Tax Time is Near and the Business Development Center Can Help: Understanding Federal Taxes for the Small Business Owner, February 5, 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. is designed to provide valuable insight on a wide range of tax topics for business owners, including: tax forms and publications, preparing returns, and record keeping.  To register call (727) 453-7200 or email businesshelp@siliconbay.org

It’s Hot in February: The St. Petersburg-Clearwater-Tampa Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is One of the America’s Hottest Cities for Expansion and Relocation.  Expansion Management surveyed 70 of the industry’s most prominent site selection consultants in order to find out which cities their clients found the most attractive when it came to selecting an expansion or relocation site in 2003. The consultants were asked to rank the best of the 370 MSAs, and the results placed the St. Petersburg-Clearwater-Tampa MSA 26th on this prestigious list.  The entire story and all the rankings are available at:
www.expansionmanagement.com/smo/newsviewer/default.asp?cmd=articledetail&articleid=15964

Learn How to Hire and Retain the Best Employees, February 27.  The High Tech Council, a joint effort of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, will present “Hiring and Retaining the Best – Today and in the Next Decade,” a free program to be held at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, February 27, 2004, preceded by a continental breakfast at 7:45 am and registration at 8:00 a.m., at Florida Blood Services, 10100 9th St. North, St. Petersburg.  To register, contact Marcia Baker at the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, (727) 821-4069 or mbaker@stpete.com, or Ron Barnwell, Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, (727) 461-0011 ext.234,
rbarnwell@clearwaterflorida.org

Competitive Grants are Available to Host Professionals from Eurasia for 3-6 Months though the Special American Business Internship Training (SABIT) Program, a Department of Commerce initiative.  SABIT grants help foster relationships between export-ready small and medium enterprises with potential customers, distributors, or partners in Eurasia.  U.S. host companies also receive assistance from interns in areas such as market access, certification, customs, taxation, logistics, forming contacts, and accessing marketing data. More detailed information about how to apply, application criteria, and other program specifics are available at www.mac.doc.gov/sabit.

How Do Pinellas Businesses Feel about Next Year’s Expected Business Performance?  What Percentage Surveyed Have a Website?  32% rate industry conditions improved in 2003 and 50% of the businesses surveyed have a website.  The results of the entire 2003 Business Assistance Monitor, a survey conducted of 1,252 Pinellas County businesses are now available online at
http://www.siliconbay.org/stats_forms/document.asp?id=18476.

Are You “Interested in Doing Business with the Federal Government?”  This seminar offered February 3, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., through the Business Development Center is a must! You’ll learn how to get started, and how to locate contracts to begin conducting business with the federal government. Presented by Carol Bowers of PTAC; to register call (727) 453-7200 or email business@siliconbay.org.

Congratulations to the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport.  During 2003, St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) experienced a 60% increase in passenger growth over 2002, making it the leading airport in the state and one of the top airports in the nation for growth.  A total of 997,761 passengers traveled through PIE during 2003.  The month of December represented an 89% increase over December 2002.  Learn more about the great places you can go and how this world-class airport can get you there at www.fly2pie.com.