The current structure of the CFDC is a public-private partnership between the CFDC and CFDC, Inc. The CFDC provides economic development services in Polk County and is a publicly-funded entity that works in conjunction with CFDC, Inc., a public-private group funded by private-sector dollars. The report recommends a restructuring that places greater emphasis on private-sector funding and leadership.

Another recommendation presented in the report is to reduce the number of economic development groups in the county, for greater efficiency and effectiveness. If accepted and approved, these recommendations will usher in a pretty radical season of change over the next three to five years. Of course, at this time, these recommendations are just that – recommendations – and are subject to approval by public and private officials.

If you’re interested in hearing more about the future of the CFDC, you’re welcome to join us on Monday, February 6 at 2:30 p.m. at our office in the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, where CFDC officials will discuss the report.

Source: The Ledger and News Chief

Writer: Kyle Kennedy

The adjoining table shows the preliminary average annual unemployment rate for Polk County in 2011 compared to all of Florida and the nation. Although the numbers will be revised through an annual revision process that transpires each year in March, there are still some outcomes worth noting.

The unemployment rate in Polk remains significantly higher than the statewide and national average. The good news is that it did decline from 12.5% in 2010 to 11.6% in 2011 – nearly a one percent reduction. However, as the figures in the table below demonstrate, this improvement was mostly a result of people exiting the labor force. This exodus is likely attributable to Polk residents discouraged by tough economic conditions from actively seeking work and thus no longer technically being counted in the ranks of the unemployed.

A clear positive in the above data, though, is that the rate at which companies were laying workers off definitely receded in 2011. A very anemic hiring trend, however, resulted in only a small gain (from 240,903 to 241,068) in the average amount of people employed. This is confirmed by Polk workers filing initial claims for unemployment insurance, which fell again last month to 1,801 from a level of 2,603 for the same period last year. Polk’s unemployment rate also dropped to 10.7% in December – the lowest it has been at the end of a year since 2008.

Looking ahead, it is anticipated that the unemployment rate in Polk County will continue to come down in 2012, probably by at least another percent. Job creation should show some acceleration in the private sector but government-related jobs will likely continue to disappear as tax revenues improve yet remain well below trend. Again, the greatest risk to the local economy moving forward in 2012 appears to be one beyond our borders. Depending on how it ultimately unfolds, the financial situation in Europe could provide a nasty shock to even our local economy that is connected to tourism and investment spending originating from that area of the world.

This is a really exciting opportunity for Polk County! Not to mention, this is yet another great example of our education  and business partners working together to make our community a better place.

Writer: Robin Williams Adams

Source: The Ledger and News Chief

At the CFDC, we know just how important this revenue stream is. About 95% of our budget is supplied through the local business tax. We receive about $50,000 per year from private-sector contributions. Without receiving these funds, we (and many other organizations across the state) will be forced to either reduce our activities, fund our activities from the general fund and cut other important county services, or increase private sector funding, which may not suffice.

Writer: Kyle Kennedy

Source: The Ledger and News Chief

When is it?

Saturday, February 25, 2012, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where is it?

The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, 35 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL

Does it cost anything?

Yes. A small $25 fee covers all class materials and lunch.

Interested in learning more?

Check out the flyer!

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the Central Florida Development Council (CFDC) and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grants workshop at the CFDC’s Business Development office in Auburndale on March 22-23, 2012. This training is designed for both the novice and the skilled at grant seeking and writing and applicable to those working across all industry types.

Tuition is $425 and includes all materials (workbook and accompanying 420MB resource CD that’s packed full of tools and more than 200 sample grant proposals). If you’re interested in multi-enrollment or are a returning alumni from Grant Writing USA, discounts are available.

The SBDC at the CFDC hosted this workshop a few years ago and it was a HUGE hit! Since seating is limited, online reservations are necessary and encouraged as soon as possible.

More information including learning objectives, class location, graduate testimonials and online registration is available here.  If you prefer friendly, personal service, please call or write:

The Client Services Team
at Grant Writing USA
800.814.8191
cs@grantwritingusa.com

Opening its new office in downtown Winter Haven’s the Beymer Building in Fall 2011, the expansion coincided with the opening of Legoland, one of HB Leisure’s clients. HB Leisure currently assists in the supply, operation and solutions of amusement and theme parks.

Built in 1923, the three-story, 22,000-square-foot Beymer Building, at 280 Central Ave. W., is owned by Winter Haven’s 6/10 Corporation. Leasing arrangements for HB Leisure’s move to Central Florida were facilitated by 6/10 Commercial Real Estate.

“The 6/10 Corporation purchased the building in September 2010 and spent a year on renovations and improvements,” says Angela Harwell, broker, realtor and director of sales and leasing for 6/10 Corporation. “At the time the first tenants were ready to take occupancy in September 2011, the building was already 70 percent leased.”

Located in close proximity to Interstate 4 and the Polk Parkway, the Beymer Building includes a conference room, break area, copy/print/scan services and multiple common areas, and is equipped with the latest technology including fiber optic and WiFi services.

“The property is ideal for a wide array of businesses,” says Harwell. “The building was chosen by HB Leisure because of its downtown location and amenities such as restaurants and service providers within a short walk.”

As downtown Winter Haven’s business landscape continues to expand, the city is currently in the process of constructing a new three-story parking garage slated to open in early 2012 and plans to construct a roundabout north of downtown on Third Street. In addition, a number of older buildings in the downtown area are undergoing renovations.

“Winter Haven strives to offer both its residents and visitors plenty of destinations for professional, leisure and recreational activities to appeal to a wide variety of interests,” says Harwell.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Angela Harwell, 6/10 Corporation

“BCMPros’ HIPAA and HITECH expertise is significantly beneficial to us, as our medical technology client base is rapidly expanding,” states IF&D’s Steve Sowards. “This partnership is a component of IF&D’s ongoing effort to develop strategic alliances with top managed services and solutions providers in areas of expertise complementing all facets of IF&D core offerings.”

The Health Insurance Privacy and Accountability Act of 1996, known as HIPAA, protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs and requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers. Closely related to HIPAA is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which addresses the privacy and security concerns associated with the electronic transmission of health information, in part, through several provisions that strengthen the civil and criminal enforcement of the HIPAA rules.

BCMPros is a verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) composed of an experienced group of business continuity management professionals deployed to assist private and public sector entities in creating and maintaining best practices business continuity solutions. The company provides a wide-range of portfolio management support, including third-party assessments, planning and project management, as well as training and testing related to disaster preparedness and recovery, security and cloud computing.

Inland Fiber & Data is an owner and operator of data center, colocation and disaster recovery facilities in Winter Haven, Florida and Denver, Colorado. Offerings provided by Inland include wholesale data center, private data suites and traditional colocation. Inland is also a provider of private cloud services including hosted storage through its Storage on a Wire™ solution.

Inland’s primary facilities in Winter Haven, Florida include over 40,000 square feet of data center and disaster recovery space and approximately 45,000 square feet of carrier and telco hotel facilities.

The Inland facilities are SSAE 16 compliant and were designed and developed with the needs of the mission critical end-user in mind. Carrier grade facilities with fiber rich environments suit organizations seeking geo-security and system flexibility.

For Inland Fiber & Data Alliance Partner Program information, visit www.inlandfiber.com.