Monday – May 7, 2007

LOCAL BAKER OF RUM CAKES AIDING MILITARY FAMILIES -- Sugar-powdered, coconut-decorated and nutty rum cakes -- 5,000 of them in 15 flavors -- are traveling aboard a tractor-trailer headed to the USO at the Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville. The cakes were donated by DePree Premium Rum Cakes, Holly Hill, and sent off to back a USO fundraiser aimed at benefiting local military men and women. The USO is asking folks to purchase the cakes for delivery to local families with loved ones serving in the military. Monroe DePree, owner of the Holly Hill rum-cake factory, said she had a strong desire to share Mother's Day with all our deployed servicemen by donating the cakes.

MANUFACTURING SITE NEEDED – The County Department of Economic Development is seeking real estate locations for a national beverage manufacturer that is in the preliminary stages of identifying potential sites for the construction of a production facility. Only sites containing 60 - 80 acres zoned for manufacturing with an existing consumptive use permit allowing for up to two million gallons of water per day can be considered. If you or someone you know has a site that meets these minimum qualifications please contact Phil Ehlinger, Business Manager, at 386/248-8048. Your site information will be packaged and sent to the site selection team managing this project.

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS TAX HOLIDAY APPROACHING – Area companies can benefit during the first week of June by participating in the state’s "Hurricane Preparedness Tax Holiday" week. State sales tax is removed from the purchase of flashlights, portable radios, tarps, gas/fuel containers, batteries, nonelectric food storage coolers, portable generators, carbon monoxide detectors, and storm shutters. Now is a great time to check your emergency supply lists. Throw out old and expired items, and prepare for at least 72 hours without power, water and telephone services. Hurricane season is from June 1 - November 30.

INTERESTED IN TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION? – If your company is interested in new commercialization opportunities, the 2007 Florida Tech Transfer Conference will be held at the Doral Resort & Spa in Miami May 29-30. The conference features technologies from the state's top research universities. Among the technologies available for commercialization and licensing are alternative and renewable energy; homeland security/ defense; information and communications; life sciences; drug discovery, and medical devices. For registration or information, go to floridaresearch.org or contact Jack Sullivan at the Florida Research Consortium by calling 850/425-5223.

EXPORT SALES MISSION SCHEDULED FOR COSTA RICA, PANAMA – Enterprise Florida has announced a business trade mission to Costa Rica and Panama beginning September 25. Costa Rica and Panama are among Florida's top 25 trading partners. The trade mission is designed to help you and your company identify and initiate business relationships with customers in these countries. This mission qualifies for the county Department of Economic Development's Gold Key Program that provides a 50 percent reimbursable grant to cover trade mission participation fees for Volusia County companies. To learn more about participating in this mission, contact Misty Kane at Enterprise Florida by calling 407/956-5642 or email her at mkane@eflorida.com. To register for your Volusia County Gold Key participation you’ll need to contact Paul Mitchell, Business Specialist by calling him at 386/274-3439.

VMA TO CONDUCT WORKSHOP ON PREPARING FOR AN AUDIT -- The Quality Management Division of the Volusia Manufacturing Association is hosting a breakfast meeting May 8 from 7:45 - 9 a.m. at Daytona Beach International Airport’s Volusia Room. How to prepare for an audit, internal or external, from a company and audit team perspective is the topic that will be covered by speaker, Chuck Rumer, Quality System Manager, ASQ CQA & CQIA, the Homac Companies. E-mail Jayne Fifer at jayne.fifer@VMAonline.com by noon, Monday, May 7, to RSVP. For more information call 386/673-0505.

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. \