Monday – September 11, 2006

TRAINED, MOTIVATED JOB APPLICANTS ON YOUR DOOR STEP – Ever use the U.S. Navy as a source for new employees? The Navy will be conducting a job fair for personnel leaving the service. This job fair attracts national companies and area companies also are encouraged to participate. The military presence in the Jacksonville area offers a significant resource of skilled employees from the Navy’s submarine service, aviation wing, and the surface fleet. Twice a year the Navy conducts a Tri-Base Job Fair at which employers can present their open positions. The September 20 fair will feature 165 employers and more than 1,000 job seekers. To reserve space for the March 2007 fair contact Ronald Lancaster at 912/573-9783, email ronald.lancaster@navy.mil. On an ongoing basis, you are encouraged to post your open positions to reach motivated and well trained applicants. There is no charge to participate in the job fairs.

COUNTY TEAM HEADING FOR BOSTON – County business development officials will participate in the annual OEM New England industrial trade show September 20-21 in Worchester, Massachusetts. More than 500 New England-based OEM manufacturers will be at this show and more than 3,000 others are expected. If your company would like to have its literature displayed free at this show please contact Paul Mitchell, Business Development Specialist, at 386/274-3439.

ARE YOU PROTECTING YOUR TRADEMARKS? -- Protection of your product trademarks internationally is quite different overseas. U.S. exporters should not assume they have legal protection abroad because the international system is based on when an application for trademark registration is filed and by whom. A simple series of steps can be taken to protect your trademarks from imported infringing products. The county’s Department of Economic Development and the U.S. Department of Commerce can help. Please call Phil Ehlinger at 386/248-8048 or Paul Mitchell at 386/274-3439.

HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR TRADE MISSION AVAILABLE -- Enterprise Florida is sponsoring a trade mission November 12-16 to help identify and initiate relationships with buyers in Honduras and El Salvador, countries that are among Florida's top 25 merchandise trading partners. You can participate in three days of one-on-one business appointments customized for your company’s needs. Deadline for registration is September 25. For details, visit the website http://www.eflorida.com/calendarofevents/attachments/TF_Honduras_nov06.pdf or call Phil Ehlinger, the county’s Business Assistance Manager, at 386/248-8048.

PIEDMONT PLASTICS TO HOST NATIONAL SALES MEETING -- Piedmont Plastics Inc., a national distributor and fabricator for the delivery and conversion of plastic sheet, rod, tube and film products, will hold its national sales meeting in Volusia County. Piedmont will showcase its new 60,000-square-foot facility in the recently developed Gateway Business Park on the Mason Avenue extension in Daytona Beach to more than 200 employees during a four-day event October 8-11 at the Daytona Beach Hilton Oceanfront Resort. Companies wishing to welcome our industrial guests with discounts or other promotional items should contact Piedmont Marketing Manager Ted Isbell at 704/584-1521.

PROPOSED VOLUSIA CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO BE DISCUSSED – The Volusia League of Cities is sponsoring a lunch that will feature a panel discussion on the proposed amendments to the Volusia County Charter. Seven proposed changes to the county charter will be on the November 7 general election ballot. The meeting will focus on how the proposed amendments impact intergovernmental relations. Speakers will include Bill Scovell, chair of the County Council appointed Charter Review Commission; Volusia County Chair Frank Bruno; Daytona Beach Shores Mayor Greg Northrup, a Smart Growth Implementation Committee member, and Scott Simpson, representing the political action committee Cities Against Consolidated Government. The event will be September 20 at the LPGA banquet Center, 100 Champion Dr., Daytona Beach. Registration is at 11:30 p.m. The cost is $20 per person. Reservations can be made by calling 386/226-0422 or by e-mail to mcurran@co.volusia.fl.us or Mswiderski@co.volusia.fl.us.

NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron, Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us. If you wish to have your name removed from this weekly email broadcast, please let us know.