March 2010 Economic Update

March 30, 2010

In the wake of the recession, our community plan to implement a Constant State of Readiness, which welcomes and supports companies poised to expand or relocate to Ocala/Marion County, is beginning to pay off.  Our heightened partnership with the City of Ocala, Marion County and the State of Florida combined resources to bring some exciting projects to fruition, and assisted with the creation of over 146 new jobs for our residents. 

Last week, Jim Schneider, CEO of Signature Brands, LLC announced the selection of Ocala, Florida as the site to relocate a popcorn factory the company recently acquired from the Chicago area. A few weeks ago, we witnessed the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Rasmussen College. And, we are excited to announce renovations have begun at the Trinity Tile Building located in the City of Ocala’s Enterprise Zone to house Santelli Tempered Glass as they move forward with their expansion plans.  Together, these projects represent an additional $5.3 million in annual payroll and a $19.7 million capital investment for our community. Read more details about these projects below. 

While we have taken a moment to celebrate progress on our journey to economic recovery, we remain very aware of the more than 20,000 people out of work in this unprecedented time of 15.4% unemployment. We remain steadfast on our targeted mission of job creation and are very grateful for the support and teamwork provided by our local elected officials and the State of Florida. The Workforce Connection team is also to be commended for providing excellent customer service to prospective companies looking for available workers and training dollars, or companies that have selected Marion County and are in need of screening and placement services.  There are 13 additional projects in the pipeline, and we hope to bring more announcements to you in the coming months.
 

Best Regards,

Pete Tesch
President/CEO

Signature Brands, LLC has announced plans to build a new 120,000 square foot plant adjacent to their existing Ocala facility in Meadowbrook Industrial Park beginning immediately.  When fully operational, this project is expected to create an additional 82 positions. A groundbreaking is planned for April 23, 2010 and the factory start-up is scheduled for April 2011. For more details, read the news release from Signature Brands.

	The EDC was pleased to work with the City of Ocala, Marion County, and the State of Florida to assist with Rasmussen College’s $5.24 million expansion. As a result, the immediate economic impact on our community is the creation of at least 20 higher-paying jobs, about 200 construction jobs representing over 30 trades during the next year, and untold vendor/construction support jobs created or saved. Ocala Campus Director Pete Beasley is excited about working with the community for a win-win approach to the future. “The EDC has been amazing as they walked us through the process,” said Beasley. “The City of Ocala, Marion County and the State of Florida have provided avenues to assist us with the creation of professional jobs for our citizens and the expansion of our services to be able to better serve more students. Our product is our students, and our customers are the employers who can grow in the future based on the education and skills our students bring to the table. It’s all a cycle of progress and improving the community one student and one employee at a time.”

	“It’s all about location and opportunity!” This is how Santelli Tempered Glass Owner Joseph Santelli explained why Ocala, Florida was chosen out of many communities vying for his company’s expansion project. “We needed an expansion site with close proximity to I-75 and easy access to Atlanta,” shared Santelli. “There were many communities in Florida we explored. It was the extra effort put forth that closed the deal for us in Ocala. Pete Tesch and his team at the EDC were so great to work with, and the programs put together by the City, County and the State made it obvious Ocala, Florida is where we needed to be. We have been treated well and feel very welcomed in our new community. This location will help us better serve our customers in the Southeast so we can enjoy continued growth.”
“We are so pleased to welcome a company like Santelli Tempered Glass to our community,” said EDC President/CEO Pete Tesch. “Their strength is captured in a very capital intensive approach to business. They utilize technology and automation which allows them to be very nimble in an extremely competitive marketplace. We look forward to building a strong relationship with Santelli Glass as they continue on their path of growth and expansion.” Joseph Santelli (seated) is pictured above with members of his team in Monessan, PA.

Columbia, South Carolina's Palmetto Institute played a significant role in landing the Boeing expansion project to create 12,000 jobs for their community. The Institute's Director of Research Sue-Ann Gerald Shannon shared some words of encouragement and tips for business recruitment at the EDC March Quarterly Luncheon. Shannon expressed what she thought were the 4 C's that made the project work - Chance, Cash, Clustering and Collaboration. Download and read the text from Shannon's remarks.

This Economic Update has been developed to meet the communication needs expressed by our investors. The EDC has been asked to provide quick, easy-to-read highlights, with further details just a click away.The Economic Update is the new tool for delivering the Quarterly Report, and other relevent economic updates. Let us know what you think!

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