Monday – March 12, 2007

EMERGENCY BUSINESS LOANS STILL AVAILABLE TO DELAND AREA BUSINESSES – Emergency tornado recovery loans for DeLand area businesses still are available. The Emergency Bridge Loans are designed to assist companies that were damaged or impacted by the storm. The loans are for up to six months and are interest free. The state has made up to $1 million available. The program is administered by the county Department of Economic Development in cooperation with SunTrust Bank, Riverside Bank, Wachovia, Bank of America, Main Street Community Bank, Prosperity Bank and Harbor Federal. Loan applications are available online at Floridabusiness.org or by calling Paul Mitchell at the Department of Economic Development at 386/274-3439. Deadline for loan applications is March 16.

STATE TRADE GRANT AWARDED TO VOLUSIA COUNTY TO SUPPORT AREA MANUFACTURERS – A state grant has been awarded to the county Department of Economic Development to support an international trade initiative to benefit Volusia County manufacturers. The grant will be use to implement an international sales mission for area automotive component manufacturers to central Mexico where companies will meet one-on-one with purchasing personnel from Mexico’s automotive industry that includes Ford, GM, Volkswagon, Mitsubitshi and others. Participants will receive assistance to schedule meetings with purchasing and buying personnel along with translation and local transportation services. The date of the mission has not yet been finalized. If your company would like to participate in this unique opportunity, contact Phil Ehlinger, the county’s mission coordinator, at 386/-248-8048.

WHY THE COUNTY TARGETS MEDICAL MANUFACTURERS – According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the average annual earnings for a Volusia private sector worker is $30,736. However, a worker for a manufacturer of medical equipment and supplies earns an annual salary of $55,619 when compared to other employment sectors. Wages paid in this manufacturing industry sector are 81 percent higher than the average private sector wage paid in our community.

VOLUSIA’S ECONOMIC TRENDS TOPIC OF PRESENTATION – A presentation by Sean Snaith, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida (UCF) on An Overview of the County’s Economic Trends will be March 23 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Sunset Harbor Yacht Club, 861 Ballough Road, Daytona Beach. The cost is $20. This program will feature the Institute’s recently-published inaugural Metro Economic Forecast Report for Volusia County (Deltona / Daytona Beach / Ormond Beach). Snaith will discuss Volusia’s economic trends in comparison with other counties. The event is sponsored by VCARD. More information about this new quarterly economic report can be accessed at www.iec.ucf.edu. For reservations, contact VCARD at 386/257-4169.

CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON BLACK SEA REGION -- Enterprise Florida will lead a group of Florida companies on a unique opportunity to sell defense and aerospace products to the Black Sea region of Eastern Europe. Scheduled for April 24-27, in Bucharest, Romania, the Black Sea Exhibition will attract buyers from Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia. The region is the fastest growing, largest economic area outside of Asia. The region's proximity to the "arc-of-instability" ensures growing sales of aerospace, defense and security technologies and support infrastructures. In addition, a free matchmaking service will be provided to participants. For more information, contact Paul Mitchell at the Department of Economic Development at 386/274-3439.

BROWNING COMMUNICATIONS CHANGES HANDS -- Central Florida printing executive Dean O'Brien recently became the president and co-owner of DeBary-based Browning Communications. O'Brien purchased majority ownership of the 20-year-old printing company from James Hoffman, the company's vice president and co-owner. The company, located in the Springview Industrial Park, continues to grow with the recent purchase of assets previously owned by PrintWorks USA of Longwood, a specialty printing and direct mail company.

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.