Highlights of Economic and Business Growth in the Tampa Bay Region

Highlights of Economic and Business Growth in the Tampa Bay Region

TAMPA BAY, Fla., March 13 /PRNewswire/ -- News briefs concerning the economic and business growth in the Tampa Bay Region from the Tampa Bay Partnership:

Enza Zaden Locates Research Facility in Tampa Bay

Enza Zaden Research USA, the American arm of Netherlands-based vegetable- seed breeding company Enza Zaden, plans to create a research complex on 46 acres in Manatee County. The company plans to spend $10 million on its seed- research campus and to create 30 or more high-wage jobs. Enza Zaden, which is best known for the Campari tomato, is researching ways to make certain vegetables -- particularly tomatoes -- easier to grow and tastier. Visit the company's website at www.enzazaden.com. (Contact: Dr. William "Bill" Kazokas, bkazokas@enzasalinas.com)

Concrete Firm Brings 100 Jobs to Tampa Bay

Metromont Corp. will build a precast/prestressed concrete manufacturing facility on an 83-acre site in Polk County. The privately held Greenville, SC-based firm will invest several million dollars in the new Haines City plant and will create 100 high-wage jobs over the next three years. Metromont will qualify for several incentive programs because the jobs will pay 115 percent above the average wage in the area. (Contact: Rick Pennell, 864-295-5303, info@metromontusa.com)

USF Health Gets $1.6 Million for Cardiovascular Research

The University of South Florida core for cardiovascular research at USF Health recently received $812,000 from the Walter L. and Phyllis W. Mason Trust. USF Health will seek matching funds from the state to raise a total of $1.6 million. The funding will be used to purchase specialized scientific equipment and technology for researchers at USF Health studying heart disease. (Contact: Suzanna Martinez, (813) 974-2776, smartin1@health.usf.edu)

Oscor's Expansion Creates 55 New Jobs in Tampa Bay

Oscor, Inc., one of the leading medical device manufacturers in the Southeast has announced a major expansion of their facilities in Palm Harbor. Oscor's expansion will add 55 new jobs to their Pinellas County operations. The company will also increase their footprint with 20,000 square feet of new construction adjacent to their existing 40,000 square foot facility. The expansion is slated to include clean room space, as well as plastic injection molding facilities and a larger assembly area. (Contact: Thomas Osypka, 727-937-2511, tosypka@oscor.com)

Animal Replacement Technologies Receives Excellence in Innovation
Certificate

On Tuesday, February 27, Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology Robert Cresanti presented a "Recognition of Excellence in Innovation" certificate to Manatee County-based Animal Replacement Technologies. The certificate recognizes local and regional innovators from throughout the United States. Animal Replacement Technologies is a young, innovative, and growing company that develops sophisticated synthetic body parts for the medical device, consumer product, and pharmaceutical industries. Their patented products employ replaceable muscles, tendons, veins, arteries, and organs, all made from materials that mimic the structural, chemical and mechanical properties of living tissue. Models are designed for use by medical device manufacturers in design development, by physicians in surgical training, and by military manufacturers in ballistics testing. (Contact: Dr. Christopher Sakezles, 941-727-0488, c.sakezles@anireptec.com)

Sarasota Names New Film and Entertainment Office Director

The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota has appointed Jeanne Corcoran as the Director of the Sarasota County Film and Entertainment Office. Describing Sarasota as a "film-friendly" community, Corcoran will work to foster the growth of the county's film-related companies and encourage outside production companies to select Sarasota County as a location for video and film production. Corcoran, a native of Sarasota, has served as a film commissioner and the production manager for the Nevada Film Office since 1998. (Contact: Emily Sperling, Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, 941-309-1200 x206, esperling@edcsarasotacounty.com)

St. Petersburg To Offer Citywide WiFi

St. Petersburg will be one of the first major cities in Florida to offer a citywide wireless broadband network. EarthLink, Inc. plans to build, own, and operate a 60 square mile WiFi network, at no cost to the city. This wireless network will enable St. Petersburg's businesses, residents, and visitors the opportunity to have mobile internet connectivity as they move throughout the city. (Contact: John Armbruster, 727-893-7055, john.armbruster@stpete.org)

STAR TEC Accelerator Announces 2007 Entrepreneurship Conference

STAR TEC technology and manufacturing accelerator will hold its 2007 Entrepreneurship Conference April 11-12, 2007 at the Radisson Hotel in St. Petersburg. The conference, "Keys to Entrepreneurial Success," is expected to attract entrepreneurs, investors and service providers throughout the state of Florida. Host sponsor of the program is Pinellas County Economic Development. Online registration is available at www.startecflorida.com/conference. (Contact: Mary Rodriguez Gort, 727-549-6436, info@startecflorida.com)

Tampa Bay Secures International Grant

The Tampa Bay Partnership has been awarded a $113,000 grant for international business development by Enterprise Florida's Selection Committee for the Florida International Business Expansion Initiative. Working as a team, the Tampa Bay Partnership, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Committee of One Hundred, Pinellas County Economic Development and the World Trade Center Tampa Bay crafted the successful regional proposal which secured the grant and significantly increases Tampa Bay's international efforts. Projects will include a medical device-focused mission to Scotland, an export development mission to China, hosting visitors to the 2007 District Export Council Annual Meeting in Tampa, and an educational outreach program to connect business with teachers and prepare a workforce-ready pipeline. (Contact: Chris Steinocher, 813-878-2208, info@tampabay.org)

Reality Check Tampa Bay Nomination Deadline Nears

The Tampa Bay region is projected to have unprecedented growth in the future -- doubling in population by the year 2050. Reality Check Tampa Bay is a one-day exercise designed to discuss, analyze and develop alternative growth scenarios for the rapidly growing seven-county Tampa Bay region through 2050. Participants will work in teams of 10 negotiating with each other to create a blue print for growth for the region based upon actual demographic, geographic and economic data assembled specifically for the event. Participants in the exercise will include 300 invited leaders from a broad cross section of community stakeholders from business, economic development, government, academic, environmental and social services, to professional and trade organizations, neighborhood and civic groups, nonprofit and philanthropic. Individuals will represent the seven counties of Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota counties as well as a variety of interests, ethnic groups, age ranges. Nominations for participants are being accepted through March 15, 2007 by applying online at www.RealityCheckTampaBay.org. (Contact: Amy Maguire, 727-539-7790, amy@realitychecktampabay.org)

Source: Tampa Bay Partnership

CONTACT: Betty S. Carlin, Tampa Bay Partnership, +1-813-878-2208,
bcarlin@tampabay.org

Web site: http://www.tampabay.org/
http://www.startecflorida.com/conference
http://www.realitychecktampabay.org/

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