July 2007

Pick Up Your Copy of Pinellas County's 2007 Hurricane Guide. It's hurricane season and the time to prepare is now. Pinellas County's Hurricane Guide provides important information to help you survive a storm. Pick up the guide at Pinellas County Economic Development, or click here to download a copy.

Redeveloped: http://www.pced.org. Visit Pinellas County Economic Development's redesigned website and you'll see a new area devoted to Redevelopment. There, you'll find the latest in redevelopment news, maps, demographics, county and city property solicitations, real estate databases, current market reports, and information on Pinellas County's Brownfield Program. A new Communities of Pinellas report provides information and contacts for redevelopment plans and projects throughout the county. Next up for the website is a countywide listing of major redevelopment projects. To submit your redevelopment project for listing, contact Cindy Margiotta at cmargiotta@pinellascounty.org, or call (727) 464-7332.

Grant Proposal Aid Available for Small Businesses. Enterprise Florida (EFI) is expanding its program that helps small businesses develop strong proposals for federal small business grants. The “Phase 0” program assists companies with the development of proposals for federal Small Business Innovation (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase 1 grants of about $100,000. Through “Phase 0” EFI awards qualified companies grants in amounts up to $3,000, which can be applied toward preparation efforts, (e.g. market research, proposal/grant writing, legal aid for patent filing, site visits to labs, etc.), for an SBIR or STTR proposal submittal. The program provides assistance on a first-come/first-served basis, and a company must not have received a Phase 1 award in the past five years. For more information, contact the Pinellas County Business Development Center at (727) 453-7200.

Florida Economic and Job Summit, July 26 and 27. This statewide summit, held at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, will explore the challenges Florida's economy is facing in the core areas of job growth, job retention, and workforce development. Speakers include: Paul C. Reilly, CEO and Board Chair, Korn/Ferry International; Douglas A. Comstock, Director, NASA Innovative Partnerships Program; and Dr. Melvin Gravely, Founder, Institute for Entrepreneurial Thinking. Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Alex Sink, Chief Financial Officer for the state of Florida, have also been invited to speak. For more information, contact Alma Ayala at (727) 821-4069 or email arayala@stpete.com.

Funding Available for Employee Training. Florida's Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT) provides grant funding for customized training to existing, for-profit businesses. Businesses may use public, private or in-house training providers, depending on the nature of the training needs. Applications for the 2007-2008 program year are now being accepted. For more information, please contact Pinellas County Economic Development at (727) 464-7332 or click here.

Host Homes Needed for Hurricane Season. In Pinellas County, nearly 55,000 residents live within evacuation zones and public shelter space is limited. The Host Home program encourages businesses and other organizations to help their employees/members find safety during a hurricane by providing a shelter alternative for those who must leave their own homes. If you or your organization is interested in establishing a Host Home program, contact Pinellas County Communications at (727) 464-3712, or click here for more information about the program.

July 2007 Pinellas County Success Story

Advanced Microwave Components – Preparing to Transmit From Pinellas Park. An expansion in Pinellas Park, Florida spells success for Advanced Microwave Components (AMC) and jobs for Pinellas County. The company is using an Industrial Revenue Bond to finance the land acquisition, building construction, and equipment for a 20,000 square foot RF transmission product manufacturing facility. AMC will retain a staff of 25 and the expansion could result in additional jobs at the new facility. A $2 million Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) provided the easiest and most cost-effective tool to fund the company's expansion needs. “Pinellas County Economic Development staff presented us with some terrific options. They were very informative and professional. I was very impressed with their knowledge and the fact that they followed up as quickly as they did,” said MaryLou Sciarrino, CEO of Advanced Microwave Components.

Click here to read more of this story.

To learn how your business might use an Industrial Revenue Bond, contact Pinellas County Economic Development at (727) 464-7332 or visit http://www.pced.org/.