Mei-Mei ChanPresident and Publisher

The News-Press Media GroupFlorida Regional President, Gannett

Horizon Council General MembershipFeb. 21, 2014

BACKGROUND

• Economic diversification is critical to building a stronger economy and to enhance the quality of life for our citizens

• We are stronger, more competitive, and more visible as a region than as five individual counties– 1 million + population– 500,000 person workforce– Higher national and international visibility– Efficiencies of scale and greater capabilities

• Southwest Florida is the only populous region of Florida without a regional economic development effort

• We will all benefit from a Marketing Engine that will generate more leads for Southwest Florida by:

– Enhancing existing marketing and recruitment efforts– Serving site selectors, real estate consultants, targeted

companies and local Economic Development Organizations– Acting as a non-parochial economic development

facilitator

BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND

• The Horizon Council / Fort Myers Regional Partnership, Partnership for Collier’s Future Economy / Naples Chamber and Florida Gulf Coast University led and funded the initial stage (REDI).

• Goal is to partner with all Counties, Cities and

EDOs representing the greater Southwest Florida region that are interested in participating

KEYS TO SUCCESS…

• A regional, non-jurisdictional perspective

• Professional excellence and collaborative working relationships between public and private sector leaders

• Strong relationships with local Economic Development Organizations (EDOs), Enterprise Florida, lead sources and other stakeholders

KEYS TO SUCCESS…

• Regional data/analytics that are accurate, current and targeted to site selectors and business owners

• Website that is easy to understand and navigate with data on available properties and sites

• A strong marketing strategy to boast about the region’s strengths– For now, Southwest Florida itself is “the” brand

WEBSITE AND DATA REPOSITORY

Our initial focus is the regional data repository, with hosting website:

• Based on industry best practices

• Provides a comprehensive data resource for site selectors and businesses

• Plan to be operational in First Quarter of 2014

• Funded with $40,000 from the private sector: Horizon Council/Fort Myers Regional Partnership and the Partnership for Collier’s Future Economy

NEXT STEPS

A. Develop detailed organizational structure, operating policies and business plan – Florida DEO Grant with the SWFL Regional Planning Council

and its membership. Draft due Feb. 28; final by May.

B. Founding investor fundraising through March 31

C. Launch website/data repository March 31

D. Continue community engagement

E. Initiate marketing activities- Establish relationships with key stakeholders and targets

F. Explore future public sector funding

FOUNDING AND CORNERSTONE INVESTORS Founding Organizations• The Horizon Council / Fort Myers

Regional Partnership• Partnership for Collier’s Future

Economy • Florida Gulf Coast University

Cornerstone Investors• Chico’s FAS• Cohen & Grigsby• Collier County• Hertz• The Lutgert Companies/Premier

Sotheby’s/Lutgert Insurance• Moorings Park• Physicians Regional Healthcare

System/Lehigh Regional Medical Center

• United Way of Collier County/United Way of Lee County

CATALYST INVESTORS • B & I Contractors• Barron Collier Companies• Busey Bank• Collier Enterprises• Edison National Bank/Bank of the

Islands• Edison State College• FineMark National Bank & Trust• First National Bank of the Gulf Coast• GATES• Grant, Fridkin, Pearson, P.A.• Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt

• Hodges University• Hole Montes, Inc.• Hope Healthcare Services• Land Solutions, Inc.• Lee County Electric Cooperative• Lee Memorial Health Care System• NCH Health Care System• The News-Press Media Group• Southwest Florida Business Today• Stantec• SWFL Workforce Development

Board

FAQS

• What will the Alliance do better than local EDOs can?

• How can a regional entity represent multiple areas well?

• How will the leads work?• Will the local EDO relationships with Enterprise

Florida change?• What kind of budget will the Alliance need? For

what?

THE STRATEGIC VISION

“As a region, we bring much more to the plate... By this time next year, we want to be pitching the region to site selectors and looking for the next Hertz…Within our region we can accommodate just about any development that comes our way.”

Richard BroomeHertz EVP Corporate Affairs and Communication

THANK YOU!WE INVITE YOU TO GET INVOLVED!

KEY CONTACTS:• LAURIE HOLQUIST, LHOLQUIST@GMAIL.COM• MEI-MEI CHAN, MMCHAN@GANNETT.COM

• DENNIE HAMILTON, DENNIE.HAMILTON@LCEC.NET• DENIS NOAH, DENIS.NOAH@HENLAW.COM