“Grow Collier” Celebrates Business in Southwest Florida
The Southwest Florida Economic Development Partnership is announcing the launch of Collier County's new economic development initiative. Called "Grow Collier: Celebrating Collier's Existing Businesses," the campaign is meant to help support and develop existing businesses in the area.
Port Charlotte, FL (Vocus) July 9, 2010
The Economic Development Council of Collier County – one of the five counties in the new Southwest Florida Economic Development Partnership – recently launched an exciting new initiative. The “Grow Collier: Celebrating Collier’s Existing Businesses” campaign is designed to show appreciation to businesses for the contributions they make to the local economy while further identifying programs and services that will help those businesses continue to succeed.
According to Tammie Nemecek, president and CEO of the EDC, and one of the primary drivers of the Southwest Florida Partnership, “We have always devoted significant time and resources to serving existing businesses through Economic Gardening and other innovative programs. However, this summer we are reaching out to more of those businesses to celebrate their success.”
“Grow Collier” volunteers contact Southwest Florida companies through business and personal relationships, as well as via a list of businesses provided by the EDC, and ask them to complete a one-page survey. The survey helps the EDC identify second-stage growth companies that can take advantage of significant resources available at no cost through the county’s Economic Gardening Program – a long-term economic development practice that other counties in Southwest Florida are currently exploring.
Although not all respondents will be eligible for participation in Economic Gardening, the assessment will help the EDC identify other needs they may have in areas such as International Trade or Business Retention & Expansion, enabling the EDC to provide those businesses with access other resources within the Southwest Florida region.
At the official launch of the Grow Collier Campaign, volunteers were given all the information and materials needed to begin speaking with businesses. They received an overview of programs and services, as well as an introduction to the evolution of the Economic Gardening process and its benefits to the Southwest Florida region. As an incentive, all volunteers will be entered into a raffle, with the volunteers who collect the most surveys winning special prizes.
The Southwest Florida Economic Development Partnership is made up of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Lee and Sarasota counties, all of which have come together to put the economic well-being of the Southwest Florida region front and center. The focus of the partnership is the recruitment, retention and creation of high-wage jobs in targeted industries, such as high-tech, health, life and environmental sciences, information technology, and specialty manufacturing. For more information, visit the Southwest Florida website at ABrighterPlace. com.
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