Horizon Foundation Annual Meeting January 2014

Editor's Notes

• #2: Bob Koenig Good afternoon and welcome to the Horizon Council’s 2014 Annual Meeting. I am Bob Koenig and I was pleased to serve as the 2013 Chairman of the Horizon Council. We will begin our program today with the Pledge of Allegiance. Will you please stand and join me …(Hand over heart, turn to flag and lead audience in Pledge)   Thank you. Please be seated.   (Pause while people are being seated) We are happy to welcome the many state and local dignitaries and elected officials here with us today.   With such a large crowd and a full program, we cannot acknowledge every official individually today. However, we would like to have all of you stand and be recognized collectively. Please, would all of our elected officials and dignitaries stand at this time so we can honor your presence with us today.   (Pause for applause) We appreciate each and every one of you for taking time today out of your busy schedule and the support you have shown to local business community.   As the 2013 Horizon Council Chair, I would like to thank all of you in attendance today as we review the outstanding accomplishments of 2013 and look ahead to what promises to be an exciting 2014. I am pleased to report that this is a sold out event! (Pause for applause)  
• #3: Bob Koenig Good afternoon. As the 2013 Horizon Council Chair, I would like to thank you all for joining us this afternoon as we review the accomplishments of 2013 and look ahead to what is sure to be an exciting 2014. I am pleased to report that this is a sold out event!
• #4: As many of you know, the mission of the Horizon Council is to continuously improve the business environment in Lee County in order to retain and encourage the expansion of existing businesses and attract new and diversified employment to the area. It is our role to work in partnership with Lee County staff and serve as an advisory committee to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners.   This requires the dedication and commitment of many volunteers, including the outstanding team of officers who served tirelessly in 2013. Please help me recognize and thank the 2013 officers shown on the screen for their dedication this past year.
• #5: Furthermore, I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Horizon Council Executive Committee, which provided outstanding direction and support to the Horizon Council this past year. Please also join me in recognizing and thanking this amazing group of people. (Lead applause)
• #6: Bob Koenig The Horizon Council accomplished a lot in 2013. Much of the work we do takes place because of our members and the work of the Economic Development staff. Through their tireless effort and commitment we achieved amazing results in 2013, including the significant announcement and relocation of Hertz. Thank you to so many who had a part in securing this exceptional company to Lee County. (Pause for applause)In early 2013, we identified six priority areas of focus for the year. Those were: Business Issues, Healthcare, Workforce, the Regional Initiative, Incentives, and the Horizon Foundation.
• #7: Bob Koenig The Business Issues Task Force, Led by Russell Schropp, reviewed the Lee County Comprehensive Plan elements and issued eight policy recommendations, including:   Streamlining the permitting process Encouraging small business development initiatives, And increased infill and urban densities. Interestingly, the update that Mary Gibbs provided to the Horizon Council in November is now the most downloaded presentation on the EDO website.
• #8: Bob Koenig The Healthcare Task Force, led by Gary Griffin, developed a Workplace Wellness Summit scheduled for March 12, 2014.   The Task Force also helped promote the Healthy Lee community-wide program including the Streets Alive initiative
• #9: Bob Koenig The Workforce Task Force, led by Janet Watermeier, studied issues related to skills gaps in the business community and the educational programs offered in SWFL.   The Task Force also compiled resources to assist with newcomer integration, foundational skills training, and school to career pathways.This task force also contributed to the Workforce Now initiative through alignment with task force subcommittee goals.
• #10: Bob Koenig The Regional Initiative Task Force, led my Mei-Mei Chan, continued to represent the Horizon Council and the Southwest Florida Economic Development Alliance.   And through funds from the Horizon Foundation, it also provided financial support for the Southwest Florida Economic Development Alliance.
• #11: Bob Koenig The Incentive Task Force, led by Ron Inge, performed an in depth review of the Lee County First Incentive Program which allowed Lee County to attract significant companies to our community, including Hertz. This task force has completed its goal and we extend a huge thank you to Ron and his committee who successfully led these efforts.
• #12: Bob Koenig The Horizon Foundation, led again by Wayne Kirkwood, is responsible for engaging and mobilizing resources for improved Economic, Business and Community Development.   In 2013 the Horizon Foundation raised a record $385,000, surpassing its goal of $350,000. These funds support ongoing recruitment and retention marketing efforts and Horizon Council programs and events. I’d like to invite Wayne Kirkwood, 2013 Horizon Foundation Chair to the stage for a special recognition.   (Pause for applause and time for Wayne to get on stage)   Wayne, thank you so much for your outstanding leadership the past two years. Please accept this token of our appreciation for your service.   (Pause for applause. The two shake hands at the podium. Wayne accepts token and walks off stage. Bob pauses while Wayne walks off stage and then resumes.) Next, I am pleased to introduce and invite to the stage Dennie Hamilton, the 2014 Horizon Council Chair.  
• #13: Bob Koenig to introduce Dennie Hamilton, 2014 Horizon Council Chair. It is my pleasure to introduce the 2014 Horizon Council Chair, Dennie Hamilton. [Dennie will present Bob with the gavel in appreciation for his leadership.] Dennie Hamilton Thank you, Bob. Before you sit down, we’d like to thank you for your 2013 leadership of the Horizon Council and present you this token of appreciation for your service.
• #14: Dennie Hamilton In 2014, the Horizon Council will keep a focus on not only making progress aligned with our Strategic Roadmap, but making improvements in the Roadmap itself. The 2013 Horizon Council Executive Committee met in November to review the Roadmap that was constructed in 2012 and presented to you at last year’s annual meeting.   We wanted to ensure that our mission, vision, goals and objectives are still relevant and that they are aligned with the direction of the Board of County Commissioners.   During that meeting, we confirmed these objectives as our top priorities for 2014.
• #15: Dennie Hamilton With that in mind, we subsequently identified topics from the Strategic Roadmap that we will explore more fully at 2014 Horizon Council General Membership meetings. Our goal is to foster greater and more meaningful discussion around these topics, which we believe are critical to successfully following the roadmap. We hope you will join us as we engage local, regional, and national experts to further explore these issues. To get us off to a productive start, we will focus our February General Membership meeting on reviewing the Strategic Roadmap, touching on accompanying tactical plans for the year and outlining potential improvements like the addition of performance metrics that can help us measure the success of this plan in the future. We hope you will join us for this opportunity to set the foundation for the year ahead.   In addition, we have added Strategic Roadmap reviews during the year that will allow us to discuss our progress, to remain focused and aligned.  
• #16: Dennie Hamilton These are the 2014 Horizon Council Officers who will be working together in support of the economic development mission to improve the local economy by facilitating the creation and retention of well-paying jobs from new and existing businesses.
• #17: Dennie Hamilton Our success requires partnerships and collaboration with our local public sector partners. Your Executive Committee represents a cross-section of the partnership as a whole, and serves as the Council’s governing board. We would like to thank the entire committee in advance for their support in the coming year.
• #18: Dennie Hamilton The Horizon Council will again rely upon the talent of our members who have volunteered their time to spearhead some of our key 2014 initiatives through the work of these task forces. We appreciate their willingness to serve and encourage you to step forward to assist any task force efforts in which you have an interest .  The Business Issues Task Force will broaden the scope of their streamlining initiative and tackle issues that impact small businesses.   The Workforce Task Force will focus on foundational skills certification, resources to better integrate newcomers to our area, and a digital workforce guide in 2014.   The Regional Initiative Task Force will continue to be a Horizon Council priority, as we support the rollout of a regional economic development web site and creation of a business plan for the SWFL Economic Development Alliance.   New in 2014, the Outreach Task Force will engage additional community partners and existing constituents in two-way dialogue that supports our mission.   The Health Care Task Force is a continuing effort and would like me to take advantage of this opportunity to invite you to attend the March 12th Workplace Wellness Summit. The task force will send out invitations to that summit next week.   On the back of your program, you will find a full list of our 2014 Horizon Council members and the 2014 Industrial Development Authority officers. We are extremely excited to welcome back so many familiar faces and 11 new members of the Horizon Council this year. We look forward to another successful year with our new and returning Horizon Council members.
• #19: Dennie Hamilton Although he has stepped down as chair of the Horizon Council, Bob Koenig is this year’s Horizon Council Foundation President.   The Foundation has set an ambitious goal of raising $400,000 in this year’s campaign. Our interim goal for today’s meeting was $200,000 and I am pleased to report that we stand at $275,045 as of today.   Hopefully, you noticed all the businesses that were featured on the screen during lunch. We appreciate your contributions and commitments. Your support truly makes a difference in marketing Lee County as a place where business is welcome and can succeed. For others of you here today that weren’t listed, we look forward to connecting with each of you discuss how you can help us reach this goal. It is now my pleasure to introduce Glen Salyer, who has done an outstanding job serving as Interim Economic Development Director over the past five months. Dennie Hamilton introduce Glen Salyer.
• #20: Dennie Hamilton It’s incredible to see 400 business and community leaders assembled to acknowledge the work of the Horizon Council and its impact on our quality of life. And I want to thank each and every one of you in this room for all that you do to make our community such a great place to live and work. Economic development is a collaborative business in every sense of the term, and our successes are directly attributable to the strength of the partnerships we celebrate today. Those partnerships, and your steadfast dedication to them through some lean economic years, is bearing fruit in significant ways. GLEN: It’s incredible to see 400 business and community leaders assembled to acknowledge the work of the Horizon Council and its impact on our quality of life. And I want to thank each and every one of you in this room for all that you do to make our community such a great place to live and work. Economic development is a collaborative business in every sense of the term, and our successes are directly attributable to the strength of the partnerships we celebrate today. Those partnerships, and your steadfast dedication to them through some lean economic years, is bearing fruit in significant ways.
• #21: Let’s take a look at last year. [INDICATORS SLIDE] While not without its challenges, 2013 was a banner year in many respects. Southwest Florida continued its economic rebound and grew employment faster than both the state and national job markets. While there is more work to be done, it was great to see Lee County’s December 2013 unemployment rate drop to a level not seen since 2007. Of course, most encouraging of all, the Hertz Corporation confirmed to the world that we are a first-class business destination when it selected Lee County as its new home.   It's difficult to discuss the Hertz project without doing a disservice to one or more groups or individuals who were involved in some way. But I’ll make my apologies up front and do just that, because it's the very scope of such an endeavor that illustrates the breadth of teamwork required to realize the full promise of economic development. The Horizon Council started laying the groundwork many years ago through its efforts to create the kind of business climate that attracts companies large and small. It required the vision and courage of our County Commissioners to create an economic development program that can be leveraged to win ultra-competitive projects that attract many suitors. The Industrial Development Authority was part of the mix, offering creative incentives to tip the scale in Lee County's favor. And of course the EDO team worked hard to bring this project to fruition, but the support of County Administration, the tireless efforts of our Community Development Department, and the help of the County Attorneys’ Office among others were also pivotal.   But that’s just the beginning. The Workforce Development Board, Lee County School District, Edison State College, FGCU, local Realtors and so many more helped in countless ways. From answering site selectors' questions to hosting prospective employee visits and everything in between, this community came together to make economic history.   So yes, Lee County is on a roll and we have every reason to believe 2014 will bring more of the same. Witness exhibit 1: Gartner's recent announcement that it will expand operations to ultimately employ almost 1,200 local professionals. These are high quality jobs that provide great opportunities for our children and grandchildren to pursue career aspirations right here at home. We're grateful to Nate Swan and his colleagues for joining us today, and look forward to Nate's discussion of Gartner's dynamic growth and positive experience in our community.
• #22: [COLLAGE SLIDE] Behind the scenes, the Economic Development Office has set the stage for continued diversification of our economy and the encouragement of a more informed and thriving innovation ecosystem. Through the increased use of technology tools, the engagement of more local professional networks and regional alliances, and the better alignment of strategic initiatives with our long-term infrastructure investment goals, the Office is positioned to capitalize on the growth opportunities ahead of us.   Please allow me now to conclude my remarks by recognizing just a few of the many people who have played an integral role in creating this robust launching pad for sustainable economic growth. First, let me say what an honor it has been to serve as Interim Director with the community leaders who comprise the Horizon Council. The Horizon Council has been a shining model of public-private collaboration for twenty-two years, and we all continue to be the beneficiaries of this exemplary organization that is the envy of other communities.
• #23: Second, I have to acknowledge my personal debt to my boss Roger Desjarlais and his County Management team, without whom our progress during the past five months—culminating in the Gartner expansion deal—would not have been possible.
• #24: And last but not least, please give a round of applause to the incredible Lee County EDO team that labors day in and day out to set the standard for excellence in the field of economic development. Speaking of our economic development team and being on a roll, it is now my pleasure to introduce the person who has been chosen to lead this team of professionals and continue our exciting momentum.
• #25: Rick Michael comes to Lee County with more than 20 years of economic development experience in communities ranging in population from 100,000 to more than 1 million. Rick also enjoys private sector experience and has worked multiple stints in the international arena. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the Notre Dame Institute for Organizational Management, Rick has served as the Executive Director of three industrial development authorities, a chamber of commerce, a public-private economic development corporation and most recently as the head of Volusia and then Marion County's economic development departments. Please help me welcome Lee County's new Economic Development Director, Mr. Rick Michael.
• #26: Rick Michael to introduce keynote speaker. Next, I am pleased to introduce you to our Guest Speaker, Mr. Nate Swan. Nate has been in information technology sales for 25 years in a variety of roles. He started his career in computer hardware and software B2B sales in North Carolina before moving on to a manufacturer selling both to businesses and resellers of technology in Atlanta. For the last 16 years he has been with Gartner, Inc. in numerous positions across the country.   Nate currently is Group Vice President, Sales for Gartner in Fort Myers. His team consists of 33 managers and 220 Account Executives selling to Small to Mid-size Enterprises in the US and Canada. This channel represents approximately $100 million of Gartner’s $1.8 billion in total revenue.   Ladies and gentleman, please join me in welcoming to the stage Mr. Nate Swan. Swan to read prepared remarks.
• #27: Dennie Hamilton thanks Swan and takes podium. We hope you heard something today that peaked your interest and are as excited as we are about this year. Thank you and please join us for the first General Membership meeting of the year on February 21 and don’t forget the Healthcare Task Force’s March 12th Workplace Wellness Summit. We hope to see you all there.
• #28: Dennie Hamilton   Also, as a reminder, please be sure to visit the EDO website to download the annual report and the slides from this presentation.   Finally, thank you to Broadway Palm for hosting us this afternoon and thank you again for joining us. {Brent K to update link}