Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County

We want to extend a BIG thank you to EDC Investor, Truist. As our team continues to work diligently to enhance and strengthen Sarasota County's economy, the granted the EDC's foundation branch, the Economic Development Foundation of Sarasota County (EDF), a $35,000 grant to help the EDC better achieve our mission. The grant enabled the EDC to establish the Sarasota County Connect Series, which brought together over 70 attendees for each of the four free workshops, each highlighting valuable business practices for entrepreneurs.

Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspiring and building better lives and communities. As a leading U.S. Commercial bank, Truist has leading market share in many of the high-growth markets across the country. Truist offers a wide range of products and services through their wholesale and consumer businesses, including consumer and small business banking.

As Sarasota's oldest and largest law firm, Williams Parker Attorneys at Law successfully opened its second location at Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch last year. The firm provides a wide array of services to clients across Southwest Florida and beyond. The expansion of Williams Parker will allow the firm to reach a greater extent, increase its capabilities, and serve the Sarasota County business community on a broad scale.

Thank you to EDC Investor Williams Parker for supporting our mission as we work together to diversify Sarasota County's economy.

Williams Parker is comprised of more than 45 attorneys. The firm serves clients globally through its membership in Ally Law, an international alliance of law firms with a membership of nearly 75 firms and 3,000 lawyers in 100 business centers worldwide.

To read the full press release, click here: https://www.williamsparker.com/news/williams-parker-opens-second-office-location-at-waterside-place-in-lakewood-ranch/.

We're delighted to announce Dr. Alex Beaver as one of our distinguished panelists for the 2024 Annual Meeting!

Dr. Alex Beavers is a high-technology executive, entrepreneur, and author, currently serving as the Chief Innovation Officer at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, a member of the Board of Trustees at Ringling College of Art and Design, and an instructor for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. His career highlights include leading technology commercialization at Stanford Research Institute, founding CEO of two Silicon Valley ventures, CEO of CAD/CAM and CEO of Thompson Industries. He holds a BSEE from Vanderbilt University, an MSEE and PhDEE from the University of Houston, and an MBA from Boston University. Beavers has one patent, over 25 published papers, and is the author of two books.

Don’t miss the chance to hear Dr. Beavers share his insights—join us for an event you won’t want to miss! Get your tickets here: https://ow.ly/80qA50SXJB8

The Venice Area Board of Realtors hosted its July Membership Meeting, at which EDC's VP of Economic Development Josh Ewen presented to more than 70 attendees. His presentation included economic trends and Sarasota County's competitiveness.

The Venice Area Board of REALTORS® (The Board), chartered by the National Association of REALTORS in 1956, has over 1200 REALTORS® and Affiliate Members serving the Venice Area. The Board provides members with numerous educational opportunities and credit courses to maintain their licenses, as well as coordinating the Multiple Listing Service and lock box system. Board members have been involved with several community organizations and events over the years.

We're excited to announce Vladimir Ljesevic as one of our esteemed panelists for our 2024 Annual Meeting!

Vlad is a dynamic leader and innovator with experience across various industries. He is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of CMPSE (pronounced 'Compose'), a technology consulting and software development firm, which guides companies through their digital evolution and delivers innovative solutions for them. Outside of Compose he co-founded https://ow.ly/8Z1q50SXL98, a non-profit that is on a mission to connect the dots within the local tech community.

Join us as Vlad shares his insights into the tech forecast for Sarasota County. This is an event you won't want to miss! Get your tickets here: https://ow.ly/Nwx950SXL99

We're thrilled to announce Rick Severance as one of our distinguished panelists for the 2024 Annual Meeting!

As President of Wellen Park Florida, one of America's largest and fastest-selling master-planned communities, Rick brings over 25 years of experience in community development, consulting, and financial performance to Mattamy Homes. Since joining in June 2019, he has rebranded the 11,000-acre master plan and overseen the development and sale of real estate assets to various sectors. Rick's prior roles include President of Babcock Ranch, the first solar city in the US, CEO of Seaside Community Development Company, and Senior VP at The St. Joe Company. He also owned the international consulting firm New Vector Limited and began his career with Ernst & Young.

Join us as Rick shares his insights , this is an event you won't want to miss! Get your tickets here: https://ow.ly/HiSs50SXJBg

Congratulations to Sarasota Memorial Health Care System's (SMH) - Sarasota for earning top marks in the U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 "Best Hospitals" list! This year's rankings place SMH among the nation's 50 "Best Hospitals" in America for rehabilitation and among the nation's top 10% for 23 other "high-performing" specialties, procedures, and conditions.

It is because of our wonderful EDC Investors, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, and their continued dedication as we work together to drive business diversification and prosperity in Sarasota County.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System offers Southwest Florida's greatest breadth and depth of care, with 1.7 million patient visits annually across its network of locations and services. Its flagship 897-bed Sarasota hospital has been recognized among the nation's best, with superior outcomes. It is the only hospital in Sarasota County that provides maternity services, newborn intensive care, pediatrics, trauma care, and behavioral health services for patients of all ages. The public health system recently opened several new facilities to enhance residents' access to care, including Sarasota Memorial Hospital – Venice, the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, and the Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion.

To view the press release, click here: https://www.smh.com/Home/News-Events/Release/us-news-ranks-sarasota-memorial-among-nations-best-for-24-types-of-care.

Congratulations to Brett Henson, a former EDC Board Member, on his new position as a Shareholder at Carlton Fields' Construction Practice in Tampa! Brett served on the EDC Board of Directors from 2021 to 2024. We thank Brett for his years of dedication, hard work, and participation while serving as a board member and wish him all the best in his new professional endeavor!

EDC Investor, TECO Peoples Gas, is working hard to raise awareness of 811 Day. Floridians are highly encouraged to before digging. Did you know a complex network of wires, cables, and pipelines is underground? The contents are usually closer to the surface than people may think.

One free, simple call to 811 makes it easy for Sunshine 811 to notify utility companies of a person's intent to dig. Peoples Gas has a team of locators who visit job sites and mark buried natural gas lines around homes and businesses - but only if there's a call to 811 to let them know. Peoples Gas locators responded to more than 570,000 requests to locate and mark underground natural gas lines in 2023. However, about half of the 1,700 instances of damage to natural gas systems last year were situations where no call was made to 811 to mark the area.

Peoples Gas System Inc., Florida's largest natural gas distribution utility, serves nearly 490,000 homes and businesses across the state. The company's mission is to make life better for communities by delivering safe, resilient, efficient, and affordable natural gas energy solutions. Through investments in people, technology, infrastructure and environmentally focused innovations, the company is committed to fueling Florida's clean energy future responsibly and sustainably. Peoples Gas is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. To learn more about the benefits of natural gas for Florida, visit FloridasEnergy.com. Find more information about the company, its culture, career opportunities and community investments at PeoplesGas.com.

To view the full press release, click here: https://www.peoplesgas.com/mediacenter/2024/On-811-Peoples-Gas-Reminds-Floridians-to-Call-811-Before-Digging/

The EDC provides services for Sarasota County's Creative Industries sector, including film permitting, film liaison services, business retention, and business attraction.

Our team members had the opportunity to check in with Ringling College of Art and Design's Studio Labs, the first commercial and academic film and post-production facility in Florida. Studio Director Nick Palladino and Studio Coordinator Troy Logan showed off the capabilities of the 36,000 Sq. Ft. complex with its five professional, acoustically-isolated soundstages, as well as 5,000 Sq. Ft. of post-production space complete with editing suites, recording studio, Foley stage, Color Grading suite, 7.1 mix room, and an 18-seat Dolby ATMOS® Dub Stage. The Studio Labs has also recently added Storyvox LED Wall XR systems to its world-class service offerings. The facility is open to local and national commercial clients seeking access to world-class film and post-production facilities in Sarasota County and Florida.

To learn more, visit http://www.ringlingcollegestudiolabs.com/.

Nearly 14 years ago, Medical Products started in an open warehouse in Sarasota County. The EDC team was recently connected with CEO/President/CSO Dr. Walter Leise III to catch up on the latest advancements at the MedTech manufacturing company, which currently has 45 employees and occupies 18,000 sf at the Sarasota International Trade Sarasota. The company manufactures and sells a series of healthcare adhesive tapes, skin and wound care products, ostomy care, and pouches. The EDC continues to see great potential from MedTech companies expanding in Sarasota County and wishes Sarasota Medical Products the best as it grows its global business footprint.

To learn more, visit https://www.sarasotamedical.com/.

EDC President & CEO Erin Silk was a guest correspondent for SRQ Magazine's Saturday Perspectives edition. In the article, she highlighted the incredible accomplishments the EDC is celebrating during its 20th anniversary.

Check out the full article listed below:

EDC of Sarasota County Celebrates 20 Years - SRQ Daily Jul 27, 2024 Get fresh stories about our hometown in your inbox. Every day, we'll send you the latest local news, restaurants, philanthropy, shopping, recreation, community events, business and more. Perfect to enjoy over your morning coffee!

Michael Saunders & Company's corporate philosophy is giving back to the communities where they live and work. The MSC Foundation was born from a desire to expand a legacy of philanthropy and involve its dedicated agents and staff in giving. MSC Foundation is able to fund grants to well-deserving organizations whose important work improves the quality of life along the Gulf Coast. Naturally, they don't stop there. Going well beyond financial contributions, many of their team members donate hundreds of volunteer hours each year, serving on boards, serving others, and much more. In short, their work to make the community a better place is equally important as their work to make Michael Saunders & Company® the most dynamic, customer-centric real estate firm on Florida's West Coast. Thank you to EDC Investor, Michael Saunders & Company for supporting the mission of the EDC and helping make Sarasota County a thriving business community!

Michael Saunders & Company's strong reputation over the last 43 years is in responding to customer needs in the real estate market. They have compiled the most exceptionally seasoned real estate professionals to help satisfy customers and buyers. In direct response to their customers' desires, they provide services in residential sales, commercial sales, new home and condominium sales, relocation, corporate management, mortgage, and title services. With 24 offices strategically positioned along the Florida Gulf Coast, they are devoted to being the number one choice for a full array of real estate services.

The EDC Edge July 2024 edition has been published!

To check it out, click the link below. If you are interested in subscribing and having our monthly newsletter sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up by emailing [email protected]. Our monthly newsletter is typically published on the second Wednesday of every month at 9:00 a.m.

EDC Edge July 2024 July 2024 Monthly President & CEO Update   Join us in celebrating our 20th Anniversary! Tickets are now on sale for our 2024 Annual Meeting! Join us on Thursday, September 12th, as we celebrate this s

This Spring, Hotwire Communications participated as a presenting sponsor at Wellen Park's Second Annual Half Marathon and 5K, an event that was designed to be inclusive of all age groups. The half marathon was open to runners 15 and older, while the 5K welcomed both runners and walkers of all ages, demonstrating the event's broad appeal and community engagement.

Thank you to EDC Investor, Hotwire Communications for being an active collaborator as we work together to drive the business community forward in Sarasota County!

Hotwire Communications is one of the nation's leading providers of fiber optic telecommunications services specializing in delivering its advanced suite of services to unique market segments. Through its Fision Home, Fision Work, Fision Stay, Fision U, Fision Encore and Fision Govt market verticals Hotwire Communications provides advanced, customized, fiber optic telecommunications team has been providing telecommunications services since 2000, and Hotwire has been providing fiber based telecommunications services since 2005. To learn more, visit ttps://hotwirecommunications.com/.

Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) focuses its impact on six initiatives, such as civic and economic development. Gulf Coast is committed to moving the region toward an innovation-based economy. Recently, Gulf Coast awarded CareerEdge, the workforce development initiative led by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, a $150,000 grant. CareerEdge will utilize the grant to implement demand-driven strategies, including Fast-Track training programs, on-the-job training, internship reimbursement programs, and employer funding to upskill employees.

It is because of our fantastic EDC Investors, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and their continued dedication as we work together to drive business diversification and prosperity in Sarasota County.

Headquartered in Venice, and with a second office in downtown Sarasota, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation has transformed the region through bold and proactive philanthropy for nearly 30 years. Serving the needs of the region as a partner in philanthropy and leader in community initiatives, Gulf Coast has surpassed granting over $550 million in the areas of: health and human services, civic and economic development, education, arts and culture, and the environment. Gulf Coast was named one of the “Best Nonprofits To Work For” nationally by The NonProfit Times in 2010, 2011, 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2023. To learn more, visit https://www.gulfcoastcf.org/.

FleetForce Truck Driver Training is an innovative program with a campus located on the Suncoast. In a matter of four weeks, an individual can obtain a CDL Truck Driving license that will allow them to make a high-wage salary. FleetForce is assisting in uplifting the workforce in the state of Florida and locally. With thousands of truck drivers retiring each year, FleetForce Truck Driver Training is helping to fill the demand.

As an EDC Investor, FleetForce Truck Driving Training is helping support the EDC mission of diversifying the local economy and also providing preparation for high-skilled, high-wage, and in-demand jobs.

FleetForce is one of Florida's oldest and largest CDL Truck Driving Schools. Their Proprietary Entry-Level Driver Training Program is a 160-hour, industry-specific program developed in collaboration with State Representatives and national employers. They specialize in the development and implementation of customized CDL training programs for their corporate partners across America who want to expand aggressively. FleetForce is a licensed third-party CDL Test Administrator for the State of Florida, and they offer refresher courses for those looking to brush up on their driving skills. To learn more, visit https://www.fleetforcetruckdrivingschool.com/.

starts by celebrating. At the EDC, we are celebrating the success of the Sarasota County Connect Summer Series. From April to July, the EDC and numerous community partners worked together to host free workshops that focused on providing educational and beneficial resources to Sarasota County's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Attendance and engagement at each workshop exceeded expectations. Thank you to all community partners who collaborated with us to produce the series: , Wellen Park Florida, 26 West Center, The City of North Port - Government, Venice Area Chamber of Commerce, North Port Area Chamber of Commerce, and Englewood Chamber. 26 West Center at SCF was the program provider for the Sarasota County Connect Summer Series.

As the sixth-largest insurance brokerage in the nation, with over 500 locations and growing Brown & Brown Insurance's culture is built on integrity, innovations, superior capabilities, and discipline. With an office in Sarasota, Brown & Brown Insurance actively participates in the business community and supports local nonprofit organizations through various initiatives. The EDC of Sarasota County is no exception. We want to express our gratitude to Brown & Brown Insurance for continuously supporting the mission and work of the EDC as we collaborate to drive businesses forward in Sarasota County!

Brown & Brown Insurance was founded in 1939 as a two-partner firm based in Florida and has risen to become one of the largest insurance brokerages in the world. Starting in 1953, the Ernest Smith Agency was an active local member of the Sarasota community. In 1990, Ernest Smith joined Brown & Brown, a company with a long-standing history of public and community service, and has continued to give back to the local community and beyond. With a team that is as locally connected as it is nationally, Brown & Brown provides the personalized, dedicated service clients want from a boutique agency while delivering the peace of mind they expect from a top brokerage. To learn more, visit https://www.bbrown.com/us/.

Last Friday, VP of Economic Development Joshua Ewen spoke at a panel discussion for Leadership Venice's Economic Development Day event. Fellow event panelists included Sarasota County Commissioner Ron Cutsinger and Venice, Florida Municipal Government Planner Roger Clark, and the panel was moderated by Jennifer Bushinger Ortiz (Leadership Venice Class of 2019).

Leadership Venice is a 9-month program designed to expose current and future leaders to all aspects of the Venice community.

Thank you to the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting a great event!

Being a part of a thriving community is a distinct point of pride for The Bank of Tampa. Their team works to enhance the Tampa Bay area for their clients and the community by donating time and resources to more than 100 nonprofit organizations. The EDC of Sarasota County is no exception. As a continuous EDC Investor, The Bank of Tampa continues to support our mission and several other initiatives. Thank you, The Bank of Tampa!

The Bank of Tampa is one of the largest community banks in the Tampa Bay area. It has been privately held by its employees, directors and clients since the bank’s inception in 1984. It has offices in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Manatee counties. The Bank of Tampa’s assets total more than $3.1 billion, with outstanding loans greater than $1.5 billion. Its wealth management practice has more than $1.2 billion total assets under care. To learn more, visit https://www.bankoftampa.com/.

Bank of America donated a $10,000 grant to support PLANit Sarasota's efforts to broaden education opportunities for underserved youth. PLANit Sarasota, the local college network of Sarasota County, works with over 40 education, community, and business partners to increase its impact and help more students complete their education after high school. PLANit Sarasota aims to raise the percentage of working-age adults with a college degree or high-value certificate to 60% by 2030. Bank of America's funding will be used to conduct career explorations and connect students with local businesses to prepare them for high-skilled, high-wage, and in-demand positions. This grant will specifically help PLANit Sarasota's outreach efforts in low-income communities to assist students in planning for their futures beyond high school.

It is because of our fantastic EDC Investors, Bank of America, and their continued dedication as we work together to drive business diversification and prosperity in Sarasota County.

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individuals, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company serves approximately 56 million U.S. consumer and small business relationships. It is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading.

Shumaker, a national law firm with a strong local presence, is committed to improving literacy for more than 100,000 individuals by 2025 through its 'Make a Difference Through Literacy Initiative.' The firm donated $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties (Club) to support the organization's Great Futures Academy (GFA) initiatives. The GFA program provides out-of-school instruction for Club members, ages 6-12, in subjects like reading, math, and science through a school-year program and a summer program designed to prevent learning loss while youth are out of school.

Thank you to EDC Investor, Shumaker for their continuous support as we work together to drive forward Sarasota County's economy!

Founded in 1925, Shumaker is a premier provider of legal and legislative services with a team of more than 300 lawyers and advisors, 60 paralegals, and 555 employees in its 12 offices located in Toledo, Columbus, and Akron, Ohio; Tampa, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Dade City, and St. Peterburg, Florida; Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Bloomington, Minnesota. To learn more, visit https://www.shumaker.com/.

Tickets now on sale for this years 2024 Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 12 at The Ora. Join us in celebrating our 20th Anniversary!

Sponsorships and tickets for the breakfast are available here: https://ow.ly/k4vi50Sy5Xm

2023 was another record-breaking year for Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), with over 4.3 million airport passengers. For the month of December, 406,113 passengers traveled through SRQ, a 7.5% increase compared to 377,775 passengers and a 12% increase compared to 2022, with 3,847,606 passengers.

The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport provides a convenient and customer-friendly airport that reflects the best of Florida’s culture and beauty. As the number one fastest growing airport in the country, they are dedicated to delivering a profitable operating environment for their tenants and a high-quality, community-based airport for their passengers. SRQ offers competitive rates and a variety of passenger amenities. With the addition of their new 5-gate terminal expansion, the airport will be better able to accommodate new airlines and attract new destinations, offering the community more choices in future travel. SRQ, Your Airport, You’re Home. To learn more, visit https://flysrq.com/.

Our EDC Investors, including Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, are crucial in empowering the EDC to create more economic opportunities in Sarasota County through public-private partnerships. We extend our gratitude to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport for supporting our mission.

S-One Holdings Corporation (S-One) celebrates its anniversary with 30 Years of Innovation this year. As recognized by USA TODAY as 2024 Top Work Places, S-One's company's success is due to the hard work and dedication of their team members who go above and beyond in their daily engagement. Their culture of collaboration in their open office environment and seamless unions between office space and the virtual world empower their people with powerful knowledge. At S-One, all team members are decision-makers. Congratulations, S-One, on the company's well-deserved recognition!

Thank you to EDC Investor, S-One Holdings Corporation for their continuous support as we work together to diversify Sarasota County's economy!

S-One Holdings Corporation is a global holding company headquartered in Sarasota that oversees a number of subsidiary companies: ABAQA Corporation, Avatrex Corporation, Brand Management Group, LexJet Corporation and Utopia Digital Technologies. S-One owns the brand names of Avatrex, Craft Attitude, LexJet, and Sunset.

Florida Power & Light (FPL) is an EDC Investor and an invaluable utility partner! FPL provides Investor support and great resources to help the EDC diversify Sarasota County's economy.

Recently, the EDC submitted a proposal to FPL's Florida First Sites program for the North Port I-75 Innovation Corridor - a cutting-edge center of prospective business park development along I-75 and Toledo Blade Boulevard. The site was one of only 10 projects accepted to the highly competitive statewide program, which is awarded in conjunction with Global Location Strategies. The Florida First Sites program helps the EDC market and elevate the Innovation Corridor to growing national businesses that will bring capital investment and good jobs to North Port. The Innovation Corridor could establish roughly 1.4 million square feet of business park space and support over 1,900 new jobs.

FPL, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc., is the largest electric utility in America and provides affordable, reliable, and clean electricity to over 12 million people in Florida. Learn more at https://www.fpl.com/.

Congratulations to Big Top Brewing Company on being the inaugural EDC President Award recipient! The award celebrates businesses that have invested capital, job creation, and their heart into the future of Sarasota County.

Big Top Brewing Co. started when there were no craft breweries in Sarasota. They wanted to complement Sarasota's historical associations with The Ringling Circus, performing arts, great architecture, the best art and design schools, and world-renowned tourism. The EDC was also thrilled to be a part of Big Top's journey to where the company is today. Now, with its largest location open, which features a restaurant and brewery, Big Top Brewing Co. is well on its way to continued success.

If you have yet to go, we highly recommend you gather your favorite people and check out the newest location in Fruitville Commons. It's a great place to spend time over the holiday weekend.