Florida: News

Contact: Stuart W. Doyle
(407) 956-5689
sdoyle@eflorida.com

Florida Opportunity Fund appointments

ORLANDO, FL (January 27, 2012) The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors has appointedAndrew Hyltin, president of CNL Macquarie Global Growth Trust, Inc., to a two-year term as chairman of the Florida Opportunity Fund Board of Directors.

“I am pleased with the success that Florida Opportunity Fund has had not only in investing in some of Florida’s most innovative companies, but in also attracting solid co-investment from the overall venture capital community,” said Hyltin, the CEO of Corporate Capital Trust Inc.  “Working with my fellow board members, we will continue on that path until Florida becomes an internationally recognized hub for venture capital investment.”

Enterprise Florida also appointed Brian Nicholas, senior vice president of BB&T’s Acquired Asset Group, vice chairman and renewed his service as a Fund director for another three-year term.  The Fund’s immediate past chairman, Kenneth Wright, a partner with Baker Hostetler in Orlando, was reappointed to a three-year terms as well.

About Florida Opportunity Fund

Enterprise Florida created Florida Opportunity Fund (www.floridaopportunityfund.com) pursuant to the  Florida Capital Formation Act of 2007 to increase the availability of seed capital and early stage venture equity capital for emerging companies in Florida.  These include, without limitation, enterprises in life sciences, information technology, advanced manufacturing processes, aviation and aerospace, homeland security and defense, as well as other strategic technologies.  Florida Opportunity Fund is managed by Florida First Partners (FFP) – a joint venture between MILCOM Venture Partners and the Credit Suisse Customized Fund Investment Group (CFIG).

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Enterprise Florida, Inc. (www.eflorida.com) is a partnership between Florida's business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for the state of Florida.  Headquartered in Orlando, Enterprise Florida’s mission is to diversify Florida’s economy and create better paying jobs for its citizens by supporting, attracting and helping to create globally competitive businesses in innovative, high-growth industries. In pursuit of its mission, Enterprise Florida works closely with a statewide network of economic development partners and is funded both by the state of Florida and by private-sector businesses.

Contact:     Stuart Doyle

         (407) 956-5689 sdoyle@eflorida.com

Media Advisory

Enterprise Florida board to meet Jan. 26 in Tallahassee

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Enterprise Florida, Inc. is a partnership between Florida's business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for the state of Florida.  Headquartered in Orlando, Enterprise Florida’s mission is to diversify Florida’s economy and create better-paying jobs for its citizens by supporting, attracting and helping to create businesses in innovative, high-growth industries.  In pursuit of its mission, Enterprise Florida works closely with a statewide network of economic development partners and is funded both by the State of Florida and by private-sector businesses.

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Contact:     Stuart Doyle

         (407) 956-5689 sdoyle@eflorida.com

Enterprise Florida announces proposals for 2012 legislative session

ORLANDO, FL (January 11, 2012) – The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors has identified the following as priorities to be presented to the Florida Legislature during its 2012 session, which began this week:

• Reenactment of Florida’s Economic Development Confidentiality Statute
• Reenactment of the Florida Opportunity Fund Confidentiality Statute
• Creation of the Florida Infrastructure Fund
• Economic Development Toolkit/SEED Fund Funding
• Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment Tax Exemption
• Space Direction for Florida Department of Transportation – direct funding for space-related infrastructure projects
• Addition of Cecil Field (Jacksonville) as “Spaceport Territory”—customized training needs for eligible companies
• Space Infrastructure Revision
• Operating Budgets for Enterprise Florida, Space Florida and VISIT FLORIDA
• Quick Response Training
• Update of the Innovation Incentive Fund Approval Process
• Update of Florida’s Captive Insurance Market Law 

“These recommendations are crucial to our mission of recruiting new businesses to the state, which will produce higher-wage jobs for Floridians,” said FLF, LLC co-chairman & CEO Howell Melton, who serves as the board’s vice chairman.  “We also will continue to work with Governor Rick Scott to create the most business friendly environment possible while keeping Florida competitive on a national and global scale.”

The Enterprise Florida board, which consists of statewide business leaders, considers these actions vital to keeping Florida on track for meeting its economic development goals. 

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Enterprise Florida, Inc. is a partnership between Florida's business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for the state of Florida.  Headquartered in Orlando, Enterprise Florida’s mission is to diversify Florida’s economy and create better-paying jobs for its citizens by supporting, attracting and helping to create businesses in innovative, high-growth industries.  In pursuit of its mission, Enterprise Florida works closely with a statewide network of economic development partners and is funded both by the State of Florida and by private-sector businesses

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Contact:     Stuart Doyle

         (407) 956-5689 sdoyle@eflorida.com

Custom Control Solutions expands in Pensacola area

15 new, higher-wage jobs forthcoming for this small business

            ORLANDO, FL (January 5, 2012) – Enterprise Florida, Escambia County and thePensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce announce the expansion of Cantonment-based Custom Control Solutions, Inc. (CCS) to Pensacola. 

“Through CCS’ expansion, the Pensacola area, once again, is exemplifying Florida’s ability to nurture and escalate its smaller businesses to higher levels, thereby enhancing both local and statewide economic growth,” said Gray Swoope, president & CEO of Enterprise Florida Inc.  “This expansion also reflects Florida’s commitment to high-value job creation and ensuring the right business climate to enable it.”

Headquartered at 1520 Power Blvd. in Cantonment, CCS designs and builds Analyzer Systems, Industrial Control Systems, Instrument Cabinets and System Integration Services.  One of the company’s largest and most competitive markets is “building industrial equipment buildings,” and its largest competitors are located in the North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

 Currently, CCS outsources the fabrication of these buildings, but through this project – a $520,000 community investment -- the company plans to construct them at its new facility in Pensacola.  The address is 9165 Roe Street in Pensacola, and a ribbon-cutting will take place there on January 27.  CCS’ headquarters will remain in Cantonment.

“We are establishing manufacturing and service centers in the Pensacola area to serve industrial clients on the East Coast and Gulf States,” explained CCS President Manfred Laner.  “CCS is using Pensacola’s available labor pool and is also providing training for candidates who would like to choose a career opportunity in manufacturing and industrial technology.”

Donnie McMahon, chairman of the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, noted that “it is an honor that this successful seven-year-old business has chosen to invest in the Pensacola area.  This is yet another example of how committed the local business community is to increasing job opportunities throughout the region.”

CCS’ presently has 20 employees, but the expansion will create 15 jobs with

annual salaries averaging $39,616, which is 115 percent of the metro area’s mean yearly wage of $34,449. 

Escambia County administrator Randy Oliver points out that “while 15 jobs may not seem like a lot, those jobs have the potential to have a big impact on our community.   The jobs will provide opportunities for our citizens to better themselves and, in turn, further help our economy.”

Aside from applauding CCS’ expansion, Pensacola’s mayor, Ashton Hayward, emphasized the economic importance of smaller enterprises. 

"Small businesses like CCS are the backbone of a successful, sustainable local economy,” said Hayward.  “These are the types of small businesses who not only create jobs, but through their customer and client base, help to be ambassadors for Pensacola and Escambia County as a great place to live and work."

For more information about CCS, visit www.ccsinc-florida.com.

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Enterprise Florida, Inc. is a partnership between Florida's business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for the state of Florida.  Headquartered in Orlando, Enterprise Florida’s mission is to diversify Florida’s economy and create better-paying jobs for its citizens by supporting, attracting and helping to create businesses in innovative, high-growth industries.  In pursuit of its mission, Enterprise Florida works closely with a statewide network of economic development partners and is funded both by the State of Florida and by private-sector businesses.

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