August 2006
Celebrate the Business of Biotech.  This complimentary event takes place on September 7 from 8:00am to 12:00pm, at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa.  Highlights include keynote speaker Steven Gillis, PhD, a venture partner at ARCH Venture Partners and founder and director of Corixa Corporation and Immunex Corporation; alternating breakout sessions titled Ten Secrets of Biotech Business and Personalized Medicine – How Moffitt Scientists are Making It a Reality; visits with 20 successful Tampa Bay region biotech companies; and behind-the-scenes tours of Moffitt Cancer Center’s research laboratories.  Seating is limited and reservations are required.  RSVP by August 29 to (813) 745-4099, or email hillmm@moffitt.usf.edu.

Shift or Drift, Thursday, August 17, 3:00pm.  “Bernie” Young & Associates, Inc. will offer an efficient and effective approach to getting a leadership and managerial succession plan underway at this two hour event.  The process will allow you to identify your most promising managerial and leadership talent, assess the best person for the job, and determine the best mix of individuals for various management and leadership team structures.  Shift or Drift will take place at the EpiCenter, 13805 58th St. N., Clearwater.  To secure your reservation, please contact Kristin Dailey at (727) 507-4300, extension 3004, or email kdailey@worknetpinellas.org.  There is no cost for this seminar.

Are You Ready For India?  India, the world’s fastest growing free-market democracy, presents lucrative opportunities for all types of businesses - especially U.S. companies.  U.S. companies have the chance to make or increase sales in this booming market by joining the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration Business Development Mission to India. Under Secretary for International Trade Franklin L. Lavin will lead the mission.  Start your exploration of India’s booming market by participating in the Mumbai Business Summit. Continue your business search by joining one of six spin-off business matchmaking missions to Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, or New Delhi.  Click here for more information.

Go to the Library For Disaster Recovery Assistance.  The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, Inc. and Pinellas County Economic Development have partnered to provide alternate locations to perform critical business functions and provide assistance directly to the business community in the case of a disaster.  In the event of a disaster, those libraries not affected will be able to offer temporary computer use, communications, internet access and basic work space to help businesses resume operations.  Visit www.pplc.us for a listing of libraries in the Cooperative.

Terrorism Awareness: Protecting Soft Targets, September 28 and 29.  This train-the-trainer course is designed for   security trainers from soft target areas including hotels, resorts, shopping malls, tourist venues, and other sites with large public audiences.  Information will be presented to increase the capabilities of security training personnel to provide educational programs at their organizations. The event takes place at Pat O’Brien’s at Universal Orlando’s CityWalk.  Click here for more information on the event.

Don’t Know What to Do With Unused Hazardous Electronics and Chemicals?  Get rid of them at Pinellas County’s next Quarterly EnviroBusiness Hazardous Waste Collection Day, August 9 from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Household Electronics & Chemical Collection Center, 2990 110th Ave. N., St. Petersburg.  To drop off chemicals, businesses need to qualify as small waste generators, (producing less than 25 gallons, or 220 pounds, of chemical waste per month).  Any business may drop off their hazardous electronics.  Businesses pay the contractors directly at the County’s reduced contract prices.  For many electronic items, the price is either “no charge” or “minimal charge”.  For more information, call (727) 464-7500 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/bizwaste.

August 2006 Pinellas County Success Story

Recognizing Excellence in Pinellas County’s Growing Businesses.  Several Pinellas businesses received Emerging Entrepreneur visits in May of this year.  During these visits, owners of new businesses were presented with a formal acknowledgement of their success by Commissioner Kenneth Welch, Chairman of Pinellas’ Board of County Commissioners.  The visit thanked business owners for utilizing the services of the Pinellas County Business Development Center and allowed them an opportunity to showcase their companies.

Please join us in congratulating these Emerging Entrepreneurs and wishing them continued success:
Pilates Premier Studios, St. Petersburg
Silk Paradise, St. Petersburg
Savannah’s Nursery, St. Petersburg
Free Style Slides, St. Petersburg
Herman T’s Smokehouse, St. Petersburg

To learn how the Business Development Center can help launch your business dreams, visit http://www.pced.org/bdc.