April 2008

This Month on PCED.org … Take a tour of current redevelopment projects in Pinellas County. Click here to view photographs and descriptions of projects throughout the county as of March, 2008. Also new this month, Pinellas County Economic Development's 2008 Annual Report provides a dynamic look at Pinellas County business happenings and trends over the past year.

Super Bowl Procurement Opportunities for Minority- and Woman-Owned Businesses. Tampa Bay area minority- and woman-owned businesses can receive certification for Super Bowl XLIII procurement opportunities through the NFL Emerging Business program. Approved businesses will be added to the exclusive online Business Resource Guide, the primary source for Super Bowl XLIII contractors and vendors. Click here to apply.

Collaborative Construction Forum, April 24. This event, specific to the construction industry, will focus on current and emerging workforce needs and will provide information about opportunities for training funding. The forum will also allow your voice to be heard by educators regarding curriculum development and class offerings. WorkNet Pinellas has partnered with PTEC, St. Petersburg College, the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Economic Development to bring you this event. The forum will be held at the EpiCenter, 13805 58^th Street North in Clearwater, from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Contact Kristin Dailey at (727) 507-4300 x3004 or kdailey@worknetpinellas.org for details and reservations.

Monthly Hazardous Waste Collection for Businesses: April 9. Dispose of unwanted hazardous electronics and chemical waste at the EnviroBusiness collections, scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month. The next collection day will be April 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Household Electronics & Chemical Collection Center, 2990 110^th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Any business may drop off its hazardous electronics. To drop off chemicals, businesses need to qualify as small waste generators, (producing less than 25 gallons, or 220 pounds, of chemical waste per month). About ninety percent of all the electronic equipment brought in is either reused or recycled. Visit www.pinellascounty.org/bizwaste to learn more.

2008 Governor's Business Diversification Awards – Nominations Being Accepted Now. Enterprise Florida is accepting nominations for this awards program to recognize Florida companies for their contributions to the state's economic diversification and growth. Awards are available in the following categories: Business Expansion, Entrepreneurship, Export Excellence, Innovation, and Newcomer. Learn more and enter a nomination at www.eflorida.com.

Join the Discussion - Affordable Housing Solutions. Ensuring our community is a place where all residents have the opportunity to live in decent neighborhoods with access to quality affordable housing is one of the goals of Pinellas County. The recently established Pinellas County Housing Trust Fund and Community Land Trust programswere the first steps in this initiative. Results of the Housing Nexus Analysis suggested development options, program incentives and requirements to help promote mixed-income communities. During the next step, a proposed ordinance establishing an Inclusionary Housing Program will be considered. To find out more and join the discussion, visit www.pinellascounty.org/community or phone Community Development at (727) 464-8200.

April 2008 Pinellas County Success Story

Child Awareness When Child Awareness USA, LLC made the decision to relocate operations from its Manchester, England, location to a U.S. location, Pinellas County, Florida, was the company's top choice. The Pinellas location beat out other areas in the Tampa Bay region, as well as locations in West Virginia, thanks to the relocation assistance provided by Pinellas County Economic Development (PCED). “With eight full-time employees and plans to add another 20 high-wage positions over the next two years, we needed a location in which the company can grow, and that meant planning ahead for potential clients, financing options, and staffing needs. PCED's assistance in all these areas was the determining factor in our site selection,” explains Amanda Artingstall, President and CEO of Child Awareness USA.

Click here to read more of this story.

Is your business ready to locate or expand in Pinellas? Contact a Business Development Manager at (727) 464-7332 to explore Pinellas County's winning attributes.