July-September 2015 Bay Biz by Bay County Chamber of Commerce

We Mean Business.

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Connect today with our workforce professionals

careersourcegc.com 850.872.4340

CareerSource Gulf Coast is an equal opportunity employer/program operated in partnership with Gulf Coast State College and the CareerSource Gulf Coast Board. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

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POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE

The Big 8 : City and County Manager Update

FEATURE

Driver’s Education Back in Bay County

ONEBAY CAMPAIGN

This Year’s Leadership Bay Project

TOURISM APPRECIATION MONTH A Look Back At All of Our Great Tourism Appreciation Month Events

BED RACES

INTEL 20 DEFENSE Tyndall Air Force Base P4 Initiatives Taking Flight

24 26 30 34 36 37 38

WORKFORCE CONNECTION BIZ LIST BYP MEMBERS TO KNOW CHAMBER EVENTS CALENDAR NEW MEMBERS MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES OUT & ABOUT

Inaugural Bed Race Recap

ECONOMIC PROFILE EDA Insights

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

PUBLISHER Carol Roberts

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Desiree Gardner Photography, Brittany Cole, Tom Neubauer, and Theresa Moran

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Brittany Cole

BAY BIZ MAGAZINE c/o Bay County Chamber of Commerce 235 W. 5th Street Panama City, FL 32401 850.785.5206 information@baychamberfl.com Online: www.panamacity.org facebook.com/baychamberfl twitter.com/baychamberfl

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brittany Cole Becca Hardin Elizabeth Smith Theresa Moran Glen McDonald Kim Bodine

The Bay Biz is published quarterly by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, 235 W. 5th Street, Panama City, FL 32401 | 850.785.5206

LAYOUT & DESIGN Sean Brosnan (GORGEOUS - Strategic Branding & Design) COVER Bringing Driver’s Education Back to Bay District Schools (THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN ON A CLOSED COURSE. PLEASE DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE.) Special thanks to: Bill Cramer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC and Desiree Gardner Photography

POSTMASTER send address changes to: Bay County Chamber, 235 W. 5th Street, Panama City, FL 32401 or email Brittany@baychamberfl.com. The Bay Biz welcomes story ideas from its readers. Email to Brittany@baychamberfl.com. To request additional copies, contact 850-785-5206.

You Only Have One Heart Only One Hospital Has the Area’s Best Survival Rates Bay Medical Sacred Heart is recognized as one of the top-rated heart programs in the nation. Why? Because our mortality rates are among the lowest in the country and we have healed more hearts than any other program in the region.

One Life. One Heart. One Hospital. 615 N. Bonita Avenue Panama City, FL 32401 (850) 769-1511 w w w.baymedical.org

WITH NONSTOP SERVICE TO: ATLANTA | BALTIMORE DALLAS | HOUSTON NASHVILLE | ORLANDO ST. LOUIS | TAMPA and connections to the rest of the world. BUSINESS

TRIP

BUSINESS F O E R A C TAKING DAY

IN A Y A B O T Y BA EN TRAVIS ALL ITY PANAMA C

TAMPA

3.15.2016

B 12

Global access with daily flights on Delta, Southwest, United and Silver IFlyBeaches.com BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

It’s summer time and I’m loving it! As you can see, the job that you afford me the opportunity to do has endless possibilities. This collection of photos from the past quarter illustrates just that. On the cover, our Junior Leadership Bay class had a big win with the approval by our Bay County Commission to fund Driver’s Education in our Bay District Schools. Kudos to Commissioners Mike Thomas, Mike Nelson, Guy Tunnell, Bill Dozier and George Gainer. In addition, thank you to Superintendent Bill Husfelt for his unwavering support. I also commend our class for seeing my personal passion to make this happen and that of Greg Wilson who led the class through the governmental processes. You can see the full story on page 10. Also, in the Governmental Affairs (GA) arena, our GA Committee and Board of Directors fully supported a local preference ordinance. Thank you to our friends at the City of Panama City for supporting the concept; plans are underway to encourage other government entities to do the same. The City of Lynn Haven and the Bay County Commission already have ordinances in place and we thank them for supporting our local contractors. As you know, community development is a large part of what your Bay County Chamber does. But we can’t do it without our business community. When we are successful on projects just like the above, everyone wins. When we have business friendly-government, everyone wins because new companies will come to our area and create jobs for our citizens. We encourage you to get involved and yes, if you are not a member, please consider it. We currently have 918 members, our goal for year end is to have 950. If you are interested in joining our team, please give me or any of our staff a call at 850-785-5206 and let’s grow Bay County together.

Carol Roberts President/CEO

Tanner H., Student Sport and Fitness Management. Division I Athlete.

N I N E INNI NGS OF

WAR R IOR SPI RIT. TROY is more than a great education. It’s also screaming fans and the thrill of Division I athletics. We pride ourselves in providing everything you’re looking for in a college but delivering it on a personal level. Get a big college experience without feeling like a number. That’s the warrior spirit, and it’s alive and well at Troy University. Feel it at troy.edu/spirit or call 1-800-586-9771. © 2015 Troy University

From The Princeton Review, August 1, 2014 © 2014 TPR Education, LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of this Content without express written permission is prohibited.

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

The Big 8:

City and County Manager Update by: Theresa Moran, Vice President of Governmental Affairs Bay County Chamber of Commerce Bay County has seven municipalities, each with their own Mayor/Commissioner form of government – Panama City, Panama City Beach, Lynn Haven, Springfield, Mexico Beach, Callaway and Parker. The Bay County Commission governs the unincorporated areas of the county. Each of these governments relies on their managers/clerks to be the “keeper of the keys”. Since our last update in 2012, all eight positions have changed personnel. Each of these professionals gave us a quick update on some accomplishments and goals for their municipality.

a budget that adds $650,000 to reserves, received $216,000 in funding for water meters and police and fire department equipment, a “one-stop shop” in City Hall which is convenient for citizens, renovated City Hall Annex into multi-purpose Commission/meeting room/rental for a fraction of the cost and enhanced communication with citizens via social media and a revamped website.

Robert “Bob” Majka Jr.

Panama City Manager since August 2014 Population: 36,590 Website: www.pcgov.org Brown states “The City has held its first goals setting session with Commissioners and Department Heads with 1, 3, and 5 year goals identified. They’ve continued its wellness program, hired an Assistant City Manager and updated the City website. Even as we progressed, we still have several goals to obtain for the city”, Brown states. “Securing a developer for the Marina project late this summer, establishing a comprehensive strategic plan for the community, and finally hosting its Inaugural Class of the Panama City Academy, where citizens will be given the chance to get a behind the scenes look at city operations.”

Bay County Manager since March 16, 2015 Population: 168,831 Website: www.bay.fl.us “The first and foremost responsibility of Bay County Commission employees is to ensure that our citizens experience the very best customer service of any entity in Bay County, public or private” he said. “Our duty is to provide assistance that exceeds customers’ expectations and to find creative and effective solutions to the problems we face.” Upcoming challenges and goals include an ongoing effort to repair brand damage caused by widely publicized negative news stories surrounding Spring Break. The Bay County Commission will also continue working through aging infrastructure issues while striving to keep the county’s millage rate among the very lowest in the state.

Joel B. Schubert

Lynn Haven City Manager since April 14, 2014 Population: 18,500 Website: www.cityoflynnhaven.com “During my relatively short tenure we have established a clear strategic plan with six initiatives that accomplish our vision of efficiently providing outstanding municipal services. In particular, substantial efficiencies have already been realized in the budget with more to come.” Schubert states. Other accomplishments include:

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Jeffrey Brown

Nancy Avery Rowell

City of Parker City Clerk since August 2012 Population: 4,573 Website: www.cityofparker.com “We’ve built a more professional team of employees, created a professional process for code enforcement, sought and implemented grant funding to improve water, storm water, sewer and recreation infrastructure, and rebuilt our police and utility fleet to save energy.” “We’ve got several goals to accomplish in the next five years”, she states. “They are to create an attractive,

side-walked and landscaped main street corridor, implement the renovation plan to the waterfront park by the DuPont Bridge (including construction of the 500’ fishing pier), implement a new financial management system, develop a new website, and create a new human resources/legal policy manual.”

Mario Gisbert

Panama City Beach Manager since July 2012 Population: 12,094 Website: www.pcbgov.com “We need to get across the point that Panama City Beach is a family beach. Only five of the 52 weeks are we a spring break destination location.” He points out that unlike Destin, Panama City Beach has a Back Beach and Middle Beach Road that accommodates the locals and Front Beach Road is our tourist corridor. Gisbert feels that Panama City Beach has an incredible future. “If you think of the available land, the opportunities we have with the airport, our unbelievable amenities like the beach, the bay, our creeks, our 3,000 acre conservation park, Frank Brown Park, our community…it’s a beautiful place to live.”

Mell Smigielski

Mexico Beach City Manager since October 2014 Population: 1,100 Website: www.mexicobeachgov.com Smigielski’s goal is to provide stable and ethical leadership that will serve the community well. Some recent accomplishments are they recently streamlined the Public Works Department from 8 departments to 2, Storm Water Master Plan was complete and work on $467,000 improvements has started. “Codification of our ordinances should be complete in July and after the 2016 budget is established, records management will be a major focus” he states. “Lastly, strategic planning is underway in advance of the budget process to establish goals so the upcoming budget will be based on meeting the goals.”

J. Michael Fuller

City of Callaway City Manager since June 2014 Population: 14,500 Website: www.cityofcallaway.com Fuller’s primary goals include building relationships with other organizations throughout the county and focus on economic development. Callaway established a CRA district in 2007 to encourage the redevelopment and economic growth in the city’s commercial corridors. Several new businesses have opened up in Callaway, including Sonny’s Bar-B-Q, Grocery Outlet and recently, Northstar Church broke ground. The proximity of Eastern Shipbuilding’s Allanton shipyard makes

it an important partner to the community. Callaway extended water and sewer lines down Highway 2297 to Allanton Point so that city utilities could accommodate future growth, including the growth of Eastern’s shipbuilding operations. Fuller states “I want to see the city play a larger role in fostering economic development and creating the best opportunities for businesses to grow.”

Lee Penton

City of Callaway City Clerk since July 2013 Population: 9,600 Website: www.springfield.fl.gov “We’ve created a new website and billing software to give our utility customers the choice to pay online and have their statement emailed to them.” According to Penton, “the city was awarded a grant from Water management to improve water and sewer mains along with service lines/meters for an entire neighborhood. This also will include paving in this area. We plan on doing another neighborhood this year and they are many projects in the planning stages that will give the citizens of Springfield pride in their city.” Penton looks forward to continually improving the services that the City of Springfield provides to all residents.

ince Driver’s Education was pulled from Bay District Schools in 2008 due to budget constraints, Bay County has lost seven teenagers to traffic accidents. That’s according to the Florida Department of Health. Thanks to Junior Leadership Bay, a program of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, the Bay County Commission, Bay District Schools, and numerous other volunteers and advocates, Driver’s Education will be back in schools in the 2016-2017 school year.

Where the Idea Came From

The idea for the project was started by Bay County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Carol Roberts. “My 15 year old granddaughter was struggling to pass her test to receive her permit. I asked her if she just wasn’t paying attention in class and I received one of her infamous looks like I had lost my mind. She responded, what class? From a personal standpoint, I understand how vital this program is to our community. We need to prepare our young drivers for the dangers of the roadway.” Roberts then approached Junior Leadership Bay (JLB) about the idea. “Each year, the students are tasked with creating a project to help better our community. They were really excited and dove right in. They took the idea and ran with it.” Julia Kady, a JLB student who helped spearhead the project, talks about the importance of Driver’s Education and why the students felt so passionate about the idea. “This was particularly important to me because I’ve seen countless young teenagers die in car accidents in our county. From a close friend of my sister to a promising swimmer who went to elementary school with my best friend, the

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

effects of their deaths really hit home. I knew there must be a way to change the teen driving statistics in our community.”

Research and Funding

JLB students quickly realized they would need to find funding to help bring the program back. One option they had was to lobby and ask the Bay County Commission to enact the Dori Slosberg Act. Bay District Schools asked several times to pass the Act and each time the request was denied. However, on April 21st, JLB students, parents, community leaders, and various others spoke in front of the Commission. With a 5-0 vote, the Dori Slosberg Act passed in Bay County. Starting July 1st, if you receive a moving traffic violation in Bay County, you will notice a new $5 fee. This fee will go to fund Driver ’s Education. According to Clerk of Court, Bill Kinsaul, “FL Statute 318.1215 allows each county to pass an ordinance which would add an additional $5 per traffic citation, on the condition the funds will be used for an approved Driver Improvement Program. Bay County has approximately 32,000 traffic citations a year. The $5 assessment would generate approximately $160,000 per year.” The money generated can only go to fund the program, not instructors or benefits for those instructors. That is where Bay District School Superintendent Bill Husfelt steps in. “The instructors will come from our teaching staff, which is funded by our regular teacher allocations. That funding is based on the number of students who attend a particular school.”, says Husfelt.

BY BRITTANY COLE, VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS, BAY COUNTY CHAMBER What Happens Now

At the start of the 2016-2017 school year, students in high school will be able to select Driver ’s Education for their course schedule. Husfelt says they are putting together a task force to formulate an implementation plan, decide on curriculum, and get the necessary equipment. He also adds that the program will probably be a combination of physically driving cars and simulators. The task force will assess the needs and make a recommendation before a final decision is made. Technology will most certainly be a part of the program.

Chairman Greg Wilson and the entire JLB Steering Committee, and the volunteers who spoke at the Bay County Commission meeting.

About the Dori Slosberg Act

In February of 1996, a group of teenagers were driving on a highway in South Florida reaching speeds of 90 mph. When the driver lost control and crashed into an oncoming car, five teenagers were killed, including 14-year-old Dori Slos-

The purpose of this initiative is to save lives and reduce traffic crashes among teen drivers. Kady gives advice to other drivers her age, “I just want to say how important proper instruction is. This program will go a long way in their lives, whether the effects are immediate or observed later on in life. I truly believe this project will save lives. Even if it protects just one teen, I believe it is a success. Not only will it accomplish things on a grand scale, but it will cut down on the little things like fender benders.”

Special Thanks

The Bay County Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the Bay County Commission for passing the Dori Slosberg Act, Bay District School Superintendent Bill Husfelt, JLB

Rep. Irv Slosberg presents plaque to JLB

berg. Her twin sister, Emily Slosberg, survived the crash. Emily and her father, Representative Irv Slosberg, decided to do something about the tragedy. “The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. Regardless of this fact, many school districts throughout the state, either did not have Driver ’s Education or had significantly cut their programs. State Rep. Irv Slosberg, recognized the need to fund Driver ’s education, and he passed the Dori Slosberg Act, which gives each of the 67 counties the option to adopt it as a County Ordinance. “ says Emily. She explains how she coped with the loss of her sister, “It is what you do after a tragedy that determines whether it remains just a tragedy. After a year of crying every day, my dad and I, decided to do what we could to prevent other families from going through this.”

Dori Slosberg, daughter of Rep. Irv Slosberg

The Slosbergs have also set up a foundation to help spread the message of safe teen driving. To view more about their story, visit DoriSavesLives.org.

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Tips for Teen Drivers from the Department of Motor Vehicles • Always Wear Your Seatbelt or Helmet • Keep Your Cell Phone Off

Multiple studies indicate using a cell phone while driving is the equivalent of driving drunk, that’s even when using a hands-free phone.

• Don’t Text

Research shows texting on average causes a loss of focus on the road for 4.6 seconds. You can drive the length of a full football field in that time. A lot can go wrong while you drive the length of a football field without your eyes on the road. Don’t try the “texting-while-stopped” approach. When you have your head down, you won’t notice key developments that may occur. Remember, you still need to pay attention to the road when you’re stopped.

• Turn on Your Headlights

Using your headlights increases your visibility and help other drivers see you, even when you feel like it’s light out. In the early morning and early evening (dusk), you need to use your lights or other drivers might not see you, which can be disastrous.

• Obey the Speed Limit

Speeding is a major contributor to fatal teen accidents. That’s especially true when driving on roads with lots of traffic or with which you’re not familiar. Don’t feel pressured to keep up with traffic if it seems like everyone else is flying by you. Driving a safe speed helps ensure your well-being, and keeps you away from costly traffic tickets that can cause a sharp hike in your auto insurance premiums.

• Minimize Distractions

It may be tempting to eat, drink, flip around the radio dial, or play music loudly while you’re cruising around town; however, all can cause your mind or vision to wander, even for a few seconds. As an inexperienced driver, you are more apt to lose control of your car. Distractions can significantly increase the chances that you 1) not notice impending danger or notice it too late and 2) lose the ability to control the vehicle.

• Practice Defensive Driving

Always be aware of the traffic ahead, behind, and next to you, and have possible escape routes in mind. Stay at least one car length behind the car in front of you in slower speeds, and maintain a larger buffer zone with faster speeds. Some car insurance companies will even give you a discount if you take an approved defensive driving course to improve your driving skills.

• Choose a Safe Car

If possible, drive a safe car with the latest safety equipment (such as anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and air bags), and one with an excellent crash safety record.

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Drivers Education Discount Young drivers can save money by completing an approved driver’s education course, normally offered by their school. Older drivers are offered a discount for defensive driving training.

Good Student Discount Available to unmarried students who are 16-24 years old who meet certain scholastic requirements, such as maintaining an overall grade point average of a “B” or higher.

Claim-Free Renewal Discount When your policy comes up for renewal, you can save up to 20% if your previous policy period was accident - free.

Multi -Vehicle or Multi- Policy Receive a discount if you have more than one car on your policy. You can also save by bundling your boat, PWC, motorcycle, or other toys you may have.

Leadership Bay is an adult leadership program of the Bay County Chamber. Each year, program participants are challenged with the task to develop a project to benefit the Chamber and/or business community.

OneBay is a community campaign to promote pride and unity throughout Bay County with a vision to become a local, as well as national, brand that recognizes all of Bay County as a prime hub for tourism, cultural events and commerce.

The 2014-15 class decided to take an item, identified by the Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Directors at its fall planning session, to develop a community pride campaign. Board members saw the need to promote the positive aspects of our community. In addition, a campaign to encourage pride and unity among our citizens was identified as a critical need.

Over the next few months, the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, Bay Economic Development Alliance, Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Bay County Tourist Development Council will be rolling out the launch of OneBay. We ask you, our community, to support our efforts in unifying Bay County by putting the OneBay logo on your website, Facebook page, Linkedin and other social media outlets. T-shirts and stickers will also be available for purchase.

Bay County has seven diverse cities, unincorporated Bay County, two different Chambers of Commerce, three separate tourist development agencies and one economic development agency. With all of these different entities, the Leadership Bay Class of 2014-15 set out to unify Bay County with their project, OneBay.

For more information on how you can support OneBay, contact Elizabeth Smith at 850-215-3761 or email her at elizabeth@baychamberfl.com

Thank you to our sponsors:

Company Name

DON ALD GI LES MAI, SRA Cert. Gen. RZ356

Commercial and Residential Property Valuations

122 E 4th St Panama City, Fl, 32401 Phone: 850-769-6593 Fax: 850-872-9160 gilesappraisal@knology.net

Company Name

Employee Name Position Title

Street Address Address 2 City, ST ZIP Code Phone: 555.555.0125 Fax: 555.555.0145 E-mail address

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Company Name

8th Annual Jungleball Tournament 1st place

2nd place

3rd place

Congratulations to our 8th Annual Jungleball Volleyball Tournament. Royal American Beach Getaways took home 1st place, 2nd place was awarded to the City of Panama City Beach; and Exelis won 3rd place.

19th Annual Spring Classic Golf Tournament

1st place

2nd place

3rd place

Spring Classic Winning Teams (pictured left to right): 1st Place: Scott Jenkins, Shane George, Andrew Rowell, and Trey Wilson 2nd Place: Jeremy Bennett, Matt Duncan, Dustin Stokesbury, and Scott Campbell 3rd Place: Richard Holt, Wes Burnham, Sid Taylor, and Ric Holt

The Great Golf Ball Drop 14

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Ken McVay wins $500 in the Great Golfball Drop.

Why the Bay County Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Tourism Appreciation Month by: Elizabeth Smith Vice President, Events & Foundation, Bay County Chamber The Bay County Chamber presents “Tourism Appreciation Month” each year during the month of May. The State of Florida recognizes a week in May for Tourism Appreciation to highlight the importance of tourism in the state, but the Bay County Chamber takes it a step further to recognize our number one industry. What does tourism mean to Bay County? According to the Panama City Beach Tourist Development Council, in 2014 visitors spent over 1.23 billion dollars in Bay County. That means those who came to our area are spending an average of over 3.4 million dollars a day in our restaurants, stores and local attractions. To celebrate the industry and those who work so hard to keep visitors happy while they stay here, the Bay County Chamber of Commerce hosts several events. The month kicks off with a tourism themed First Friday event, and continues with a Jungleball Volleyball Tournament and Spring Classic Golf Tournament.

Thank you to everyone who sponsored events for Tourism Appreciation Month: Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Boardwalk Beach Resort, Gulf World Marine Park, Capt. Anderson’s Marina, Comcast Business, TECO, Raymond James Advisory Group, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, Children’s Home Society, Cooper’s Drugs, Roberts & Roberts, Engineering & Equipment, Florida Architects, Peoples First Insurance, Southern Earth Sciences, Harrison Sale McCloy Attorneys at Law, and Legendary Marine.

May First Friday LEFT: Tourism Development Council CEO, Dan Rowe, speaks on the importance of tourism to Bay County’s economy at the May First Friday. RIGHT: Gulf World helps celebrate Tourism Appreciation Month at First Friday.

BEST BED DESIGN

1st PLACE

CRAZIEST DESIGN

BEST TEAM SPIRIT

The first ever Bay County Chamber of Commerce Bed Races was held in March at the Annual Board of Directors Block Party. Member businesses raced down 5th Street on a bed they constructed for a chance to win first, second, or third place prizes. Other prizes were awarded for “Best Bed Design”, “Craziest Bed Design” and “Best Team Spirit”.

2ND PLACE

1st Place “Aids2Navigation” by the U.S. Coast Guard 2nd Place “Team Overdraft” by Centennial bank 3rd Place “The Heart Throbs” by Bay Medical Sacred Heart EXELIS won Best Bed Design. Best Team Spirit was awarded to, Heart Throbs and Smooth Operators by Bay Medical Sacred Heart. Craziest Design went to the American Cancer Society. All received special Bay County Chamber Bed Race pillows.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered, donated their time and sponsored this event: Centennial Bank, Ink Trax, Bay County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors The Celebration Place, Goldring Gulf Dis-

3RD PLACE 16

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tributing Company, Coca Cola, Blue Bell Ice Cream, Dave & Busters, WMBB News 13, Bayside Church, American Cancer Society, Bay Medical Sacred Heart, Exelis, United States Coast Guard, Labor Ready, Downtown Improvement Board, Bay County Chamber of Commerce Public Relations Committee & Ambassadors, Waste Pro, Waffle House, Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center, Junior Service League of Panama City, Disability Resource Center, and Ed Phelan.

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

INSIGHTS: Bay EDA Update by: Becca Hardin, President current labor statistics for Bay County

LABOR FORCE

EMPLOYED

UNEMPLOYED

UNEMPLOYED RATE

FEB 15

84,747

79,559

5,188

6.1%

MAR 15

86,633

81,790

4,843

5.6%

APR 15

86,134

81,697

4,437

5.2%

FEB 14

85,251

79,293

5,958

7.0%

MAR 14

88,255

82,704

5,551

6.3%

APR 14

91,855

87,139

4,716

5.1%

real estate sales EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

REALTOR SALES

MEDIAN PRICE

REALTOR SALES

MEDIAN PRICE

FEB 15

179

$170,000

18,701

$179,995

MAR 15

258

$190,000

24,811

$190,000

APR 15

255

$160,000

25,206

$175,000

FEB 14

160

$163,500

15,712

$165,000

MAR 14

219

$149,000

19,911

$174,000

APR 14

200

$157,047

21,385

$175,000

CONDO - TOWNHOME SALES FEB 15

$191,500

8,260

$143,000

MAR 15

145

$220,000

11,083

$152,000

APR 15

135

$185,000

11,643

$155,000

FEB 14

116

$169,950

7,692

$132,000

MAR 14

131

$179,900

9,750

$139,900

APR 14

129

$183,000

10,766

$140,500

Bay County building permits

RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

FEB 15

MAR 15

APR 15

FEB 14

MAR 14

APR 14

Bay County sales tax collections

GROSS SALES

TAXABLE SALES

TAX COLLECTIONS

FEB 15

$416,447,386

$219,062,670

$13,767,103

MAR 15

$459,942,908

$249,544,622

$15,961,727

APR 15

$657,709,450

$355,002,096

$21,693,874

FEB 14

$402,869,701

$209,704,172

$13,207,409

MAR 14

$483,197,453

$233,598,091

$15,222,075

APR 14

$655,457,789

$339,395,689

$20,536,700

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Have you ever had a chance to see Bay County from a “bird’s eye view?” I recently had this opportunity as we hosted our newly appointed Florida Secretary of Commerce and CEO of Enterprise Florida, Bill Johnson. Following a state economic development presentation to the Bay EDA Investors, we took the Secretary to the Port Panama City. After a quick windshield tour of the Port facilities, we met with management from Oceaneering and Berg Steel Pipe. These are two very successful international manufacturing operations that have a large presence on our Port. Oceaneering, a global oilfield provider of engineering services and products, employs more than 200 people in Panama City. On March 23rd, it was announced that they secured the contract for the Offshore Cape Three Points Development off the coast of West Africa. This contract adds over $100 million to the products backlog. ALL of this product manufacturing is planned to be performed at their Port facility. Berg Steel Pipe, which has operations in Germany, France, and Mobile, Alabama, has also experienced significant growth during this past year. In August, 2014, the company announced landing the largest order in their history to produce 600 miles of large diameter steel pipe for the oil and gas industry. Two more large orders soon followed. These combined contracts were enough to create 140 new jobs and move operations to two shifts. Berg currently has more than 300 employees at their Port facility. While these statistics are impressive, it is hard to get a feel for the magnitude of the work performed by these companies and our Port while viewing them on the ground. We were able to take Secretary Johnson on an aerial tour of the Port operations, the certified sites at the Port’s Intermodal Distribution Center and VentureCrossings®, and the airport sites adjacent to the 10,000-foot runway. This was the best way to see and appreciate all of the assets we have to offer in Bay County. Secretary Johnson and I were blown away by what we saw during our bird’s eye tour. As we landed at our beautiful Northwest Beaches International Airport, the Secretary had a big grin on his face with two thumbs up! My prediction is that he will be visiting Bay County again very soon!

April - June 2015 Demographic Snapshot Bay County Population: 178,324 Median Age: 40 Labor Force: 90,424 Average Wage: $33,251

Households: 67,561 Household Income: $47,461 Per Capita Income: $24,498

Bay County bed tax collections

PANAMA CITY BEACH

MEXICO BEACH

FEB 15

$683,922

$27,435

FEB 14

$580,142

$19,836

% CHANGE

17.89%

38.31%

MAR 15

$2,012,955

$27,435

MAR 14

$1,913,353

$19,836

% CHANGE

5.21%

38.31%

APR 15

APR 14

% CHANGE

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport passenger traffic

TOTAL PASSENGERS

COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS

FEB 15

42,653

746

MAR 15

81,552

1,333

APR 15

82,101

1,343

FEB 14

42,653

768

MAR 14

81,552

1,436

APR 14

82,101

1,425

National, state & local unemployment rate (Jan 1990 to July 2013) 16.0

14.0

12.0

10.0

8.0

Florida US Bay County

6.0

4.0

2.0

Jan‐15

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Jul‐14

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BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Tyndall Air Force Base P4 Initiatives Taking Flight by: Glen McDonald, Bay Defense Alliance (BDA) & P4 Community Service Co-Chair

The Bay County/Tyndall AFB P4 (Public/Public, Public/Private) Community Service Committee has been very busy over the last few months. P4 Community Service Committee - The Basics

The overall goal of the Bay County/Tyndall AFB Community Service Committee is to create projects that mutually benefit both the military and the community. It is a part of a larger initiative within the Air Force. To accomplish this goal, we are bringing Air Force leadership and resource support to help Tyndall AFB and community leaders develop, prioritize, and implement community partnership initiatives. Locally, the effort is overseen by a steering committee comprised of Chairman Guy Tunnell from the Bay County Commission, Colonel Derek France, Commander 325th Fighter Wing, Tom Neubauer, President of the Bay Defense Alliance, and Larry Carroll, Chairman of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee. This group will establish priorities, commit resourc-

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

es, provide strategic vision, and champion the overall efforts of TAFB P4. We thank each of these members for their time and commitment. Under the leadership of the Steering Committee, 11 separate initiatives remain active and are being worked by AF and community personnel.

Recent Activities

The Florida Defense Support Task Force awarded two grants for the execution of two local initiatives: (1) Military/Spouse Employment was allocated $150K; and (2) $200K was allocated for improved traffic flow on US 98 through Tyndall AFB. Thank you to Governor Scott and the Florida Defense Task Force for the awards of these grants.

Military/Spousal Employment Initiative

Creating jobs for transitioning military members and their spouses and improving the match to local employment and training opportunities is the focus of this project. To date, the project has successfully implemented an online survey during

the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshop. This survey identifies the skill sets of transitioning military members and then directly connects them with relevant job opportunities and services. In addition to the survey, members of the workgroup including, Glen McDonald, Kim Bodine, Jodie Schwartz, and Maria Goodwin, met with multiple federal agencies to gain access to aggregate workforce data on separating military service members. The data is needed to assist economic development organizations document the skill sets of transitioning service members for business recruitment or expansion projects and to help regional workforce boards and educational institutions effectively align their training/ employment programs to meet and retain veterans in the local community. As a result of the meetings/discussions, the Air Force and the Office of Secretary of Defense are reviewing the list of specific data points needed for the project. In addition, the workgroup held multiple meetings with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to garner their assistance in the data transfer and storage.

Medical Initiative

The military and civilian medical communities are working on initiatives to better serve the military patient population and medical staff currency. There are two major initiatives being worked. First, developing a time-share satellite clinic within the Medical Office Building attached to Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center. The clinic will enable Tyndall Air Force Base beneficiaries the opportunity to receive care without traveling to the base. Secondly, the clinic will establish provider training opportunities for both Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center and Tyndall Air Force Base staff that will build skillsets while providing an additional staffing source. The time-share satellite clinic lease is in review and we expect signatures soon. The provider training is a more complex process. The two entities have an agreement in place and have been sharing training opportunities for the last several months. Additionally, in order to allow military providers to practice within the community, the Steering Committee (and key leaders in the medical community) has been working with the Florida Defense Support Task Force in an effort to enact legislation that would recognize reciprocity of medical licensure. The Task Force has expressed interest in military provider licensure initiative and work is continuing. Many people have worked very hard to develop and bring this committee and associated activities into place. If you happen to see one of them, ask them about it and thank them for all their hard work!

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

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A Community Joins to Support Those Who Have Served by: Kim Bodine, Executive Director CareerSource Gulf Coast Across Bay, Gulf and Franklin Counties, we come to work with a single goal in mind – to make our communities stronger every day. We focus on strengthening our workforce, and providing world-class services to both employers and job seekers. While that may be the core of our work, we take a much broader perspective of workforce development. From managing a Summer Leadership Camp in Gulf County to supporting new programs for Franklin County families reliant on the once thriving oyster fishery, CareerSource Gulf Coast is dedicated to the residents of our region and the communities we serve. Among our unique efforts is the annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down, held in Panama City for the past seven years.

It’s not easy to put the words “homeless” and “veterans” in the same sentence, yet many of those who have served our country are now without the basic necessities essential for daily life. On Thursday, Sept. 24, CareerSource Gulf Coast, in partnership with many local veterans, active duty personnel, and service agencies, will host the 8th Annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, downtown Panama City. This is a significant team effort. Our goal is clear - to connect our veterans in need with the people who can help them. CareerSource, for example, can provide employment services. Others will be on site to provide support and connections. Thanks to students at Haney Technical Center, there will be free haircuts. There’s also a partnership between the Veterans Task Force of Northwest Florida and area restaurants to provide a much-appreciated hot lunch. So many step forward to instill some hope when hope may be most needed.

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

In addition to haircuts and a hot lunch, services that will be available include information about employment and education, medical screenings, social service assistance, and information about VA benefits. The Bay Town Trolley will be providing all veterans free transportation on the day of the event. The planning work has begun in earnest, as our coalition of volunteers is actively building a strong base of local sponsors. There are opportunities for your business or organization to be involved. Our sponsorships are both cash and in-kind, following this breakdown: • Platinum Sponsor ($1,000+) - Prime name identification on event promotional materials and benefits listed below. • Gold Sponsor ($500) - Logo on event promotional materials and benefits listed below. • Silver Sponsor ($250) - Name on event promotional material and benefits listed below. • Bronze Sponsor (up to $249) - Name on event promotional material opportunity to display banner at the event, and recognition at event. We are grateful for the many partners in this community who have stepped forward to help us deliver goods and services to these folks. They have served. Now it’s our turn. We hope that you will consider joining us. For more information on sponsorships or the event in general, contact Jennifer Bannister at 850-872-4340 ext. 129 or email bannisterj@careersourcegc.com. You can keep up with the developments regarding this year’s Stand Down on our website at careersourcegc.com or follow us on Facebook by searching CareerSourceGulfCoast.

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If you are a member of the Bay County Chamber and would like to submit your business news to be published, email a press release, logo or photo to brittany@baychamberfl.com

Bay County Chamber of Commerce Of course, we can’t have Leadership Bay without the support and hard work from the 2014-2015 Leadership Bay Steering Committee:

Raslean Allen

Ron Boyce

Brandon Burg

Keith Carroll

Chris Castellini

Kevin Francis

Dee Hayhurst

Elizabeth Hooks

Mike Huelsbeck

Katherine Kamback

Aaron McPhail

Beverly Nield

Karin Robinson

Lydia Rosa

Leadership Bay graduates 32nd class On May 19th, a reception was held honoring the 32nd Class of Leadership Bay at the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort. The event was attended by the class participants, their employers and family members, the Leadership Bay Steering Committee and the Chamber Board of Directors. The group began their nine-month curriculum with a weekend re-

Ben Schmidt

Chris Vick

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

The Bay County Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome our newest members to our Board of Directors. Both Doug Moore and Andrew Rowell will serve a one year appointment on our Board.

treat at Tyndall Air Force Base in October. Every other Wednesday the class explored the various segments of Bay County’s economy, i.e., Tourism, Industry, Military, Law Enforcement, Local and State Government, Community Volunteerism, Communications/ Media, Healthcare and Ecology. Each class is responsible for developing a project of benefit to the Chamber and/or the community. This year’s project was a community pride campaign titled “One Bay”.

Leadership Bay photos by Desiree Gardner Photography

Chairman Petie Bailey, Gulf Power Company; Nick Beninate, Harrison Sale McCloy; DeAnne Carlson, Summit Bank; Joe Chavarria, CareerSource Gulf Coast; Jacob Fish, St. Andrew Bay Land Co.; Jenny Howell, Naval Surface Warfare Center PC; Brian Leebrick, Barron & Redding, P.A.; Frances Martin, Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center; Megan Meints, Booz Allen Hamilton Engineering; Tricia Pearce, Life Management Center of NW FL; Nick Pohl, Trane; Shannon Sheibe, FSU Panama City; Tammala Spencer; Trevor Walls, Gulf Coast State College; Jennifer Wolgamott, ZHA Inc.

Doug Moore

Senior Vice President for Ameris Bank

perience. She previously worked at Counterpart Communication Design in Memphis, TN and received regional, national and international awards for excellence in design for

Andrew Rowell

Head of Business Development for GAC Contractors, Inc.

DeTect DeTect, Inc. received the Inaugural Gulf Coast Trade Alliance Export Achievement Award for the State of Florida at a ceremony at the 15th Annual World Trade Conference in Mobile, Alabama. DeTect’s President and CEO, Gary W. Andrews,

accepted the award on behalf of the company. Since its founding in Panama City, Florida in 2003, DeTect has delivered over 260 of its radar systems worldwide with over 55% of its Florida and Colorado manufactured products being exported. Kerigan Marketing Associates Kerigan Marketing Associates of Mexico Beach is pleased to announce the appointment of Sara Backus, Creative Director and Daniel Spanier, Senior Graphic Designer. Sara Backus has been promoted to Creative Director for Kerigan Marketing Associates. In her new role Sara oversees art and design direction for all Kerigan websites and projects. Sara holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Harding University. She joined the team as Senior Graphic Designer, in 2013, with 10 years agency ex-

clients including FedEx and International Paper. Since joining, the Kerigan team has been awarded 11 Gold and 15 Silver Addys by the American Advertising Federation’s local Panama City chapter.

cated in Panama City at 1418 West 23rd Street. As an experience mortgage lender, Brown brings over ten years of financial expertise in sales, customer service, and lending to her new position.

Daniel Spanier has joined the creative team at Kerigan Marketing Associates as Senior Graphic Designer. Daniel brings over 12 years

Hancock Bank Greg Seymour is the new vice president of commercial lending for Hancock Bank. With 17 years in North Florida’s financial industry, Seymour offers clients an array of strategic banking and financing solutions complemented by a prov-

of graphic design experience from the Birmingham area where he held positions at Lamar Outdoor and Mspark working on the Little Caesars account and other retail specialties. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from The University of Montevallo with a concentration in Graphic Design. Daniel has relocated to the Mexico Beach area and will lead digital design for the agency’s growing internet marketing services. MidSouth Bank W. Davis Malone, Chairman & CEO of MidSouth Bancorporation, recently announced that Inga Brown has joined MidSouth Bank as a Mortgage Banker in Bay County. Brown will serve clients at MidSouth’s Bay County main office lo-

en passion for helping the region’s businesses and non-profits succeed. As a commercial lender, he will guide businesses in developing credit and deposit management strategies that incorporate innovative resources such as the bank’s online treasury management tools.

Have a submission for the Biz List? Please contact Brittany Cole at 850-215-3755.

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Top-Rated Cardiac Care Now Available at the Beach The physicians who provide Northwest Florida’s top-rated heart care at Bay Medical Sacred Heart are now seeing patients on Panama City Beach. The Cardiovascular Institute of Northwest Florida has opened a second office in the Bay Medical at the Beach facility, located near the intersection of Panama City Beach Parkway and Richard Jackson Boulevard to better serve residents of Panama City Beach and Walton County. Our Beach clinics are currently being held on Tuesdays. Our medical staff at the Cardiovascular Institute includes the area’s only cardiologists offering specialized interventional procedures for highrisk patients as well as advanced therapies for heart rhythm disorders, carotid disease and other peripheral vascular issues. We also offer many in-office diagnostic procedures and same-day appointments with a referral. Please call (850)769-0329 to schedule .

Now Seeing Patients at the Beach Amir R. Haghighat, M.D., F.A.C.C.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Endovascular Medicine and Nuclear Cardiology

Thompson C. Maner, M.D., F.A.C.C. Medical College of Georgia

Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology

Michael F. Morrow, M.D., F.A.C.C. Medical College of Georgia

Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease. Special interest in Cardiac Valvular Disorders.

Samir N. Patel, M.D., F.A.C.C. Medical College of Rush University

Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Endovascular Medicine and Nuclear Cardiology. Registered physician in Vascular Interpretation.

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REJUVENATE your Body PAMPER your Soul As one of Florida’s most premier health and fitness facilities, we offer everything you need to strengthen, rejuvenate and pamper yourself; including a 24 hour fitness center for women and men along with an exclusive women’s only fitness area. At Panama City Health Club, we offer the latest state-of-theart cardiovascular and strength training equipment, innovative group fitness classes, personal training, comfortable and relaxing steam room and sauna, child care and a nutrition bar. Here, you’ll find that fitness never felt so good.

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Many young professionals are enthusiastic about area business and community opportunities and are ready to get involved as new leaders. Bay Young Professionals (BYP) was formed by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce to specifically address the needs of this age group to enrich our community by uniting, developing and retaining our future leaders. If you are interested in becoming part of the Bay Young Professionals (BYP) group, contact Elizabeth Smith at 850-215-3761 or elizabeth@baychamberfl.com. Photos by: Desiree Gardner Photography

Nick Jay A fourth generation Panama City native, Nick Jay, is proud to live, work, and serve in the community he calls home. Jay works as the Learning and Development Specialist at Tyndall Federal Credit Union. He uses his finance and professional experience, as well as his refreshing sense of humor, to make a significant difference in the lives of Tyndall employees. In both his personal and work life, he strives to live by John Maxwell’s motto: “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” This is not only evident in his classroom presentation style, but also in his volunteer efforts. Jay participates in multiple community groups and activities: teaching youth financial literacy, directing charity events like “The Ride for Hope,” and encouraging people to find a positive work, life balance. He holds a Finance and Real Estate degree from FSU and is currently attending Troy University completing a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management. He spends his free time with family and friends and can often be found bike riding or splitting an ice cream with his dog, Calvin.

Erica Howard Erica Howard is a Panama City native. She studied journalism at UCF where she wrote for The Student. She interned with the editorial department at Relevant Media Group. In 2006, she began working as a copy editor and page designer for The News Herald. Howard managed the design and editing hub responsible for TNH’s 10 daily and weekly regional sister newspapers. She also trained staff and maintained consistent design/content standards. In 2013, Howard became the marketing and special events coordinator at FSU-PC. She writes monthly student and donor profiles, updates the campus’ social media accounts, and designs collateral and marketing materials for university-hosted events. She serves on FSU-PC’s Student Activities, Enrollment Growth, and Hospitality committees. Howard is a member of Bay Young Professionals, PCB’s HYPE and the Bay County Chamber’s PR Committee. She is an active Northstar Church member and has traveled twice to Honduras to host VBS. Howard spends free time planning her November wedding.

BAY BIZ | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

• KBB’s 2015 “Best Buy Award” • Motor Trend’s “Talk of The Town Award” • U.S. News & World Report 2014 “Best Cars For The Money” Five Decades.....Three Generations.....One Tradition! 2251 W. 23rd Street - Panama City, FL 32405 850-250-4737 - BillCramerGM.com

N PE

HIS SUM ING T ME R

A new-home community in Panama City, Florida

It’s beautiful outside. Perfect for a bayfront morning run, or a poolside brunch and mimosas with friends. Maybe some sweet tea on the porch with neighbors at sunset—sounds like the perfect way to end the day. Welcome to the SweetBay life. SweetBay is a new master-planned community at the water’s edge in Panama City, Florida. A place to get in touch with nature and neighbors. There are pathways, waterways, parks and pools to connect the community as well as an award-winning free public charter school, University Academy. Down the line, a future shopping district is planned to serve as the heart of the community. The best part? Everything is just a short walk from your front door. Our bayfront village is intelligently designed to foster a mindful, healthy, and relaxed lifestyle full of natural beauty and wellness.

Won’t you join us?

For a complete and up to date list of all Chamber activities, including committee meetings, visit our website at www.PanamaCity.org

July

August

September

10th

7th

4th

FSU Panama City Holley

FSU Panama City Holley Academic Center (4750 Collegiate Drive)

First Friday*

First Friday with the Beach* Academic Center (4750 Collegiate Drive)

Networking: 7:15 a.m. / Program 8:00 a.m.

Networking: 7:15 a.m. / Program 8:00 a.m. Sponsored by: RideOn and Sanders Security

Sponsored by: Bill Cramer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC

14th & 21st

Leadership Bay Applications Due

QuickBooks 2015 Basic Class

Bay County Chamber of Commerce Office

FSU Panama City Holley Academic Center Room B101

Deadline: 4 p.m.

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Visit PanamaCity.org for an application, or contact Elizabeth at 850.215.3757

Contact Elizabeth at 850.215.3761 to register.

Who deserves recognition? Nominate them for your Better Business Bureau® Foundation’s: •Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics •Customer Service Excellence Award •Student Ethics Scholarship

First Friday*

FSU Panama City Holley Academic Center (4750 Collegiate Drive) Networking: 7:15 a.m. / Program 8:00 a.m. Sponsored by: Gulf Coast State College Corporate College

18th

Industry Appreciation Celebration Skeet Shoot Location TBD