Monday – November 13, 2006

ODI WINS BP AMERICA CONTRACT -- Ocean Design Inc. (ODI), Daytona Beach, a specialist in subsea electrical and fiber-optic interconnect systems, has announced that Tyco Telecommunications (US) Inc. has awarded ODI a contract for manufacture and supply of a fully integrated fiber-optic communications connection system for its BP Gulf of Mexico fiber optic network project. The contract was awarded to Tyco by BP America Inc. to deliver a subsea telecommunications network in the Gulf of Mexico next year. The system will be the undersea backbone of a regional communications network that will connect BP’s offshore production facilities with its regional operating center in Houston.

FORTUNE 500 COMPANY SEEKS LOCAL FACILITY – The county Department of Economic Development has been asked by a Fortune 500 company to provide available office space options ranging from 25,000 - 35,000 square feet to accommodate a communications center. The facility must be available in the first quarter of next year and be fully equipped to facilitate the company’s need for a “plug and play” operation. If you have or know someone that has a facility that meets these minimum requirements, please contact John Kizer, Business Recruitment Specialist, at 386/248-8048 no later than Wednesday. Your facility information will be forwarded to the company for a direct response to you.

DAYTONA BEACH BUSINESS FAIR SCHEDULED -- The Chamber: Daytona Beach and Halifax Area and the county Department of Economic Development's Small Business Program will present the fifth in a series of Business Assistance Fairs. Professionals from area business assistance organizations will be on-hand to help individuals who want to start or expand a small business and would like to discuss topics ranging from how to select and start a business, to the types of financing and assistance available to get a business started. The fair, November 20, is co-sponsored by Daytona Beach Community College’s (DBCC) Small Business Development Center, the City of Daytona Beach, Central Florida Community Development Corporation, the Center for Business Excellence, SCORE and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The fair will be at DBCC, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., building 110, room 112 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend. For more information, contact Julio Holness, at the Department of Economic Development, at 386/274-3437.

STILL STRUGGLING WITH COMMERCIAL INSURANCE? – The state is working to improve the availability of commercial insurance for Florida’s businesses. If you are experiencing difficulty in finding commercial insurance please contact the Property and Casualty Insurance Reform Committee at http://www.myfloridainsurancereform.com/gethelp.htm.

VOTER REGISTRATIONS BY THE NUMBERS – Volusia County ranks 11th of the 67 counties in Florida for the number of registered voters. According to the Florida Division of Elections, there are 10,433,148 registered voters in Florida of which 291,683 are registered in Volusia County.

INDUSTRIAL ACREAGE NEEDED FOR BEVERAGE MANUFACTURER – The county economic development team is seeking an industrial site of between 15 - 18 acres for a national beverage/bottling manufacturer. The site must be permitted and capable of supporting up to a one million gallons per day of water and up to 200,000 gallons per day of discharge. If you have or know of someone that has industrial acreage that meets these minimum requirements, please contact John Kizer, Business Recruitment Specialist, at 386/248/8048 no later than Friday. Your facility information will be forwarded to the company for a direct response to you.

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