Monday – November 27, 2006

OVER 41,000 NEW JOBS CREATED SINCE 2001 – The community’s workforce has grown 17.3 percent since October 2001. This increase of 37,598 new workers brings the county’s available workforce to more than 254,000. However, the number of new jobs filled by local workers has outpaced the growth of the workforce with 41,612 new positions. This five-year growth in new jobs brings the total of Volusia County residents employed to 246,704, an increase of 20.3 percent. According to Rick Michael, Volusia County’s director of economic development, the community continues to add new jobs at a rate faster than the growth of the workforce thus cutting the dependency on the regional economy to support the employment needs of our residents. As a result of this growth, the number of local workers commuting beyond Volusia County has declined from an estimated high of 62,000 to the current level of approximately 55,000.

MORE THAN $1.2 BILLION ADDED ANNUALLY TO AREA INCOME – Volusia County’s employment profile has increased by 41,612 new positions since October 2001. This increase in the number of new local jobs has upped the area’s annual payroll by more than $1.2 billion. The county’s employed workforce will generate and contribute more than $7.4 billion in annual wages to the local economy in 2006.

MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH – The county Department of Economic Development is an active participant in Florida’s High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC). Created to promote the development of high tech companies and products, the FHTCC leverages available funding to support individual company research and development initiatives. The program helps area companies to partner with local universities to generate applied research in aviation, aerospace, information technology, medical and life science technologies, microelectronics, nanotechnology, modeling, simulation and training, optics and photonics. For more information on the FHTCC’s matching grants program please contact Paul Mitchell, Business Specialist, at 386/274-3439.

GUARANTEED LOANS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT EXPORTERS -- The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have signed an agreement to co-guarantee loans of up to $2 million to small business exporters under SBA's Export Working Capital Program. Ex-Im Bank's co-guarantee supplements SBA's guarantee to help small business exporters obtain larger loans than SBA alone could support. Borrowers still are able to work through their existing SBA lenders. For more information on this program contact your SBA borrower or call Paul Mitchell, Business Specialist, at 386/274-3439.

40-ACRE INDUSTRIAL SITE NEEDED FOR NATIONAL BOTTLING COMPANY – The county Department of Economic Development is seeking a 40-acre industrial site capable of supporting up to one million gallons per day of permitted raw water to support the expansion of a national bottling manufacturer. The site also must be able to support up to 200,000 gallons per day of discharge. Municipalities or individuals that may have a site capable of supporting this project are encouraged to contact John Kizer, Business Specialist, at 386/248-8048.

IS YOUR COMPANY SELLING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR EDUCATION? -- The county Department of Economic Development conducts “purchasing assistance” workshops on the first Tuesday of each month at the Advanced Technology Center, 1770 Technology Blvd., Suite 124, Daytona Beach, and on the third Tuesday of each month at the Deltona Regional Library, 2150 Eustace Ave. These sessions are from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. The workshops provide assistance to area businesses in registering as a qualified bidder for the county, area city governments, School Board and community college purchasing programs and for accessing bid opportunities. December’s workshops are scheduled for the Advanced Technology Center December 5 and the Deltona Regional Library December 19. For more information on attending these workshops please contact Julio Holness, DBE Business Liaison, at 386/274-3437.

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.