Pasco EDC quarter four reporting

1:35:23Okay, Mr. Bill Cronin. R seventy three.

1:35:29Uh

1:35:29quarterly presentation. Good morning and happy Tuesday, everyone. You guys have had a real celebrity celebratory environment this morning and uh first of all let me say a couple things. Uh congratulations on the passing of the Gavel. Uh Chairman Mariano, looking forward to working with you. Uh Commissioner Starkey, thank you for your support over the last year, especially with international and all the stuff that we do, including the chicken ordinance. That shows some real perseverance there. And also uh special thanks to Commissioner Weightman as our liaison to

1:35:59the Pasco EDC over this last year. Uh you had a couple resolutions earlier today. Uh I wanted to comment. Uh Mr. Mike Shume also was involved. With our international exchange of workforce, too. So that was something that touched multiple programs. And of course, Jimmy Adcock was a supporter of lots of different nonprofits in the area, but he served as chair of the Pasco EDC. And believe it or not, ten years ago, He was the head of the selection

1:36:29committee that brought me here almost 10 years to the day. So I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but you can thank him for recruiting me here to Pasco County. Uh and lastly, let me thank you for uh uh the approval of our new budget. Uh this will be the last time I'll be presenting to you in two presentations, one with our MOU and one with our Penny for Pasco. CASCO uh C F A We now will be reporting under one structure under that penny for Pasco

1:37:00contract. So everything that we do for you now will have a contract contractual obligation and metric aligned with it. You see our our cover slide there. We did win some awards this year. We were lucky to have the county actually participate in the IEDC annual conference with us. So we've got some County staff as well as our own and the president of the International Economic Development Council with us for those awards and that is our national accreditation agency. Um

1:37:31so here this is the end of the year, uh quarter four that we're reporting on. We had 21 wins. Uh that's really good sign of the barometer in terms of how we're doing and all the activities that we do that lead to those wins. And that's when companies say they're gonna actually either expand or locate here. Um some of the good stories in that number of 21 Is uh four of those are direct recruitment domestically, four of those are international recruitment coming

1:38:01from abroad. Uh thirteen of those our local businesses expanding. And that says that we take care of the businesses that are here and that we continue to focus on uh the companies that brought us to the dance, that we continue to help them to grow. Uh one of the other trends that we're seeing in here, not as positive but it's real world, is that we're seeing less jobs and less capital investment per uh company win coming in. And I

1:38:31think what you're what you're starting to see is the beginning of automation, AI, uh consolidation in resources. You know keep in mind companies goals is not to hire people. Companies' goals is to make lots of money and become profitable. So we need to find more ways to get more of our people employed and continue to that prosperity that they get from having a good job here in Pasco. So we'll continue to focus on the metrics that work that get those 21

1:39:02wins and increasing that over the next year. So that we can get more jobs since there's less jobs associated with each of the projects now. Also, good news, still really heavy in advanced manufacturing. Uh this is the gift that keeps on giving. Uh manufacturing tends to have other jobs, indirect jobs, associated with manufacturing, not just the job in manufacturing. So there's suppliers, there's drivers, there's all kinds of things related to that.

1:39:32And of course, life sciences continues to grow in the process too. With the Spiros project and with Moffitt and what we're doing with the land there. We're going to continue to see those projects coming to us as well as us going out to them. Active leads, actually, those are current leads and current projects right now. Pipeline is still really good. 154 projects or leads in the system. Hundred and twenty-five projects. I

1:40:02don't know, it's been about two years since we were operating at the uh about the thirty project level. You remember me coming in saying an average average year uh time was about thirty projects. We've been in triple digits now for almost two years of projects that are coming in.

1:40:20And visits, you uh I mentioned before, taking care of existing business, still the most important thing that we do. Uh we've had eighty visits out in the field. and actually got one of our companies to take advantage of one of the training grants that were available. Uh remember for about half the year um Career Source didn't have grants available, the the portal wasn't open. Uh so we were able to get one in after that. And then when you look at the referrals to all the different workforce partners out there, you

1:40:51see 41 different referrals. That means making sure that our companies are getting services from either those federal or state funded programs in workforce development.

1:41:05And we're the marketing for the business area. So 6.1 million in earned media, some really good coverage on lots of stories. Some interesting stories as well, too. You'll see uh the top headline, the UK defense firm that opened in Pasco County. That was one of those foreign direct investment projects. Uh they actually came to us during uh so

1:41:32This was a company with some really cool technology that can use uh a lens from a distance to pick up fingerprints used in uh catastrophes. Uh they started out investigating bombings, uh, but they can also be used for law enforcement and of of course for genetics as well, too. And they landed in our incubator. So that is one of our smart landing. Programs. They actually will be working out of our incubator. They are now a U.S. company. It allows

1:42:03them to do business with the U.S. military and local agencies here. Some other notable headlines I saw in there: Pasco turns sewage into gold with a new fertilizer plant. Many of you were out at the Merrill Brothers grand opening. They surprised us. And hired probably about double what they thought they were going to, and they put a big investment there. So shout out to another one of our local companies getting traction in the news.

1:42:32How many years has we've been partnering with Merrill?

1:42:35Oh, since I've been here. Since I've been here. Since so it's about ten years that they've uh uh actually came to us and originally I think we were talking about um Some other materials other than the one we were just talking about, um that had to do with with stables and things like that.

1:42:56One of them so far.

1:42:57As far as uh partnering?

1:43:00Yeah, and in in the investment that we

1:43:02Especially for ag tech, yeah. Yeah. I'd I'd say you've got some others there that um uh I mean Mettler's coming up on ten years here as well too. And of course PAL uh aerospace, some pretty big ones out there. But this one has a real grassroots feel to it that it's people that we know.

1:43:22those milestones were those companies. Because they didn't run. They started when times were tough and

1:43:29That's exactly right.

1:43:33P part of the reason the impetus to drive that forward is we looked at how much money we're spending to send it. Uh the limited space was gonna be available, the high cost was gonna be. Uh I had some uh fellow commissioners from Saint John's that I had talked about this with before. They've been working with them and gave them referral and I know at least one of them went to their site to go look at doing they've got a problem that's costing them a lot of money, so Uh Merrill's doing a great job and hopefully they'll keep it expanded too.

1:43:57And it's a good product too. Doesn't hurt to have good product. Um we're getting a lot of hits, nineteen thousand um Uh Page hits just in the fourth quarter this year. And what's always interesting is what they're looking at. They're looking at our sites.

1:44:20Georgia, New York, South Carolina, Texas, and Ohio. Commissioner Weightman, that doesn't mean they're moving here from New York. We could that's they're looking from New York. So um some really good companies that are coming out of out of there. And then 14,000 followers, considering we don't have dogs like uh the Sheriff's Department or uh animal services, that's a pretty good average to have following a business-related social media. Uh that's our locals that are that are following

1:44:51our social media. Companies looking abroad aren't really looking at our social media. These are companies that want to know what services we provide. and how we can help them and a good degree of engagement too. Almost 75% of that is engaged with us, meaning they're having conversations with us in the social media. Uh trade events 86 year to date. Well, of course, that clock starts over with the new fiscal year. Presentations to industries and association, 27 to date, and

1:45:21we had 18 conferences that we represented in the community. Our private sector side, 92 total investors, 45 policy council members. That's the most we've ever had. And board members and policy council members together, $706,000 of private sector investment in the PASCO EDC this last year. That includes both private donations as well as the events that we put on. that we don't use

1:45:51tax dollars to fund. Um one new investor.

1:45:59And then some upcoming events for you all to take note of. We have our annual economic forecast, which is always a sellout in uh January coming up. We'll have a speaker from JP Morgan Chase as well as an economist uh from the University of Tampa that will be featured for that event. That will be at the Hyatt. Also our food vendor fairly. Now is our sixth annual, and that's out at the stalling center at our food incubator. Bring your stretchy pants. That's a good time

1:46:30to sample all kinds of good things that they're making at the food incubator. Annual Netfest, 27th annual Netfest, will happen in March this year. We will still have the chili cook-off, and it will probably be a little chilly in March, so uh we won't be sweating uh at times. So a little bit earlier this year, and then Grow Pasco also in March, also sixth annual event will be at St. Leo, and that's an all-day event of different uh uh entrepreneurial programs and speakers and workshops

1:47:00for our small business. I'm gonna cruise right into the Penny for Pasco in the interest of time. Uh you also have in your packets the metrics for each of the individual items that we do, but you can stop me if you've got a question on this. This is the ribbon cutting for SmyTech, uh the company out of the UK. Uh the gentleman with the tie and the shorts on is the uh the the inventor. Um and very much an inventor. Um but he is now uh located as a Pasco County Company and

1:47:31that is at the Wesley Chapel uh Grove Center. Uh Ready Sites got included in 40 responses this year in RFPs for companies looking for a site to locate. My tech uh is now starting to do their groundwork. If you've been out to Bauduco, Bauduco's gone vertical. We got a lot of vertical stuff going on right now. Um, that was probably one of the biggest highlights as well, too, that I need to mention is Bauduco coming to us and saying, We're not just gonna build what

1:48:01we said we were gonna build, we're gonna expand beyond that. And that was a reflection of the welcome that they had. had from this community and the ease in doing business and the cost savings they have by moving here. Um we had 29 different site inquiries, uh 40 responses I mentioned before in RFPs for ready sites, 27 uh presentations to developers, site selection consultants uh for projects for those sites. So you remember it took us a good five years to

1:48:31get that site program up and going, but now we've had uh we've had Amazon's robotics. Center, we've had Abauduca, we've had Mitech, we've had several now that are taking advantage of the sites that we've prepared. So it's got traction, it's getting legs and people are looking at it. Internationally, um we convened a round table with our local partners uh including the port and airport, see what the trends are, what trade lanes they're looking for that our companies can take advantage of, and where we

1:49:01might go on missions uh to do some of those business connections in the future. Um also We have now two free trade zones in Pasco County. I don't know if everyone realizes that, but HIP Promotions, which was one of the spec buildings next to Gary Line out in northwest Pasco, is the first free trade zone that we've had in quite some time here in Pasco County. And we just signed Freedom. Um Sales

1:49:33to a a free trade zone also. So now we have two that are free trade zones, and we can do that with other businesses too. Free trade zone doesn't mean that the land is a zone. We can actually make the land inside somebody's building a free trade zone. So if you're interested in that, send them our way or if you know people that are interested. Uh export counseling sessions, uh spoke to 55 unique companies, helping them to find markets overseas. We had two outbound trade missions where we take the companies

1:50:03abroad and eight trade events over the year.

1:50:08Uh enhanced marketing, again, the hits that we were getting on the website were partially a reflection of that, but peer recognition too. So the awards that we got earlier with the IEDC and the FEDC were all centered around how we're doing in marketing compared to our peers around the United States. Reminder, there's 16,000 agencies that do what we do in the United States. So getting awards from the cream of the crop means a lot to us and and to my team, and I'm really proud of them for that too. And

1:50:38our Workforce Connect program continues to help people where it it really makes the most difference, and that's the jobs, and and making sure that our employers can access the jobs, even with all the people moving here. Uh, we still need to make sure we get the right person for the right job, and Workforce Connect does that for them. Uh smart start. We uh again were able to be part of the um Scallop Fest this last year and we had some of our vendors or our um uh our

1:51:08kitchen uh s uh incubator members came out and served some food and and I think you also had Dre again doing awesome stuff some jerk scallops I think we had uh

1:51:20he had an open grill going with the point distillery spiced rum Combination was phenomenal. But it was engaged with all the people there, did a great job.

1:51:29What a great way to market Pasco County too. And right before lunch where we're all getting hungry. We also had some uh a hands-on workshop at Amskills uh during this last co- uh quarter and our co-starters for causes graduated as well too. We had the uh second cohort come through of nonprofits that we teach them how to scale their business. All in all, smart start and the incubators really busy. 1473 participants. My hometown was

1:51:59only 1,200 people. That's a lot of people that have come through the doors of Smart Start over the past year. We have 88 members right now, and that's across the three locations and countywide. We gave out four microloans, totaling $101,000. We've got probably about $2.5 million on the street doing work right now through the microloan project. program and we've provided 454 individual counseling sessions with those companies that were stuck or

1:52:29needed help. And that's the team. We've got one new team member since uh since I saw you last, and his name is uh Tomas, and he's out in our Dade City incubator, comes to us from Columbia. And uh which is works really well since you know our incubator there is in Tommytown and uh largely Spanish speaking area. Um so we're really thrilled to have him on board. But I will stop there for questions in the interest of

1:52:57Well if I could, uh any questions of the Buddha fee, if you can hold on 'em because we've got a presentation still that's coming up right behind it, unless you really want to press on a commission.

1:53:07I just want to say one thing. Sure, commissioner. I just want to make sure you know we um participated in the EDA grant for um what was it no David w um gosh she just contacted me yesterday. The WAVE. So they're going for a big EDA grant um that has to do with McDell and Softworks and all that. So um we gave I think a hundred thousand dollars 'cause they have t it's a matching grant.

1:53:30Yeah, yeah. We s we signed a support letter for it as well too.

1:53:33Yeah, so we we hope for good things out of that.

1:53:35And the wave is an accelerator, so a little bit different than what we do in the incubator, it's for the next level. Right. Yeah, that's good. Okay. Awesome. Thank you again. All right. Merry Christmas.