Enterprise Florida Seeks Input on Economic Roadmap

Friday, June 26, 2009

Enterprise Florida executives and board members convened in St. Petersburg Thursday with Tampa Bay area business, education, government and economic development leaders in an effort to elicit input into an update of the state’s strategic plan for economic growth over the next five years.

The open meeting, held at the Valpak Manufacturing Center, is the fifth in a series of forums across the state that began June 3 in Gainesville and ends July 30 in Tallahassee. The half-day workshops serve as the venue for discussion, viewpoints and recommendations, a release from the statewide business development, retention and expansion organization said.

Among those invited to the event were businesspeople, representatives of industry associations, transportation experts, cultural arts advocates, smart growth advocates, elected officials and economic development professionals.

The feedback will help the organization focus on Florida’s most important economic development needs and set the right goals for making the state more competitive and economically healthier, executives said. Topics were slated to run the gamut from retaining, creating and attracting high-wage jobs to cultivating a talented and highly skilled future work force and from upgrading infrastructure to increasing Florida’s global competitiveness.

Beyond the regional workshops, other opportunities are available for public contributions to the development of the “Roadmap.”

An Enterprise Florida micro-Web site now allows for feedback through several interactive features including a Roadmap survey and discussion board. Additionally, the site provides the current Roadmap, related progress reports and “save the date” announcements for each regional forum, the release said.

Enterprise Florida’s board is charged with developing the plan and submitting it to the governor and legislative leaders.

Every three years, the Roadmap to Florida’s Future — the state’s blueprint for economic development — is updated following competitiveness analysis and feedback from a broad base of community representatives in the forums.

Enterprise Florida Inc. is a partnership between Florida’s business and government leaders and is headquartered in Orlando. Its 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.”

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