Special Report: North Port

A GREAT PLACE FOR YOU–AND YOUR BUSINESS– TO CALL HOME

Founded in 1959, North Port is a young, dynamic city with an unwavering commitment to quality of life: outstanding schools, an abundance of parks and recreational facilities, a state-of-the-art performing arts center and excellent municipal services. The business climate is positive and full of potential too. “Housing permits continue to increase, commercial construction continues to trend upward and the city’s small businesses tell us they are growing and prospering,” City Manager Jonathan Lewis reported in his recent State of the City address. Impact fees and utility and land costs are among the lowest in Southwest Florida.

The workforce is young and skilled (with a further investment in job training to come with the 2016 opening of the North Port campus of the Sarasota County Technical Institute), and its proximity to I-75 makes the rest of the region easily accessible.

That’s why Forbes ranked North Port among the Top 100 for America’s business and careers.

“Our company has grown as a direct result of our location.

We relocated here after more than 15 years in Texas. North Port is conveniently located near many transportation hubs and right on the interstate system.

The work force is available and skilled. And the city boasts of a wonderful year-round climate.”

Kevin Harris, CEO of Hot Sauce Harry’s which sells custom-labeled hot sauces to a national market and Canada

CityofNorthPort.com

SPONSORED REPORT

SPONSORED REPORT

SPONSORED REPORT

One of the fastest-growing and largest cities in Florida, North Port is the lead city in the North Port-BradentonSarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

Strategically located in Sarasota County between Tampa and Fort Myers on Florida’s Gulf Coast

Jamie Lovern, founder and CEO, Lolablue, manufacturer of eco-lux candles and soaps

Excellent access to

75

6

and international, regional and municipal airports

60,659 Total population, nearly tripled since the year 2000

11

PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

6

elementary schools

CityofNorthPort.com

Home to the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, and serviced by State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota and Edison State College

$49,239 40.9 Median household income

DIVERSE HOUSING

1 hour’s drive from the Port of Manatee, the closest deepwater seaport to the Panama Canal

3

middle schools

2

high schools

89.4%

STRONG EDUCATIONAL ASSETS

6

Housing options for every income level, including 2 agriculturally zoned sections, North Port Estates and Woodland Estates

GREAT LOCATION “North Port’s policies allow smaller businesses the leniency sometimes necessary to make it through the early stages of growth and expansion, and there is much greater personal, direct access to city officials than you might find in larger cities.”

HOME TO

Median age

of residents have a high school diploma or higher

gated communities (3 of them golf course communities) and

3

deed-restricted communities

NATURE ENVIRONMENT FEST The 1,023-seat North Port Performing Arts Center is the secondlargest theater in Sarasota County

FIRECRACKER 5K RUN

POINSETTIA PARADE AND FESTIVAL – just some of the community events that take place year-round

CULTURE AND RECREATION

ACHIEVE ANYTHING IN NORTH PORT Second-best metro area in Florida to work for small business – Wallet Hub, 2014 Ranked among Top 15 Cleanest Cities in the U.S. – American Lung Association, 2014 Named a Playful City USA for the fourth consecutive year – Humana Foundation, 2014 Ranked in Top 100 for America’s business and careers – Forbes Magazine, 2014 Ranked in Top 10 Digital Cities survey for the third consecutive year – Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities, 2013 Ranked No. 2 U.S. Best Place to Live (affordable homes) – CNN Money, 2012

16.7% have a bachelor’s degree or higher

HEALTHY DEMOGRAPHICS

“A great benefit of being in North Port is our ability to recruit talent to an area where they would want to live. With the quality of life being so important to people these days, it helps when your facility is in a great location such as North Port.”

Jeffrey King, President, King Plastic Corporation

For more information about the City of North Port, Florida, call 1-8NORTHPORT (1-866-784-7678). And discover more about the City of North Port at CityofNorthPort.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

PEOPLE TO

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As we celebrate our community’s big thinkers and change makers, we also thank our sponsors for their support of this exceptional group.

SPONS OR ED BY