Northwest Florida Business Climate March/April 2013

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L o o k s L i k e We M a d e I t ! • N e t w o r k A u d i t s

Pensacola’s BestHonored

at PACE Awards

March/A

pril 2013

Pensacola ChamberLooks Beyond

Vision 2015

Also

42 > nwflbusinessclimate.com March/April 2013

In business, it’s important to have mentors or establishedbusiness leaders to look to for guidance and inspiration. A few ofour local leaders in business were recently honored at thePensacola Area Commitment to Excellence (PACE) Awardceremony. The deserving honorees have shown exemplary skilland dedication both in business as well as the community, andeach honoree’s commitment and hard work should be an examplefor all in our community to follow. They are truly Pensacola’s best.Read more about the awards and winners on page 50.

In looking to the future economic stability of our region, theGreater Pensacola Chamber has been working on its job creatinginitiative Vision 2015, which is well ahead of schedule in reachingtoward its goals. Despite the current success level, the chamber islooking even further ahead for ways to bolster the local economyand spur even more growth. Turn to page 54 for more on whatthe chamber is doing to strengthen existing partnerships andsecure the future of this great region beyond Vision 2015.

Additionally, we’re recognizing Women’s History Month thisMarch with an article on the reasons why women are especiallypoised for success in today’s dynamic business world. We’ve alsogot our regular IT tips column from Mike White on the importanceof regular network audits, which keep everything in your networkfunctioning properly and up to speed.

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March is Women’s History Month, and this year the month marks 100 yearssince significant “strides” were taken by women suffragists who marched onWashington. It’s certainly a great time for today’s women to look back at howfar they’ve come. (For example, consider that back when women suffragistswere fighting for the right to vote,) even many women, let alone men, didn’tthink they should play a significant role in politics or business. Today, ofcourse, the gap between men and women continues to close.

Looks Like We Made It! 10 Reasons Why Now is a Great Time

to Be a Woman in Business

March is Women’s History Month, which serves as a great opportunity to celebrate the women who pavedthe way for so many who came after them. It’s also noteworthy, says Vickie Milazzo, because recent yearshave given way to such a fruitful time for women in business. She explains why women are taking centerstage in the 21st century business world.


Just a few years ago it was believed that an “act like aman” mentality was needed for any woman to be takenseriously in business. Today, playing down femininity is nolonger necessary. In fact, says Vickie Milazzo, the almostconstant changes to the way we communicate, interact,innovate, and do business are setting up an opportunity-filled future for women

“There’s never been a better time to be a woman inbusiness,” says Milazzo, author of the New York Timesbestseller Wicked Success Is Inside Every Woman. “It’sundeniable that the more masculine command-and-controlway of doing business is on its way out. Increasingly,businesses—and society in general—are coming to valuemore feminine qualities like participation, engagement,collaboration, relationship-building, and an appreciationfor the greater good: qualities that come naturally to mostwomen.”

“Of course,” clarifies Milazzo, “that doesn’t meanwomen are suddenly getting a free ride to the top of thecorporate ladder.”

“As the women who fought for the right to vote haveshown us, no wickedly successful woman ever gotanywhere waiting for her big chance to be given to her orfor women to suddenly become as valued as men in theworkplace or anywhere else for that matter,” says Milazzo.“And that’s not going to change anytime soon. However,it’s also true that a growing appreciation for collaboration,participation, and relationship-building have created aperfect storm for entrepreneurial and enterprising women.These qualities are at the very heart of what women dobest.”

“We should not be afraid to express them. Womenhave every advantage right now. It’s time for more womento harness their strengths. We’ve never been betterpositioned to make our mark.”

Read on for a few feminine features that make womenprimed to succeed in business, and how you can takeadvantage of them:

Women aren’t afraid to take action. Whether it’s callingthe plumber about a newly-sprung faucet leak whiledressing your kids and packing your own briefcase…orchanging your meticulously-planned sales pitch strategyon the fly because of a client’s last-minuterequest…women aren’t afraid to do what needs to bedone.

“Successful women know how and when to takeaction,” says Milazzo. “They know that success is notabout what you do when the road ahead is golden andevery dip and turn smoothes your way. It’s about howyou respond when you hit the biggest, nastiest roadblockof all time. By taking action every day, you develop thehabits and discipline to make your vision a reality. Whenyou focus not just on the idea but on making it happen,you stay in motion, not merely dreaming your passionsbut living them.”

Women aren’t afraid to ask for help. Since they werelittle girls, most women have automatically reached out tofriends when they needed help, advice, company, or a

listening ear. That impulse isn’t surprising; after all,women are usually more communal and collaborativethan men. And because women have often had to fightfor everything they’ve achieved in the business world,helping each other has become a common practice. “I pioneered the industry of legal nurse consulting, sothere was no one to teach me how to do what I set out todo,” says Milazzo. “Yet I didn’t feel alone. I gathered thebiggest CEOs and successful business owners in thecountry—at least those who’d written a book—anddevoured everything I could find about launching abusiness. I became a successful student of businessstrategy for life.”

“Some of the best advice I received when I started mybusiness was ‘Vickie, you will encounter many challengesyou will not know how to handle. But there’s alwayssomeone out there who has already successfully handledthat very challenge.’ Intelligent women know what theydon’t know and when to seek answers. Smart womenappreciate that what works today won’t necessarily worktomorrow, and aggressive learning is a competitiveadvantage to achieving any desired goal.”

Women are highly engaged. Women are the tycoons ofcommitment. Regardless of their profession, all womenare CEOs; i.e., Chief Everything Officers. They managecareers, households, children, meals, shopping, eventplanning, and more—simultaneously—while doingeverything in their power to make sure that not one singleball drops. The “edge” that this type of engagement givesthem is a huge asset when channeled professionally.During good times it gives women extra fire, and duringbad times it keeps them going when they’d rather throwin the towel.

“Train yourself to engage (and overcome) your fears, toengage your goals strategically, to engage the not-so-fun-but-necessary details, and to carefully evaluate the goalsyou do (and choose not to) engage,” says Milazzo. “Thiswill give you the ongoing momentum you need to fulfillyour ultimate vision for your life. Also, remember that aclose companion of effective engagement is endurance,and that women have the true-grit type that can pushthem through everything from childbirth to years of nightschool on top of full work weeks. Don’t give up—but besure to take a rest when your mind, body, and spirit tellyou one is needed.”

Women are enterprising. As Milazzo has alreadypointed out, most women do a lot. They run a successfulcombination of a job, education, family, friendships,hobbies, etc. By anyone’s definition, that’s a complexenterprise! And the ability to keep multiple systemsrunning and multiple people happy is an obvious asset tohave in the workplace.

“Because women do think differently and indeedprocess the world differently from men, it shouldn’t comeas a surprise that they can take a supposed ‘lost cause’and save it, or make an already-fantastic process orprocedure even better,” Milazzo points out. “Beingcreative and entrepreneurial is in our DNA—just ask any


woman who has managed to successfully navigate thecomplex world of office politics to get the promotion shedeserves. Or, like me, who has started a successfulbusiness with little more than a good idea anddetermination!”

Women are great relationship-builders. Most womenwant to give their all to every relationship they have, be itwith a coworker, significant other, child, family member,friend, client, etc.—and when they can’t, they often feelguilty. Our complex society of family, friends, career, andspiritual and social obligations constantly pulls us indifferent directions. This bombardment does lead somewomen to over-commit, but when tempered to amanageable scale, a natural willingness to buildrelationships set women up for great success today.

“When you’re in pursuit of a great opportunity, onesource you can count on for harvesting more energy ispositive relationships,” says Milazzo. “We all know at leastone person who lifts our spirits and makes us feel morealive. It might be your mother, your spouse, a goodfriend, your children, or, if you’re truly fortunate, all ofthem. Surround yourself with positive relationships,especially with those who support your passions, and youwill be eternally rechargeable.”

Women are natural multi-taskers. Chat up any group ofwomen with a variety of talents, emotions, andintelligence and you’ll find most of them are juggling adozen different projects, a handful of importantrelationships, and at least one pressing dilemma. Womenexcel at multi-tasking—a true leg up in a world that isconstantly asking us to do more, more, more.

“Flexible and adaptable, women handle unexpectedchange gracefully,” says Milazzo. “We’re not thrown by 10things hitting us at once—that won’t wreck our day. We’rewired for agility. Hand a woman an iPhone and you turnher into a captain of high-tech industry. She’ll setappointments, answer email, snap and send photos tofriends and family, update Facebook, arrange a party,make dinner reservations, and text her husband to pickup the dry cleaning. We’ve learned to bend technology tofit our needs and increase our agility for handling morecomplex situations at increasingly higher and fasterlevels.”

Women know how to collaborate. The rising use ofWikis and other collaborative software indicates the rapidacceptance of a growing need to share knowledge, ideas,and energies. Office technology has advanced to providea platform for sharing, reviewing, editing, and completelyrethinking documents or graphics. As our workforce hasgone global, software has permeated the vacuum createdwhen we are unable to meet simultaneously. And all ofthese things play to women’s communal natures.

“It’s only when we come together and engage inconversation that we raise new questions and think ofpossibilities at a collective level we would not haveconsidered on our own,” notes Milazzo. “Collaboration isnot just connecting with people. It’s also an attitude ofhelpfulness. Wickedly successful women know that playingnice is a sign of strength. Inside every woman is a naturalcollaborator. That’s a wicked advantage we have aswomen, an intellectual edge we can leverage for using ourgenius at the highest possible level.”

Women know the importance of mutual support.According to a landmark UCLA study on managing stress,the bonds women form with each other also benefit theirhealth and longevity. The hormone oxytocin, enhanced byestrogen and released as part of their stress response,encourages them to gather with other women. The bondthat forms helps to fill emotional gaps and lowers the riskof early death. Men experiencing stress go into a fight-or-flight response. Women’s broader response system mayexplain why they consistently outlive men.

“When women come together and share their passions,visions, experiences, fears, and promises, an amazingbond occurs,” says Milazzo. “From that bond emergesparks of brilliance and insight that none of these womenalone, or in any other combination, could have inspired.Female Fusion is a truly powerful force.”

Women understand the power of giving. In business—and life in general—the best long-term strategy isn’t to getahead and stay ahead of everyone else. Instead, it’s topartner with others—to give everyone a piece of the pieand build up the people around you—so that everyonehas an incentive to win. When you give other people a bitof advice, a word of encouragement, a few minutes ofyour time, or even a sought-after opportunity, you’llusually see valuable returns.

“Giving does not always mean pulling out your wallet,”Milazzo confirms. “Time is a valuable gift. Mentoring is avaluable gift. Spiritual or emotional support is a valuablegift. If you want more money, encouragement, or love,give it today and you will receive it tomorrow, but notnecessarily from the people you give it to. It comesthrough other manifestations. By giving back, I havereceived more abundance in every aspect of my life than Iever dreamed possible.”

Women know how to trust their intuition. Women’sintuition is actually a scientific fact. Women have a largersplenium of the corpus callosum which accounts forgreater interconnectivity between the left and right

We’re not thrown by 10things hitting us at once—that won’t wreck our day.

We’re wired for agility. Handa woman an iPhone and you

turn her into a captain ofhigh-tech industry.

“

”


hemispheres of their cognitive brains.Some scientists believe this broaderconnection enables women to accessboth sides faster and easier thanmen.

Women are not more “right-brained,” as is the myth; their brainfunctions are actually more holisticand generalized. Women fluentlyengage the limbic brain, where higheremotions are stored, and theinstinctive brain, which is responsiblefor self-preservation. This holisticcombination of emotion, instinct, andcognition equates to women’sintuition.

“Does it make sense to have suchan extraordinary tool and not use it?”asks Milazzo. “Not in my book. Bytrusting my intuition, I created a newindustry where a void formerlyexisted. My intuition told me lawyersneeded nurses, even if they didn’tknow it yet themselves. If anyoneever tells you one person can’taccomplish anything big, or youshouldn’t go against the odds, don’tbelieve it. Intuition worked for me.And it will work for you. It all startswith your intuitive vision.”

“I’m not saying that women are‘better’ than men, or that men don’thave as much to offer,” Milazzoconcludes. “That’s certainly not thecase. What I’m saying is that as thebusiness world comes to valuecollaboration, participation andrelationships more and more, womenare going to be able to put theirnatural skills to work for them. Andmany women are already doing justthat by taking advantage of greateropportunities to insert themselvesinto the big picture. What better timeto celebrate this progress thanWomen’s History Month!”

About the Author: Vickie Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD,is author of the New York Times bestseller WickedSuccess Is Inside Every Woman. From a shotgunhouse in New Orleans to owner of a $16millionbusiness, New York Times best-selling authorMilazzo shares the innovative successstrategies that earned her a place on the Inc.list of Top 10 Entrepreneurs and Inc. Top 5000Fastest-Growing Companies in America.

Vickie is the owner of Vickie MilazzoInstitute, an education company she foundedin 1982. Featured in the New York Times as thepioneer of a new profession, she built aprofessional association of more than 4,000members.


Pensacola’s BestHonored at

PACE Awards

The 2013 PACE Awards featured more than 400 local professionals andgovernment officials, all gathered to honor and respect the greatest amongtheir ranks with accolades and a posthumous tribute to Donna Fassett.The event was sold out as six notable community leaders receivedrecognition for their philanthropy, business savvy, ethics and service to thePensacola area.

By Josh Newby


The 53rd annual Pensacola Area Commitment toExcellence (PACE) Awards continues a long traditionmaintained by the Greater Pensacola Chamber ofCommerce. The awards have honored 188 outstandingindividuals.

The Emerging Leader of the Year award was created tohonor an individual who has recently shown significantpotential for leadership in business or communityendeavors and who is expected to continue having apositive impact in the area. The award went to BrianHooper, attorney at Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon.Hooper has recently received a number of local accoladesfor his outstanding business integrity and vast knowledgeof law and legal-writing skills.

Hooper also keeps himself busy in the community andunderstands the importance of giving back. He is anactive volunteer with the chamber and the City ofPensacola, and has also contributed many volunteerhours as the chair of the Urban Redevelopment AdvisoryCouncil (URAC). Additionally, he routinely serves andprovides support for the Boys & Girls Club, PensacolaYoung Professionals, Five Flags Rotary, and many otherlocal organizations.

“I feel very honored that others would recognize myservice in the community,” said Hooper. “Beingrecognized as an Emerging Leader certainly wasn’t myintention. My goal was to simply help grow our localeconomy and make a difference for Pensacolians. It’s justthe right thing to do. It’s a great feeling to know there areso many others in the community who share my desire tosupport our wonderful city.”

The Professional Leader of the Year award is designedfor a person who has made a difference and contributedto the success of their profession by distinguished serviceto their trade. According to the award requirements, theindividual must also be held in high regard for theirstature, integrity and inspiration to others. Brent Lane of

Cat Country 98.7 received the award. His widespreadpopularity in the area is attributed not only to his nationalaward-winning Cat Pak Morning Show, but also to hisprofessionalism and positive attitude.

Since arriving in the Pensacola area six years ago, hehas been recognized as a talented and innovativeprofessional, also known for his insistence onrepresenting Cat Country’s trademark yellow wherever hegoes. His wife humorously remarked that she is unsurewhat her husband would look like without yellow.

Lane has helped his company grow from a startup toan area leader in listenership. He also runs Cat Country’sChristmas Wishes, an award-winning campaign that helpsthose less fortunate during the holiday season.

“Living and working in this community has been aspecial blessing for our family,” said Lane. “I was toldearly on in my radio career that to be successful, ‘serveyour community at all times,’ and I have tried very hard todo that. This award means more to me than any otherbecause it comes from my community. I feel like it meansI’m doing something to better the community andcontribute to the overall success of Pensacola and ourarea at large. I feel incredibly blessed to be able toprovide for my family doing a job that I love, in acommunity that I’m proud of.”

The Community Leader of the Year award goes to aprofessional who has distinguished his or her self-through outstanding contributions in the form of a specialproject on behalf of the area. This person must alsoexemplify the true spirit of service. No one exemplifiedthose ideals more in 2012 than Bentina Terry, vicepresident of external affairs and corporate services forGulf Power.

Outside of Gulf Power, Terry busies herself withparticipation in many important entities in the community,including the chamber, where she co-chaired the initialfundraising effort for Vision 2015 and helped secure more

Brent LaneThe Professional Leader of the Year

Brian HooperThe Emerging Leader of the Year


than $8.5 million in pledges. She also helped ensure thatminority contractors were given the opportunity to be apart of the Community Maritime Park project. Terry hasalso recently launched Innovation Coast, which helpsshowcase the area’s vibrant technology community, andserves on the boards of many local businesses andcultural organizations.

“Pensacola is my home,” said Terry. “I want thiscommunity to be its best and to provide a strong, vibranteconomic and social life for all its members—all parts ofthis community. Whether you were born here or movedhere, whether you love the arts or sports, whether you areAfrican American or Caucasian, whether you are part ofthe downtown crowd or live in Century, you pick yourdemographic. I want everyone in our community to feellike they have a place at the table and that Pensacola’sprogress is their progress. So while it’s cool to want that, Iknow that is truly not enough. I am involved because Ibelieve that I cannot sit back and talk about enhancingthis community; I have to be a part of making it happen.”

The Business Leader of the Year award goes to anindividual as recognition for outstanding success inbusiness or industry through the development of a newprocess, product or service. The award also recognizesthose who have made meaningful contributions to thelocal business community. This year, the award went toMark Faulkner, who is only the fourth CEO in BaptistHealth Care history. Since being employed at Baptist in1993, Faulkner has enjoyed a meteoric rise within thecompany, credited to his thorough and creativeknowledge of the health care industry and of thePensacola community.

Under Faulkner’s leadership, the $650 million, 6,500-employee company has received a national reputation inthe Top 100 hospitals in the country. Faulkner also servesnearly a dozen local professional memberships andboards. He attributed his success to his faith, family, andthe professional relationships he has cultivated over the

years.“I look at this award from a couple different

perspectives,” said Faulkner. “First, I am a product of thiscommunity; I grew up here. As I looked across the crowdand reflected that night, I realized that so many peoplehave directly influenced me, and this award is really areflection of the rich and wonderful relationships withpeople who have contributed to my growth. Secondly, Irepresent our organization, and if I am the face of ourorganization’s accomplishments, then I receive this awardon that behalf.”

The Pioneer Award was established in 1978 and honorsindividuals who make significant contributions, provideleadership with lasting impact and demonstrate a lifetimeof commitment to progress for the area. Lewis Bear, Jr. isjust such an individual, and serves as president and CEOof the Lewis Bear Company, a wholesale distributor since1876.

Bear has worked tirelessly much of his career toimprove the economic stability of Pensacola and createjobs. He is also a vital part of many organizations in thecity. He has served the chamber, the Pensacola Museumof Art, the University of West Florida, Baptist Health CareFoundation, American Heart Association, and numerousother non-profits and community businesses.

“Over the past 50 years, I have been given manyopportunities to work with very talented people,” saidBear. “Early in my life, I recognized my weaknesses, andhave spent years surrounding myself with those who bringstrength where those weaknesses exist. That teamworkhas proven very beneficial for the organizations for whichwe have worked, as well as the community where we live.It was a humbling experience to be recognized, and anhonor to accept the award for all those with whom I havebeen able to share the teamwork.”

The evening wrapped up with a moving and respectfulhomage to Donna Fassett, who served as director of ARCGateway, a non-profit provider of life-enhancing programs

Bentina TerryThe Community Leader of the Year

Mark FaulknerThe Business Leader of the Year

for individuals with disabilities. Fassett passed away onDecember 27, 2012, after a long-fought battle with cancer,but not before being notified that she had won this year’sSpirit of Pensacola Award. She served the city of Pensacolafor 33 years, helping any and all disadvantaged people thatshe could. The audience stood in applause three timesduring her tribute video, which featured members of herfamily, colleagues and people she had helped. Fassettreceived many awards and recognitionsfor her work from a city that owed herso much more. She not only defendedher cause against cancer, but alsoagainst state budget cuts.

Fassett’s husband Charlie acceptedthe award on her behalf, fighting backtears. A somber silence fell across theroom before those present erupted intograteful applause one last time.

“This award is a recognition of allthe efforts that Donna put into the ARCand other organizations in thecommunity,” said Charles Brewer,interim executive director of ARC.“Before Donna passed, she left a wishlist of things she wanted accomplishedwithin the organization, and we areworking hard to make those thingscome to pass.”

Fassett’s services to the Pensacolacommunity include involvement withthe Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival,Kiwanis Club, Five Flags Rotary, theArts Council of Northwest Florida, andARC Florida Council of Executives andFiesta Forces. Some of her honorsinclude the Lifetime AchievementAward from ARC Florida, the RayellIrish Award by United Way of Escambia

County, ARC Executive of the Year and the Sertoma Serviceto Mankind Award.

“She was so engrained in the community, open to everyidea, and no one had a bad thing to say about her,” saidBrewer. “You don’t find that a lot in people, and her long-term involvement with ARC and the Pensacola communityembodied her spirit of Pensacola.”

Lewis BearThe Pioneer Award

Charlie Merritt Accepting on Donna Fassett’s behalf

The Spirit of Pensacola Award

March/April 2013 nwflbusinessclimate.com < 53


Pensacola ChamberLooks Beyond Vision 2015

Vision 2015, the Greater Pensacola Chamber’s five-year plan for job creation in the area, has been aresounding success, and it is moving ahead ofschedule, with more than half of the goal’s 3,000 jobsalready created. The program has expanded localbusinesses and strengthened partnerships betweenthe military and private sector.

By Josh Newby


But the Greater Pensacola Chamber, area businesspeople and government officials want to ensure that jobgrowth continues after the 2015 deadline and thatPensacola continues to grow as a city and as a viable andattractive choice for business. It was clear to the chamberthat a comprehensive strategic plan for economic growthand marketing was vital to the continued success ofVision 2015 and the region as a whole.

As a result, the chamber distributed a request forproposals in February 2012 to various consulting firms. InJune 2012, the Strategic Plan Steering team selectedChabin Concepts, a California-based strategic solutionscompany, as its consulting firm of choice. They beganwork in July, travelling to West Florida to meet withstakeholders over several months and finally presentedtheir findings and recommendations in the form of astrategic plan to Vision 2015 investors in February 2013.

The strategic plan, which was approved by thechamber for implementation March 4, seeks to helpimprove upon a number of somewhat troublesome facts.For example, wages in Escambia County are at 79 percentof the average US salary, and Santa Rosa’s are at 68percent. The ever-tightening federal budget coulddecrease the total economic impact of $5.1 billion thatthe 22,000 active duty and military/federal employeeshave in the area. In order to help compensate thesepossible setbacks and even to help build upon the currentstatus, the new strategic plan is a comprehensive outlineof specific tactics to ensure Vision 2015 continues toserve as a catalyst that stimulates existing businessgrowth, improves the available workforce and spearheadscommunity improvements more effectively.

“This strategic plan goes beyond the creation of 3,000jobs, which we are well on our way to accomplishing,”said Jim Hizer, chamber president and CEO. “This isabout positioning our future for success and prosperity.”

According to the report, military and tourism anchorthe Pensacola economy, which is great for keeping thebusiness climate as is, but the chamber and the newstrategic plan are all about thinking bigger than that.

If Pensacola is to stand out as an economic driver anddeveloper, the region must diversify, according to theplan’s executive summary. The Greater Pensacola Areamust promote growth of administrative offices, techcompanies, higher education, medical care, aircraftmaintenance and repair, cyber security and an activeretiree population.

The report acknowledged that Pensacola is quitesuccessful at cultivating a good quality of life, providingways and means of transportation for its citizens and out-of-towners, and at keeping business costs relatively low.Areas for improvement, however, include real estate,utilities and infrastructure, and a young workforce thatwants to stay in Pensacola. In fact, it is projected that inthe next 20 years, there will be a sharply decliningnumber of 20 to 34 year olds, which means fewer newhomeowners, fewer newly skilled members of theworkforce, and fewer members that represent the heart ofthe new middle class. Furthermore, it is estimated that


nearly 25 percent of the region’s children live in poverty,which raises questions about the possible future of aneducated population.

In order to reverse these numbers and help Pensacolarealize its full potential, Escambia and Santa Rosa countywill be encouraged to work together even more to fosterlong-term economic growth.

“When counties and cities work together, they’re morelikely to be successful,” said Tom Ticknor, the mainconsultant on the Strategic Plan development.

In this way, it is projected that Pensacola will resist thetemptation to be average, and will stand out from itscurrent Panhandle and Gulf Coast competitors.Furthermore, the plan suggests a series of goals in orderto beat the competition: investing in the best possiblecommerce parks, a nationally recognizedbusiness/education partnership, cutting-edge efforts tofacilitate existing business growth, and superior economicdevelopment marketing, both internal and external.

The strategic plan outlines two potential gamechangers and three key initiatives, all of which aredesigned to work in tandem to help achieve the abovegoals.

First, the plan recommends the establishment of a two-county regional inventory of 500 to 600 acres of certifiedshovel-ready business park sites. It is estimated that thiswill take four or more years to fully realize, even bybeginning immediately. Suggested funding for this wouldcome from the possible $156 million between Escambiaand Santa Rosa counties from the RESTORE (Resourcesand Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities andRevived Economies) Act and the Escambia County OptionSales Tax Funds.

Secondly, creating a $15 to 25 million GreaterPensacola Targeted Employment Education Endowmentto provide annual needs-based loans/scholarships to 200or more area candidates would help guarantee anenriched and educated future. The candidates would goon to pursue degrees or certificates in areas of key localworkforce need at local technical schools, Pensacola StateCollege or the University of West Florida. This wouldpotentially be funded by RESTORE Act dollars, as well asstate, foundation and private funds.

“To accomplish our aspirations for this area, we mustfirst acknowledge the realities of our presentcircumstances, build on our realistic opportunities, andstep by step, eventually accomplish our goals,” said GaryHuston, chairman of the Vision 2015 Cabinet.

The first of three key initiatives involves Pensacolaplaying catch-up to its strongest competitors in the region.The report stated that many foundational elements ofeconomic development are absent or underfunded. Inorder to correct this, the plan suggests maximizing thereturn on investment from the RESTORE Act dollars,communicating the needs of Escambia and Santa Rosafor economic development resource funding, anddeveloping local leadership to serve as connectors amongvarious public and private economic development players.

Also mentioned in this section are the revitalization ofPensacola and using the Urban Redevelopment AdvisoryCommittee recommendations as a boost to the basicsector economy, strengthening the region’s technologyand cyber security cluster, streamlining the permittingprocess for job-generating projects, upgrading thechamber to a more aggressive and developed facility, andfinally, mentoring at-risk youth.

The second of the three key initiatives is to promotelocal job growth by retaining and attracting key armedservices commands, accelerating entrepreneurship byreestablishing the local venture capital forum and workingover the long-term to establish a greater Pensacola areaseed and venture capital investment fund, and narrowingthe workforce gap by implementing solutions to meetemployer workforce needs in the present and future.

Additionally, this initiative suggests establishing acomprehensive business retention and expansion programto gather strategic intelligence and identify immediatebusiness needs, supporting higher education expansion at


UWF and PSC that directly support employers in the area,improving the chamber’s small business support system,and focusing on minority business development. A bigpart of this step is the Gulf Coast Center for Innovationand Entrepreneurship (CIE), located downtown anddesigned to help small, early businesses that have whatthe industry calls “high-growth potential.” The CIEprovides entrepreneurs with reduced-cost office space andprofessional guidance, all within an environmentconducive to spawning rapid growth. The center isaffectionately referred to as “the incubator.”

“Two key components of the plan are acceleratingentrepreneurship and supporting small businessexpansion, and the incubator has already proven itssuccess in doing just that,” said Hizer.

Finally, the very last initiative and step of thiscomprehensive plan is to strategically market theimproved region. The first priority of this step is to greatlyenhance marketing readiness by preparing collateralmaterials for immediate targets, followed by astrengthened two-county cooperation between Escambiaand Santa Rosa that integrates both counties’ economicdevelopment marketing efforts.

Also important to this initiative is targeting to localentrepreneurs and employers (including minority-ownedbusinesses), improving stakeholder communications bypublicizing accomplishments to volunteers and thecommunity at-large, promoting the region andencouraging the construction of targeted developments

that cater to the active retiree, and expanding proactiveexternal marketing, but only once more sites are shovel-ready. Marketing is a priority once the readiness of thearea has been accomplished.

“We are really excited about both the job-growthpotential and the growth of great jobs for West Florida,both equally important to long-term regional prosperity,”said Bob Larkin, chairman of the Strategic Plan SteeringCommittee. “This Strategic Plan has been about 15months in the making, and we have been working withboth Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, along with theircities and towns, to ensure regional buy-in andcollaboration.”

Chamber leadership and maintaining/enhancingpublic/private partnerships are considered foundational tothis plan’s success.

“Consider this a ‘call to action’ for people to getinvolved in the future of our community and to have a sayin what happens to the place that we are leaving to ourchildren and our grandchildren,” said Sandy Sansing,chairman of the chamber Board of Directors.

“Thousands of man hours went into the plan,” saidLewis Bear, Jr., president and CEO of Lewis BearCompany, who has worked tirelessly for decades toimprove the economic climate of the area. “Everyone whohad an interest in having input was given that opportunitythrough the many focus groups and public forums. It isn’tperfect, but nothing is. Let’s all get behind that plan, andour community will be better for it.”



> it tips

Your IT Tips:Network Audits

A Network Audit is an intensive diagnostic andplanning service designed to check the criticalcomponents of your computer network for security,reliability and performance. To make sure your networkis running at peak performance and protected fromdata loss, downtime, viruses and security breaches, thisaudit should be performed at least once a quarter if youare not having your network regularly monitoredand maintained.

By evaluating your network once a quarter andreviewing your future business goals and objectives, wecan ensure that one of your most valuable businesstools, your network and the information it holds, isperforming at peak efficiency and safety. One of ourtrained engineers will perform this audit, and then alertyou to any potential problems they discover. We willthen advise you on your options for remedying thesituation.

The following components will be audited:File serversBackup systemNetwork infrastructure and configurationWorkstations, laptops and smart devicesForeseeable company growth and expansionWithin each of these components, a plethora of

issues will be investigated and any potential problemswill be resolved.

Here are the five most important reasons toperform network auditing:Vulnerabilities: Using network auditing to assess thesecurity of your systems and identify vulnerabilities isone of the most useful forms of preventative securityavailable to you. These weaknesses can includeunapproved services, or weak or blank passwords, andcan be used to assess both workstations and servers.Identifying these issues is that first critical step towardsremediating them.

Patch Management: Network auditing can play a keyrole in your patch management efforts as well. You andyour IT expert at Your IT Solutions can use networkauditing reports not only to identify systems that needto be patched, but also to confirm that patches aresuccessful.

Hardware Inventory: Network auditing can helpmaintain an up-to-date inventory of all the hardware onyour network so you know exactly what you have andcan therefore enable you to easily make hardwarerelated decisions, such as which systems are getting oldand need to be updated to keep up with the ever-increasing workload.

Software Inventory: Hardware isn’t the only thing thatis important to your workstation. Knowing what isrunning on your workstations and servers is just asimportant as knowing what hardware is running. Howmany Macs still need to be upgraded? Who is stillrunning CS4 or hasn’t updated their PDF reader since2009? Network auditing can give you a clear andcomplete view into what software is installed on yourworkstations and servers so you know just what youhave and what needs upgrading.

Compliance: One of the most useful things networkauditing can assist you with is your complianceactivities. You can quickly and easily ensure that allsystems are compliant with your internal policies, andcan also be sure that you have licenses for all thesoftware in use on your network. Too often companiesfind out too late that an open share enabled everyonein the company to install software that was onlylicensed for one or two users, and have to scramble toexpand.

Network auditing may sound like an arduous task,but with the right tools and the right approach,provided by Your IT Solutions, it can be an easy toperform and critical aspect of your networkmanagement.

By Mike White


business news bits you should know

Innisfree Hotel founders Julianand Kim MacQueen give to UWFhospitality programJulian and Kim MacQueen havepledged a $250,000 gift to theUniversity of West Florida hospitalityprogram. As part of the MacQueens’gift, the UWF hospitality program willbe renamed The MacQueenHospitality, Recreation and ResortManagement Program, making it thefirst named academic program inuniversity history. The partnershipwill provide the opportunity forcurrent UWF students to work withone of the Southeast region’sleading hospitality industrycompanies, Innisfree Hotels, and willsupport the program in producinghighly qualified graduates.

Sacred Heart Hospital to offernon-invasive surgery for braincancerSacred Heart Hospital in Pensacolais adding a new high-tech tool fornon-invasive brain surgery, theGamma Knife Perfexion. It usesfinely focused beams of radiation totarget abnormalities in the brainwithout open surgery. The advancedtechnology is used to treat malignantand benign tumors, vascularmalformations and some functionaldisorders such as trigeminalneuralgia. There are now more than275 institutions worldwide offeringnon-invasive brain surgery with aGamma Knife. However, SacredHeart Hospital will become the firsthospital along the Gulf Coast toprovide this service. The alternativeto treatment with the Gamma Knifeis traditional brain surgery, whichinvolves certain risks andcomplications. Patients benefit fromGamma Knife’s non-invasive natureand documented clinical results. Thepatient often leaves the hospital thesame day and returns to daily life.

Pamela Bowen Schwartz gives$25,000 scholarship endowmentto UWFUniversity of West Florida alumnaPamela Bowen Schwartz recentlybestowed a scholarship endowmentaward of $25,000 to the university.This award celebrates TeachersConnecting Schools to Communityon the occasion of the 60thanniversary of Florida Alpha DeltaKappa. With this award, Schwartzalso pays tribute to the teachers,mentors and scholarships whichhave enabled her to live theAmerican Dream.

New company eyes land in EastMiltonA new distribution company isconsidering moving to the SantaRosa Industrial Park in East Miltonand bringing hundreds of new jobsto the area. Santa Rosa CountyCommissioners have decided tomove forward with plans to sell a 35-acre tract at the intersection of EastMilton Road and Judicial Boulevardinside the industrial park. The nameof the company has not beenreleased. It is being referred to asProject Gold Rush by the Santa RosaCounty Economic DevelopmentDepartment.

BBB Torch Award deadlineapproachesThe Better Business Bureaucontinually works to promote ethicaland trustworthy business practices.The Torch Award program is yourBBB’s annual awards honoring thosein the community that exemplifyethics and integrity. Time is runningout to participate: Friday, March 29is the application deadline for allthree awards, including the award formarketplace ethics, the customerservice excellence award, and thestudent ethics scholarships.

Waterfront Mission increasesbeds for homelessWaterfront Rescue Mission relocatedand expanded in April 2012 aftermore than 60 years in downtownPensacola. Now, the newly builtMen’s Rescue Shelter has addedeven more beds for overnight guests.With the recent addition of bunkbeds, the shelter is now able toaccommodate 74 men in theovernight dorm, which is up from 37beds. With a consistent overflow oftransient guests, the bunk beds wereinstalled to provide more shelteringservices. The facility also has anadditional 89 beds for variousprograms that are offered. Thoseprograms include transitional bedsfor veterans awaiting VA housing,clients in the Learn to ReadProgram, those who are working butneed time to save money and bedsfor clients of the Mission’s recoveryprogram.

Call for nominations: CombinedRotary of Pensacola Ethics inBusiness AwardThe University of West FloridaCollege of Business, in partnershipwith the Combined Rotary Clubs ofPensacola, is accepting nominationsfor the Combined Rotary ofPensacola Ethics in Business Award.Criteria for the award is based onadherence to the high ethicalstandards of honesty, integrity andconsistency in dealing withemployees, contractors andcustomers, while positivelyenhancing the economic wellbeing ofthe firm’s stakeholders and providingjobs, opportunities and profits.Additional criteria is based onparticipation in activities that arebeneficial to the community beyondthe provision of economic benefitsand service as a leader or innovatorin the firm’s business sector. Thisaward will be given in spring 2013 to

>aroundtheregion


Covenant Hospice president and CEO announcesretirementDale O. Knee, PhD, President and CEO of CovenantHospice and the Covenant Hospice Foundation, hasannounced his plans to retire from Covenant Hospice andits affiliates in December 2013. Knee has served as thePresident and CEO of Covenant for 20 years, having joinedin 1993. He has more than 45 years experience inhealthcare leadership, 22 of which have been in the area ofpost-acute and end-of-life care. He is co-founder, withnoted healthcare consultant and author Quint Studer, ofthe Studer Covenant Alliance that provides coaching andconsulting services nationwide in post-acute organizations.

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa appointsnew wedding and special events managerHilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, the largest full-service beachfront resort on Northwest Florida’s GulfCoast, announces the appointment of Kristi Purvis aswedding and special events manager. In her new role,Purvis will be responsible for seeking out and servicingweddings and special events for the resort, responding toincoming inquiries, presenting Hilton Sandestin Beach asthe premier wedding destination in the area and workingwith all facets of the event support team from the banquetoperations to thefront desk. Purvis hasworked in hospitalityand event planningfor the last six years,most recently as theCEO and owner ofKiss the BrideWedding & EventPlanning in Destin,FL, specializing inbeach weddings andother special events.She has also servedas director of specialevents for her almamater, the FloridaState UniversitySeminole Boosters,sales and marketingmanager for PalaceEntertainment andsales representativefor WyndhamVacation Ownershipin Destin, Fla.

one individual from the small business sector (lessthan 100 employees) and one individual from thelarge business sector (greater than 100 employees) torecognize those who exemplify the concept of“service above self” and who work to build a positivesense of worth within both the business communityand the broader community as a whole.

Gulf Breeze Hospital named one of the nation’s100 top hospitals by Truven Health AnalyticsGulf Breeze Hospital was recently named one of thenation’s 100 Top Hospitals by Truven HealthAnalytics, formerly the healthcare business ofThomson Reuters. Truven Health Analytics is aleading provider of information and solutions toimprove the cost and quality of healthcare. TheTruven Health 100 Top Hospitals study evaluatesperformance in 10 areas: mortality; medicalcomplications; patient safety; average patients stay;expenses; profitability; patient satisfaction; adherenceto clinical standards of care; post-discharge mortality;and readmission rates for acute myocardial infarction(heart attack), heart failure, and pneumonia. The studyis celebrating its 20th year, and has been conductedannually since 1993.

Pensacola Bridal Loft named to The Knot “Best ofWeddings”The Bridal Loft is pleased to announce it has beenselected as a 2013 winner in The Knot “Best ofWeddings,” a special section featured onTheKnot.com/BOW. TheKnot.com is the number-onebridal and wedding destination on the web.The annual list includes the best wedding venues andthe top wedding professionals across the country asselected by those who know best: the brides. TheBridal Loft has been dressing Pensacola-area brides,bridesmaids and flower girls beautifully since 2005.

Hampton Inn Hotel brand announces top awardwinnersTwo hotels managed by Gulf Breeze basedHighpointe Hotel Corporation have been recognizedas top award winners in the Hampton Inn hotel brandfor 2012. Hampton Inn Pensacola Airport/CordovaMall has been named a Lighthouse Award Winner,recognizing the top five percent of the 1,900 HamptonInn properties across its worldwide system. Thisaward is based on overall excellence in the areas ofaccommodations, guest service scores and qualityassurance inspections. Hampton Inn New Orleans/St.Charles Avenue, also managed by Highpointe HotelCorporation, has been named a Circle of ExcellenceWinner, recognizing the top ten percent of allHampton properties.

peopleonthemove<


...at the 2013 PACE Awards

Britt & Nell Landrum

>businessscene

Caroline & Ray Palmer Dan Henson & CamJohnson

Employees of McMahonHadder

Lisa & Dave Cleveland


Documents

Northwest Florida Business Climate March/April 2013