stiffler.
because “they can get good service in almost any
“You’ll see more and more banks enter this
bank now.”
space with dedicated sales specialists, as well
A TEAM APPROACH TO CUSTOMER SERVICE
as specific products and services.”
In order to offer this advice, many banks take
Because customer service is a priority to
a team approach to service that often includes a
small businesses, they tend to appreciate it
lead person and several specialists who are
when they get the same type of service from
that the small business owner has needs that
available to every small business client.
their banks. “Clients tell us if we’re doing a good
are different from that of a consumer.
“We feel growing businesses need the most
help and guidance,” says Alan Rowe, president
and CEO of First Commercial Bank of Florida.
job or not,” says Timberlake. “We constantly talk
to our clients. It’s our focus.”
Tony Stiffler, Central Florida area executive
According to Stiffler, most banks recognize
Hogan takes pride in being able to service
the small business owner. “We strive to help
our customers and represent their best
“We assign senior level bank officers to small-
for AmSouth Bank, adds that many of his key
interests,” she says. “We’re here to help them
and mid-sized businesses. They offer valuable
measurements are structured around growth
learn and grow.”
fm 01.05
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TECH KNOW
A Model Industry — A Model Conference
THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL MODELING,TRAINING AND SIMULATION CONFERENCE
IS IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.
AS TESTIMONY TO the Central Florida region’s
allows companies from all over the world to
advancement of the modeling, simulation
showcase products.
and training industry, Orlando was once again
The I/ITSEC conference, the largest of its kind,
allows companies from all over the world to
showcase products.
“The heart of the conference is the presenta-
home to the Interservice/Industry Training,
tion of more than 140 technical papers and
Simulation and Education Conference
special events that address technology and
(I/ITSEC), which was held in December 2004.
policy that are changing the way the armed
The conference promotes cooperation among
forces educate and train,” says 2004 Conference
the armed services, industry, academia and
Chair Buck Leahy, vice president for business
various government agencies in pursuit of
development for Science Applications
improved training and education programs,
International Corp., an employee-owned research
identification of common training issues and
and engineering company that’s been heavily
development of multiservice programs.
involved in modeling, simulation and training
In fact, according to the Metro Orlando
as part of national security. “The exhibit floor is
Economic Development Commission (EDC),
filled with all kinds of interesting displays. It’s
the region’s simulation industry includes more
no accident that more than 40 allied nations
than 100 companies, 16,848 direct and indirect
send representatives each year,” says Leahy.
jobs, more than $2.5 billion in gross regional
What does that mean to the region’s tech
product and more than $1.3 billion in direct
businesses? Plenty. Just ask Chris Addison, vice
and indirect sales. In other words, it’s big
president of program development for Jardon
business here in Central Florida.
and Howard Technologies Inc. (JHT), which
Initiated in 1966, the I/ITSEC conference
provides government clients with interactive
has evolved and expanded through increased
courseware and computer-based training. JHT
participation by the Army, Air Force, Marine
was an exhibitor this year, had employees sit-
Corps, Coast Guard and industry.
ting as chairs on the various committees and
Now, the conference, sponsored by the
submitted a paper on instructional design
armed services and hosted by a different
systems. “From our perspective, it’s the largest
branch each year, is the largest of its kind and
conference in the world in our industry, and it’s
in our own back yard, so it gives us a unique
opportunity. Instead of traveling to specific
customers, we have them all here and can
show products and services on the floor, or
TOTAL HI TECH JOBS IN MSAS (THOUSANDS)
provide individual demos at the conference
or at our headquarters in Research Park,”
CITY
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST*
Atlanta
97.5
97.8
97.9
97.6
97.7
Austin
20.1
20.1
20.1
20.4
20.2
Boston
61.7
61.4
61.7
61.7
61.4
military,” says Ray Gilley, president and CEO of
Jacksonville
12.7
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.5
the EDC. “It also allows smaller subcontractors
Kansas City
45.9
45.4
45.4
45.1
44.7
to establish relationships with some of the
Miami
27.7
27.9
28.5
28
27.6
industry’s primary contractors such as
Orlando
25.1
25.2
25.1
25
25.1
Lockheed, Boeing and Northrop Grumman,”
Raleigh Durham
21.8
21.8
21.9
21.6
21.6
he adds.
Richmond
11.1
11.1
11.1
11.1
11.1
San Jose
30.1
30.2
30.7
30.9
31.1
the home to I/ITSEC until at least 2010, this
Tampa
34.1
33.9
34
33.6
33.5
allows the Florida High Tech Corridor, which
says Addison.
“The show provides companies with direct
access to one of their primary customers — the
It’s good news for the industry as well. “As
includes one of the largest clusters of modeling,
*Preliminary Data
SOURCE: US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS FOR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS
fm 01.05
16
TECH KNOW
This year the I/ITSEC conference will be held at the Orange County Convention Center, Nov. 28 – Dec. 1.
simulation and training companies in the
only national projects, but also projects created
chief congressional and public affairs officer.
entire United States, to continue to lead in this
right here in the Corridor, many with funding
The year 2004 was the Army’s turn to host the
industry,” says Randy Berridge, president of the
from the Florida High Tech Corridor’s matching
event. “This is a premiere conference for us all.
Florida High Tech Corridor Council. “Introducing
funds research program.”
We can look at different systems displayed on
That’s important because, he says,
the floor and see what the various services are
and allowing them to experience firsthand
“Recognition of these projects allows for
using, and we can attend special events where
what the region has to offer — major research
additional funding by industries for research,
they link the simulation systems together,”
universities, community colleges and the
which is then matched by Corridor dollars,
says Trier.
National Center for Simulation — enables us to
increasing the money spent on Corridor
continue to grow this industry,” he adds.
research. The majority of these funds are
opportunity to showcase the cutting-edge
spent to engage graduate and doctoral students,
technology being developed in the region,”
such as I/ITSEC is an honor, and truly shows that
research assistants and faculty members in
says Gilley. “It brings national attention
we are reaching our goals in promoting the area
side-by-side research with scientists and
to our region — expanding our brand
as a high-tech region. As members of the Army,
engineers from the high-tech companies.”
beyond tourism.”
these leaders to the Florida High Tech Corridor
According to Berridge, “[Hosting] a conference
Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and
For the armed services, it means a chance to
“This conference provides a convenient
This year’s show will be held at the
the modeling, simulation and training industry
share technologies that are being used in the
Orange County Convention Center,
visit this conference, they can experience not
various services, says Mary Trier, the Army’s
Nov. 28 – Dec. 1.
fm 01.05
17
LIVE AND LEARN
Sharing Resources
“Any school district
can do it, and
any school can
partner with another
— public or private —
to help the community
and help the schools,”
WHEN THE CHRIST School needed a Spanish
TOM PORTER, PRINCIPAL,THE CHRIST SCHOOL
That’s just one example of the way a school
Sparked by the former executive director of
teacher, principal Tom Porter had trouble
the Downtown Development Board (DDB), the
finding one willing to work part time. “I put
idea for all downtown schools to join forces and
word out through the downtown Consortium
share resources became a reality in January 2002
and found out that Lake Highland needed a
when outgoing DDB Executive Director Tom
part-time Spanish teacher as well,” he says.
Kohler donated the proceeds of a luncheon to go
The two schools decided to share a teacher
toward starting the consortium. “By doing that,
who would work at The Christ School in the
the idea got off the ground, and we’ve since had
mornings and afternoons at Lake Highland.
ongoing support from the DDB,” says Porter.
“Now she’s working full time with us,” says
The Consortium of Downtown Orlando
Porter. “But, the arrangement worked well
Schools is a collaborative effort made up of
for a full school year.”
private, public, parochial, charter and magnet
consortium — a group of like-minded people
available to help each other hurdle their greatest
challenges — can help everyone involved.
schools, working in conjunction with the
University of Central Florida (UCF) and the DDB.
Schools involved in the Consortium include
The Christ School, Harvest Baptist Christian
CONSORTIUM WINS
NATIONAL AWARDS
The Consortium of Downtown Orlando
Schools has already won several awards,
including the Special Achievement Award at
the International Downtown Association’s
50th Annual Conference in Vancouver,
British Columbia.
Also, the Consortium of Downtown
Schools was the winner of the “Creative
Organizational Development” category
for the Roy F. Kenzie Awards Program. In
addition, One Great Day for Orlando, a
volunteer event involving more than 1,500
students from various downtown Orlando
schools, received a “Special Events” award.
This daylong event involves students from
kindergarten through high school in
contributing to downtown by doing
everything from cleaning parks and
sorting cans at food banks to spending
time at senior assisted-living centers.
The Consortium of Downtown Schools
organizes One Great Day for Orlando.
The Roy F. Kenzie Awards Program
honors the best projects and programs
in Florida redevelopment.
On October 22, 2004, 1,500 students from nine
schools came together to do community service in
more than 27 locations for One Great Day Orlando.
fm 01.05
18
LIVE AND LEARN
Academy, Hillcrest Elementary,
Porter and a group of Consortium principals travel the region
Lake Highland, Lake Eola Charter,
to offer advice to other school districts trying to develop this
Nap Ford Community School,
type of partnership program. “Any school district can do it,
New School of Orlando, St. James
and any school can partner with another — public or private
Cathedral School, Trinity Lutheran
— to help the community and help the schools,” says Porter.
If your school is interested in building a consortium,
please call or e-mail Porter for tips on partnering with
other schools for support. You can reach him at
(407) 849-1665 or at [email protected].
School, Howard Middle School,
the UCF College of Education and
the DDB.
Principals or designees from
the schools sit down together
each month, says Porter, who
is this year’s chairperson. “We
brainstorm about ideas, future
plans and ways to share
resources and programs,” he says.
“For example, Hillcrest does a
lot of teacher in-service training
that they’ve made available to
teachers at other schools.”
“The Consortium has been a
good experience for Howard
Middle School,” says Principal Tim
Smith. “It’s brought benefit to us
in that our student council was
able to participate in a valuable
community service project [One
Great Day for Orlando]. We’ve
written a joint newspaper and
anthology,” he says.
Ronnie DeNoia, principal of
Lake Eola Charter School, sees
the benefits as well. “Because
we’re a small school (225
students), we’re not able to
offer all the extracurricular
activities that children want
and need. Through the
Consortium, our students were
able to participate in a drama
strand and a chorus strand. It
was a great experience for them,
not only activity-wise, but also
interacting with students from
other schools,” she says.
Not only does the Consortium
help the schools, but it also helps
the community. “We did a project
called One Great Day for Orlando,
in which 1,500 students from nine
of the schools came together
October 22, 2004, to do community
service in more than 27 locations,
including the Coalition for the
Homeless, Second Harvest Food
Bank, the Ronald McDonald House
and other downtown agencies,”
says Porter.
fm 01.05
19
IT’S NO SECRET that the baby boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — drive many areas of the region’s economy.
And, now that they’re getting older, the healthcare industry is sprinting to keep pace. “Our downtown Florida Hospital
campus is adding 300 new beds by the end of 2008,” says Rich Morrison, regional vice president of government relations
and regulatory affairs for the Florida Hospital system. “That translates to about 2,000 new jobs, jobs that require
advanced educations to operate equipment,” he says. Florida Hospital is also adding beds in Osceola County and will continue to expand as needed.
For the Central Florida region, that means more sophisticated, higher-paying jobs. “You’re going to see economic spinoff because we [the healthcare industry] create high-paying jobs. There’s a significant relationship between our salary
structure and what happens in the market. When we add 2,000 jobs, it will have a sustained impact on the local
economy,” says Morrison. Not to mention the $250 million spent on the expansion, he adds. “That alone puts a
lot of money into the economy.”
According to data from the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, some 14 of the top 50
fastest-growing jobs are in the healthcare industry. However, just as many, if not more jobs
are being added in the travel, hospitality and retail sectors and the high-tech fields. And,
that’s great news for the region.
DIVERSIFY AND CONQUER
“Our economy is starting to diversify,” says Ray Gilley, president and CEO of the Metro
Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC). While the largest number of jobs
being added are in the travel and retail sectors, such as retail sales and supervision, food
preparation, housekeeping and amusement/recreation attending, as expected in the
traditionally service-heavy region, the fastest-growing occupations are mostly in the
high-tech and medical sectors.
“High-tech and medical-related fields are good fits for our region, thanks to assets
we already have in place such as UCF [the University of Central Florida], top healthcare
facilities, established technology clusters, a diverse population, the presence of the
military’s simulation commands and more,” says Gilley.
In terms of percentage growth, computer software engineers and network/computer
systems administrators are the two top growth occupations — both are anticipated to
grow more than 6 percent between 2003 and 2011. Others occupations in the top 10 include
healthcare fields — medical record technicians, medical assistants, pharmacy technicians,
IN LINE WITH
NATIONAL TRENDS,
THE CENTRAL FLORIDA
REGION’S TECHNOLOGY,
HEALTHCARE AND
SERVICE INDUSTRIES
ARE EXPLODING. HERE,
WE TAKE A LOOK AT
THE FASTEST-GROWING
OCCUPATIONS AND
HOW THEY AFFECT THE
REGION’S ECONOMY.
home health aides and pharmacists.
“I looked at the fastest-growing occupations at the national level and at the state level to see how they
BY TRACEY C. VELT
jive, and in effect, the categories that are gaining the most on all three levels (tech, healthcare and service)
are virtually identical,” says Owen Beitsch, a market analyst and executive vice president of Real Estate
Research Consultants in Orlando. “Some notable exceptions speak to the nature of the employment
here. Travel-oriented industries — not just the hotel and motel industries — will see a growth in flight
attendants and support service at airlines. Locally, we’ll have substantial growth in home healthcare.”
In fact, says Beitsch, “We’ll see stronger growth here than elsewhere, and counter to national trends,
[positions for] social and human services workers are growing more here than nationally.” fm 01.05
21
TOP 10 FASTEST-GROWING OCCUPATIONS
JOB TITLE
“Central Florida is positioning itself as a knowledge-based
specialists,” says Beitsch. “It’s important to note that the top
10 or 12 fast-growing occupations all require substantial
education, tech training or some type of college degree.”
In addition to that, the Central Florida region has a distinct
% CHANGE
Computer Software Engineers, Applications ..................2,779 ..............4,133..............6.09
Network and Computer Systems Administrators ..........1,535 ..............2,278 ..............6.05
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks ................................1,885 ..............2,787 ..............5.98
Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts......1,148 ................1,695 ................5.96
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians ......1,081 ................1,579 ................5.76
Social and Human Service Assistants ................................1,195................1,741 ..............5.71
Medical Assistants....................................................................3,361..............4,857 ..............5.56
Pharmacy Technicians..............................................................1,343..............1,902 ..............5.20
Home Health Aides..................................................................2,853 ..............4,021 ................5.12
Pharmacists ..............................................................................1,680..............2,362 ..............5.07
advantage over many parts of the nation in terms of job formation. “Even if we didn’t see a large population growth, we’d
still see many new jobs because of our global tourist industry,”
OCCUPATIONS GAINING THE MOST JOBS
says Stan Geberer, an associate with Orlando-based economist
ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT
2003
2011
firm Fishkind and Associates. “I think what’s interesting is
JOB TITLE
that, except for exclusively defense-related jobs, the jobs we’re
Retail Salespersons...................................................................... 41,869 ..............51,746 ................2.95
Food Preparation & Serving Workers (Including Fast Food) ....26,881................33,222 ..................2.95
Cashiers ..........................................................................................26,460 ............32,550 ................2.88
Maids and Housekeepers ............................................................14,391 ..............19,513 ................4.45
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers (Hand) ......21,198 ..............26,302 ..................3.01
Customer Service Representatives............................................17,087..............21,824 ................3.47
Office Clerks, General ..................................................................19,299..............23,108 ................2.47
Registered Nurses ..........................................................................12,041..............15,798................3.90
Amusement and Recreation Attendants ..............................12,964 ............15,999 ................2.93
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers ......................15,778..............18,704 ................2.32
talking about aren’t highly cyclical or seasonal, particularly in
healthcare, because of the expanding retiree base in our areas.
OWEN BEITSCH, EXECUTIVE V.P. OF REAL ESTATE RESEARCH CONSULTANTS
“Central Florida is positioning itself as a knowledge-based economy,
with highly segmented industries and well-trained specialists. ”
economy, with highly segmented industries and well-trained
ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT
2003
2011
Even in the tourist industry, the jobs are fairly stable because
we don’t have much of an off-season,” says Geberer.
Gilley agrees: “No industry alone can fully support a growing region’s economy. If you have industry diversification, it
will increase the region’s prosperity and economic resiliency.”
% CHANGE
In fact, he says, “The travel industry has been and will continue
to be a critical element [of] our community’s economic success.
SOURCE: FLORIDA AGENCY FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION, LABOR MARKET STATISTICS
Areas all over the world are trying to build what we already
have. But, we can’t stop there.
“We have to work to build other industries such as technology
involve software developers, operations staff (data and client services),
business development evangelists and salespeople.” Channel is not only
and manufacturing. The goal would be to have several industries
looking to almost double its size in the next few years, but it pays its
that are as big and vibrant as our tourism sector. That way, we
employees an average annual salary of $70,000, according to Brescia.
can withstand economic shifts,” he says.
“There are a number of core technology areas (laser optics, simulation
and modeling, gaming, etc.) in the Central Florida market that continue
HIGH TECH
to grow and have benefited in recent years from increased defense
Metro Orlando’s high-tech industry is in itself very diversified.
spending,” says Geberer. “Other high-tech areas, such as the emerging
“We have simulation contractors, photonics research and devel-
software technology center in Lake Mary, are the drivers for some of
opment, financial software companies, video game creators and
those high-tech jobs. They may be a small percentage of the entire econ-
an emerging cluster of agro-technology companies,” says Gilley.
omy, but they are key jobs that are supporting continued expansion of
“Most of these companies use computer software engineers in
the metro area to the far east of Orlando and to the northwest,” he says.
one capacity or another. I think this speaks to the fact that our
high-tech sector is continuing to mature and grow,” he adds.
From computer software engineers and network and
computer systems administrators to network systems and
data communications analysts and information systems
managers, the number of occupations in Central
“These jobs pay really well,” says Gilley. “In fact, last year the EDC worked
with 16 technology companies that expanded in or relocated to the area.
The average salary for jobs created by these tech companies exceeded
$62,000 annually. This all goes back to the idea of diversification. High-tech
jobs aren’t for everyone, but you need to have a variety of high-wage career
options. These jobs are a great piece of this puzzle,” he says.
Florida’s high-tech industry is booming.
No one knows this better than Celebration-based
Channel Intelligence, a company that develops
multichannel commerce services that improve the
SERVICE INDUSTRY
A giant chunk of the puzzle is composed of jobs in the service industry.
But, make no mistake—these jobs aren’t all minimum wage. According to
online sales process between manufacturers, retailers and
Bill Peeper, president of the Orlando/Orange County Convention &
consumers. “We have more than 60 employee/owners (all
Visitors Bureau, “Alan C. Villaverde, vice president/general manager at the
employees receive stock options) working throughout the
Peabody Orlando, told me that just about every doorman and bellman at
country, with roughly 50 working at our corporate head-
the Peabody owns his or her home. Some 25 percent of people who work
quarters in Celebration,” says Jim Brescia, Channel’s vice
in this region are involved the tourism industry in one way or another.”
president of human resources. “We anticipate continued
“The market has continued to add 5,000 to 8,000 hotel rooms a year.
growth in the coming months, particularly in the areas
We’re seeing tremendous expansion in the visitor market, and that’s
that support our innovations and client relations regarding
the primary generator for the service industry jobs,” says Geberer.
the development and implementation of our e-commerce
“In addition, the economy benefits in that visitors to the Orlando area
services for the retail industry. Most of our job growth will
also spend outside of the theme parks or hotels on a lot of other things
to support the economy.”
According to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, some of the
fm 01.05
22
fastest-growing occupations in the service industry include hotel, motel
Where we choose to specialize speaks
jobs have to be at the top of the list,”
housekeeping cleaner, and meet-
Central Florida wants to be is not all
to the skill sets we’re best able to
he says.
ing and convention planner.
that different from where the nation is
cultivate. The rank ordering does make
going,” says Beitsch. “And, it’s easier as
a difference. If you want your economy
a nation to all go in the same direction.
to be dominated by knowledge, those
and resort desk clerk, maids and
HEALTHCARE
As for the future, “It appears where
And, in the Central Florida region,
that’s exactly what the data show.
Let’s face it; the Central Florida
region’s population is growing
rapidly. That means more
healthcare workers to handle
the new people. “Growth in the
healthcare industry is apparent
because of the continued growth
in the population,” says Geberer.
“The expansion of the population
to more remote areas such as
Clermont and Eustis calls for
extensive new service and medical
jobs in those areas,” he adds.
Occupations such as nursing,
radiology technician, stenographer
and others “operate sophisticated
equipment,” says Florida Hospital’s
Morrison. “We have an increase in
demand for broad categories of
medical technology in very well
paying areas,” he says. “What’s
driving that is aging of our baby
boomer population. A lot of folks
are approaching their 50s and 60s,
and at that point people start to
need healthcare,” says Morrison.
He says that the type of people
you need for the job need to be
computer savvy because the
information systems needed
must marry clinical expertise with
technology, and that will require
some changes in education.
OTHER INDUSTRIES
While jobs in the tech, service
and healthcare industries take
up most of the spaces on the
top-25 list, there is a smattering of
other industries worth noting.
Education is high on the list with
special education teacher in the
preschool and elementary schools
topping the charts at No. 18.
Secondary school teacher and
speech and language pathologist
round out the list at Nos. 20 and 22
respectively. Of course, the need
for additional teachers goes hand
in hand with the population
growth the Central Florida region
is experiencing.
fm 01.05
23
ON LOCATION
55 West is selling 21,500 square
feet of office condominium
space in its otherwise
residential and retail project.
Office Condo-nation
WITH THE DESIRE TO OWN RATHER THAN RENT,THE OFFICE
CONDO MARKET IN CENTRAL FLORIDA IS EXPLODING.
EVERYWHERE YOU TURN from Lake Mary
rent doesn’t give you much to show when it’s
to Maitland to Celebration to downtown
time to move or retire. But, when you buy, you
Orlando, you see the signs: “Now Selling!
make money when you sell the office.”
Office Condos!” The office condo — owner-
commercial rental markets are down, says
investment trend in the region. And, business
Kuhn. “The residential market is being converted
is booming.
[to condos] because it’s easy to get financed, and
“One year ago, we had less than 50,000
across the whole country. Office condos are
board,” says developer Cameron Kuhn, of Kuhn
going to change the market and give rental
Development. “Now, we have over 1 million.
institutions a wake-up call,” he says.
55 West, a downtown multiuse project, which
already,” he says.
is selling 21,500 square feet of office space in an
otherwise residential and retail condominium
investing in office condos rather than leasing
project, and Colonial Town Park in Lake
space. Why? “It’s cheaper than renting,” says
Mary/Heathrow, offering 1,500-square-foot
Kuhn. “People want their own space. It serves
office condos, realize the popularity of owning
as asset protection because the principals
office space.
buying the space can then rent it back to
Fort Lauderdale-based Abdo & Burts LLC
themselves, and they have more control over
began a $30 million, 300,000-square-foot small-
rental increases. In fact, condo mortgages are
bay industrial project at Airport International
running 20 to 30 percent less per month than
Office Park. Called South Orange Business Park,
traditional office leases.”
the 26-office/warehouse features individual
Buying rather than leasing is an attractive
proposition for many business owners. “You
24
Around Central Florida, projects such as
85 percent of office condos are reserved
More and more small-business owners are
fm 01.05
the rental market is feeling that pain. It’s true
square feet of office space on the drawing
In my project, the Premiere Trade Plaza, some
The Premiere Trade Plaza will open in 2006
with 389,000 square feet of office space.
Across the country, both residential and
occupied office space — is the next new
condos for sale.
Elsewhere, projects in Baldwin Park,
build equity, have tax benefits, and you have
Maitland, MetroWest and Osceola County point
more control over a tenant,” says Steven W.
to the success of owning rather than leasing.
Moreira, CCIM, “It’s also an excellent retirement
Some other advantages to buying rather than
proposition,” says Moreira, a member of the
leasing, says Kuhn, are that “the entrepreneur
Greater Orlando Regional Realtor Association
can build out, offer flex space and move with
and founder of Magic Financial Services and
the market, while the larger rental institution
Magic Properties, a full-service boutique
doesn’t have that flexibility, nor do they care
mortgage banking service. “After all, paying
to do so.”
“There’s a 14 percent vacancy
Despite the downfalls and the fact that construction costs
rate in Orlando rentals, and I see
are rising, the office condo market will continue to boom,
the office condo market causing
says Kuhn. “Office condo conversions will put a dent in Class
the rental market to drop in the
A rental space in downtown Orlando. I’m sure of it. The
future,” says Kuhn.
rental institutions will have to become more competitive.”
Touted as an exceptional
place to live, work and
play, Baldwin Park
offers residential and
commercial space.
“I’m seeing that buying office
condos for the medical profession
is at an all-time high. It benefits
the doctors because they like to
have upscale furnishings and
improvements. In some cases, they
can even finance up to 90 percent
for medical offices, including
equipment, with only 10 percent
down,” says Moreira. “For example,
if a doctor wants to buy an office
condo for $250,000 and put in
$50,000 worth of furnishing, he or
she would only have to come up
with $30,000 plus 3 to 4 percent
closing costs,” he says.
Some other businesses
buying office condos are dentists,
orthodontists, insurance agents,
attorneys and financial service
providers.
While there are many benefits
to office condos, there are also
some disadvantages. “I have 10,
800 square feet and 36 offices
in one of my buildings,” says
Moreira. “I chose not to do condo,
so I rehabbed the office building.
What concerned me about the
office condo is that it can be
structured in a way that isn’t fair.
In one project, a one-third owner
paid 50 percent of the operating
expenses because the owner
developed three condos in the
office building and kept one. You
have to be very careful that
you’re sharing equal expenses,”
he says.
Buying rather
than leasing is
an attractive
proposition for
many business
owners.
fm 01.05
25
DESTINATION
Conventional Wisdom
JANUARY MEANS BIG BUSINESS FOR THE CONVENTION INDUSTRY.
IS YOUR BUSINESS ready for Super January?
came to Orlando for business purposes, an
Dubbed “super” by the Orlando/Orange County
increase of 6.4 percent from 2002. Business
Convention & Visitors Bureau because of the
travel accounted for 22 percent of all domestic
huge number of convention attendees who
visitors in 2003. Most business travelers
will visit Orlando to attend four different
(56 percent) were in Orlando for a convention
conventions, January is sure to be a “super”
or group meeting, while the remaining 44
month for local businesses as well.
percent came for transient business purposes.
“At just four shows — Surf Expo, the
From January 2004 to September 2004, the
convention center has averaged 20 events
and 113,617 attendees per month.
Among business travelers who came for
National Association of Homebuilders, Super
a convention or group meeting, 65 percent
Show and PGA Merchandise Show — we
(3.49 million) stayed overnight, with an
expect more than 180,000 attendees,” says
average length of stay of 3.3 nights. Estimates
Bill Peeper, president of the Orlando/Orange
of the impact of Orlando's convention/group
County CVB. “That translates into some
meeting industry are based on these
$231 million of new money coming into this
overnight group-meeting visitors. Some
community,” he says. “On top of that, there
57 percent of convention/group meeting
are other meetings and conventions going on
visitors were in Orlando specifically for a
in hotels around the community. We’re aware
convention, 28 percent for seminars/training,
of another 63 groups that will be meeting in
and the remaining 15 percent for other types
hotels and generating more than 20,000
of group meetings.
attendees,” says Peeper. “Multiply that by $1,247
From January 2004 to September 2004,
— the average delegate expenditure during
the convention center has averaged 20 events
their stay — and you’re adding another
and 113,617 attendees per month. And this
$25 million to the economy.”
number doesn’t even take into account the
To compare, in 2003 the convention center
conferences and conventions that were
averaged 17 events and 96,410 attendees per
rescheduled from summer 2004 to late 2004
month. At the current per delegate average of
because of the hurricanes. The estimated
$1,247, the estimated monthly visitor spending
monthly visitor spending from January to
was $120.2 million — a huge boon to Central
September is $141.7 million.
Florida’s economy. And, that was before the
It’s no surprise that the convention business
Orange County Convention center doubled in
is big in the Central Florida region. But, the eco-
size in November 2003.
nomic impact isn’t always obvious. “As a casual
According to a study done by D.K. Shifflet &
Associates, during 2003, 9.6 million visitors
observer, you see restaurants and hotels make
money. And, in fact, about 38 percent of all the
money visitors spend is in the hotel,” says
Peeper. But, the hotels have to pay their people.
“And there are a lot who pay their personnel
SUPER JANUARY IMPACT
more than minimum wage,” he says. “Then,
after they pay employees, they have to buy
from the linen providers, meat purveyors and
SHOW
DATES
ATTENDEES
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Surf Expo
Jan. 7 – 9
18,000
$22.4 million
National Association of Home Builders
Jan. 13 – 16
100,000
$124.7 million
What you don’t see is the invisible ripple
effect that goes through the economy, in sales
all of the goods that go into serving the guest,”
Super Show
Jan. 17 – 20
25,000
$31.2 million
PGA Merchandise Show
Jan. 27 – 30
43,000
$53.6 million
186,000
$231.9 million
TOTAL
In-house (hotel) meetings for January — 20,034 attendees, $25 million
Economic impact is based on expenditures of $1,247 per delegate.
says Peeper.
of everything from bagels to bottled water.
Another market that sees the impact, besides
restaurants, is retail. According to D.K. Shifflet
& Associates, top activities were dining (41 percent), visiting theme/ amusement parks (30
percent), shopping (26 percent), and general
entertainment (27 percent).
fm 01.05
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DESTINATION
With just four
January shows,
some 186,000
visitors will
give a boost to
the economy.
“A top activity of travelers worldwide is
shopping, “ says Peeper. “We’ve been told that
Orlando has about 12 times the level of retail
space that a community of our size should
have. We have Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth
Avenue and many of the large upscale
stores that are a huge benefit to visitors
and residents. This bodes well for our quality
of life,” he says.
January is “a shining example of what this
industry is about. We tend to take this industry for granted, but this is a shining example
of economic development. It can be no clearer
2005 U.K. Campaign Capitalizes
on Past Success
This month, the Orlando CVB kicks off its
2005 marketing campaign in the United
Kingdom, Orlando’s number one international
market with nearly 1 million British visitors to
the destination each year. In 2005 it is forecasted to increase 7.5 percent to 1.06 million
visitors and another 5.8 percent in 2006,
bringing 1.1 million U.K. visitors to Orlando.
Continuing on the success of previous
years’ marketing efforts in the United
Kingdom — the 2004 campaign generated
an incremental $27 million in economic
impact and a 16:1 return on investment—
the multi-faceted campaign is designed
to increase repeat and new U.K. visitation
to Orlando.
“We are looking forward to another very
successful campaign in this important market,” says José Estorino, senior vice president
of marketing for the CVB. “By taking the most
successful elements of previous campaigns
and bundling them into this year’s efforts, I
am confident we will meet our objective.”
Millions of consumers will be reached
through free standing inserts and consumer
advertisements in national newspapers,
direct mail, Direct Response TV commercials,
visibility on 75 London double-decker buses,
promotions and publicity. Consumers will be
encouraged to respond to special telephone
numbers for the FSI and for the ads, log on
to the Destination Imagination Web site
(orlandoinfo.com/uk) or to contact their
travel agents to book their holiday.
Trade communications include an
electronic newsletter to United Kingdom
travel agents announcing the campaign,
media visits to trade publications, meetings
at trade shows, and educational seminars.
than it can be this January,” says Peeper.
fm 01.05
29
STATE OF THE ARTS
Cultural Tourism
TOURISTS VISITING CENTRAL
FLORIDA’S CULTURAL OFFERINGS
HAVE A SIZABLE ECONOMIC IMPACT
AND GENERATE TAX MONEY.
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING new and different
to do? Visitors are too. In fact, recent studies
show that visitors, especially convention and
The Orlando Museum of Art, in conjunction with the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, hosted the Chihuly Across Florida:
Masterworks in Glass exhibition. The exhibit consisted of a kaleidoscope of glass sculptures by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly.
meeting goers, are going to the traditional
tourist theme parks but also looking for new
and different offerings. Enter Central Florida’s
burgeoning arts and culture scene. For the past
several years, United Arts and the
Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors
Bureau have joined forces to advance the
Chihuly exhibit at the Orlando Museum of Art,
the Zora Neale Hurston Festival and the Florida
Film Festival.
“We’ve [Orlando/Orange County CVB] got
three marketing plans that go with various
exhibits and festivals,” says Bill Peeper,
president of the Orlando/Orange County
CVB. Called Unexpected Orlando, the ongoing
marketing program offers visitors a peek into
The Chihuly showing ran from January 18 through May 30,
2004. Due to its popularity, the exhibit was held over for an
additional week and officially ended June 6, 2004.
the arts, cultural and heritage offerings the
region offers.
United Arts recently commissioned the
Orlando/Orange County CVB to produce
studies on the three events just mentioned
that were held in 2004. What they showed
was new money, and a lot of it, flowing into
the area from out-of-town visitors — money
that benefits all businesses.
Here are the stats:
Chihuly Across Florida: Masterworks in Glass
This exhibit, hosted by the Orlando Museum
of Art (OMA) in conjunction with the Museum
of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, consists of a
kaleidoscope of glass sculptures by worldrenowned artist Dale Chihuly.
Based on the survey, some 43 percent of
Orlando exhibit visitors were from out of state
(19 percent) or from other counties (24 percent), with approximately $10.7 million spent
by those out-of-the-area visitors. Of that, some
$3.4 million was incremental revenue.
Incremental (for all three events) means outof-town visitors whose trip to Orlando, and
corresponding spending, can be directly attributed to the exhibition.
Florida Film Festival
The annual Florida Film Festival, produced by
Enzian Theater, showcases the best American
independent and foreign films and has become
one of the most respected regional film events
in the country.
Based on the survey, some 23 percent of
out-of-town visitors were from other counties
(11 percent) or other states (12 percent). These
out-of-town visitors spent an estimated
fm 01.05
30
$477,855, consisting of $253,323 in local spending
at the festival and $224,532 total spending. Total
spending included approximately $116,802 in
incremental spending.
Zora Neale Hurston Festival
The Association to Preserve the Eatonville
Community Inc. (P.E.C.) is a nonprofit historic
preservation organization whose mission
is to enhance the resources of Eatonville,
“the oldest incorporated African American
municipality in the United States.” The Zora
Neale Hurston Festival celebrates the life and
work of the writer Zora Neale Hurston, her
hometown and the cultural contributions that
Africa-descended people have made to the
United States and to world culture.
The survey found that some 47 percent of
festival attendees were from out of town —
42 percent from other Florida counties and
5 percent from out of state.
Total economic impact from both Orlando
MSA residents and out-of-town visitors was
estimated to be $655,817. All out-of-town
visitors were estimated to have spent $563,305
in the Orlando area during the festival, of
which $463,414 was incremental revenue.
For more information on Unexpected Orlando, or
to obtain a copy of the “Unexpected Orlando®”
Travel Guide, visit Orlando’s official Web site at
http://orlandoinfo.com, or call 407-363-5872.
Other resources: Chihuly exhibit, go to Orlando
Museum of Art: www.omart.org; Florida Film
Festival, go to www.floridafilmfestival.com;
and Zora Neale Hurston Festival, go to
www.zoranealehurstonfestival.com.
ISSUES WATCH
Common Sense Reform
TWO PRE-FILED BILLS GIVE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
A JUMPSTART INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
DID YOU KNOW that Florida’s constitution is
Florida Chamber and the Orlando Regional
Because of that, special interests “with big
Chamber hope to eliminate the ability of spe-
checkbooks can, and do, buy a spot on Florida’s
cial interests and out-of-state organizations to
ballot,” says Frank Ryll Jr., president of the
place their pet projects into Florida’s constitu-
Florida Chamber of Commerce.
tion through well-financed ballot initiatives.
In the November election, voters approved
A bullet train constitutional amended approved
by voters in 2000 was bumped off the tracks
last November when opponents convinced
voters that the project was too expensive.
fm 01.05
32
During this year’s legislative session, the
one of the easiest in America to change?
“Sen. Jim King, R, prefiled two bills for 2005
Amendment 2, which gives voters more time
— which is a start. Senate Bill 4 [Citizen
to consider the issues and gives opposing
Initiative/ Amendments] is the court filter to
sides more time to make their case in a
review proposed amendments that would go
public forum. Amendment 2 forces citizen
into the constitution. If passed, this bill would
groups to get the required number of petition
make sure the proposed amendments belong
signatures earlier — by Feb. 1 of the election
in the constitution,” says Fred Leonhardt, chair
year — and obliges the Florida Supreme Court
of VoteSmart.org, “Senate Bill 6 [Joint
to approve the ballot language by April 1.
Resolution] would require that proposed
Florida is on its way to making the appropriate
amendments or revisions be approved by at
constitutional amendment reform, but the
least three-fifths of electors of state [citizens]
state isn’t there yet.
voting on the measure rather than by simple
ISSUES WATCH
majority,” says Leonhardt, who is the chair of the
government law department at the GrayRobinson
DID YOU KNOW?
law firm in Orlando.
This issue is vital to encouraging business growth
in Florida. “When businesses look at whether or not
they’re going to expand or hire additional help, they
look at the stability and the integrity of the regulatory
and tax climate,” says Mike Ketchum, vice president of
public policy for the Orlando Regional Chamber. “If
we’re constantly changing [regulatory processes, tax
benefits, etc.], it keeps businesses from looking at
Florida in a positive way,” he adds.
The way to do that is to eliminate major disruptions
in the state’s regulatory and business climate.
“In the last two years, [State] Rep. Joe Pickens, R,
and Sen. Rod Smith, D, were very effective advocates of
constitutional amendment reform. We’re extremely
appreciative of their efforts,” says Leonhardt.
“With a loophole in our constitutional amendment
process big enough for any willing special interest
group to run through, now is the time to add
Florida allows ballot initiative
campaigns to pay their “hired-gun”
signature gatherers by the number
of signatures they get. That’s right,
the majority of these people are not
volunteers but rather professional
signature gatherers being paid
between $1 and $8 for each signature
they collect.
Florida allows a special interest
sponsor of an amendment to hire
an advertising agency to create a
tricky title that it believes sounds
best to voters.
Florida has had 103 amendments
added to its constitution in 34 years
while the U.S. Constitution has been
amended only 27 times in more than
215 years.
The state Supreme Court is not allowed
to weigh in on the subject matter of a
sponsor’s amendment. In other words,
if a group wanted to legalize drugs,
lower the voting age to 16 or require
the state to buy a new Corvette for
everyone who graduates high school in
the state, the court could do
nothing to prevent these proposals
from being put on the ballot.
Often an out-of-state group will set up
a political action committee in Florida
and then fund its ballot strategy with
out-of-state dollars. The pregnant pig
amendment and the minimum wage
amendment are two recent examples
of how Florida’s amendment process is
being abused by out-of-state interests.
common-sense reforms to our badly broken amendment process,” says Ryll. For more information visit
SOURCE: WWW.FLORIDACHAMBER.COM
www.floridachamber.com
fm 01.05
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news | CHAMBER INSIGHT
A Fresh Focus
MEET THE 2005 CHAMBER VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP TEAM
CRAIG POLEJES
2005 Chair,
Board of
Governors
ALAN ROWE
2005 Chair,
Small Business
Chamber Board
of Directors
ALAN FIDELO
2005 Chair,
Leadership
Alumni Board
of Directors
“My passion is
having the region
to build a solid
infrastructure for arts
and sports,” says Craig
“As Chair of the
“One of my primary
collectively continue
goals for the Small
Leadership Alumni
Business Board is to
Board of Directors,
my goal is to
more actively
engage business owners in the process of
perpetuate community leadership to benefit
addressing small business issues, and to con-
individuals, businesses and the community,”
Bank and a 20-year industry veteran. “I think
tinue building the Small Business Chamber
says Alan Fidelo, managing director of
the region needs to continue to work collective-
Board to be “The Voice” for small business in
Resource Connection’s Central Florida Region.
ly [meshing] the arts and sports.”
Central Florida,” says Rowe, president/CEO of
Polejes, senior vice president and commercial
banking manager for SouthTrust Wachovia
As the 2005 Chair of the Board of Governors,
Polejes is ready to get moving on many of the
First Commercial Bank of Florida.
“Small business owners are inherently very
“To fulfill the mission, the Association will
operate under these goals: 1. Engage and
connect community leaders, 2. Teach
initiatives important to local businesses. “One
busy people as they usually don’t have the peo-
community leadership skills and 3. Provide
of my priorities is to set forth the 1000-day
ple or resources [that allow them] to take time
resources about community leadership,”
plan for the Chamber based on the issues that
out and address key issues. It’s my hope that
he adds.
come up at our Chamber Leadership Retreat.”
our Board will become a major resource for
Fidelo is past national president of the
them to leverage in addressing governmental
University of Central Florida Alumni
business community to support UCF and the
policies or other threats they see to their
Association and serves on the Puttin’ on the
efforts to bring a medical college to the campus.
prosperity,” says Rowe.
Ritz golf tournament committee to raise money
Polejes also wants to “continue to get the
UCF is an economic engine for the region and
Community service has always been
for the Children’s Miracle Network. He is also
one of the largest colleges in Florida that doesn’t
important to Rowe, who served on the Board
an active volunteer for Junior Achievement,
have a medical college. Given our demographics
of Directors for the Better Business Bureau of
and serves as the Chairperson for the School
and growth, it’s vital we work together.”
Central Florida Inc., is active with the Kiwanis
Advisory Council for Windy Ridge.
Polejes is also passionate about the
Club of South Orlando (as 2005 president), the
Resources Connection is a global professional
Hispanic community and supporting those
Orlando Union Rescue Mission Foundation
services firm with over 65 offices worldwide that
businesses. “The growth of the Hispanic
Board, the Rotary Club of Orlando and has
provides highly experienced professionals to
community, particularly the Puerto Rican
served as a United Way Division Chair.
Fortune 500 and middle market organizations
community, is phenomenal. Through the
He is passionate about helping small
to assist with finance, accounting, IT, HR,
Hispanic Summit, we hope to bring this
businesses thrive. “To help achieve our goals,
Supply Chain Management, and controls and
awareness to the business community,”
we’ll have high-quality business and govern-
audit projects.
says Polejes.
mental leaders make presentations at our
Prior to joining Resources Connection Alan
Board meetings in 2005, and we hope to be
spent 5 years as the Chief Financial Officer for
Community involvement has always been an
proactive in continuing to build strategic
Quest Inc., a large, Central Florida non-profit
integral activity. Aside from his service on the
partnerships with other Chambers in our
organization. Prior to Quest, Inc., Alan spent
Board of Governors, he also is on the Workforce
region and other like-minded industry groups
7 years in the Audit Practice as a Manager for
Central Florida Board of Directors, is a board
to stayed focused on what issues are most
Deloitte.
member for both the Orlando/Orange County
important to small businesses
Polejes is a graduate of Rollins College.
Alan has an MBA from the University of
Convention & Visitors Bureau and Rollins
Central Florida, is a Certified Public Accountant
College Alumni Association.
and a member of the AICPA, FICPA, and the
“I’ve been serving on the Chamber Board for
Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
11 years, and I have such pride and passion for
the organization, the people and the community.
It’s uplifting to work with this group.”
fm 01.05
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CHAMBER INSIGHT | event calendar
january 05
6
Leadership Orlando
Class 65
Quality of Life (Arts,
Heritage, Entertainment)
7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Kelly Nicholson at 407.835.2527 or
[email protected]
Noon-Noon
The Club at Hammock Beach, 200 Ocean Crest Dr., Palm Coast
Listening to Leaders
All Volunteer Leaders of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce and their spouses are being invited to attend and participate the
Chamber Retreat. This once-a-year event will give us the opportunity to make a difference in your business and in our community.
Contact Kristine Vorpagel Shields at 407-835-2531 or [email protected]
DUANE E. DE FREESE, Ph.D.
Vice President of Florida Research,
Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute
Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute
(HSWRI) is a non-profit research foundation. Dr. De Freese is responsible for all
aspects of HSWRI operations in Florida,
including scientific research development, strategic planning, fund-raising
and construction of a new world-class
facility for marine research, conservation
and education. $15 Individual prepaid,
$20 Individual day of the event.
Complimentary admission for dues paid
Leadership Alumni Members. Kelly
Nicholson at 407.835.2527 or
[email protected]
HERE ARE SOME PRIORITIES:
• Articulate a 1000-Day Agenda. During the staff planning
retreat, a 1000-day agenda model and key Chamber enterprise
message was drafted.The message qualifies every Chamber
activity during the 1000 days. This will give volunteer leaders a
world-class briefing tool that provides meaningful context and
continuous momentum throughout the Retreat.
• Explore a Local Medical School. This will require the participation of informed and passionate leaders and subject-matter
experts. Retreat attendees will hear a competitive/market
analysis and gain a preliminary sense of how this niche
advocacy project should run.
• Support a Community Facilities Campaign. This discussion will
focus on the complications and opportunities relative to arts
and entertainment infrastructure funding.We’ll hear from leaders and subject-matter experts. Retreat attendees will hear an
opportunity analysis from credible and informed leaders.You’ll
be provided with a foundation of current inventory/assets, asset
limitations and tangible long-term opportunities.
• Establish continuity with the 2004 Leadership Retreat. We
plan to establish continuity with the 2004 Leadership Retreat
by including a community college system update and highlighting the great strides already taken relative to Puerto Rico
and the Hispanic Summit,
QUESTIONS? Contact Kristine Vorpagel Shields at (407) 835.2531 or via e-mail at [email protected].
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Contact Cyndi Matzick at 407.835.2531 or [email protected].
19
25
26
28
So Social
Networking
Happy Hour
Coffee with the President
Leadership Orlando Class
64 Graduation
Coffee with the President
5:30-9:30 p.m.
The Westin Grand Bohemian
325 South Orange Ave., Orlando
Contact Scott Bender at 407.260.5200 or
[email protected] for more.
20
Business@Breakfast/New
Member Orientation
7:30-10 a.m.
The Ballroom at Church Street
225 Garland Ave., Orlando
“How to Put More Minutes in Each Hour,
Arrive Refreshed at the End of the Day,
and Look Forward to Starting It All Over
Again Tomorrow.“ Perry W. Buffington,
Ph.D. — Dr. Buff — tells you how. At the
end of this presentation, you’ll have your
day-timer rearranged, your priorities in
check, your sleep night secured, and your
life in order. $15 Prepaid, $20 Individual
day of the event. Lisa Dishman at
407.835.2451 or [email protected]
36
2005 Chamber Leadership Retreat
12
7:30–8:15 a.m. Registration, Breakfast &
Networking, 8:15–9 a.m. Program
Orlando Museum of Art
2416 North Mills Ave., Orlando
fm 01.05
21-23
8- 9 a.m.
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
75 South Ivanhoe Blvd., Orlando
Have trouble waking up before that first
cup of joe? Jump start your morning with
an informed gathering that brings you
face to face with other business leaders
and Jacob Stuart, President of the
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Call today to reserve your seat! Contact
Lisa Dishman at 407-835-2451 or
[email protected]
Pizza with the President
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
75 South Ivanhoe Blvd.
Get Your Slice of the Pie! Slice it any way
you like:The Chamber’s here to help your
business grow. But we can’t do it without
your input — and appetite.This informed
gathering bring you together with other
business leaders and Jacob Stuart,
President of the Orlando Regional
Chamber of Commerce, to discuss
your role in the community. Call today
to reserve your seat! Contact Lisa
Winkelbauer at 407.835.2448 or
[email protected].
Sponsored by: Donatos Pizza
7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Contact Kelly Nicholson at 407.835.2527
or [email protected]
Coffee with the President
8-9 a.m.
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
75 South Ivanhoe Blvd.
Contact Lisa Dishman at 407-835-2451 or
[email protected]
7-8 a.m.
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
75 South Ivanhoe Blvd.
Contact Lisa Dishman at 407-835-2451 or
[email protected]
Pizza with the President
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
75 South Ivanhoe Blvd.
Contact Lisa Winkelbauer at 407.835.2448
or [email protected]
Pizza with the President
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
75 South Ivanhoe Blvd.
Contact Lisa Winkelbauer at 407.835.2448
or [email protected]
27
Coffee with the President
8-9 a.m. Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, 75 South Ivanhoe Blvd.
Contact Lisa Dishman at 407-835-2451 or [email protected]
Pizza with the President
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m., Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, 75 South Ivanhoe Blvd.
Contact Lisa Winkelbauer at 407.835.2448 or [email protected]
new members | CHAMBER INSIGHT
A & G Associates, Inc.
37 Belair Street
Eatonville, FL 32751
Mr. Abraham Gordon
Automated Teller Machines
American Express
Financial Advisors
1900 Hillcrest Street
Orlando, FL 32708
Mr. Brian E. Buck
Financial (Consultants/
Planners/Services)
American Signature Homes
150 South State Road 434
Altamonte Springs, FL 32244
Mr. Keith Murdock
Furniture
American Signature Homes
730 West Sand Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32809
Mr. Michael McKinley
Furniture
Amscot Financial
2100 South Chickasaw Trail
Orlando, FL 32825
Mr. Ian A. MacKechnie
Tax Services
Amscot Financial
939 North Semoran Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32807
Mr. Ian A. MacKechnie
Tax Services
Amscot Financial
2422 South Kirkman Road
Orlando, FL 32811
Mr. Ian A. MacKechnie
Tax Services
Amscot Financial
600 Northwest Shore Boulevard
Suite 1200
Tampa, FL 33609
Mr. Ian A. MacKechnie
Tax Services
Avalar VIP Real Estate
100 Alexandria Boulevard
Suite 11
Oviedo, FL 32765
Mr. Donovan Carr
Real Estate
Bisbee and Company
P.O. Box 560852
Orlando, FL 32856-0852
Ms. Jennifer Bisbee
Public Relations Services
Century National Bank
65 North Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Mr. Richard O’Brien
Banks
Ciao Italia Ristorante
6149 Westwood Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32821
Ms. Josie Navarra
Restaurants
Duke Realty, Inc.
4700 Millenia Boulevard
Suite 380
Orlando, FL 32839-NB
Mr. Doug Irmscher
Real Estate (Commercial/Industrial)
FASCAR — Orlando Speedworld
Oval Track
19164 East Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32820
Mr. Terry Roberts
Sports Organizations
MD Mulcahy Enterprises
716 White River Drive
Orlando, FL 32828
Ms. Mary D. Mulcahy
Air/Water (Purification/Treatment)
Metropolitan Siding
and Roofing, Inc.
10003 Satellite Boulevard
Suite 200
Orlando, FL 32837
Mr. Fletcher Silverberg
Roofing
Showtyme International
Hair & More
2123 West Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32804
Ms. Alicia Gilreath
Wedding Services
Sign A Rama
316 West Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32801
Mr. Dwayne Williams
Signs
Solantic
First United Mortgage
Corporation
201 East Pine Street
Suite 315
Orlando, FL 32801
Mr. Robert Yaniga
Mortgage Bankers or Brokers
Focused Energy LLC
14010 Kestrel Drive
Orlando, FL 32837
Mr. Don McGill
Technology
Muzak LLC
5750 South Semoran Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32822
Ms. Angela Maher
Audio/Video
Stirling International Realty
Pietro Borgia Corporation
4756 Walden Circle
Suite 612
Orlando, FL 32811
Mr. Marcio Sborgi
Painters
186 South 5th Street
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Ms. Pomie Lau
Advertising (Directories/Guides)
7560 Commerce Court
Sarasota, FL 34243
Ms. Christina Bruce
Employee Leasing
106 West 6th Avenue
Windermere, FL 34786
Mr. Colin F. Galloway
Insurance
888 North Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Dr. Catherine W. Foulks
Restaurants
Your Essence Travel
SD Modular
Insurance Services
of Central Florida
201 East Central Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32801
Ms. Cindy Pennington
Real Estate
(Agents/Brokers/Managers)
Urban Beat Entertainment, Inc.
Progressive Employer Services
Good Life Media, Inc.
2555 South Kirkman Road
Orlando, FL 32811
Mr. John Bernet
Healthcare Services
745 Golf Course Parkway
Davenport, FL 33837
Mr. John Johnson
Displays and Exhibits
(Designers/Producers)
8011 Meadowglen Drive
Orlando, FL 32810
Ms. P.C. Carter
Travel Services
Internal Medicine Group
of Central Florida
2000 Cypress Crossing Drive
Orlando, FL 32837
Mr. David H. Trevett
Physicians/Surgeons
J. Meyers Insurance Group
5003 Old Cheney Highway
Orlando, FL 32807
Mr. Frank Podeswa
Insurance
welcome
November’s
new members. Find December’s new
members in the next issue.
Joe Burns, Jr. Consulting
4442 Yachtman’s Court
Orlando, FL 32812
Mr. Joe Burns, Jr.
Health/Nutritional
(Products/Services)
Lawton Brothers, Inc.
2515 Dinneen Avenue
Orlando, FL 32804
Mr. David B. Lawton
Janitorial (Equipment/Supplies)
Levan’s Catering
643 Orange Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
Mr. Gregg Hutson
Catering
Regional Board of Advisors
Chamber Trustees
Small Business Chamber
fm 01.05
37
PARTING SHOTS
LARRY TOBIN
President and CEO, FAIRWINDS Credit Union
LARRY TOBIN KNOWS the value of
partnering with community organizations. In November 2004, FAIRWINDS and
the University of Central Florida Alumni
Association broke ground on the
Fairwinds Alumni Center on the UCF
campus. More importantly, Tobin and
his employees are giving back to the
community that’s given to them.
We asked Tobin why a cooperative
spirit delivers huge dividends. Here’s
what he had to say:
FM: WHAT’S THE PARTNERSHIP YOU HAVE
WITH UCF?
TOBIN: Several years ago, UCF came to us
and asked for our support in building an
alumni center on campus. We already
partnered with them on other programs,
such as allowing UCF alumni who are
members of the center to join FAIRWINDS
credit union and receive special services.
As an outgrowth of that, UCF asked us to
join them in building an alumni center.
With some 50 percent of UCF alumni living in Central Florida and 75 percent living in
the state, we thought it made perfect sense.
In addition, some nine of our 11 management team members are UCF alumni, as
well as are many of our other employees. So,
we pledged $1 million over a 10-year period
to the center. The 23,000 square-foot facility
will serve as an on-campus home for
120,000 alumni and is scheduled to be
complete in fall of 2005.
Because we [UCF and FAIRWINDS] both
have our roots here and share our love
for this community, our partnership is a
natural one.
FM: TELL ME ABOUT THE BUSINESS
STRATEGY BEHIND THIS PARTNERSHIP.
TOBIN: We’re a cooperative, so we’re all about
people helping people. There are seven principals that guide us and one of those is “concern for your community.” One of our core
values is commitment to the community.
After all, as the saying goes,“Build your comfm 01.05
38
munity and you build your bank.”We want
to make sure the community we live in is
strong, caring and growing; just like we
want to make sure we do what is in the
best interests of our credit union members.
It’s good business and it makes sense.
FM: HOW DOES THE ALUMNI CENTER FIT
INTO THE MIX?
TOBIN: We’re committed to education and
not just in the sense of higher education.
We try to educate our members about
financial topics. In every issue of Pegasus,
UCF’s official alumni publication, we have
an article to help alumni improve their
financial situation, to give them an
awareness of financial matters. The
alumni center is an extension of that.
Their [UCF] market is our market. We’re
open to working with anyone interested
in being a part of the credit union.
The center will be built on the north
end of the campus, just across from the
current arena. It will be a place to meet
for social gatherings, view selected
memorabilia from the UCF archives,
network with other alumni and celebrate
lifelong friendships that began at UCF.
FM: IN WHAT OTHER COMMUNITY WORK
DOES FAIRWINDS PARTICIPATE?
TOBIN: It takes people to be active and
involved in the community to really make
a difference. For example, with regards
to the arts, it requires a patron to be successful. It’s not something that can support
itself, so we encourage our employees and
members to support the Central Florida
arts and cultural community.
Our employees are also active in the
American Diabetes Association and the
American Cancer Society as well as several
other organizations. In 2003, I served as
chair of the American Diabetes Association
Walk-a-thon. The benefit back to the
company is that our employees can make
a difference. They want to have a purpose
and there are so many needs that it’s easy
to make tremendous impact.
CLOSE UP
Beginning his career in
1980 as a part-time teller
at FAIRWINDS, Tobin
quickly worked his way
up through virtually
every area of the credit
union. By 1990, he
was the executive vice
president and COO,
focusing on enhancements to technologybased services. In 2003,
he was promoted to
president and chief
executive officer.
Tobin has a bachelor’s
degree in finance from
UCF as well as a bachelor’s from Rollins College.
He earned his MBA from
the Crummer Graduate
School of Business at
Rollins College.