Page 36 - May-June-July Life In Naples Magazine

Naples works!
by John S. Cox, CCE, CEcD, IOM
OPresident & CEO
pportunity Naples seeks to diversify and sustain our economy City for a Career Change—Men’s Journal, April
over time,resulting in economic opportunity for every person
in Collier County. Have you read what others are writing
about us?
NEW JOBS: Naples will see 4% job growth in 2015, the largest
percentage increase of any area of Florida—IHS Global Insight
(Florida Trend Magazine, April 2015).
HIGHER WAGES: Collier County had the fourth largest wage
increase on a percentage basis nationwide and the biggest in Florida
between mid-2013 and mid-2014—IHS Global Insight (Florida
Trend Magazine, April 2015).
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: Collier County was at 5 percent
in February 2015, down from 5.3 percent in January 2015 and 5.8
percent a year ago. Collier County had the highest annual job growth of Goodlette is transitioning from that role and the new Chair is Julie
all Florida metro areas,led by mining,logging and construction (up 14.3 featured a presentation by Collier County Commissioner Tim Nance
percent) and manufacturing (up 9.4 percent).—Florida Department of
Economic Opportunity.
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS: “High School and College
graduates have more options to stay in the area when the labor market
improves like this.”—The News-Press, March 28, 2015.
JOB CREATION: Governor Rick Scott, “Naples leads state in
job growth”—Naples Daily News, March 28, 2015.
POPULATION GROWTH: “Florida has six of the nation’s
fastest growing metros; Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island is the 10th
fastest growing MSA in the nation.”—New York Times, March 26,
2015.
WELLNESS: Collier remains the second healthiest county in
Florida—The annual County Health Rankings from the University of
Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation March 26, 2015; BLUE ZONE initiative underway.
INCOME: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: “The Naples-
Immokalee-Marco Island metro—highest personal income in Florida
in 2013, at $64,872 per capita.”
TOURISTS: “Collier welcomed 201,700 guests in February up
5% from a year ago. Hotel occupancy: 94% an increase of 2.4% from
year ago.”—The News-Press, March 23, 2015.
BUSINESSES: large and small recognized for excellence:
Arthrex named to Fortune’s list of 100 Best Companies in America
to work for and Norris Sports Group named by Governor Scott as an
outstanding example of an entrepreneurial company.
INCENTIVES: “The Partnership for Collier’s Future Economy,
a collaborative effort between county government, the Greater Naples
Chamber of Commerce and business leaders…” has worked to create
incentives to retain existing business in Collier County—“we commend
them.” Naples Daily News Editorial, Feb. 26, 2015.
36
QUALITY OF PLACE: Naples, Florida:
50 Best Places to Live in America and #5 Best
2015.
We are encouraged by the positive press and
attention we are receiving through fact-based
measures, but there is additional work to do to
sustain this economic activity to the point at
which economic opportunity becomes a reality for everyone in Collier
County.
Julie Schmelzle, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Senior Vice
President and Partnership Chairman, continues conversations with
current and future partnership investors. She led the Board in a
strategic decision resulting in a second year contractual relationship
with the Collier County Board of Commissioners to provide economic
development services to the county and its businesses including business
retention and expansion, business attraction, marketing and managing
the relationships with Enterprise Florida and Florida Power & Light
at no cost to the county. The provision of these services is due to the
private sector and nonprofit investments made to the Partnership and
Opportunity Naples.
The Opportunity Naples Steering Committee is evolving into the
Implementation Committee. This group includes Steering Committee
members, but is expanding to include partner organizations and others
engaged in our common purpose. Steering Committee Chair Dudley
Schmelzle. The Implementation Committee met on April 16 and
on future land use and growth management. The Partnership is also
involved in other key issues affecting economic development such as
affordable housing. Partnership staff attended the county’s affordable
housing workshop and the Greater Naples Chamber Public Policy
Committee held a roundtable discussion on the topic with area
organizations at the April meeting. These issues were identified in the
Opportunity Naples Competitive Assessment.
Our Communications Work Group, chaired by Lynne Groth,
meets monthly to discuss the communications strategy. The work
group has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions document that
is updated continually to reflect progress and input. The work group
has spoken to the Naples Daily News Editorial Board. In March of
2015, presentations were made to the following organizations: Pelican
Bay Men’s Club, 33 United Way Agencies, the Collier County Public
School’s New Teacher orientation and the Chamber’s Growing
Associates in Naples (GAIN) young professionals group.
Our Community Investment Work Group is led by Gary Price.
This work group is reviewing various revenue models, discussing
funding strategies with professional fundraisers and engaging local
Life in Naples | May • June • July 2015