Bay Biz October-December 2012 by Bay County Chamber of Commerce

October 2012 Whats Inside

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THE BIZ LIST

OUT & ABOUT

Growing an Aviation and Aerospace Empire in Northwest Florida

BEST PRACTICES FOR BUSINESS:

TRENDS:

Bay County Tourism Development Council Reports Record-Breaking Bed Tax Collections

Food Service Contracts Bring More Resources and Fresh Meal Selections

ECONOMIC PROFILE:

Bay Young Professionals to Know

NEW MEMBERS

MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES

DEFENSE INTEL:

FSU-PC Exceeds 2009 Enrollment Goal: Looks Toward the Future

CHAMBER EVENTS CALENDAR

POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE: What You Need to Know Before You Vote

FEATURE: Customer Liability

Cash Mobs: What are They and How Can They Help Your Business

EDUCATION:

Navy Reduces Costs by Refurbishing Deep-Dive Rigs

EDA Insights

workforce connection

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

PUBLISHER Carol Roberts

Bay Biz Magazine

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Brittany Lewis

c/o Bay County Chamber of Commerce 235 W. 5th Street - P.O. Box 1850 Panama City, Florida 32402 850.785.5206 information@baychamberfl.com Online: www.panamacity.org facebook.com/baychamberfl twitter.com/bachamberfl

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Maria Goodwin Carol Roberts Jennifer Conoley Brittany Lewis Kristi Kirkland Pat Holley Dan Broadstreet Karen Tucker FSU-PC Gail Robbins Audene Chung DESIGN Bellhouse Publishing COVER Banqueting House in Whitehall, London Aerospace Alliance CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Brittany Lewis, Angela Segers, Elizabeth Smith, U.S. Navy, Chartwells School Dining Services, Aerospace Alliance, Associated Press FSU-PC

The Bay Biz is published quarterly by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce. P.O. Box 1850, Panama City, FL 32402. 850.785.5206 POSTMASTER send address changes to Bay County Chamber, P.O. Box 1850, Panama City, FL 32402 or email brittany@baychamberfl.com. The Bay Biz welcomes story ideas from its readers. Email to brittany@baychamberfl.com. Each Chamber Member receives one copy. To request additional copies please contact brittany@baychamberfl.com or call 850.215.3755.

Contact our team at 877.533.7596.

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BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

President’s Message I can’t believe it’s fall (Indian Summer) already! I know we are all ready for a break from the heat and especially the rain. Fall is planning and budgeting time for most all of us as we chart our course for 2013. Keep in mind all of the opportunities to promote your business via advertising in this publication, our website (panamacity.org), sponsorships of our various events, etc as you plan your budget. Speaking of planning, the Chamber has started its process to develop our 2013 Business Plan. New Board of Director members have been selected and the transition to our new Chairman of the Board, Bill Fenimore, has begun. Be sure to mark your calendar for January 25th for the Annual Dinner and passing of the gavel from 2012 Chairman Al McCambry to Bill. This event will serve as the “kick off” the Bay County Chamber of Commerce’s 100th Anniversary. You will certainly want to be there! Probably the hottest topic right now is our elections. We strongly encourage you to get out and vote! We ask that you take a long hard look at each candidate and vote for those who work toward a business-friendly environment. In addition, before the November ballot (you will have many constitutional amendments to voice your opinion on). In this issue you will find a story that is meant to inform you on each of the eleven, yes, I said eleven amendments. Share the story with your employees, friends and family so that they are better informed at the polls. We were honored to have been invited to participate in the event on August 13th in Destin with most all Northwest Florida Chamber Executives to welcome not only Governor Rick Scott, but also Governor Perry from Texas to the beautiful Florida panhandle. The gathering was also attended by elected officials, law enforcement, economic developers and TDC directors.

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

Recently, as your representative at the Bay County Emergency Operations Center, I participated in a training session on new state-of-the-art software that will be utilized during a disaster. Many of you may not know but your Bay County Chamber, Panama City Beach Chamber and your Tourist Development Council have a place at the table with EOC officials before, during and after a disaster to insure that the business community and our organizations can quickly send the message that Bay County is “Open For Business” after any crisis. We were fortunate to have one of only five listening sessions held in the state for the FDOT Freight Mobility and Trade Plan on August 17th. Manufacturers, port representatives, State Representatives Patronis, Ray and Broxson, Florida Chamber officials, trucking representatives and Bay Line Railroad representatives gave input on issues effecting their constituents and businesses to assist in the development of a long range plan. Kudos to Wayne Stubbs, Executive Director, Port Panama City, for bringing this meeting to Bay County! Over the past few months, I also enjoyed visiting several grand openings around Bay County, including the new Sonny’s Bar BQ in Lynn Haven. The founder of the restaurant chain, Sonny Tillman, was there to greet us. I along with Chamber employees and members enjoyed talking with him and even took the picture you see above. We look forward to welcoming more businesses into the Bay County Chamber in the coming months!

President and CEO

Political Profile: Proposed Constitutional Amendments on Ballot in November written by Pat Holley, Governmental Affairs - Bay County Chamber

Not only is 2012 a presidential election year, voters in Florida are being asked to vote on eleven proposed constitutional amendments Many voters are unaware or confused about these amendments. In an effort to educate and inform the voters, this article will list the amendments and offer a short explanation about their content. This is a broad attempt at helping to ease the confusing verbiage, and perhaps make it easier to cast your vote on these amendments. It should be noted that it takes a 60% favorable vote of all those voting to pass one of these proposed amendments and legal issues could ensue following the elections. #1 Health Care Services This amendment is in response to the federal government’s health care legislation. Essentially the amendment says that no law “compel”, directly or indirectly any Floridian/employer to purchase, obtain or provide health care coverage. This would allow a person/employer to purchase services directly from a health care provider. There is the possibility that although this might pass, the U.S. Constitution Supremacy Clause could override it. #2 Veterans Disabled Due to Combat Injury; Homestead Property Tax Exemption This amendment seeks to expand the availability of the property discount on homestead taxes of veterans who become disabled as a result of combat injury, even if not Florida resident at time of enlistment. 8

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

#3 State Government Revenue Limitation This amendment would limit how much revenue the state would be allowed to keep. Sometimes called the “smart cap” proposal, state revenues would be capped based on population growth and inflation, rather than the current limitation based on personal income growth. Any funds above the cap would be held in reserve or returned to the taxpayer. #4 Property Tax Limitations; Property Value Decline; Reduction for Non-Homestead Assessment Increases; Delay of Scheduled Repeal This amendment proposes to prohibit increases in assessed value of homestead and specified non-homestead property if property’s value decreases. The proposal would give first time homebuyers an additional exemption phased out over five years and it would allow the Legislature to repeal the “recapture’ rule. This proposal would most likely reduce revenues to counties and local governments. #5 State Courts Amendment 5 proposes to address reforms to Florida’s court system structure and functions. It would revise provisions relating to the repeal of court rules, limit re-adoption of repeal court rules, allows Senate to confirm Supreme Court Justices and gives the House the right to all investigative materials dealing with judicial impeachments.

#6 Prohibition on Public Funding of Abortions; Construction of Abortion Rights This amendment would prohibit public dollars from funding abortions. This would prohibit the state constitution from being interpreted to create broader rights than those in the U.S. Constitution. It would also overturn all court decisions that rely on privacy rights in the Florida Constitution. #7 Pulled from the ballot. #8 Religious Freedom Essentially this amendment would repeal current prohibition of state funds, directly or indirectly, for religious institutions. It would allow for state education vouchers to private schools. #9 Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouse of Military Veteran or First Responder This amendment would allow the Legislature to provide ad valorem homestead property tax relief to the spouse of a military veteran or first responders who died from service related causes. #10 Tangible Personal Property Exemption This increases the exemption amounts with regard to ad valorem taxes of tangible personal property from $25,000 to $50,000. The proposal also permits the legislature to authorize counties and local municipalities to provide further tangible property tax exemptions by local ordinance subject to general law. This could in some counties with large businesses have adverse effects on revenues collected from tangible personal property taxes. #11 Additional Homestead Exemption; Low-Income Seniors Who Maintain Long-Term Residency Equal to Assessed Value The amendment would allow local governments to grant an additional homestead tax exemption (property value less than $250,000) to an owner who has resided on their property for at least 25 years, is atleast age 65 and has a low household income as defined by law. #12 Appointment of Student Body President to Board of Governors of the State University System Replaces the president of the Florida Student Association with the chair of the council of state-university student-body presidents as the student member of State Board of Governors of the State University System and requires the board to organize such a council. For a more in-depth look at these amendments you may go to the Florida Secretary of State web-site: election.dos.state.fl.us and click on Constitutional Amendments.

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

Growing an Aviation & Aerospace Empire By Jennifer Conoley

Bay County officials working to attract aviation and aerospace companies to the region. pictured: Neal Wade, Executive Director, Bay EDA

The Southeast U.S. is gaining more attention these days for its

This major announcement in the aviation community generated

activity in the aviation and aerospace industries and economic

headlines around the world and allowed Northwest Florida to

development leaders in Bay County. Northwest Florida and the

capitalize on that momentum during the Farnborough International

State of Florida are diligently working to develop the country’s

Air Show, held July 9-13, 2012 near London. A delegation of more

next aviation and aerospace cluster. Announcements like the one

than 100 Floridians, and led by Gov. Rick Scott including the Bay

made in Mobile, Al. on July 2nd help showcase our region to the

Economic Development Alliance’s Neal Wade, traveled to Europe

aviation industry.

to attend the air show.

Airbus, an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, producing

The bi-annual trade show draws top-level executives from

nearly half of the world’s jet airliners, announced plans to open a

nearly every major aerospace company for a week of conferences,

new assembly facility in Mobile to produce the A320 aircraft. The

business meetings and socializing. Over 120,000 people attend the

new $600 million manufacturing plant will begin production in

event each year, including 70 delegations from 44 countries and

2015 and will produce between 40 and 50 aircraft annually

more than 1,400 exhibitors. During the air show, Florida’s

beginning in 2018. Construction includes seven buildings totaling

delegation of leaders had numerous one-on-one appointments

more than two million square feet on 116 acres at the Brookley

with c-level executives of the aviation/aerospace industries. The

Aeroplex, a former military facility. This will be the company’s first

attendees felt very optimistic about the meetings and

production site in the U.S.

conversations throughout the week and hope to continue to stay on the top-of-the-mind through continuous marketing efforts.

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

“Promoting Florida on this international scale enabled us to

“It is noteworthy the number of supplier jobs that usually result

establish new overseas business alliances, secure new investment

in the location of such a large facility like Airbus,” said Neal Wade,

and strengthen ties to corporate leaders, companies and

executive director of the Bay EDA. “With our greenfield sites at the

government entities that are important to the state,” said Florida

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and Venture

Commerce Secretary Gray Swoope, who heads the state’s lead

Crossings, it makes Bay County much more attractive to Airbus

economic development organization, Enterprise Florida, which

suppliers as well as other aviation operations.” Virtually all of the United States’ leading aviation companies, including Airbus’s rival Boeing, have a major presence in the Gulf Coast area, as do many international companies. Many of these companies are already located in Northwest Florida. In fact, most defense contractors have some sort of existing presence in Bay County. Because the western end of Northwest Florida is located less than an hour from Mobile, the new Airbus plant will allow many existing Northwest Florida companies to expand their supplier businesses, as well as expand and diversify their customer base to include commercial aviation, in addition to military and defense contracts. Perhaps more importantly, many additional U.S. and international companies will need to open new facilities in the Gulf Coast region to

coordinated the mission. “It was a great opportunity to

serve Airbus Northwest Florida offers many outstanding

demonstrate Florida’s competitive advantages in the UK, which is

opportunities for these companies.

a global market we target for economic development.”

The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport also has

The air show kicked-off with a VIP reception where more than

greenfield sites, both inside-the-fence and outside-the-fence, with

500 attendees, many of which were top Airbus suppliers that are

runway access or the potential for runway access, which is an

expected to locate near the new plant, gathered at the Banqueting

attractive feature to many aviation companies. Because Bay County

Hall, in the historic royal palace in London (pictured on front cover).

is at the heart of seven military bases with an estimated 7,700

The reception was hosted by the Aerospace Alliance, an

people separating from the bases each year, military retirees,

organization made up of business leaders, economic development

often younger than civilian retirees, exit with an impressive resume

professionals and government officials, of which Neal Wade is the

and are equipped to fill high-skill occupations in the aviation,

chairman.

aerospace and defense industries.

Working with the Aerospace Alliance is one of Bay EDA’s

Northwest Florida and Bay County, in particular, are ready and

outreach efforts. The Alliance is made up of four states: Florida,

able to capitalize on the good news for Mobile. Bay County has

Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. It works to establish the

been preparing to access opportunities such as these since the

Southeast region as a world-class aerospace and aviation corridor.

concept of expanding the airport to accommodate a 10,000 foot

The common goal is simple - to promote the region’s assets and

runway. Now is the time for Bay County to reap the benefit of its

excellence in the aerospace industry. The success of the four-

years of planning and groundwork.

state alliance and the region will ultimately have a positive, trickle-down effect on the Bay EDA’s local efforts.

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

About the Cover The Banqueting House in Whitehall, London, a royal palace, originally was the property of the Archbishops of York. It was used to provide entertainment for Charles I, and was later the scene of his execution. Two canvasses adorn the ceiling measuring 28x20 ft and two others 40x10 ft. They were painted by Sir Peter Paul Rubens and installed in the hall in 1636. The three main canvasses depict The Union of the Crowns, The Apotheosis of James I and The Peaceful Reign of James I.

education: Karen Lee Tucker, Public Relations Specialist Audene Chung, Vice President of Chartwells School Dining Bay District Schools

Superintendent Bill Husfelt has said many times, “We are in the education business, and with looming and continuing budget challenges, we need to keep the focus on our primary responsibility - educating our youth.” The School Board and Superintendent have been forced to make many tough choices over the past four years, just for fiscal survival. Fortunately for our community, the tough choices paid off. As the shortfalls kept coming, the consideration of privatizing ancillary services became one more way to address budget issues. Chartwells, contracted for food services, is bound by its contract to return to the school district a profit of at least $750,000, but the return could be much higher. While food service is under new management, control of the program still remains with Bay District Schools. Change is difficult for many people, especially when it affects their livelihood. School district leaders have been attentive to making decisions that make the transition to Chartwells as painless as possible for employees. At the same time, they must serve the public trust with sound stewardship. “The Chartwells proposal was the most attractive to the selection committee and to me, mainly because it contained a commitment to take care of our employees,” Husfelt said. The company made good on its promise. The school board also approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to pay out all accumulated sick leave (within state guidelines) to food service employees who left the school district. Employees with five or fewer years until retirement were given the option to remain on the school district payroll. The decision to contract with Chartwells is timely since the new USDA requirements for school meals must be implemented this year. The broad changes have already been analyzed by the Chartwells staff and they have trained all food service employees on a completely new set of rules.

“Contracting with a company with vast resources and expertise in the food service industry allows us to focus our resources even more on our most valuable asset – our students.” Husfelt said. Chartwells School Dining Services is excited to join Bay District Schools, bringing employee and community support, along with its K-12 school food service expertise. Chartwells is an experienced food service leader dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles by serving nutritional meals, educating students, training associates and involving parents and the community – all while making school food service programs more enticing, healthy and efficient. “We always work hard to provide the best service to our schools so our associates, students,and local communities can be successful,” said Chartwells Vice President Genie Caroselli. “Since the start of our partnership, we have been working closely with Bay District Schools to make sure our team is strong and the transition to Chartwells is seamless.” Chartwells understands the importance of the Superintendent’s desire to retain its staff members. Food service associates serve local children throughout their school years, are a friendly face at lunch time, and are important members of the Bay District family. “Keeping our students happy starts with our associates – they are the face of the food service program because they interact with students every day,” said Julio Narvaez, Chartwells Food Service Director. “We have worked hard to ensure we could retain all Bay District employees at their current pay rates and hours, and give them the opportunity to continue working at their schools.” Chartwells will offer extensive training resources to all associates on topics such as food safety, sanitation, nutrition trends, customer service and culinary techniques. In addition, associates have access to competitive benefits, a variety of development and education opportunities, mentoring groups, and recognition programs to help associates grow and thrive. “We are proud to become a part of Bay District Schools and look forward to working with the district’s food service associates. The talents and experience of these associates, as well as their familiarity with the schools and students, is a great benefit to this new Chartwells program.” October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

Trends: cash Mobs:

What are they and how can they help your business written by Brittany Lewis

Flash Mobs: You’ve

gain new customers and get reacquainted with old customers”, said

probably seen them on

Segers. Around twenty shoppers attended Segers’ cash mob event

the news or online. One person

the Downtown Improvement Board held in August. Segers says

starts dancing and then other people, usually standing around,

they plan to start holding the mobs monthly, with a special one

follow suit. Bay County joined this trend when the Northwest

in December during their “Dickens of a Christmas” event.

Florida Beaches International Airport had a flash mob break out during its grand opening. While that trend has become somewhat

Want to organize a cash mob of your own to celebrate buying local? Here are some tips from www.cashmobs.wordpress.com:

of a normal occurrence, another “mob” is taking center stage

●

Spend $20

across the country.

●

Meet three new people

●

Have fun

Angela Segers with the Downtown Improvement Board says “A cash mob is similar to a “flash mob”. A group of people (friends

Segers also offers several tips to planning a successful cash mob;

and strangers) come together, in mass, to spend their money at a

she says it should be announced over a social networking site, such

locally-owned store to give the business a bit of an economic

as Facebook or Twitter, up to a week in advance. Planning on short

boost”. The National Trust for Historic Preservation says the first

notice will keep it spontaneous and the mob will have a better

mob appears to have been held in Buffalo, New York over a year

turnout. The business that the cash mob visits needs to be a local

ago. The movement started as a way to help local businesses in

business and the more diverse the better. If the store has something

a slow economy.

for everyone, the business will benefit and everyone can walk away

With the holiday season quickly approaching, a cash mob could

with a new treasure. Make sure a local restaurant is nearby and

be just the thing to help boost a local business. Segers recently

encourage the group to go for a meal or drinks after. A cash mob is

helped a downtown business using this method. “Cash mobs

simple to organize, but a great way to help your favorite local

benefit local businesses because they receive an influx of cash,

business. Help support Bay County by buying local!

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

Bay Young Professionals 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 target age group, 21-41, 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.

Colin McMichen, is an attorney with the law

firm of Manuel & Thompson and moved to Bay County after graduating from law school in 2008. At Manuel & Thompson, Colin represents individuals in the Florida Panhandle and Alabama in the areas of personal injury, insurance disputes, commercial litigation, and construction litigation. His interest in the law was sparked while working for a law firm as an undergraduate student. After graduating from Auburn University, he attended law school at Florida State University. While at law school, he met his wife Nicole, who is also a Panama City attorney. Since arriving in Bay County, Colin has been an active member of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and enjoys attending Chamber events to meet new people and see familiar faces. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club, St. Andrews Bay Inn of Court, and is an executive officer with the Bay County Bar Association. He was recently appointed as co-chairman of the First Saturday Legal Clinic, which provides free legal services to low income individuals.

Heather Radke Rich, is a Buyer/Planner

at Ingersoll Rand - Trane Company, Born and raised in Panama City, Florida, Heather graduated from Mosley High School in 1999. She attended Gulf Coast Community College and the University of West Florida, graduating with a degree in International Studies focused in Supply Chain Management and Logistics and a minor in Marketing. Upon graduation Heather has worked at The Bays Medical Society, The Irwin Brown Company as a Customs Broker at the Port of Panama City, and is currently working at Trane as Buyer/Planner where she is responsible for materials management. Heather spends much of her spare time volunteering in the community. She serves as a board member at the Humane Society of Bay County. With three dogs at home, the organization is something that is near and dear to her heart. During her tenure on the board of directors, one of the key concepts that she has implemented is a pet food program for the elderly in partnership with the Meals-On-Wheels program. In the surplus program, bags of dog and cat food are provided to help the fixed-income elderly keep their beloved pets at home despite their economic hardships. Also, Heather’s passion for helping children started at a young age when she volunteered at Southport Elementary. Having both parents as teachers in the public school system taught her the value of helping others. This now shows through her involvement as a member of the Panama City Kiwanis Club, an organization dedicated to helping children and their charities. Heather was recently a Brownie leader for a local Girl Scout Troop, “Being a Girl Scout when I was young and then having an opportunity to mentor the girls now was incredibly rewarding” she said. Heather enjoys being part of the Bay Young Professionals because of the opportunity to see Bay County from a new perspective through the site visits. Additionally, the relationships she has built with other Bay Young Professionals and Chamber Members has been rewarding both personally and professionally.

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

defense intel:

Navy Reduces Costs while Refurbishing Deep-Dive Rigs written by: Dan Broadstreet, NSWC PCD Public Affairs

Panama City’s Navy laboratory conducted validation dives July

“For example, from June 2011 through June 2012, the repair and

2012 with the Navy’s MK 16 MOD 1 Underwater Breathing

cleaning improvements achieved were equivalent to approximately

Apparatus’ (UBA) that will extend its service life into the next

two and one quarter Man Year’s worth of savings for the U.S.

decade. The MK 16 is a world-class unique diving rig capable of

Navy,” Hughson said, noting that measuring recent employees’

extreme depths in open sea water.

performance in comparison to the previous year showed that

According to Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) Diving and Life Support Functional Area Manager Wes

centralizing the depot in Panama City to have been a wise choice indeed.

Hughson, upgrade refurbishments like these were made possible

NSWC PCD Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Pratt explained

because Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) program

the diving rig’s mission and safety requirements are what make this

managers had the foresight to establish a Diving and Life Support

upgrade a significant accomplishment.

Depot (DLSD) at Panama City in 2009.

“Particularly its mission’s safety requirements,” Pratt said. “When

NSWC PCD is a field activity for NAVSEA, the largest single

we’re putting a diver at depth, there is absolutely no room for

business activity in the Navy and one of the largest business

mechanical or electrical failures in the rig’s architecture. And to

establishments in the federal government. The program managers

date, the Navy’s tradeoff analysis has not found any manufacturer

Hughson referenced are responsible for specialized military diver

able to replicate the MK 16 MOD 1 UBA as safely as our depot can,

programs.

Nor has industry been able to demonstrate the cost savings we’re

“The validation dives were done to verify the integrity of the

achieving.”

diving rig’s electronic circuitry upgrades,” Hughson said, adding that

Project Engineer Terry Adams said this upgrade marked the

with the Navy having centralized the depot at NSWC PCD,

completion of two and a half years of development, testing and

significant savings had been made.

fabrication of the new electronic control suite for the UBA.

BAY BIZ | April - June 2012

“This electronic upgrade will allow continued use of this UBA for an additional 10 years,” Adams said. “Not only does this provide a service life extension, but it also ensures sufficient spares to fabricate additional UBA platforms. Had this program not been successful, the Navy would have been forced to outsource for an alternate UBA at great expense in time and dollars to the U.S. government.” According to Hughson, by establishing NSWC PCD as the current MK 16 and Viper Depot several economic savings are realized by co-locating engineering, acquisition and depot-level functions together. “NAVSEA’s organizational analysis determined that co-locating a depot with its associated in-service engineering activities would capitalize on in-house expertise, streamline business processes and ensure the MK 16 UBA diving rig had expert maintenance support,” Hughson said. “For example, having these functional facilities centralized empowers NSWC PCD with the ability to rebuild or repair a depot item, which prevents us from having to purchase a new item. Also, locating the depot with NSWC PCD’s inventory minimizes expenses with the logistics delay when materials are located elsewhere, Hughson said. Pratt added by partnering with neighboring tenant command, Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU), the depot is able to achieve cost avoidances as well. “Our Diving and Life Support Depot’s partnership with NEDU adds to our ability to repair and oxygen clean items in one central location. This helps us avoid sending parts off base for cleaning, reducing logistics delay time and man hours spent,” Pratt said. “This type of direct Fleet support shortens the repair and cleaning process to less than two weeks, which significantly increases Fleet readiness and system availability,” Hughson added, “a significant saving to the taxpayer.”

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

1500

Smart consumers come to BBB|Northwest Florida for help and information an average of over

1,500

times a day.

7 in 10 consumers say they’d be more likely to buy from a company designated as a “BBB Accredited Business.”*

Start With Trust® Start with bbb.org or call 800.729.9226 to see how you may receive more customer referrals

*Princeton Survey Research Associates 2007

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

Workforce Connection By: Maria Goodwin Over the next year, the Gulf Coast Workforce Board is slated to place 160 individuals into new jobs as the result of the On the Job Training (OJT) program. Funded by a federal grant, the program is designed to help the unemployed gain skills in a new field while working to offset the costs of training new employees for local Kim Bodine, Executive Director businesses. – Gulf Coast Workforce Board The program is open to individuals in Bay, Gulf or Franklin counties that are unemployed and receiving unemployment compensation benefits or have exhausted their unemployment benefits. As part of the program, jobseekers will be placed into a job where they are able to earn

a livable wage while being retrained for a new career. It’s a great opportunity for those who are out of work to “learn while they earn”. Local businesses ready to hire may be eligible to participate in the OJT program and save their business thousands of dollars. Through the program, the Gulf Coast Workforce Board will recruit and prescreen eligible applicants based on the specific needs of the employer and then refer those qualified. Once an eligible participant is hired, the Gulf Coast Workforce Board will reimburse the employer for 50% to 90% of the trainees’ wages during the OJT period which averages 12 weeks. The program is set up to be simple with most of the paperwork handled by the Workforce Center. Furthermore, the program is designed to be hassle-free by providing prompt payments to employers and personalized assistance throughout the entire process. The Workforce Center’s OJT program is a limited time offer and certain restrictions do apply. For more information, please contact the Workforce Center at 850-873-4340 ext. 108.

Potential Savings for Employers at $14 per hour Employer’s Staff Size Up to 25 26-99 100+

Reimbursable Percentage 90% ($12.60) 75% ($10.50) 50% ($7.00)

12 Weeks Savings $6,048 $5,040 $3,360

Local Experts: Global Reach

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BUILD ON THE POWER OF OUR NETWORK October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

The CHAMBER MEMBERS SHARE THEIR BUSINESS NEWS

Biz lisT

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 and logo or photo to brittany@baychamberfl.com.

sources currently serves 220 clients over Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Minnesota. Over the past twenty five years Personnel Resources has provided employment for over 75,000 people. Local Artist Todd Allen Herendeen's song "My Name Is America" is getting more and more national attention. January 6th the song hit the #1 spot on the Indie World Country Chart. Todd has been honored to have been asked to perform the song at many military functions such as, including the Centennial Celebration for Marine Aviation in Orange Beach, AL. Todd has been invited to perform the patriotic anthem at the Statue of Liberty on October 28 of this year in New York for the 126th Anniversary.

On Friday, June 22nd, Personnel Resources celebrated 25 years in business at Landmark Park Stokes Activity Barn. Dothan Mayor, Mike Schmitz and President of Dothan Chamber of Commerce, Matt Parker, presented the company with a key to the city and proclaimed June 22nd as Personnel Resources day. Personnel Re24

Mr. Ed Stewart was named the 12th Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) Technical Director and promoted to Senior Executive Service (SES) corps effective Aug. 12, 2012. Stewart served as a NSWC Senior Scientific Technical Manager (SSTM) at NSWC Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Stewart possesses a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Old Dominion University.

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) scientist Dr. Harold R. Suiter has been named the 2011 Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientist and Engineer of the Year Award recipient in a letter signed by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research Development and Acquisition on June 29, 2012. Suiter, a native of Hillsboro, Ohio, is an optics expert in NSWC PCD's Intelligent Sensing and Irregular Warfare Branch and was one of four award recipients from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

Gulf Coast Medical Center, an affiliate of HCA, announces the appointment of Carlton Ulmer to the position of Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2012. Ulmer brings 16 years of healthcare administration expe-

rience to the role, most recently serving for six years as Chief Operating Officer at Redmond Regional Medical Center in Rome, GA. His prior experience includes serving as COO at Parkridge Medical Center in Chattanooga, TN, and in-service line administrator roles at Tulane University Hospital and Clinic in New Orleans, LA.

Gulf Coast Medical Center’s Rod Whiting has taken a new position with Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and will work with the company’s four Panhandle hospitals: Gulf Coast Medical Center, Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, Twin Cities Hospital, and West Florida Hospital. In his new role, Whiting will work with employers to help them identify and manage employee’s risk for preventable diseases. Whiting previously served as Marketing Director of Gulf Coast Medical Center. He is a native of Pensacola and a graduate of the University of West Florida.

The Bay County Tourist Development Council (TDC) has announced that three staff members have received top honors in their respective fields. Richard Sanders, Vice President of Sports Marketing, was awarded the Sports Leadership Award by Florida Sports, a division of Enterprise Florida, Inc. Bay County TDC’s Vice Presi-

dent of Marketing, Susan Estler, was named to the Advertising and Internet Committee of VISIT FLORIDA, the official tourism marketing corporation for the State of Florida. In the coming year, she will work with fellow members to guide the messaging of the destination, particularly Northwest Florida.

After an extremely successful year serving as Marketing and Research Coordinator, Dana Brown was selected for the 2012 Forty for the Future (Travel’s Leading Talent) award by the Southeast Tourism Society (STS), a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of tourism throughout the region. Brown was selected as demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities and contributing to a significant future for the travel and tourism industry in the United States.

Congressman Steve Southerland named Jonathan Hayes as his Chief of Staff. Hayes previously served as Campaign Manager for the Congressman during the 2012 election. Hayes was then promoted to District Director and now Chief of Staff. Hayes says he will be based in the district but will travel to/from D.C. as needed. Hayes has a B.S. Degree in Business Administration with a minor in Political Science.

Harrison Sale McCloy is proud to announce that Andrew B. Levy has joined the firm as a Partner to expand its Business and Commercial Law and Wealth Preservation practice. Mr. Levy brings significant practical commercial experience and serves as legal counsel for a number of businesses that operate in the Panhandle and nationwide, including among others, Crown Imports, LLC, the third largest beer company in the US.

Wine Spectator, the ultimate guide to all things “wine” recently released their 2012 list of award winners. Captain Anderson’s restaurant has earned the coveted Wine Spectator’s 2012 Award of Excellence. Capt. Anderson’s, a Panama City Beach tradition since 1967, has earned many awards throughout the years for their progressive wine list featuring some of the best wines from all over the world, and now the remarkable and historic Capt. Anderson’s Cellar Selection is presented to guests in a sleek, new interactive format… on an iPad.

Jason Pence has worked for Hearst Media and the LocalEdge for several years now here in Panama City. Through his involvement in the Bay County Chamber, Jason increased his digital advertising accounts in the area to the point he was noticed by his company. Hearst Media provides the opportunity for local business to partner with them and gain leads for a great ROI. Jason was able to help many businesses gain these needed leads. Doing so, Jason was recently promoted to Digital Sales Manager for the Bay Co. area.

The Rotary Club of Panama City, aka Downtown Rotary, bestowed The Paul Harris Fellow Award on Joseph K. Tannehill, Sr. on August 1st at its weekly meeting held at St. Andrew Bay Yacht Club. The award was one of special appreciation by the Club and was a surprise to Mr. Tannehill. He was recognized for his outstanding community service and for the ways in which his life exemplifies the humanitarian and educational objectives of The Rotary Foundation.

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

children and 6 grandchildren. She currently serves on the Central Panhandle Red Cross Advisory Board and is involved in numerous community activities.

August 1, 2012 Nerium International promoted Dawn Fleming to National Marketing Director. Ms. Fleming will be responsible for helping lead the company’s global expansion. Dawn has been instrumental in expanding the company’s regional growth since its launch in September 2011. She was a top producer and recipient of numerous awards and popular sales trainer at her previous company where she trained and mentored thousands of entrepreneurs. Ms. Fleming is a former business and corporate attorney with a strong background in International Business Transactions.

Gayle McLemore has been with SunTrust for 34 years and was recently promoted to City President. She began her career with Commercial Bank in 1978 which became SunTrust Bank in 1988. In 1992 she took on the role of Branch Manager and was later promoted to Area Manager in 2006 over Bay, Walton and Jackson counties. Gayle attended Gulf Coast College with a degree in business. Gayle and her husband Larry are natives of Panama City and have 3 26

Cove School 75th Anniversary Attention all Cove School Alumni! The 75th birthday of the Cove School building will be held October 14th. Do you have a photo to share? Contact Amy Moody at amoody@hnes.us or call 850.832.5582. Plans are to feature decade recognition for all alumni, a "History Trail" guidebook for the grounds, and the unveiling of the newest Paul Brent creation: The Cove School portrait (available for purchase on the website: www.holynativityschool.com). Do you have photos to share or questions to ask? Please contact Amy Moody amoody@hnes.us or (850)8325582.

St. Joe Company announces the promotion of Jorge Gonzalez to Senior Vice President, Development. Mr. Gonzalez is responsible for entitlements, business development and public relations/affairs for the Company, with an emphasis on the Port of Port St. Joe. Prior to joining St.

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

Joe in 2002, Mr. Gonzalez was a consultant in private practice. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Florida State University (FSU). He serves on the boards of numerous charitable and economicdevelopment organizations.

Innovations FCU is pleased to announce that Jeremy Hinton has recently joined our team as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining the Innovations’ team, Mr. Hinton was the Controller for CORE Credit Union in Statesboro, Georgia. He earned his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Georgia Southern University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Kennesaw State University. Mr. Hinton is a CPA and has been active in the credit union industry for several years, serving as a Board Member for the Coastal Empire Credit Union Chapter, as a Member of Georgia Corporate FCU’s Focus Group, and was a Member of Southwest Corporate’s Advisory Council.

The Panama City Downtown Improvement Board recently attended the Florida Festivals and Events Association (FFEA) Conference in Delray Beach, Florida and were thrilled to win (10) Gold, (1) Silver and (1) Bronze medal awards in 12 different categories and in 2 different budget categories. The Florida Festivals and Events Association (FFEA) is a statewide organization whose members are promoters and facilitators of festivals and events throughout the State of Florida.

Ron Sharpe, Director of Resource Development for United Way of Northwest Florida, was selected by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to attend a two-day Tax Credit Seminar September 19th and 20th in Washington D.C. This seminar will provide insight on how to recruit and raise community awareness regarding Earned Income Tax Credit and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.United Way of Northwest Florida has been involved in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) for the past four years. VITA is an IRS sanctioned program that trains volunteers to prepare simple tax returns for individuals and families with a low-tomoderate income.

&about

out

& 2012

out

Bay County Chamber Ambassadors at the Grand Opening of Lifeguard Ambulance Service.

Bay County Commissioners Bill Dozier, Mike Thomas and George Gainer along with Gulf County Commissioners Bill Williams and Warren Yeager at Congressman Southerland’s RESTORE Act Press Conference.

Junior Leadership Bay Steering Committee meeting with Bay District School officials.

Bay Young Professionals take a tour of the Bay County Emergency Operations Management Center.

Ambassadors Janice Hanks, Philomena Martrain, Bill Masker and Renee Stanley at July Business After Hours at the St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club.

Neal Wade, Dan Rowe, Governor Rick Scott, Carol Roberts and Beth Oltman in Destin at Governor Scott “Meet and Greet”.

Representative Jimmy Patronis, State Representative Lake Ray, and Tem Fontaine at the Freight Mobility and Trade Plan listening session at the Bay County Library.

5. 4.

about

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

best Practices for business Customer Liability written by Kristi Kirkland, Answer Marketing, Inc.

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern retail market sees less and less cash and a lot more debit, check, and credit cards. Reward miles, ATM withdrawal fees, and simple convenience are all driving people to pay more often with a swipe and less often with cash. What this means to you is it is almost impossible to be in

contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. These numbers can be

business and not collect or hold personally identifying information;

found in the blue pages of your telephone directory, by contacting

Social Security numbers, names and addresses, credit card numbers,

your local Chamber of Commerce or an online search engine for

or other account numbers about your clients, employees,

the number of the nearest office.

students, business partners, or patients. What we as business owners need to understand is that acting like an ostrich about our

Notifying Affected Businesses

responsibility will not make it go away. If this information falls into

This is not an easy task to do and a level of comfort will be

the wrong hands, it could put these individuals at risk for identity

compromised, but acting on the information as soon as it is

theft.

discovered will minimize the possible damages.

Information

As a responsible business owner, what steps should you take

compromises can have an impact on more than just your business;

and what agency do you contact if personal information is

it can reach as far as the banks or credit issuers. If account access

compromised? Although the answers vary from case to case, the

information like credit card or bank account numbers has been

following guidance from the Federal Trade Commission, the nation's

stolen from you, but you do not maintain the accounts, notify the

consumer protection agency, can help you make smart, sound

institution that does so that it can monitor the accounts for

decisions. We also recommend you check federal and state laws

fraudulent activity. If you collect or store personal information on

or regulations for any specific requirements for your business.

behalf of other businesses, notify them of any information compromise, as well.

Notifying Law Enforcement As soon as you know the compromise has the potential to

If names and Social Security numbers have been stolen, you can contact the major credit bureaus for additional information or

result in harm to a person or business, call your local police

advice. If the compromise may involve a large group of people,

department immediately. Report your situation in detail and the

advise the credit bureaus if you are recommending that people

potential risk for identity theft. The sooner law enforcement learns

request fraud alerts for their files. Your notice to the credit bureaus

about the theft, the more effective they can be. Account hack and

can facilitate customer assistance.

theft happen to the best of us. Having documentation of your early report will help with your business liability as well as

Take Early Action

minimizing the damages. If your local police are not familiar with

All consumer credit sources agree taking action early by having

investigating information compromises, contact the local office of

an 'Information Defense Company' do an analysis on your

the FBI or the U.S. Secret Service. For incidents involving mail theft,

technology, processes, and storage of sensitive information is the

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

first step, as well as looking into getting liability coverage. Most insurance companies provide tips to help protect you from being compromised when they are covering you for liability. In today's era of ever growing technology, trying to protect yourself with a blanket of protection over your company is difficult. Ignoring the situation is where the degree of liability will overwhelm you, so setting up safeguards acting in a defensive capacity instead of after the fact will reduce your liability and go a long way towards giving business owners and your clients' peace of mind.

Bay County Tourist Development Council Reports Record-Breaking

bed tax collections

Continuing a record-breaking 16-month period of increases in bed tax collections, the Bay County Tourist Development Council (TDC) has had its most successful month ever in July 2012. With collections topping $3 million, the record surpassed July 2011 by 1.6 percent, July 2010 by 50 percent and the previous record set in July 2007 by 30 percent. Previous months, May and June, were extremely successful as well, yielding 20 and 25 percent increases respectively. Year-to-date collections have additionally increased 12.5 percent over the previous fiscal year and have led to a larger budget for 2013, rising from $8 million in 2012 to $12 million in the upcoming year. Plans for the 2013 fiscal year include improving Aaron Bessant Park with a 5,000-square-foot permanent stage, additional parking and restrooms and three new soccer fields. These improvements are scheduled to be completed at the end of the year and will be a draw for travelers and sports visitors. TDC executives believe that continually expanding the offerings of events, activities and attractions in Bay County â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the venues in which they can be enjoyed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will be key in maintaining the growth in tourism. For more information on the Bay County Tourist Development Council marketing efforts, or upcoming events, please visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

{

demographics

economic profile Bay County Population: 168,852 Labor Force: 89,030 Households: 74,585 Per Capita Income: $29,357

insiGHts

Median Age: 40 Average Wage: $32,626 Household Income: $47,505

inside Bay County’s Economic Development Efforts

current labor statistics for bay county LABOR FORCE

EMPLOYED

UNEMPLOYED

UNEMPLOYED RATE

The EDA’s role in the community is the

Aug 12 Jul 12 Jun 12

92,163 93,014 92,530

84,888 85,365 85,070

7,275 7,649 7,460

7.9% 8.2% 8.1%

recruitment and retention of high-skill,

Aug 11 Jul 11 Jun 11

92,326 93,091 93,814

83,533 84,289 84,919

8,793 8,802 8,895

9.5% 9.5% 9.5%

economy. Industries that we generally

real estate sales

focus on are those that bring wealth

EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BAY COUNTY

FLORIDA

REALTOR SALES

MEDIAN PRICE

REALTOR SALES

MEDIUM PRICE

Aug 12 Jul 12 Jun 12

211 180 193

$137,950 $158,400 $164,450

18,669 17,420 18,800

$147,000 $148,000 $151,000

Aug 11 Jul 11 Jun 11

123 107 123

$147,900 $139,100 $133,900

16,206 15,517 17,597

$137,500 $136,500 $138,000

Aug 12 Jul 12 Jun 12

98 90 114

$191,000 $179,500 $200,000

8,767 7,779 9,202

$102,980 $102,000 $110,000

Aug 11 Jul 11 Jun 11

67 62 81

$162,000 $168,600 $138,900

7,098 6,619 7,922

$91,100 $90,900 $94,100

into a community by exporting their goods and services to customers outside the local market and those that do not rely on the local economy for in-

EXISTING CONDOMINIUMS

come. Their primary markets are outside of the community and they can locate anywhere their labor, business costs

bay county building permits RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

Aug 12 Jul 12 Jun 12

29 23 12

4 2 2

Aug 11 Jul 11 Jun 11

11 7 12

2 4 8

and supplier network is available and competitive.

One of the EDA’s most important mar-

bay county sales tax collections GROSS SALES

TAXABLE SALES

TAX COLLECTIONS

Jul 12 Jun 12 May 12

$612,141,932 $474,616,129 $494,849,601

$343,501,998 $274,914,116 $262,527,620

$20,959,556 $17,088,398 $16,046,737

Jul 11 Jun 11 May 11

$716,688,753 $466,898,537 $464,862,550

$324,837,520 $255,867,478 $259,178,812

$19,840,582 $15,954,575 $15,969,570

high-wage jobs while creating a diverse

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

keting tools is its website. Launched in July, the EDA’s brand new website, www.BayEDA.com, showcases all of the

economic development assets in Bay County. One of the exciting new features of the website is the Sites & Build-

october - December 2012

ings database. Now, realtors, brokers, owners and any other interested party may submit a property to the website allowing site selection consultants and company executives to search existing inventory in Bay County. If you have a commercial space that you would like to submit to us, visit bayeda.com, click on the “Site Selection” tab and go to “Submit a Site”. The EDA is marketing this

bay county bed tax collections PANAMA CITY BEACH

MEXICO BEACH

Jul 12 Jul 11 % Change

$3,009,385.67 $2,962,268.09 1.59%

$69,832.22 $91,260.55 -23.48%

Jun 12 Jun 11 % Change

$2,737,780.66 $2,283,400.92 19.90%

$81,818.22 $68,049.69 20.23%

May 12 May 11 % Change

$1,408,512.00 $1,127,248.59 24.95%

$40,053.32 $31,337.85 27.81%

northwest florida beaches international airport passenger traffic TOTAL PASSENGERS

COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS

Jul 12 Jun 12 May 12

94,157 95,590 87,398

1,236 1,463 1,294

Jul 11 Jun 11 May 11

87,545 83,626 83,523

1,306 1,348 1,429

new tool across the country to site consultants and companies with poten-

national, state & local unemployment rate - January 1990 -august 2012

tial expansion plans and will build upon it to keep it fresh and current.

The EDA welcomes your feedback on the site. If you have any suggestions, please contact them at 850.215.3365. They hope you will visit it often for the latest economic development news and data in Bay County.

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

{new Members. for october - december 2012 Academy of Eye Care (850) 769-1404 (850) 769-0748 pceyecare@gmail.com 826 Harrison Ave. Panama City,FL32401 Taco Bell 23rd St. (850) 763-1555 tacojulie@comcast.net 4020 W. 23rd St. Panama City,FL32405 Glass Doctor (850) 785-4527 (850) 785-4118

Adams Business Solutions (850) 319-4205 lauree@adamsbusinesssolutions.com

6429 Zinnia St. Panama City,FL32404 Precision Tune (850) 767-0444 (850) 767-9994 bbarnes@hotmail.com 1214 Airport Rd. Panama CIty,FL32401

1503-A Gulf Ave. Panama City,FL32405

American Business Technologies (850) 270-3311 info@ABTwebsites.com 731 Airport Rd., Ste G Panama City,FL32405

Granite Plus LLC (850) 236-6363 ron@graniteplusfl.com 17801 Ashley Dr. Panama City Beach,FL32417

Super China Buffet (850) 785-6688 (850) 785-8811 232 S. Tyndall Pkwy. Panama City,FL32404

The Willis Conservatory of Ballet (850) 236-1555 willisballet@yahoo.com 7702 McElvey Rd. Panama City Beach,FL32408

Bob Evans Restaurant (850) 914-8527 (850) 914-8529 felicia.wilson@bobevans.com 1000 E. 23rd St. Panama City,FL32405

glassdoctor.panamacity@yahoo.com

Pirate Cruise (850) 234-7400 info@piratecruise.net 5325 N. Lagoon Dr. Panama City Beach,FL32408 The NeuroPain Center (850) 215-7093 (850) 215-7096 chiers@neuropain.net 1931 MLK Blvd. Panama City,FL32405

Blue Heron Fine Gifts (850) 588-8008 (850) 588-8122 dbrown@sprynet.com 11260 PCB Parkway, Ste 104 Panama City Beach,FL32407 Mainstreet Broadband (470) 213-1919 sbrown@mainstreetbb.com 4106 Sunrise Trail Chipley,FL32428

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

DeTect, Inc (850) 763-7200 gary.andrews@detect-inc.com 1902 Wilson Ave. Panama City,FL32405 Whataburger (850) 228-7635 swhite@wbhq.com 2401 S. Hwy 77 Lynn Haven,FL32444 May's Mini Mart & More (850) 557-0723 mayphilipe@yahoo.com 14340 Hwy 231 Youngstown,FL32466 Omega Technologies LLC (850) 272-0943 jason@omegatechllc.com 1399 Millsprings Rd. Grand Ridge,FL32442 Answer Marketing Inc. (850) 215-7667 (850) 215-8889 info@answermarketing.net 1104 Magnolia Ave. Panama City,FL32401 4PSA (850) 250-1118 mross@4psa.com 3001 W. 10th St., Unit 610 Panama City,FL32401 Taco Bell Lynn Haven (850) 271-5877 (850) 265-0544 tacojulie@comcast.net 2005 S. Hwy 77 Lynn Haven,FL32444

Bodiford Realty, Inc. (850) 769-4571 (850) 873-6078 cmayobodiford@comcast.net PO Box 15105 Panama City,FL32406 Your Car Connection (850) 914-0809 yourcarconnection@comcast.net 1503 St. Andrews Blvd. Panama City,FL32405 The Old Broads and The Frog (850) 319-3608 theoldbroadsandthefrog@yahoo.com

9601 Bearfoot Blvd. Panama City,FL32404 Defense Contract Development (810) 966-8987 gina@truenorthco.com PO Box 160128 Port Huron,MI48061 Steven Walters Training (850) 570-5188 swalters37@comcast.net 17113 Guava Ave. Panama City Beach,FL32417 J Michael's 390 (850) 215-4355 suebherring@bellsouth.net 3931 Highway 390 Panama City,FL32405 Legal Shield/Go Small Biz.com (908) 246-8938 (850) 230-4351 hjp@legalshield.com 6527 Sunset Ave. Panama City Beach,FL32408

Victory Landscaping Mr. Patrick Garner (850) 774-6739 patrick_garner@ymail.com 7305 Claudia Way Panama City,FL32404

Rum Runners (850) 233-0404 dmartin@rumrunnersusa.com 15801 LC Hilton Jr. Dr. Panama City Beach,FL32413

Mexico Beach Marina/ Edgewater nate@mexicobeachmarina.com PO Box 13117 Mexico Beach,FL32410

The Hearing Shoppe (850) 387-0119 howard@thehearingshoppe.com 24 W. 8th St. Panama City,FL32401

Memberanniversaries

Money Mizer Pawn & Jewelers (850) 215-3800 moneymizerofpanamacity@gmail.com

2424 W. 23rd St. Panama City,FL32405 Project Style (850) 588-7771 projectstylesalonandspa@yahoo.com

12115 PCB Parkway Panama City Beach,FL32407 Workout Anytime PCB (850) 708-1247 cgately@workoutanytime.com 12117 PCB Parkway Panama City Beach,FL32407 Prompt-Pro Carpet Care (850) 747-3643 darrellcwilson1@gmail.com 1703 Louise Ave. Panama City,FL32401 Total Merchant Services (850) 215-7001 garvinadvertising@yahoo.com 7231 Market St. Panama City,FL32404

Recognizing renewing members for their dedication at 5 year intervals for October-December 2012 Onyx - 5 Years

Opal - 15 Years

Appleman & Trucks Law Offices Davita PC Dialysis/Coastal Kidney Center Henkle Law Firm Mad Hatter Automotive Center Panama City POPS Orchestra Value Place Viamedia Wiregrass Warehouse

BankTrust Bay, Franklin, Gulf Healthy Start Coalition Inc. Del-Jen El Governor Motel LocalEdge Thompson Tractor Co.

Emerald - 20 Years Ruby - 10 Years CK Secrets Elliott Brothers Paint & Body Inc. Wells Printing Co. WilsonMiller Stantec

B & S Liquors, Inc.

Silver - 25 Years First Baptist Church

Gold- 50 Years Barron & Redding, P.A. (55 Years)

Pinnacle Hammock Square (850) 481-0620 (850) 481-0624 hammocksquare@pmiflorida.com 2206 Hammock Square Dr. Lynn Haven,FL32444 Fusion Fitness Center (850) 248-3800 julio@fusionfitnesspc.com 3203 Minnesota Ave. Panama City,FL32404 At Home Comforts Pet Sitting (850) 774-3840 michelle@ahcpetsitting.com PO Box 15055 Panama City,FL32406 Standard Service Company LLC (850) 625-2115 standardserviceco@gmail.com 2812 W. 23rd St., Ste B Panama City,FL32405

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

Florida State University Panama City Exceeds 2009 Enrollment Growth Goal

written by Gail Robbins

Growth Continues with FSU Board of Trustees Approval of 4-year Academic Plan for the Campus. In 2009 the Florida State University Panama City Blue Ribbon

B.S. program is one of only a small number of online programs in

Committee established a target enrollment growth goal for the

the nation that is ABET accredited. ABET, Inc. is the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading

campus of 1,400 students by fall 2012. Final enrollment numbers

accrediting organization for college and university programs in

for the fall 2012 semester confirmed that the target goal had

applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. An online

been exceeded with a total of 1,417 students. This represents the

Computer Science B.A. degree is also available.

fourth consecutive year that enrollment at FSU Panama City

On June 8, 2012, Florida State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Trustees

continued on an upward trend, increasing by 11.4% from the same

approved a limited four-year academic plan for FSU Panama City.

time in 2011. Fall enrollment at FSU Panama City has increased by

The new academic plan allows the Panama City campus to offer a

44.6% since fall 2008 when headcount was 980.

limited range of general education and lower-level courses that

Increased interest in online degree programs in Social Work,

are focused on and support the upper-level degree majors offered

Computer Science, Public Safety and Security and Event

at FSU Panama City. This historic decision will allow admission of

Management contributed to the enrollment increase. Computer

the first class of freshman students at FSU Panama City in fall

Science programs have experienced explosive growth since fall

2013.

2011, posting an 86.4% increase in one year. The Computer Science 34

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

The move to a four-year plan for FSU Panama City will

maximize use of facilities and resources readily available at the

According to projections from

campus. The new Holley Academic Center and other facilities

the Florida Department of

completed at FSU Panama City in 2009 can accommodate future

Economic Opportunity, more

enrollment growth of an additional 1,000 to 1,200 students. It

than 905 jobs will be needed

also positions the campus to better assist in meeting critical state

each year throughout 2019

and regional workforce needs, particularly in the science,

requiring

technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

baccalaureate degree.

least

The courses will afford greater opportunity for students to

Florida State University

begin and complete their Florida State University degrees at FSU

Panama City is a full-service

Panama City, impacting the economic viability of the region.

branch campus and also the home

Florida

State

University’s newest academic college, the College of Applied Studies. In the 2013 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges”, Florida State University was ranked #42 among public “national” universities. FSU was ranked #14 in Forbes 2012 Top 100 Best Buy Colleges. When measuring value, factors such as academic quality, admission rates, retention and the institution’s four-year graduation rate are considered. All of the 24 degree programs at FSU Panama City provide students the same nationally recognized degree offered by the main campus in Tallahassee.

Free Employment Services for Businesses P Post ost JJob ob O Openings penings

Recruit Recruit & Screen Screen Candidates Candidates

Access Access Current Current Labor Labor Market Market Data Data

An A n equal oppor opportunity tunity employer/program. employer/program. Auxiliary Auxiliary aids and services services ar are e aavailable vailable upon rrequest equest to to individuals with disabilities. disabilities. TTY T TY 1-800-955-8771 or 771.

For F or more more information information call call (850) 872-4340 or or visit visit www.workforcecenter.org www.workfforcecenter.org October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ

{calendar

for a detailed listing of chamber and community events visit

www.panamacity.org

2 5

october new Members 411 breakfast

Chamber Boardroom (235 West 5th Street) 8:30-9:30 a.m. Free for new members or those new to a members organization RSVP to Don@baychamberfl.com or 215.3753

first friday

FSU-PC Holley Center (4750 Collegiate Drive) Networking: 7:30 a.m./ Program 8:00 a.m. Sponsored by: Lifeguard Ambulance Service Program: Meet the Candidates Free event for Bay County Chamber members and Chamber invited guests

Healthcare reform: What You need to Know now

16 30 31

FSU-PC Holley Center (4750 Collegiate Drive) Registration: 9:00 a.m./ Program 9:15 a.m. Sponsored by: The Clemons Company For more information contact Elizabeth@baychamberfl.com

2 5 16

Bay County Chamber of Commerce Events dates, times and locations subject to change.

november first friday

FSU-PC Holley Center (4750 Collegiate Drive) Networking: 7:30 a.m./Program 8:00 a.m. Sponsored by: Life Management Program: TBD For more information contact Jill@baychamberfl.com

bay Young Professionals social Paint Your art out

Visual Arts Center (19 East 4th Street) 5:00-8:00 p.m. For more information contact Elizabeth@baychamberfl.com

Mac Golf tournament

Pelican Point Golf Course- Tyndall Air Force Base 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information contact Tamara@baychamberfl.com

business after Hours

Visual Arts Center (19 East 4th Street) 5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. Sponsored by: Acentria and the Visual Arts Center Contact Jill@baychamberfl.com for more information

non-Profit sustainability summit

FSU-PC Holley Center (4750 Collegiate Drive) Time: TBD Sponsored by: Doral Bank and FSU-PC For more information contact Elizabeth@baychamberfl.com

Getting the Grant from research to thank You

Bay County Chamber (235 W. 5th Street) Registration 9 a.m. / Program 9:15 a.m.-4 p.m. (lunch included) For more information contact Elizabeth@baychamberfl.com

BAY BIZ | October - December 2012

7 11

december first friday

FSU-PC Holley Center (4750 Collegiate Drive) Networking: 7:30 a.m./Program 8:00 a.m. Sponsored by: Workforce Center Program: Holiday For more information contact Jill@baychamberfl.com

business after Hours

FSU-PC Holley Center (4750 Collegiate Drive) 5:30-7 p.m. Sponsored by: The Eye Center, Panhandle Educators Federal Credit Union, AL.Com For more information contact Jill@baychamberfl.com

October - December 2012 | BAY BIZ