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MILLENNIALS ARE CHANGING THE WORKPLACE MOMMY BLOGGING BUSINESSES DOOLITTLE INSTITUTE IS ON A MISSION

Quint Studer

THE MAN WHO TURNED A VISION INTO REALITY AND SPARKED A REBIRTH OF HIS HOMETOWN

2016 ESCAMBIA BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Warren Averett Members Gary Tringas, CPA; Scott Warren, CPA and Kathleen Baldwin, CPA, CCIFP

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Florida l Alabama l Georgia 850 Business Magazine

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850 Magazine February – March 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

PHOTO BY ALICIA OSBORNE

HERE THEY COME! Millennials are now the largest living generation of Americans — and they’re ready to take the business world by storm.

Feature

Special Report

Preparing For The Millennials Employers 26 and business owners are scrambling to

scambia County Business 51 EJournal A growing technology sector,

prepare for the full onslaught of the Millennial Generation — the children of the baby boomers who are ready to dominate the workplace and marketplace. Raised on technology, millennials are a new kind of worker and consumer. By Linda Kleindienst

increased activity at the seaport, new and expanding businesses and job growth in a variety of sectors is spurring the economy of Pensacola and Escambia County.

850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

850 Magazine February – March 2016

17 In Each Issue

10 14 39 98

From the Publisher News and Numbers Sound Bytes The Last Word from the Editor

Special Section DEAL ESTATE

45 What’s selling and what’s hot to buy in the 850? Find out here.

86 Departments

Corridors

THE 850 LIFE

CAPITAL

17 Alicia Booker stresses the importance of mentoring the next generation of business leaders.

WI-FILES 18 While most mommy bloggers start out their writing hobby for fun, there are some who quickly learn they can make an interesting and lucrative business out of it. A sampling of Northwest Florida’s best explain how they started.

MILLENIALS ARE CHANGING THE WORKPLACE MOMMY BLOGGING BUSINESSES DOOLITTLE INSTITUTE IS ON A MISSION

Quint Studer

THE MAN WHO TURNED A VISION INTO REALITY AND SPARKED A REBIRTH OF HIS HOMETOWN

2016 ESCAMBIA BUSINESS JOURNAL

On the Cover: Quint Studer, founder of Studer Group, co-owner of Blue Wahoos and founder of the Studer Community Institute in Pensacola. Photo by Dave Barfield

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

850businessmagazine.com

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES 22 A business’s success is all about the customer and the employee, so we turned to some of the region’s experts for tips on how to keep both groups happy to ensure the best possible outcome.

83 Karen Hayes is a success in the male-dominated world of technology, but that’s no surprise since she grew up in the company started by her father, starting in high school and learning the business from the ground up.

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86 Gulf Foods isn’t just any store. The Mexico Beach staple does it all, fending off competition by catering to locals and tourists alike with high-end groceries and an eclectic mix of clothing and gift items — even original artwork.

EMERALD COAST

90 The Doolittle Institute, named after renowned aviator and inventor Jimmy Doolittle, is helping the military and the entrepreneurial community work together in everyone’s best interest — the government and the public.

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94 Look around Marianna and you’ll see plenty of examples of the work done by Donofro Architects, a family business that has been around for 50 years it is responsible for more than 1,000 projects.

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER G. PHOTOGRAPHY (17) AND HOLLY GARDNER (86)

IN THIS ISSUE

What would you do to triple the size of your business in 5 years?

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850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

850 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA

February – March 2016

Vol. 8, No. 3

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND

Delivering on the Promise of Technology

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Steve Bornhoft EDITOR Linda Kleindienst SENIOR STAFF WRITER Jason Dehart STAFF WRITER Chay D. Baxley EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rebecca Padgett CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lazaro Aleman, Laura Bradley, Tony Bridges, Tisha Crews Keller, Rebecca Padgett, T.S. Strickland, Jacqueline Whitmore EDITORIAL INTERN Casey Feindt PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan COPY EDITOR Barry Ray CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lawrence Davidson PRODUCTION MANAGER/NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR Daniel Vitter SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Saige Roberts ART DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Shruti Shah, Tony Watts, Jr. ADVERTISING DESIGNER Jillian Fry CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Barfield, Matt Burke, Jennifer G. Photography, Holly Gardner, Rob Gelhardt, Colin Hackley / Visit Florida, Hamilton Images, Scott Holstien, Kay Meyer, Alicia Osborne, Bruce Palmer, Lauren Smith, Michael Spooneybarger, Chase Yakaboski

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SALES, MARKETING & EVENTS VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi AD SERVICES COORDINATORS Tracy Mulligan, Lisa Sostre ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bess Grasswick, Darla Harrison, Lori Magee, Rhonda Murray, Dan Parker, Will Patrick, Linda Powell, Paula Sconiers, Alice Watts, Brianna Webb SALES AND MARKETING ASSISTANT Christie Green EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Leigha Inman OPERATIONS CORPORATE CLIENT LIAISON Sara Goldfarb STAFF ACCOUNTANT Robin Ballard ADMINISTRATIVE AND HUMAN RESOURCE LIAISON Caryn Nelson RECEPTIONIST Lisa Snell

DIGITAL SERVICES DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER Carlin Trammel DIGITAL SERVICES COORDINATOR Jennifer Ireland DIGITAL SERVICES PRODUCER Chelsea Moore 850 BUSINESS MAGAZINE 850businessmagazine.com, facebook.com/850bizmag, twitter.com/850bizmag, linkedin.com/company/850-business-magazine ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com SUBSCRIPTIONS A one-year (6 issues) subscription is $30. To purchase, call (850) 878-0554 or go online to 850businessmagazine.com. Single copies are $4.95 and may be purchased at Barnes & Noble in Tallahassee and at our Tallahassee office.

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850 Magazine is published bi-monthly by Rowland Publishing, Inc. 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. 850/878-0554. 850 Magazine and Rowland Publishing, Inc. are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. Editorial contributions are welcomed and encouraged but will not be returned. 850 Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor. Copyright February 2016 850 Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Member of three Chambers of Commerce throughout the region.

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850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

From the Publisher

Santa Rosa County: Bright Future is at Hand

BRIAN ROWLAND browland@rowlandpublishing.com

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

850businessmagazine.com

PHOTO BY SCOTT HOLSTEIN

I recently had the opportunity to meet with key influencers of Santa Rosa County’s economy. The get-together was especially timely given plans by 850 Magazine to publish an economic profile of Santa Rosa County in our next issue. During the meeting, a question was posed to me for which I had no immediate answer: What was my impression of the county from an economic perspective? I have to admit that it was difficult for me to formulate a response because in my previous travels and meetings across Northwest Florida over the past five or six years, I never enjoyed the opportunity to interact with market leaders or business interests in Santa Rosa County. I’ve driven dozens of times between Pensacola and the Destin and Fort Walton areas, and Santa Rosa was always just that long stretch of U.S. 98 in between. County Commissioner Rob Williamson is a passionate promoter of Santa Rosa County. I met him at the Gulf Power Symposium in October of last year and was inspired to make an effort to learn more about his county. Santa Rosa County, home to the communities of Jay, Milton and Gulf Breeze, had a population of 151,372 people according to the 2010 Census, a figure that was up a whopping 28.6 percent from its population of 10 years earlier. Fortyeight percent of its households include children under the age of 18. Other salient Santa Rosa facts, according to the Florida Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research:  At 158 persons per square mile, the county’s population density is far below the state average of 363.8.  At 5.4 percent, the county’s unemployment rate (2014) was significantly lower than the statewide rate of 6.3 percent.  At $66,006, median family income in Santa Rosa County exceeded the statewide figure of $56,738.  Its median household income of $57,703 topped the statewide figure of $46,956.  And Santa Rosa County’s crime rate (crimes per 100,000 population) was just 1,296.7 versus the statewide figure of 3,450.7. The profile that emerges is that of a county that is relatively affluent, safe and growing. Its economy is strong and has plenty of room for expansion. In short, it’s perfectly understandable that Commissioner Williamson is a little bit proud of a county that is ready to take its place as a key part of the foundation of Northwest Florida’s economy. The numbers notwithstanding, the best way to get to know a locale is to spend time with the people who call it home. In that regard, I want to thank the commissioner for bringing about the conversation I enjoyed with key Santa Rosa players Shon O. Owens of Owens Custom Homes; Charlin Knight, director of workforce education for Santa Rosa County Public Schools; tourist development director Julie Morgan; and Shannon Ogletree, director of Santa Rosa Economic Development. Together, this group has furnished me and our editorial team with insights and information that we will deliver to you in April in our project on Santa Rosa County’s economy — past, present and future. Thank you all.

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FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

850businessmagazine.com TOP TEN IN 2015

CURRENT ONLINE POLL

In 2015 we reported on business trends, provided tips to help growing companies and chatted with influential leaders. We took a look at which stories sparked the most interest with our readers during 2015. Our top 10 most engaged stories ranged from flying high with airport development to jumping hurdles with champion Paso Fino horses, finding inspiration from the success stories of the Pinnacle Award winners and keeping an ear out for podcast trends. Get in the know with the complete list of our top trending stories. 1. Old Bay County Airport Transforms into New Development 2. Paso Fino Ranch in Madison is The Home of Equestrian Champions

In the story “Mommy Bloggers,” (p. 18) we interviewed mothers who have shared their experiences of raising children via blog writing. Many of these blogs focus on family-oriented products. Would you consult one of these blogs as a means of doing consumer research on products? YES NO MAYBE Visit 850businessmagazine. com/polls/ to participate in our newest poll.

4. Panacea’s Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories Celebrates 50th Year 5. Podcasts Aren’t New, But Still Booming

3. Port of Pensacola and Pensacola International Airport are Economic Dynamos

6. New Film Incentives Bring More Movie Business Back to Florida

7. 2015 Pinnacle Award Winners 8. New Businesses From Destin to Tallahassee 9. Model of Efficiency 10. Escambia Offers Assistance for New Local Businesses to Grow

CALENDAR EVENTS

Want to be in on the business buzz? Want to network and make connections in your area? Visit our Events calendar to learn about meetings, greetings, speakers, workshops and luncheons in the 850 region. Visit 850businessmagazine. com/calendar/ to see upcoming events now.

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Flip Books: View this issue and past issues in a digital book format.

Archived Stories: Peruse our vast archive of articles.

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Twitter: @850BizMag Facebook: 850 – The Business Magazine of Northwest Florida Instagram: 850bizmag LinkedIn: 850 Business Magazine

Deal Estate: View the latest real estate deals and listings. Blog: Read about local business events, happenings and gatherings through our up-to-date blog section.

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CONNECT WITH US … No matter what device or social medium, we want to be a resource for you. Find 850 Business Magazine in all the best spots. And be sure to join our group on LinkedIn and engage with other business professionals in the area.

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Executive Mindset

Business Arena NEWS AND NUMBERS

The Impact of Foreign Trade Missions on Florida Businesses International Trade and foreign-direct investment accounted for about ONE-SIXTH of Florida’s economic output last year, supporting an ESTIMATED ONE MILLION jobs. Florida has the highest trade surplus among all states, with total trade exports plus imports hitting a record $162.2 BILLION. Enterprise Florida Inc., a partnership between Florida’s businesses and government leaders, is the state’s principal economic development organization and actively works to connect local businesses with foreign trade partners.

Paris Air Show Medica, Germany

Arab Health, United Arab Emirates

Trade and Development Mission, Peru

Trade and Development Mission, Singapore and Malaysia

Hospitalar 2015, Brazil

961

Number of Florida companies that participated in Enterprise Florida Inc. international events

$906 million Projected export sales as result of EFI’s export assistance and export development programs.

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

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The outcome of some major international trade shows attended by Enterprise Florida and Florida businesses: PARIS AIR SHOW Industry: Aviation/Aerospace; Defense/Homeland Security Participants: 17 Projected Export Sales: $151 million

TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT MISSION, PERU Participants: 58 Projected Export Sales: $36 million

ARAB HEALTH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Industry: Life Sciences Participants: 31 Projected Export Sales: $155 million

TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT MISSION, SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA Participants: 19 Projected Export Sales: $50 million

MEDICA, GERMANY Industry: Life Sciences Participants: 25 Projected Export Sales: $151 million

HOSPITALAR 2015, BRAZIL Industry: Life Sciences Participants: 9 Projected Export Sales: $31 million

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Executive Mindset

) Life The (850 T HE GIFT OF MENTORSHIP

Local Promoter ALICIA BOOKER CRESTVIEW

Director of Marketing and Community Relations, North Okaloosa Medical Center Immediate Past Chair, Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce

1. Favorite Movie

3. Bucket List No. 1

2. Sports Hero I’ve

4. Cooking My husband is actually the cooker — and I think he’d dump me for Rachael Ray in a heartbeat. I like to bake. My mother passed to me her famous red velvet cake recipe.

“Book of Eli” with Denzel Washington. He knew what he had was important and had to be preserved. It’s a reality check to make sure you understand what you’re leaving behind for the next generation. always been a Cowboys fan. When I was 5 or 6 years old, I got my first T-shirt and wore it until it fell apart. In fourth grade, we were asked to write to someone famous. I wrote to Roger Staubach, and I got an autographed photo and letter back.

is taking a family trip to Spain. I want to give (my three children) the opportunity to see more of the world so they know the sky is the limit for them.

5. Advice to 16-Year-Old Self It’s OK to be different.

In the end, the things that make you different make you successful and unique when you are older. Embrace who you are.

Photo by JENNIFER G. PHOTOGRAPHY

6. First Job I had a

summer job at a foundry where my father was manager. I had to wear steel-toed boots and a helmet and clock in and out. It was hot, dirty and messy but taught me everything isn’t easy. (And my mother made me pay for my pageant dress because I had a job.)

7. Secret to Success

Love what it is that you do, so that it doesn’t feel like a job. When you give yourself up in a leadership or service role, it’s important to take time for yourself and replenish so that you don’t burn out, and to always have balance.

he best thing Crestview has going for it is its people — young and old — and their willingness and desire to see their community grow, says Alicia Booker. “The biggest advantage is having a group of people who are willing to mentor others into success, passing down their knowledge and making sure there is always a wealth of leaders being developed,” says Booker, 45, who came from Atlanta 10 years ago to train pharmaceutical reps and decided to stay. She still sits on the executive board of the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce after serving a year as the chair. Under her leadership, the chamber established a partnership with the University of West Florida’s Small Business Development Center to bring knowledge and practical help directly to budding entrepreneurs and growing businesses in Crestview. Now they can get one-on-one help in their own community. Booker sees the area’s biggest selling points for economic development as the Bob Sikes Airport, a prime location for aerospace development because of its 8,000-foot runway, and the local, technically skilled workforce, many of them retired military. “Those are the factors that make Crestview a unique business draw,” she says. — Linda Kleindienst

850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

Executive Mindset

Wi-Files

BLOGGERS INFLUENCE CONSUMER SPENDING

Mommy Bloggers Northwest Florida moms turn a hobby into a money-making business BY TONY BRIDGES

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

850businessmagazine.com

ight years ago, Brandi Best started a simple blog to vent about the sometimes crazy-making experiences of being a stay-at-home mom with five kids. Life with Five Monkies was her quiet corner of the Internet, a social outlet where she could share a little about motherhood — including her newborn twins — and have conversations with other adults. As she puts it, she was “just kinda ramblin’ and learning how to write again.” But then she discovered the business side of mommy blogging, and her new hobby quickly turned into a vocation. And it’s easy to understand why — the business has little start-up cost, pays well if you’re willing to work hard and has great perks, such as free trips to Hollywood movie premieres and meetings with major celebrities. Today, Best is one of a handful of mommy bloggers in the

Florida Panhandle who make a full-time living promoting brands like Disney and Toyota to readers who depend on them in making purchasing decisions. They are the influencers.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INDIVIDUALS

‘A MORE POWERFUL EXPERIENCE’ Mommy blogging is basically what it sounds like: mothers writing about their experiences raising children and managing households. When they first started becoming popular in the mid-2000s, the blogs tended to be journal-like but over time have evolved to focus more on kid- and familyoriented products. The significance of mommy blogs is in the way they can influence consumer spending. Marketing research has consistently shown that women make or heavily influence the majority of purchasing decisions in a household. And what helps inform their decisions? According to a 2012 survey by online platform BlogHer, at least half of the participants reported making purchasing decisions based on something they read on a blog. Shannon Colavecchio, senior director at Moore Communications Group in Tallahassee, has worked with mommy bloggers on successful campaigns for clients such as the Florida Prepaid College Board. She said their strength is in the connection that they can make with readers. Being a mom is a very personal thing, she said, and bloggers and readers bond over their shared experiences in motherhood. Frequent readers see a mother going through the same things they do and begin to feel as if they really know the blogger. So when the blogger recommends a product, it carries more weight than if it was coming from a stranger. “It’s a much more powerful experience” than seeing an ad or a booth at an event, Colavecchio said. TURNING A PROFIT Market research commissioned by H&R Block puts the estimated number of mommy blogs in the United States at about 4 million. But only a few thousand of them are likely to turn a profit.

What makes the difference? “You can play office all day long and not make any money,” said Pensacola mom blogger Lynsey Jones, who writes at MoscatoMom. com and also teaches other moms how to blog. To be successful, “you have to treat it like a business. What you put into it is literally what you’re going to get out of it.” Jones said mommy bloggers have to focus on the “profit-producing activities” — writing useful and compelling content, growing traffic through the use of proper search-engine optimization and making strategic pitches to brands. Mommy bloggers typically start off doing reviews in exchange for free products, then gradually add revenue streams such as advertising or affiliate links to their blogs. The most profitable option for mommy bloggers is sponsored content, in which brands pay them to write about specific products, product lines or promotional campaigns. Depending on a blog’s audience size and social media influence, payment for sponsored content can range from $25 per post all the way up to $2,000 or more for some of the top blogs. It can be a fine line to walk, giving truthful reviews of products while not alienating the paying clients. Most of the bloggers said they deal with that by sticking to products they trust and already use. Regardless, they have to be careful to maintain readers’ trust — and meet Federal Trade Commission regulations governing compensated bloggers. “It’s expected that we give our honest opinion about stuff,” Jones said. “The brand is taking a little bit of a risk … even if there’s a payment, we’re going to give our honest opinion.” GETTING INTO THE MOMMY BLOG BUSINESS Best said she started by partnering with small mom-and-pop Etsy shop owners to do blog giveaways. Once she had an audience, she pitched Suave and started writing reviews of the brand’s hair care products. That led to other opportunities — including a promo with Honey Nut Cheerios that got her face on a cereal box — and eventually

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS What is your best advice to anyone, not just moms, thinking about starting a blog?

BRANDI BEST, fivemonkies.com Write about what you're passionate about. Whether it's food, family, products you use, or entertainment. Write what feels natural. Decide early if you are going for a long-term goal of making an income. If you are, buy your domain name and url! Make sure your social media channels are similar, preferably the same, as your blog name.

ASHLEY LANGSTON, frugalcouponliving.com Considering starting a blog? Find something you are passionate about and go from there. Blogs need to inspire not only your readers but also you! What would you blog about for free?... and if the money comes following your starting point, then great!

850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

Bret Timmons and Paul V. Watts, CEO Electronet Broadband Communications

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Bret Timmons

2012 TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WINNER

Recipient: Electronet

3 4 1 1 C A P I TA L M E D I C A L B LV D . TA L L A H A S S E E , F L | 2 2 2 . 0 2 2 9 | W W W. E L E C T R O N E T. N E T 20

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WI-FILES

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INDIVIDUALS

to writing sponsored content for brands such as Disney and Nutrisystem. She also integrated display ads into her blog. Even after taking an extended period of time off because of a death in the family, she is still seeing year-over-year revenue growth from her blog, she said from her home near Panama City. “It kind of evolved,” she said. “But it was a lot of work, and a lot of hours spent in front of a computer screen.” Sometimes the success is more sudden. Ashley Langston was a fifth-grade teacher on maternity leave from Gilchrist Elementary in Tallahassee when she started her blog in 2008. She called it Frugal Coupon Mom, and at first, it was open only to family and friends who’d asked her to share how she saved so much money on groceries and drugstore items. Two months after making the blog public, U.S. News & World Report wrote a profile that referred to her as a “coupon master.” The next week, she was invited to go on the “Dr. Phil” show to talk about grocery budgeting. “I didn’t seek it out, it just fell in my lap,” she said. The content evolved with her as her children began to grow and her own life circumstances changed. She updated the name of the blog to Frugal Coupon Living and moved away from groceries to more online shopping, such as a jeans promotion she worked on with Target. By 2011, the blog was her full-time job. However, “in my heart, it’s still very much a hobby for me,” said Langston, who remarried and moved to Washington, D.C., several months ago. “I enjoy the work.” She echoes Jones and Best about the work that mommy blogging requires. For example, she doesn’t spend much time on Thanksgiving with her family because she has to get the blog ready for Black Friday, she said. That’s why it’s important for mom bloggers to pick a niche — clothes, cooking, green living, entertainment — they really enjoy. “Expect to work full time, expect to work for free (at first) and don’t quit your day job,” she said. “Write and do something you love, because if you aren’t doing something you love, you aren’t going to have the passion to do the work.” BLOGGING HAS ITS PERKS With the right niche, the perks can be exciting. Best said Disney flew her to Los Angeles for the premiere of the movie “Tomorrowland,” where she met George Clooney.

“That was probably the highlight of my blogging career so far,” she said. And apparently that’s not an uncommon experience for mommy bloggers. Navarre blogger Toni Patton writes about family-oriented lifestyle products, particularly travel and entertainment, on her blog, JustStopScreaming.com. Thanks to sponsors, she’s stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, ridden a Mardi Gras float for Universal Orlando, and visited the set while “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” was being filmed. She’s also interviewed numerous celebrities, including Chris Pratt and Angelina Jolie Pitt. “I love being able to travel, and (the blog) opened doors that probably wouldn’t have been opened without blogging,” she said. “It’s a lot of work when we get home, but it’s worth it if that’s what you enjoy.” It’s been the same for Jones, the Moscato Mom, from L.A. movie premieres to behind-the-scenes tours of Kennedy Space Center. “Not every benefit to blogging has a dollar amount attached to it,” she said. Brands are willing to spend money on sponsored content and foot the bill for trips like these because of the bang they get for their buck, according to Colavecchio. One of the main advantages from mommy bloggers, aside from the personal connection they have with readers, is the measurability. Brands can see exactly how many visitors read a blog post and, through social media tools, how many people shared that information. They also can see realtime reactions to promotional campaigns. Colavecchio offered this recent example: Her firm conducted a Twitter chat with seven bloggers about a client’s promotional campaign. The chat lasted 90 minutes and generated more than 500,000 “impressions” — a measurement of tweets delivered to eyeballs — in that time. Feedback was immediate, and the brand knew right away what people were saying about the campaign. Compare that to spending considerably more on advertising and never knowing who sees it, Colavecchio said. “If I’m Reebok and I have $30,000 to spend, think about how much further that can go if I invest that in an army of bloggers versus spending that on ads,” Colavecchio said. “Businesses are starting to see that when they spend that money through bloggers, they have a huge reach, and it really amplifies itself.”

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ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS What is your best advice to anyone, not just moms, thinking about starting a blog?

LYNSEY JONES, moscatomom.com If you treat your blog like a business, it will pay you like one. Do not be afraid to reach for the stars — they are closer than you think!

TONI PATTON, juststopscreaming.com If you are looking to start a blog, just do it. Share what you have a passion for. Don't write for others, write for yourself even if you are doing it as a business. Always stay true to you and who you are in what you write. Readers can see the sincerity (or lack thereof) in your writing, so when you are sharing a story about your life, doing a product review or showcasing your travels, make sure you are authentic.

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

Executive Mindset

Management Strategies GIVE CUSTOMERS THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE

Secrets to

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE Area experts pass on their advice to keep everyone happy 24/7 BY TISHA CREWS KELLER

FEBRUARY â€“ MARCH 2016

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s fast as a text message, customer service is changing. Gone are the days when a great product at a fair price was enough to please. In fact, customer service in 2015 is more of a 24/7 undertaking than ever before. The advent of social media and business reputation sites such as TripAdvisor changed the world of business irrevocably but maybe nowhere as much as customer service. These days, customers demand products and services tailored to their individual needs and tastes â€” and they want these to be immediately available as soon as they arrive. Businesses that invest in research,

Illustrations by REBECCA TAYLOR

trend-watching, social/online presence and customer service management are the ones poised to do the best in this environment. Melissa Biggs, owner of Southern Sisters Boutique and Salon in Pensacola, explains. “With increased competition from other brick and mortar stores … as well as from the Internet, we have to bring our A-game every day,” she says. “You can’t expect to be a successful retailer and have average service.” The truth is, if you aren’t actively mapping customer interactions with your company — and empowering your employees to create the best experience possible — then you are actively falling behind your competition. Martin Owen is someone who really understands these changes. A 45-year veteran of the travel industry, he is the regional marketing director for ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals in Fort Walton Beach. “Nice isn’t good enough anymore,” Owen says. “To win at customer service, you have to empathize with your customers and anticipate their needs. Even 10 years ago, people would put up with standard or mediocre service — but not today.” Owen uses generational differences to his advantage in the vacation rental industry. He explains that millennials, for instance, demand that businesses think of their every need. Raised in the Internet age, these 20-somethings are accustomed to a world that is small enough to cater to their every taste — at the touch of a button. In a similar (yet counterintuitive) fashion, baby boomers have very high expectations because they have earned what they feel is the right to expect service industries to anticipate all their needs, and especially to surprise them with things that they haven’t even considered.

The generation in between, Gen X, has families, and they want people to make that easier for them. Solving problems for these parents is key to winning their loyalty. A key to great customer service in today’s world, Owen finds, is understanding that the essential process for choosing and purchasing is startlingly different today than it used to be. People don’t plan trips two years out anymore. Consumers use real-time planning as if there is no time or distance to overcome. When they arrive at a vacation, for example, they expect the beach chair and the glass of wine to be waiting for them automatically. The same is true for the retail industry, as Dana McBride of Pensacola’s Toad Hall Antiques & Gifts understands. Her service goal is to never take customers for granted — because nowadays there are too many other options for shopping. Her goal is to make customers feel appreciated and welcomed when they choose to shop at her store. McBride runs her store with the old mantra, “Sales may go up and down, but service never should.” How does a business successfully “learn” new customer service skills in this avant garde world? Here are some tips from those winning at the concept. REDEFINE JOB EXPECTATIONS — Most in business today will tell you that making customers happy is the No. 1 expectation on either side of the dollar bill. Tania Koehler, general manager of the Courtyard Grand Boulevard and Residence Inn at Sandestin, incorporates this on a very basic level. No matter the job title, “The job isn’t the task,” she explains. “The job is to make our guests happy.” Key to accomplishing this goal is empowering employees to do whatever it takes to satisfy the customer. Whether it’s branching out of a

specific role — a housekeeper offering a free breakfast, for instance — Koehler enables her employees to do what they can as soon as possible to fix a situation. GREAT SERVICE STARTS WITH GREAT PEOPLE — Hiring talent versus hiring hands is a key philosophical difference in the service-centered approach to hired help. Marc Bauer, who with wife Pamela owns the consulting firm Halcyon Hospitality, has a longstanding reputation for transforming businesses into customer service powerhouses. Together, they worked on several projects including Hotel Duval in Tallahassee, where Marc was general manager, and the Tallahassee Memorial Emergency Center – Northeast. “I don’t necessarily go with someone for their experience,” Bauer says. “I am looking for a real spirit to serve and a hospitality heart.” He believes that a solid work ethic and engaging personality is key for any business, not just restaurants or hotels. It’s the same for Richard Ross, the vice president of sales and marketing for Hilton Sandestin Beach. “Team members can be taught skills,” Ross believes. “But personalities and attitudes are unique to each individual and difficult to instill in someone if that drive to serve is not already there.” Koehler agrees. She considers the employment screening process to be key in finding great people. At her Howard Group properties they implement a multi-level application screening and interview process for all employees. She watches for cues such as smiling, sociable personality and team-oriented drive in every interview. FOCUS ON THE TEAM AT ALL TIMES — A common denominator for superstar customer-service companies

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is a focus on the employees as a team or family concept. Managers in any situation must be, first of all, great leaders. To Ross, that means “walking the talk” and exhibiting the very behaviors that he wants employees to emulate. “Culture is key to keeping the team spirit,” Owen agrees. “Our staff are treated as part of a family.” Like any family, Owen understands that what “parents” show, everyone follows. If management is passionate about giving customers an incredible experience, then it’s that much easier to get employees to follow suit. Some businesses, such as Howard Group, enrich supervisors and employees by asking them to read management books. Koehler augments this with regular (and frequent) team meetings that focus on customer feedback. “The hardest part of customer service is probably maintaining team spirit,” concedes Halcyon Hospitality’s Bauer. He says that people have their own notions of what their job responsibility should look like, so you have to build and mold your talent to grow into your expectations. Involving staff in decisions helps make them stakeholders and not just employees. Welcoming different ideas and

cultural expectations from staff experience is also a very valuable tool, Bauer points out. FEED YOUR EMPLOYEES — A good diet of reward, motivation and encouragement is essential to building great customer service. “Our employees are our best resource,” Koehler says. “And they must be treated well.” She gives back to her employees by listening to what they need and giving it to

them. Through her regular meetings and annual employee survey, she stays tuned in to what her team needs and wants to continue building the service ever better. When businesses don’t cue into these essential needs, customer service is often the first place the threadbareness shows. “There are many pitfalls in executing good customer service,” observes Ross, of Hilton Sandestin Beach. “Training, empowerment, proper resources, morale,

Good Business Etiquette Makes for Satisfied Customers

HERE ARE 6 SIMPLE YET POWERFUL WAYS TO IMPRESS CUSTOMERS:

Credibility, honesty, punctuality and a good handshake can make a difference

1. KEEP YOUR WORD. Your credibility is dependent on your ability to keep your promises. It’s important to be up front with your customers. If you can’t complete a task on time, notify everyone involved in the project immediately. Forewarn a client of a potential roadblock and he or she will be much more likely to be forgiving. Simply put: Under-promise and over-deliver.

BY JACQUELINE WHITMORE

ave you ever heard the expression, “It’s the little things that count”? That’s certainly true when it comes to getting ahead in business today. You may have all the awards and accolades and even know your product better than anyone in your industry. But in today’s fastpaced and impersonal world, that’s not enough. Those who provide extraordinary service are the ones who are going to attract more customers, close more deals and get ahead of their competitors. In a 24/7 social world where the people have the power, a dissatisfied customer can cost your business more than revenue — it can damage your reputation. By following some simple business etiquette, rest assured that you’ll make a lasting impression with your customers and attract new business for years to come. 24

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2. BE HONEST. Be truthful in every aspect of your business. Your credibility can be severely damaged if you

ILLUSTRATION BY REBECCA TAYLOR

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

communication … all these factors can compromise the delivery of great service.” All of these things deal directly with employees and how they feel about their job. Ross believes that all of these factors are vital to keeping an organization energized and eager to go the extra mile. KNOW WHAT TO SAY — Scripting great customer service lines is standard for many top-level service-oriented organizations. Take care to appreciate the difference between knowing what to say and knowing what to mean, Bauer warns. He considers authentic, genuine customer interaction over scripting, because employees must be able to feel natural during customer encounters. Making sure employees know the spirit and intention behind each interaction is key. Welcoming guests, responding to conflict, offering substitutions, and saying “no” need to be part of how you train your employees to talk to customers. “Customers want to know you understand and care,” says Kitty Whitney, executive director and broker at SRE realty company in Sandestin. To that end, she tries to define the end goal of each client interaction and follows up to make sure needs are met. For Whitney, it’s about communication from beginning to end.

intentionally lie, misstate or misrepresent yourself or your products and services. Never share confidential information and betray someone’s trust. Instead, foster a reputation for honesty with customers. 3. SHOW UP ON TIME. Punctuality is a reflection of your overall organization. If you are consistently late, your clients may begin to wonder if you’re the right person for the job. Aim to arrive early. When you meet your client, it’s very important to make eye contact and greet him or her with a firm (appropriate) handshake. If it’s needed, make sure you pop in a breath mint before you walk in the door. If you are going to be late, call ahead and let your client know when you expect to arrive.

DEFY DISTRACTIONS — Especially in the retail environment, when you are always present with your customer, making sure they feel important is key. “When you are waiting on a customer, nothing else matters,” Biggs maintains. “Don’t let your mind drift to what else you need to do … you have to block all of that out and make that person feel like the most important person in the world.” There are plenty of distractions to steal your focus from great customer service, but don’t give in. As Biggs points out, all the advertising in the world won’t trump the word-of-mouth “branding” that comes from treating customers less than great in the store. Slighted customers won’t be back, and they will tell everyone they know using lightning-fast social media and texting. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU — It should go without saying that thanking your customers is rule No. 1. It’s hard to be too enthusiastic when thanking customers. Consider special sale days for loyal patrons, exclusive preview days, free giveaways and more as ways to let your customers know they matter. The handwritten note, though, never goes out of style. Bauer even included the personal note when he designed customer interactions for a Tallahassee emergency care center.

4. ACKNOWLEDGE MISTAKES. Everyone makes mistakes. Generally, clients will be flexible if you quickly acknowledge the error, apologize and work to rectify the situation. Never try to cover up or ignore your or your company’s involvement in the problem. Don’t make excuses or blame others. Instead, take responsibility, find the solution and start moving forward again. 5. HANDLE CONFLICTS GRACEFULLY. Disagreements and personality conflicts are part of doing business. If a client, partner or employee tests your patience, questions your authority or criticizes your work, don’t react with hostility. Strong leaders remain calm in even the most trying circumstances. Even if you are boiling

Imagine the impact of getting a note penned by medical staff after your emergency room visit! The best follow-up and thank you depends on the situation at hand, Whitney points out. If a customer is satisfied or far away, a phone call will do fine. If you aren’t highly engaged in the selling of your product (think dress versus beach house), then a note might well suffice. But if you made a big sale or served a very important client, Whitney suggests stopping by in person. Consistency in customer service may be one of the biggest challenges to success, Ross observes. Given that every business experiences turnover and changes, any organization needs to approach customer service as a dynamic that is always evolving, always getting better, he suggests. Bauer and the other experts say that customer feedback is at an all-time high in terms of availability and access. Sites such as Angie’s List, TripAdvisor, Yelp! and others mean businesses have no excuse for ignoring their customer service trends. At the end of the day, customers want to know their business matters to you. Experts agree that a customer service “win” involves creativity, feedback, consistency and a positive attitude. “We must remain nimble, proactive and flexible to the needs of each guest (and customer) if we are to be successful,” Ross says.

inside, don’t let others see it. Maintain a calm disposition and stay on topic. If you must concede, do so with grace. 6. DON’T BURN BRIDGES. When you or your business is threatened, your first reaction may be an emotional one. As Warren Buffett once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” If you need a few minutes to cool down, walk away and return to the conversation or email later. Today’s foe could be tomorrow’s ally.

Jacqueline Whitmore is an etiquette expert, author of “Poised for Success: Mastering the Four Qualities That Distinguish Outstanding Professionals” and founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach.

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HERE COME THE

Millen The largest living American generation is ready to take the business world by storm — but they’ll do it their way

BY LINDA KLEINDIENST // PHOTO BY ALICIA OSBORNE

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ennials 850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY â€“ MARCH 2016

Here Come the

Millennials

Try Googling the word “millennial” and you’d be amazed at the research that has already gone into this generation, once more commonly referred to as the Echo Boom, or the sons and daughters of those born soon after the end of World War II.

STRIVE FOR FUN Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey, founders of Barefoot, the largest bottled wine brand in the world, insist on making work enjoyable for all.

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retailers to Realtors and even opera houses and art galleries — has searched for the best way to understand them and harness their potential buying power. Who are they? In a 2010 study, the Pew Research Center described millennials — named as such because they are the first generation to come of age in the new millennium — as “confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change.” Further studies done by a variety of sources from Wall Street to universities have shown these Americans to be highly educated, optimistic, less religious, more ethnically diverse and in no hurry to marry or purchase their own home. They want to make a

difference in their communities and the world, although not necessarily committing to any longterm projects. According to a 2014 report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers, they are also interested in their quality of life, having time for recreation and working in creative jobs. It’s hard to generalize a whole generation in just a few descriptive words. And it’s unfair to lump together members of one generation. But there are some stark differences between millennials and those who came before them. “Baby boomers love a challenge. They are focused on work and achievement,” explains Xuan Tran, an associate professor of hospitality, recreation and resort management at the University of West Florida, who has studied the millennials. “Members of Generation X feel they need more security, so they focus on power. For Generation Y (millennials), if you want to work with them, you need to make sure they can balance between work and family.”

Seeking ‘Fun’ at Work While their parents and grandparents grew accustomed to strict working hours and often tightly controlled working conditions early in their careers, millennials yearn for a better experience at their workplace. According to a recent report from Accenture, 60 percent of the graduates in the class of 2015 say they would take a pay

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BAREFOOT SPIRIT (HOULIHAN AND HARVEY)

For decades, their parents have been the driving force in our nation’s economy. At their peak in 1999, baby boomers numbered 78.8 million. This past year, that total was expected to drop to 74.9 million while the Millennial Generation, whose ages in 2015 ranged from 18 to 34, climbed to 75.3 million — on their way to an expected 80 million peak. Herculean efforts are being made to understand these younger Americans, once also known as Gen Y, who comprise one-third of the U.S. workforce. Their work ethic, buying habits, goals and general outlook on life have been put under a microscope as the business world — from banks to

cut to work for a company with a “positive social atmosphere.” Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey are the founders of Barefoot, the largest bottled wine brand in the world. In their book, “The Entrepreneurial Culture,” they share the methods and tactics they used to make the company, which has been sold to EJ Gallo, so successful. Their message: It’s a myth that productivity improves when company cultures are rigid, serious and businesslike. The reality is, productivity improves when people enjoy being at work. At Barefoot, they concentrated on fun, respect for all (regardless of age), philanthropy, flex hours, showing appreciation for a job well done and treating workers as individuals instead of cogs in the

machine. And while going to work might not beat a day at the beach, they insist it’s still possible to make time at the office enjoyable. “Strive to create a fun environment,” Houlihan says. “At Barefoot, we designed colorful work spaces with natural light and playful graphics. We let employees choose their titles and encouraged wine-related names. (I was ‘Head Stomper,’ if you’re curious.) We also gave plenty of time off, celebrated birthdays and didn’t mind a little silliness as long as the work got done. All of this helped our people to stay fresh and involved, and kept morale high.” Rick Oppenheim, whose Tallahassee-based public relations company celebrated 30 years in business in 2015, has hired

THEY'RE NOT COGS Millennials want to be appreciated for their work and be involved with their company and community. A work/life balance is very important.

millennials and also brought them into RB Oppenheim Associates as interns. “We have a lot of millennials running around here on any given day,” the 63-year-old says with a smile. “The workplace has evolved as our culture has. The 25-year-old of today approaches work differently than the 25-yearold did 20 years ago. As employers, we have to pay attention to this. To have a successful workplace, you have to know how to deal with your employees. How to engage them and keep them. My generation understood you had to pay your dues to rise in a company. Millennials expect that journey to be considerably faster.” Oppenheim brings in a massage therapist once a month for his staff and he tries to do fun

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things, such as have happy hours. He will allow his employees to work remotely when necessary. “We try to have a nurturing, fun, engaging workplace,” he says. “You have to have trust, provide flexibility, reward success, encourage creativity, guide but not direct. The goal is to understand what their goals are and help them get there.”

‘Fearless’ There are a lot of words used to describe the Millennial Generation. The term “fearless” is one of the more popular. Unlike the baby

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boomers, who tended to stick with one company or at least stay in the career they were trained for, this new crop of workers doesn’t hesitate to jump jobs or careers. Millennials reportedly leave their employers in less than three years — sooner if they don’t like a company’s culture. Many of them want to travel and experience other cultures while they’re young. Others want to move away from smaller cities to urban areas that offer more cultural activities and the opportunity to meet and engage with other young professionals from around the country

— a brain drain that could adversely affect places like Northwest Florida. “Millennials are driving social and geographic shifts,” notes a 2014 White House report. “Especially the more educated among them have moved in large numbers to urban areas. (This) could have important economic implications for a long time to come.” Dorian Zwierewicz is a business growth consultant at the University of West Florida’s Small Business Development Center. He’s 23, has an MBA from UWF in hand and loves his job and his

PHOTOS BY ALICIA OSBORNE (OPPENHEIM) AND LAUREN SMITH/UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA (ZWIEREWICZ)

HAVE TRUST Rick Oppenheim, shown with Brianna Barnebee (left) and Gabrielle Shaiman (right), loves working with millennials and says employers need to provide flexibility, show trust and reward success.

Here Come the

Millennials

Millennials and Finances  The majority of millennials (53 PERCENT) think about their financial future daily, significantly more than boomers (40 PERCENT).  Nearly three in four millennials (72 PERCENT) are confident they will be able to save enough for the lifestyle they hope to have for the future, versus 64 PERCENT for boomers.  Millennials were much more likely than boomers to have paid for their college education via student loans — 54 PERCENT versus 32 PERCENT, respectively.  About threequarters — or 73 PERCENT — of millennials are confident they have the knowledge to address any financial problem in the next 10 years.

“MY GENERATION UNDERSTOOD YOU HAD TO PAY YOUR DUES TO RISE IN A COMPANY. MILLENNIALS EXPECT THAT JOURNEY TO BE CONSIDERABLY FASTER.” — 63-YEAROLD RICK OPPENHEIM, RB OPPENHEIM ASSOCIATES

 EIGHT IN 10 millennials say the Great Recession taught them they have to save “now” to survive economic problems down the road . . . but only 55 PERCENT are saving for retirement.  68 PERCENT of millennials expect their standard of living to be better than their parents’. Source: 2014 Wells Fargo Millennial Study

boss. He plans to remain flexible in his future plans, possibly remaining in Pensacola, but he also has a fiveyear plan that may lead him to “move to something bigger.” He already has friends moving to bigger cities such as Atlanta, Boston and Philadelphia for work and school. “They say there is so much more to do,” he says. “The lifestyle and culture are all big factors.” Brianna Barnebee, 24, graduated from Florida State University in 2014. She majored in public relations and international affairs and now works with Oppenheim. But in a couple of years she’d like to have a stable job that allows her to work remotely while traveling the world. “It’s more about the experience and being happy than making the most money,” she says. “Our parents were working to make money. It’s normal for us to go job to job to get the best experience possible. We want to achieve the best for us, not for our parents.” She knows others who are taking time out from careers to teach English in foreign countries or even become nannies for families overseas, jobs that don’t offer much money but open new opportunities to become immersed in different cultures. Being thousands of miles from home isn’t as fearful as it may have once been because modern

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THE URBAN LURE Dorian Zwierewicz loves his job at the University of West Florida but many of his friends have moved to more urban areas, and he wants to remain flexible on what he plans to do and where he will live in the future.

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Here Come the

Millennials

Balancing Work and Family At the age of 31, Sandi Poreda is on the leading edge of the Millennial Generation. She began her career working like a baby boomer, putting in long hours, starting at the bottom of the office ladder and working her way up. She liked the security. But in her later 20s, she began to re-evaluate. “As I got a little older, I began to value quality of life as a work asset,” she says. “It was OK with me if I made a little less. I think maybe we’re starting to pay more attention to a better sense of balance. That was the turning point for me.” In January 2015, she took the plunge and started her own company, Bulldog Strategy Group. She used skills learned during her years working in the office of Florida’s attorney general and transferred them to a public relations company that specializes in litigation communication, serving attorneys and their clients. “Balance has been a real big deal for me. How do I make sure the desire to grow my company doesn’t threaten the balance? It’s not how to work less but how to work smarter,” Poreda explains. “Now that I’ve reprioritized, I feel more

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balanced and I do a better job for my clients because I’m not crazy.” Thanks to technology, many of today’s jobs don’t require employees to be in the office, at their desks, from 9 to 5. And, believe it or not, a 2013 Millennial Branding study reported that almost half of millennials say they’d choose flexibility over pay. “Employees feel positively about companies that give them time to live their lives outside of work when possible,” says Barefoot Wine’s Bonnie Harvey. “Set up deadline-based timetables rather than strict work schedules, and allow for home office work as much as possible. This will help your people save gas and commute

Statistics Marketers Need to Know About Millennials in the United States  43 PERCENT are nonwhite (Pew Research Center).  ONE-FOURTH speak a language other than English at home (U.S. Census Bureau).  They wield $1.3 TRILLION in annual buying power (Boston Consulting Group).  More than 85 PERCENT own smartphones (Nielson).  They touch their smartphones 45 TIMES a day (SDL).  FIVE OUT OF SIX connect with companies on social media networks (SDL).  66 PERCENT follow a company or brand on Twitter, and 64 PERCENT like a company or brand on Facebook to score a coupon or discount (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth).  Only 6 PERCENT consider online advertising to be credible (Social Chorus). Source: LeadsCouncil, a group of companies formed to promote best practices and foster trust in online marketing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANDI POREDA/TREWMEDIA.COM

technology helps them stay close to friends and family. Her coworker Gabrielle Shaiman, 23, is a native of South Florida and says her current job is a great opportunity for a recent college graduate (she also earned her degree from FSU in 2014), but she doesn’t expect to be in Tallahassee long term. In fact, “my parents are supportive of me getting out of the Florida bubble.” Having grown up with technology and the Internet, millennials see the world as their oyster. “We want to be very independent,” says Shaiman, “and we have a lot of resources that other generations didn’t have.”

hours. Think of it as paying for performance, not attendance. At Barefoot, we found that when we trusted our people to do what we asked them to and left the when and where up to them, they were more focused and productive. They thought like entrepreneurs, not clock-punchers.”

Lazy and Entitled? They are certainly a confident group. A 2014 Wells Fargo study revealed that the vast majority of millennials (84 percent) feel they have the skills to succeed in their career goals and are confident their careers will advance. If they lost their job, 78 percent believe they could find a comparable one

within a year — a sharp contrast to baby boomers (58 percent). Calling them lazy and entitled could be a bum rap on an entire generation, but millennials do have some work traits that boomers in particular sometimes find mystifying. “When they get into the workplace, they want you to tell them what you want and then leave them alone. That’s a hard adjustment for a baby boomer,” admits Keyna Cory, 61, president of Public Affairs Consultants Inc. in Tallahassee who hires (and pays) a lot of interns. “They are workers that want opportunities but want instant gratification. You’ve got to thank them — they’ve grown up

“BALANCE HAS BEEN A REAL BIG DEAL FOR ME. HOW DO I MAKE SURE THE DESIRE TO GROW MY COMPANY DOESN’T THREATEN THE BALANCE? IT’S NOT HOW TO WORK LESS BUT HOW TO WORK SMARTER.” — SANDI POREDA, OWNER OF BULLDOG STRATEGY GROUP

FINDING BALANCE Sandi Poreda, shown here with 8-yearold Ella, her rescue bulldog mix and business mascot, is on the leading edge of the Millennial Generation. Only in recent years has she dropped some of her Generation X work habits to find a better balance between work and life, a millennial trait.

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FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

in a world where everyone gets a participation trophy.” But then, whose fault is that? “We’re products of the environment we’re raised in. I’ve read that we’re entitled and everyone’s a winner,” points out Zwierewicz, of UWF’s Small Business Development Center. “If we were raised that way, we can’t be blamed for it. I always thought it was a strange analogy. We weren’t the ones handing out the trophy. “I don’t think I’m lazy at all. My focus at work is really on adding value.” In a student survey she did for her doctoral thesis, Barbara White said she learned that even though millennials get the rap for not being responsible, they want to be valued as being highly responsible. |

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“They wanted to be perceived as an expert, so their advice would be sought,” says White, an assistant professor in accounting and finance at UWF. “We know this generation tends to be a little more confident, have higher expectations and they will question things more.” As for getting pats on the back at work, she says millennials grew up hearing about how special they were and getting constant reinforcement. “We know that you won’t have someone come by every day and tell you what a good job you’re doing,” White says. But, she adds, employers could help the situation by establishing more regular employee reviews (even every three months) to let younger workers

know how they’re performing. Still, she cautions, “They want realistic feedback. They know some of what they got (as youths) was smoke and mirrors.” Another suggestion she offers is to let millennial employees serve on company committees, maybe even establishing junior committees to tackle some issues in the workplace. And, she adds, “they will work hard if it’s important to them. Incorporate those things that are important.” Still, when millennials get into their first job situation, employers may often have to start out teaching some of the basics. Cory said some of her interns have had to be taught how to properly answer the phone and how not to rely on texting for everything. (She

PHOTO BY JENNIFER EKRUT

UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE Businesses need to understand the ever-changing world of social media and technology that is so important to millenials in all they do, from work to everyday life, says Randi Zuckerberg, sister of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is a New York Times bestselling author and founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media.

Here Come the

Millennials

Millennial Facts  The share of Americans ages 20 to 34 who were born in a foreign country is currently about 15 PERCENT, much higher than in 1950 and near the peak of almost 20 PERCENT seen in 1910 during the last great wave of immigration to the United States.  In 2013, 47 PERCENT of 25- to 34-yearolds received a postsecondary degree (associate, bachelor’s or graduate).

“THE NEW GENERATION OF CONSUMERS LIKES TO SHARE THINGS MORE THAN BUY. THEY DON’T BUY CARS, THEY PREFER EXPERIENCES OVER MATERIAL OBJECTS. SO THESE ARE THINGS BUSINESSES NEED TO UNDERSTAND IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. IT REALLY IS A VERY NEW WORLD OUT THERE.” — RANDI ZUCKERBERG, SISTER OF FACEBOOK FOUNDER MARK ZUCKERBERG

 Graduate school enrollment among 18- to 34-year-olds jumped from 2.8 PERCENT in 1995 to 3.8 PERCENT in 2010 — a 35 PERCENT increase.  Outstanding student loan debt surpassed $1 trillion in the second quarter of 2014.  Only 40 PERCENT of adults ages 18 to 34 identify with the term “millennial,” as opposed to 79 PERCENT of those ages 51 to 69 who see themselves as part of the “boomer” generation. Sources: White House, U.S. Census Bureau, Pew Research Center

even had an intern resign by text, telling her, “I’m not happy working here. My key’s on the desk.”) And, when the economy is good, she knows they could leave their job in a heartbeat for a better opportunity. But she knows that older employers will have to learn to adjust to the new workers they’ll be encountering and the new consumers their businesses will need to connect with to survive. “I’m going to have to adjust,” Cory says. “If I’m going to grow my business, as an employer I’m going to have to put on a different mindset. I’m going to have to adjust to them.”

Market Trendsetters Ask a millennial the last time he or she walked into a bank and they might not even remember. They are in the forefront of online banking — a 2014 survey by Citibank revealed that 20 percent of their customers under the age of 40 don’t have a checkbook — and use their smartphones for some of the most vital tasks in their lives. Staying in communication with friends and family? Don’t call. Text. Or better yet, send a photo or video via Snapchat. “They’re moving away from email. They’re using all these messaging apps, like Snapchat. It really is a very new world out there,” says Randi Zuckerberg, sister of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is a New York Times bestselling author and founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media. “Not every business needs to be on Snapchat, but they need to understand the why of this huge trend and how to be better about recruiting and hiring millennials. “The new generation of consumers likes to share things more than buy. They don’t buy cars, they prefer experiences over material objects. So these are things businesses need to understand if they are going to be successful. It really is a very new world out there.”

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FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

Here Come the

Millennials

Some businesses are trying to prepare. A 2015 survey for Transitions Optical began tracking the attitude of millennials toward their eye doctors and eyeglass preferences. “Cultural sensitivity, giving back and having the freedom to express their personal style all emerged as being highly valued among millennial eyeglass wearers — and are also core values of growing ethnic minority groups that make up such a large portion of this generation,” says Patience Cook, director of North America marketing for the optical company. “This reinforces the importance of eyecare professionals embracing multicultural outreach efforts and paying attention to trends in this area.” One of the biggest differences between millennials and earlier generations? They’re more likely to consider what’s fashionable or which pair bears a recognized name brand when choosing their eyeglasses. “Having grown up with the Internet and being the first on many social media sites, it’s not surprising millennials tend to be more aware of the latest fashion trends,” Cook says. “By keeping this in mind … eye-care professionals can help to grow their businesses while increasing patient satisfaction.” Whole Foods formed a special innovation team and is launching a new, “hip” market concept aimed at millennial customers. They’re calling it 365 by Whole Foods Market, and the first stores will open in 2016. “This new format will feature a modern, streamlined design, innovative technology and a curated product mix,” co-CEO Walter Robb told investors when making the announcement in May. “It will deliver a convenient, transparent and values-oriented experience geared toward

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEIMAN MARCUS

TECHIE GENERATION Businesses that want to appeal to millennials will have to make good use of technology, which this generation demands. Stores like Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom’s are boosting sales with the Magic Mirror, a way for customers to see how clothes will look on them without trying anything on.

millennial shoppers … We believe the growth potential for this new complementary brand to be as great as it is for our highly successful Whole Foods Market brand.” Even hotels, including most recently Best Western, are launching rebranding campaigns in an attempt to appeal to millennials. Michael K. Brady, the Carl DeSantis Professor and chair of Florida State University’s Department of Marketing, suggests that those companies with special recognition programs for customers could attract millennial customers. “They like to be individualistic and recognized for what they do and companies can turn that to their advantage with programs like loyalty clubs that recognize consumers for being good customers or having special lines for entrance for loyal customers, like the airlines do,” he says. “They respond well to that recognition.” As for technology, they don’t just expect it, they demand it. And it will be up to businesses to figure out how to incorporate technology, especially interactive

technology, into their sales. Take for instance, the Magic Mirror, which allows customers to try on products via a mirror instead of physically putting on a piece of clothing, jewelry or eyewear. It’s already boosting sales in some stores like Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom’s. “They want to see technology in places it hasn’t been before,” Brady says. And, he adds, “They’re very skeptical consumers. But that’s also an opportunity for marketers, who will need to convey a message of truth worthiness.” But Cory reminds all that millennials have a short attention span, so selling them on anything could be a challenge. “If they don’t understand within seven seconds, they move on. A goldfish will stare at something for nine seconds,” she says. “We have to make websites so that millennials get it, like it and understand it — or they will move on. Whether you are a baker, clothing store or professional services provider, you’ll need to keep their attention and keep them wanting to come back for more.”

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FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

WITH YOU ON THE

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BUSINESS NEWS

CAPITAL NEW BEGINNINGS

» Cissy Proctor has been named executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, where she had served as chief of staff since January 2015. Before joining DEO in 2013, Proctor was an attorney at Bryant Miller Olive.

» Tallahassee-based Lanigan

and Associates, a regional accounting, assurance, wealth management and tax services firm, recently announced the following promotions: Patrick Keith Eierhart, CPA, to Tax Manager II; Kevin Daniel Brinson, CPA, to Tax Senior I; and Meghan Gould Marchant, CPA, to Tax Staff III.

» Noreen Fenner is the new

owner and operator of PAC Financial Management, a full-service financial administration and reporting firm based in Tallahassee.

» Robin Safley has

joined the Florida Association of Food Banks as executive director. She previously SAFLEY served as director for the Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness under Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.

» Kellie Ralston, a fifth gen-

eration Floridian and an expert in Florida’s marine fisheries management, has joined the American Sportfishing Association staff in Tallahassee as Fishery policy director for the Keep Florida Fishing initiative.

» Jeffrey A. Collier, the lead

environmental attorney to the South Florida Water Management Districts, has joined Stearns Weaver Miller’s Land Development, Zoning and Environmental group as a shareholder in the Tallahassee office.

» Morgan L. McCord has joined

the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity as the agency’s press secretary. She previously served as director of Communications at Florida TaxWatch.

EIERHART BRINSON MARCHANT

» Lane Williams has been

promoted to manager in the Assurance Services Department of Thomas Howell Ferguson, a professional accounting, assurance, and tax services firm headquarHARMON BATTLES tered in Tallahassee. Casey McLaughlin, Josh Hogan, Taylor Harmon and HOGAN MCLAUGHLIN Christie Battles have been promoted to senior in the Assurance Services Department. Alyssa Roti and Paola Blackburn have been promoted to senior in the Tax Services Department. New team members include: Becky Roberts, CPA, as the new assurance services department manager; Chandler Russell as an assurance services staff member; Jacob Clawson in the Tax Services Department; Taylor Eiken and Jessica Gonzalez in the Assurance Services Department.

PHOTOS BY PROVIDED BY PROFILED INDIVIDUALS

» Sam McKay, a 21-year hospi-

tality professional, has joined The Edison team as vice president of Operations.

» Tamara Howard, Angela Taff and Caleb Thompson have joined the Tallahassee office of James Moore, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants.

Entrepreneurship will stand alone, offering and greatly expanding the entrepreneurship courses currently taught in the College of Business and making them available to all FSU students.

» Florida State University has been named one of the best values in the nation on the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance “Best College Value” list for 2016. The ranking cites four-year schools that combine outstanding academics with affordable cost. Florida State was ranked the 16th best value among public colleges for in-state students and the 15th best value for out-of-state students. Last year, FSU was ranked the No. 22 best value among public colleges for in-state students and No. 19 for out-of-state students. Danfoss, the pioneer of oil-free, magnetic bearing, variable speed centrifugal compressors for highefficiency air-conditioning chillers, has made a $100,000 contribution to FSU’s engineering research in aerodynamics and magnetic technology. The contribution comes from Danfoss Turbocor Compressors and The Mads Clausen Foundation, formed by the founder of Danfoss to provide financial support to universities and other institutes of higher education for research, development and teaching purposes. » Tallahassee International Airport will be hosting the 14th annual Sixel Airports Conference April 5–7. The conference is expected to attract aviation industry leaders and planners and result in a $90,000 economic impact to the city.

LOCAL HAPPENINGS

» Berger Singerman, a Miamibased business law firm, marked its 30th anniversary by sharing $300,000 among 30 local charities where the firm has offices. A total of $38,674 went to Tallahassee charities, with the main charity the Tallahassee office selected, Children’s Home Society, receiving more than $25,000.

December received the largest gift in its history — $100 million — from Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation to honor the late Jim Moran and create what will be the nation’s largest interdisciplinary, degree-granting school of entrepreneurship. The Jim Moran School of

» M. Darrh Bryant, DMD, has joined the Tallahassee Board of Directors of Centennial Bank. Bryant, who serves as the Florida State University athletics department dentist and is the Leon BRYANT

» Michael Niles has joined the

Tallahassee law offices of Broad and Cassel as an associate in the Real Estate Practice Group.

SOUNDBYTES

CLAWSON

EIKEN

GONZALEZ

» Florida State University in

District Schools resource dentist, established his dental practice in 2009.

LOCAL HONORS

» Two Florida State University College of Business student business owners were honored with the Governor’s Young Entrepreneurship Award. Entrepreneurship majors Jason McIntosh of Pompano Beach and Mitch Nelson of Tampa, both seniors, were recognized for their social entrepreneurship business, DivvyUp. Since the two created their company as a requirement of the college’s Sophomore Experience program, they have given more than 3,500 pairs of socks to homeless shelters in Tallahassee, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. » Kenny Small, owner of Tal-

lahassee Welding and Machine Shop Inc., was recently honored with the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award. Family owned and operated since 1942, the business’s in-house services include welding, shearing, braking, punching, sand blasting, rolling, pipe and tube bending, as well as a full range of industrial machine operations. The firm currently has 20 employees.

» Laura Osteen Ph.D., director of the Florida State University Center for Leadership and Social Change. was honored with the Woman in Higher Education Achievement Award from the National Panhellenic Conference, a premier advocacy organization for women and the sorority experience. This award recognizes an outstanding woman who is making a significant difference in higher education through leadership and positive support of the fraternity and sorority experience. » Tallahassee Community College received six Medallion Awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, taking home the gold in the Online Newsletter category for the faculty and staff newsletter, Around the Campus, and the Media Success Story category for the fundraising campaign to help TCC alum Bryan Wimberly and his service dog, Bella. TCC also won awards for the TCC2FSU microsite, the summer and fall registration social media

850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

BUSINESS NEWS

SOUNDBYTES officer of SunTrust Bank of South Florida, to the Florida Prepaid College Board.

JERRY WHEELER, KIM HUMPHREY, PETER HAYES, SUSAN GANTT, JEREMY COX AND JAY SMITH Two local firms were honored by the Associated Builders and Contractors of North Florida Chapter when it celebrated achievements in construction on Dec. 11 at the FSU Turnbull Center. AJAX was the General Contractor that took home the Project of the Year award for the Sarasota Emergency Operations Center. Masonry Inc. won the Specialty Contractor of the Year award for the St. Peter’s Anglican Church.

campaign, The SKiNNY On the Job: Dental Hygiene video, and a READ poster featuring TCC President Jim Murdaugh.

» NAI TALCOR in Tallahassee

was honored with a Group Activity award by NAI Global, a global network of owner-operated commercial real estate brokerage firms, for its philanthropy and charitable support. The local firm is a longtime supporter of the Capital Area American Red Cross.

» Tallahassee Checkers owner

Russell Harms, who acquired and turned around four restaurants in Tallahassee in just three years, was awarded the 2015 Market Turnaround Award at the Checkers and Rally’s national conference.

» John Keillor, CPA and principal

at Lanigan & Associates, P.C., a professional accounting, assurance, wealth management and tax services firm, was recently credentialed as a Certified Internal Auditor.

APPOINTED BY GOV. SCOTT

» Donald Weidner, 70, of Talla-

hassee, dean of the Florida State University College of Law, to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. » Mark Fontaine, 65, of Tallahassee, executive director for the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, to the Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council.

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

» James Upchurch, 67, of Tal-

lahassee, former assistant secretary for institutions for the Florida Department of Corrections, to the Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises Inc. Board of Directors.

» Brittany Birken, 40, of Talla-

hassee, chief executive officer of the Florida Children’s Council, to the Board of Directors of CareerSource Florida. » Cynthia “Cindy” O’Connell and James Croteau to the Florida Commission on Community Service (Volunteer Florida). O’Connell, 58, of Tallahassee, is former secretary of the Florida Department of Lottery. Croteau, 69, of Tallahassee, is interim chief executive officer of American Second Harvest of the Big Bend.

» David Wilkins, 55, of Tallahassee, founder of Life Connectors and the former secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families, to the Board of Pilot Commissioners.

» John Johnson, 46, of Quincy,

director of the office emergency response for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, to the State Emergency Response Commission.

» James “Jim” Rasmussen,

64, of Tallahassee, who most recently served as the chairman, president and chief executive

850businessmagazine.com

» Matthew Carter, David Lawrence Jr. and Major General Gary McCoy (Ret.), to the Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University Board of Trustees. Carter 63, of Tallahassee, is an attorney and professional business consultant on energy, economic development and education with the Ramos and Sparks Group. Lawrence, 73, of Coral Gables, is chair of The Children’s Movement of Florida and former publisher of The Miami Herald. McCoy, 64, of Destin, is the former commander of the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center at Scott Air Force Base. » James “Jim” Watson and Nicholas Pappas to the Board of Athletic Training. Watson, 58, of Tallahassee, is the director and coordinator for the Community Outreach Program at Tallahassee Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy. Pappas, 63, of Tallahassee, is an athletic trainer and the coordinator of insurance and risk management with Florida State University. » Darrell Phillips, 63, of Tallahassee, an architect, construction planner and design manager for the Florida Department of Education, to the Florida Building Commission. » Joseph Finnegan, 77, of Tallahassee, a retired manager with more than 42 years of experience in the private and public sectors working with General Electric, Aetna Life and Casualty, the Department of Financial Services, the Office of Insurance Regulation and the Department of State, to the Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission.

EMERALD COAST NEW BEGINNINGS

» Jorge Gonzalez has taken the helm as president and CEO of The St. Joe Company following the retirement of interim CEO Jeffrey Keil. Gonzalez has been with the company for 13 years, most recently serving as senior vice president of development, where he supervised the long entitlement process for St. Joe’s Bay-Walton Sector Plan. The

company last summer received final approval from state and local agencies for the plan, a 50-year vision for 110,000 acres of land in western Bay and southeastern Walton counties. St. Joe intends to craft a largescale “active adult” retirement community in the area, similar to The Villages in Central Florida.

» Shareholder Lee Bell, CPA, has taken on a new role as president of Saltmarsh, CleaveBELL land & Gund. The Pensacola native has been with the firm since 2001, serving as a member of the executive committee, leading the firm’s Tampa office and Business Advisory Group, and playing an integral role in the Financial Institution Advisory Group. Charles Gund Jr., CPA, will serve as shareholder in charge of the Pensacola office and Chief Operating Officer, a new position established to handle the business operations of the growing firm. » Angela Vaughn has joined Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa as the resort’s new director of marketing. In her role, Vaughn will help grow visibility through public relation efforts, strengthen brand standards and implement innovative marketing strategies for all brands under the Hilton Sandestin umbrella — including Seagars Prime Steaks and Seafood; Serenity by the sea Spa; Sandcastle’s Restaurant and Lounge; Hadashi Sushi Bar; and Barefoot’s Beachside Bar & Grill. » Carrie Ann

Steichen, D.O. has been named a partner at Pensacola-based Pain Consultants STEICHEN of West Florida. Practicing medicine for nearly 11 years, Steichen is board certified in anesthesia and pain management by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.

» Grayton Seafood Co. has opened in in Uptown Grayton. Owner Kenny Griner, who opened the successful Chet’s Seafood in Pace 25 years ago, will be serving only Gulf shrimp and locally sourced seafood.

LOCAL HAPPENINGS

LOCAL HONORS

the U.S. Navy and Air Force to construct three large-scale solar energy farms across Northwest Florida. The solar farms will be constructed at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach (30 megawatts), Navy Outlying Landing Field Holley in Navarre (40 megawatts) and Navy Outlying Landing Field Saufley in Pensacola (50 megawatts). Once operational, the farms could produce enough energy to power approximately 18,000 homes for one year.

Desserts, a Fort Walton Beach-based manufacturer of authentic Italian gelato and sorbet, FARONI received multiple awards in 2015 for food innovation, exponential company growth and excellence in female leadership. The company earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list, ranking No. 39 in manufacturing and No. 2063 overall. The company was also presented a “Spirit of Innovation” Award by Prepared Foods Magazine for its Maple Bacon Gelato. Co-owner Simona Faroni earned numerous leadership awards, including the 850 Business Magazine Pinnacle Award for Outstanding Leadership, an honorable mention in the Enterprising Women of the Year Awards, and was inducted into Women of Influence in the Food Industry by The Griffin Report.

» Gulf Power has joined with

» Berkshire Hathaway

HomeServices, part of the HSF Affiliates LLC family of real estate brokerage franchise networks, recently announced that independent brokerage Beach Properties of Florida in Santa Rosa Beach has joined the network and will operate as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida.

» CBRE Group Inc., the world’s

largest commercial real estate services firm, has planted a flag in Northwest Florida. The company, which currently has six offices across the state, has hired Tom Watson, former CEO of JPB Commercial Real Estate Advisors, as vice president to build business in the Panhandle region, a roughly 200-mile area. Watson will be based in Miramar Beach.

» 30A TV has launched the first

PHOTOS BY PROVIDED BY PROFILED INDIVIDUALS

Spanish language program in Northwest Florida. Que hay en Florida is being transmitted on 30A TV, Channel 17 on Mediacom, Fairpoint Channel 8 and online at 30a.tv.

MOJO SPORTSWEAR

» G.S. Gelato &

» Gulf Power’s Pensacola storm center, designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and winds up to 200 mph, has received one of the top awards for its design and durability. Referred to as “rugged, reliable, beautiful and sustainable” by Precast Concrete Institute, the utility’s Douglas L. McCrary Storm & Training Center was awarded first place in the Category of Sustainable Design in the 2015 Design Awards. The Precast Concrete Institute is the technical organization for the pre-cast and pre-stressed concrete industry. The facility also received LEED Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an

internationally recognized green building certification system, which recognizes buildings designed and constructed in an environmentally sustainable manner, providing energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of natural resources.

» St. Joe Club & Resorts

’SM Emerald Coast properties WaterColor® Inn & Resort and The Pearl Hotel in South Walton County earned top honors in Condé Nast Traveler’s 28th annual Readers’ Choice Awards. For the second consecutive year, WaterColor Inn & Resort was named the No. 1 Best Resort in Florida (Gulf and Central) and was ranked 87th in the Best Hotels & Resorts in the World. The Pearl Hotel was named the No. 3 Best Hotel in Florida. More than 128,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers voted, selecting from a pool of over 5,000 hotels around the world.

» Fort Walton Machining of Fort Walton Beach was honored at the 12th Annual Manufacturers Summit and Marketplace as a winner of the 2015 Manufacturers and Distributors of the Year competition in the category of 101–250 employees. The company is a recognized leader in the manufacturing, finishing and assembly of custom designed, precision machined parts. In business since 1987, and growing from two workers to 198 employees, the company’s market includes defense, aerospace, oil and gas, medical and high tech commercial. » IMS ExpertServices of Pensacola was named No. 1

ALL DRESSED-UP BOUTIQUE & GIFTS

in the Expert Witness Provider category by the 2015 Best of Legal Times Reader Ranking Survey. The survey is completed by the U.S. legal community to recognize those they consider to be the best in their market. The firm was also named one of Inc. magazine’s 5000 fastest growing companies in America for the ninth straight year as well as given Corporate America magazine’s Legal Elite Award for the Best Expert Witness Search Firm.

» Destin took the No. 3 spot in travel website TripAdvisor’s Top 10 list of “Destinations on the Rise in the U.S.” The annual list ranks travel hot spots that received the greatest increase in positive traveler feedback and traveler interest in accommodations, restaurants and attractions across destinations worldwide. » Pensacola-based Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union has earned BauerFinancial’s 5-Star Superior rating for strength and security for 86 consecutive quarters. Only 9 percent of the nation’s credit unions have earned and maintained Bauer’s top rating for so long and with such consistency. » Jimmy Fortune, director of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Pensacola-based Bullock Tice AsFORTUNE sociates Architects, has been selected by The National Institute of Building Sciences to serve on its 11-member committee of experts to develop The National BIM Guideline for Owners. The guideline will provide building owners a systematic procedure for

SHARK SHOP

Just in time for the holiday gift giving season, Destin Commons announced the recent openings of three locally owned retail stores: Mojo Sportswear, owned by hardcore fishing enthusiasts Tim Mossberg and Rodger Bagwell; All Dressed-Up Boutique & Gifts, founded by Sonya Tindle; and Shark Shop, owned by Robert Hernandez.

850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

SOUNDBYTES and the West Florida Regional Planning Council.

BAY LOCAL HAPPENINGS

» Warren Averett, LLC, Certified

Public Accountants and Advisors, has expanded its Southeast presence by merging with the Panama City-based firm of Jinks & Moody, PA, founded by partner Russell Jinks in 1996. This addition brings Warren Averett to more than 800 team members, serving clients through 14 offices across Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa was awarded ConventionSouth’s “Top New & Renovated” Award after the completion of a multiyear, $30 million transformation that touched every aspect of the property from the lobby to guest rooms, meeting spaces, the award-winning Serenity by the sea Spa and AAA Four-Diamond Steakhouse, Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood. With more than 5,000 readers voting, the resort was chosen as one of 50 winners — one of only seven in Florida.

design teams to follow in creating BIM documents that can be used over the life of the facility in support of ongoing maintenance and operations in addition to fulfilling the traditional role of documents for design and construction.

Jenkins & Mathews, P.A. from 2003–2005.

» Ashton Hayward and Kerry

Schultz to the Florida Commission on Community Service (Volunteer Florida). Hayward, 45, of Pensacola, is the mayor of Pensacola. Schultz, 40, of Gulf Breeze, is an attorney with Fountain, Schultz and Associates. » Richard Delp, 64, of Gulf Breeze, an environmental engineer and project manager with Baskerville Donovan Inc. and the chairman of the District One Local Emergency Planning Committee, to the State Emergency Response Commission.

» Charleigh Ken-

nedy, of Pensacola digital marketing and public relations firm Ideaworks, has KENNEDY passed her Google Adwords test. The certification, obtained through Google, demonstrates proficiency in online advertising concepts.

APPOINTED BY GOV. SCOTT

» Thomas V. Dannheisser and

» Sherry A. White, 55, of

Darlene F. Dickey to the First Judicial Circuit Court. Dannheisser, 59, of Pensacola, has served as an Escambia County Court judge since 2010. He previously served as the Santa Rosa County Attorney from 1986-2010, and as an Assistant County Attorney at the Escambia County Attorney’s Office from 1983-1986. Dickey, 45, of Molino, has served as an Escambia County Court judge since 2012. She previously served as the General Counsel of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office from 2006–2012. She also practiced with Bozemann,

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

Pensacola, chief executive officer and president of Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy Centers, to the Child Care Executive Partnership.

» Dewey “Parker” Destin and

Robert “Bobby” Griggs to the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority. Destin, 30, of Destin, is an attorney with Anchors Smith Grimsley. He currently serves as a member of the Emerald Coast Reef Association. Griggs, 31, of Fort Walton Beach, is self-employed in real estate and land development. He previously served as a member of the Fort Walton Beach City Council

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NEW BEGINNINGS

» Florida Cancer Affiliates, a practice in The US Oncology Network, has added a new radiation oncologist. Kazumi Chino, M.D., joined the practice’s North Florida division and is providing radiation oncology services in Panama City. Janet Griffin, has joined the Business Innovation Center as the newest business consultant. Her responsibilities include business overview, counseling and advising startup businesses, and helping entrepreneurs grow and move into new markets.

APPOINTED BY GOV. SCOTT

» Jay Trumbull, of Panama City, owner and president of Trumbull Water Services of Northwest Florida and a member of the Panama City Housing Authority, to the Florida Transportation Commission. Trumbull is also a member of the Bay Medical Board Foundation and the Board of Directors for Trustmark Bank. » Thomas Lewis and James McKnight to the Gulf Coast State College District Board of Trustees. Lewis, 57, of Lynn Haven, is the owner of Tom Lewis Agency LLC. McKnight, 63, of Wewahitchka, is the assistant hospital administrator of Florida State Hospital.

FORGOTTEN COAST LOCAL HONORS

» Florida TaxWatch honored Apalachicola Bay Charter School Principal Chimene Johnson

as one of six recipients of the 2015 Florida TaxWatch Principal Leadership Awards. The third annual program honored the top principals in the state for their exceptional leadership skills, which resulted in outstanding learning gains for their students.

APPOINTED BY GOV. SCOTT

» Barry “Dale” Calhoun, 33, of Crawfordville, executive vice president of the Florida Propane Gas Association and executive director of the Florida Natural Gas Association, to the State Emergency Response Commission.

I-10

APPOINTED BY GOV. SCOTT

» To the North Florida Community College District Board of Trustees: Jon Coker, 50, of Perry, president of J Travis Coker Consulting Inc.; Alton Williams Jr., 72, of Live Oak, former sheriff of Suwannee County; Ann “Sharon” Benoit, 68, of Greenville, former international director for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission; and Lloyd “Gary” Wright, 74, of Monticello, former president and chief executive officer of Farmers and Merchants Bank. » To the Chipola College District Board of Trustees: Andrew Fleener, 45, of Chipley, owner of Fleener Cleaner Inc., who currently serves as a member of the Chipola College Foundation and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Joel Paul Jr., 58, of Holmes, executive director of Tri County Community Council Inc., who serves as a member of the Walton Academy Board of Trustees and CareerSource Chipola; Darrin Wall, 49, of Chipley, an office manager with Gulf Power Company who serves as a member of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and CareerSource Chipola; Thomas “Tommy” Lassmann, 43, of Marianna, a commercial banker with PeoplesSouth Bank. Compiled by Linda Kleindienst

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BUSINESS NEWS

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DEAL ESTATE

COURTESY MAIN STREET PROPERTIES

Second Home

A Home True to the Spirit of the South By Rebecca Padgett

There are few properties more laudable than the Tildon Estate with its 73 acres, a main house fit for a royal family and an abundance of options for guests. This estate is a sight to behold, with a stunning 7,000-square-foot home cloaked by historic oaks and fronting a massive spring-fed pond. “The gently sloping hills give way to the main home, which boasts a commanding view over the private pond,” said Realtor Sam Parker. “The property can be totally selfsufficient, but you will be only minutes away from city amenities.” The main home is a traditional Southern estate with circular drive and stately pillars. The grand entrance leads into a remarkable foyer that flows into the kitchen and sitting areas. The home boasts four bedrooms, four bathrooms, two half-baths and two kitchens. The 1,100-square-foot master suite is a jewel in its own right, lending itself to luxurious relaxation and featuring six walk-in closets. The master bath contains custom cabinetry and his-and-her water closets. In case one home is not enough, a second home is perched atop a hill overlooking the property. In keeping with Southern traditions, the home features a wraparound

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porch and dormer windows. The open floor plan Address: includes five bedrooms, 5249 Tildon St., Milton three bathrooms and List Price: $3,200,000 custom decks. The consumate host Bedrooms: 9 will thrive on this propBathrooms: 9 full, 2 half erty with an entertainContact: Sam Parker, ment complex presenting Main Street Properties, temperature-controlled (850) 777-6314 screened enclosures, outdoor kitchen, gas fireplaces and a 2,400-square-foot barn. Enjoy a dip in the saltwater pool year-round with temperature-controlled settings. The five-acre pond glistens invitingly for those who fancy fishing, and the abundant wildlife roaming the property tempt the avid outdoorsman. The barn is stocked with equipment essential in maintaining the beautiful grounds. “You would never have to be a tourist again. You could own an exquisite luxury estate in the Florida Panhandle,” Parker said. n

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FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

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Suites for Lease

Two storefronts occupy prime location By Rebecca Padgett It is not often that two suites in the same bustling business complex become available for lease at the same time. Suites 105 and 106 at the Island Palm Shoppes are wellequipped and ready for occupancy. Suite 105 measures 1,400 square feet; Suite 106 is 2,100 square feet. Both provide ample space for a variety of business endeavors. Businesses currently sharing the center include Trustmark Bank, Supercuts, Curves, Hertz Rental Cars, Lenny’s Sub Shop, Payless Shoes, Club Sun Address: 16055 Tanning Salon, Wingstop and Emerald Coast more. A retail business or restauParkway, Destin rant would be well-suited to these List Price: $18 per locations. square foot With 16 retail suites totaling Contact: Gordon 25,814 square feet, this location MacLean, CCIM, is prominent. The surrounding Sperry Van Ness Southland area boasts high traffic counts. Commercial, The center is near both the Destin (850) 877-6000 Wal-Mart and Henderson Beach State Park. “With high traffic counts and great visibility from the Emerald Coast Parkway, this center is a premium location for business,” said Gordon MacLean, senior advisor with Sperry Van Ness Southland Commercial. To the south are several hundred apartment units and additional shopping areas. The average household income in the neighborhood exceeds $100,000. The suites are equipped with heating and cooling systems and have glass frontage. There is ample customer parking and great signage availability. The businesses that find their niche in these suites are sure to encounter success. n

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FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

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DEAL ESTATE

DUSTIN PARKMAN/NBI PROPERTIES

Just Sold

Paddling Toward a Purchase

Board business bites the bullet, buys building By Rebecca Padgett “You only live once” is the motto of the popular paddleboard company, YOLO. The owners of the YOLO board location in Miramar Beach lived up to their motto by recently purchasing the building that they had been renting. While a tenant, the company’s product line expanded and YOLO made renovations to the building that allowed them to best display their merchandise. With exponential growth, it only made sense for them to acquire the property. YOLO plans Address: 11610 to continue its growth and build Emerald Coast Parkway, Miramar equity to make future investments. Beach “YOLO is fast becoming one

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List Price: of the most respected beach $1,500,000 and water sport companies in the world,” said Realtor Dustin Contact: Dustin Parkman, NBI Parkman of NBI Properties. “Not Properties, only was their purchase a seamless (850) 218-8408 transition from tenant to owner, there is a tremendous amount of room onsite to expand their footprint and continue the development of their flagship store.” The owners now enjoy nearly 3.25 acres and 600 feet of highway frontage. It is one of the largest sites in Miramar Beach, providing ideal visibility and accessibility. The vast parking lot allows for plenty of customer and employee parking. The building was originally constructed in 1996 in a traditional, Florida cottage style with an A-frame roof and spacious front patio. YOLO was born just down the road in Santa Rosa Beach in 2007. The company offers boards, paddles, bikes, gear, apparel and more. This location is sure to continue to flourish as the brand grows more popular and the owners do as they please with the building. n 850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

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of the world’s leading experts in partnership with GCSC UVS and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. A full 2+2 degree program is also in development with plans to start in August 2016. Other initiatives include outreach programs that bring UVS into K-12 classrooms across Northwest Florida with fun and exciting hands-on technology. In addition, GCSC is hosting UVS competitions where the best and brightest can show off their knowledge and skills. sh

Learn more at www.gulfcoast.edu/UVS 50

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[

ESCAMBIA COUNTY 2016 BUSI N ESS JOU R NA L

QUINT STUDER • FLORIDAWEST • VISION 2015 • INNOVATION COAST • IRISH POLITICIAN’S CLUB NAVY FEDERAL • DEMOGRAPHICS • PORT OF PENSACOLA • FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

AN 850 BUSINESS MAGAZINE SPECIAL REPORT

]

[ TABLE OF CONTENTS ]

22 PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND EDITORIAL

DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Steve Bornhoft EDITOR Linda Kleindienst SENIOR STAFF WRITER Jason Dehart STAFF WRITER Chay D. Baxley PROOFREADER Melinda Lanigan CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lawrence Davidson PRODUCTION MANAGER Daniel Vitter ART DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut ADVERTISING DESIGNER Jillian Fry SALES & MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi AD SERVICES COORDINATORS Lisa Sostre, Tracy Mulligan ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bess Grasswick, Darla Harrison, Lori Magee, Rhonda Murray, Will Patrick, Dan Parker, Linda Powell, Paula Sconiers, Alice Watts, Brianna Webb SALES AND MARKETING ASSISTANT Christie Green

rowlandpublishing.com | 850BusinessMagazine.com

2 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

4 Q uint Studer One man

can make a difference, and Quint Studer is putting his money where he thinks it can help the most, helping to redevelop downtown Pensacola and give local businesses and entrepreneurs a boost.

22 I rish Politician’s Club

There’s a room in the back corner of McGuire’s Irish Pub where Pensacola gets down to business.

25 N avy Federal The world’s

largest credit union has put down roots in Escambia County and is bringing thousands of needed jobs to the area.

13 F loridaWest The newly

formed FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance, under direction of CEO Scott Luth, is setting the stage for business growth in Escambia County.

17 V ision 2015

When Greater Pensacola embarked on a mission to bring more jobs to the region, it exceeded all expectations.

18 I nnovation Coast

A coalition of tech-savvy leaders is working to grow the area’s tech sector, attract high-level professionals and expand job opportunities.

D emographics

Interesting stats and facts about the Pensacola/Escambia County area.

28 P ort of Pensacola

Working on ships that service oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico has served the port well, even when the economy takes a dip.

31 F astest Growing Companies Several local

companies continue to make Inc. magazine’s annual fastest growing list.

On the Cover: Once a nearly deserted street in downtown Pensacola, Palafox Street now bustles with activity. COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF INNOVATION COAST

PHOTO BY DAVE BARFIELD (22) AND RENDERINGS COURTESY OF FLORIDAWEST (13)

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[ QUINT STUDER PROFILE ]

MAN with a

VISION

Quint Studer wants to make Pensacola the best it can be

DAVE BARFIELD

by Linda Kleindienst

LESS THAN A DECADE AGO, the corner of Palafox and Main in downtown Pensacola was home to two vacant buildings and two overgrown lots. Today the corners are filled with bustling businesses that employ about 150 people. Once empty storefronts up and down the two major thoroughfares — as well as side streets — are filling up with small businesses. And the people once again are coming downtown … in ever growing numbers. It’s a sweet scene for Quint Studer, who remembers well the feeling of desolation as he walked the streets of downtown not too long ago. Those who did venture into the area were treated to a noxious smelling sewage treatment plant and there was little, if anything, to do. Even the waterfront was inaccessible. “It was very marginal to do business because there weren’t a lot of people,” he says. The solution, he and others decided, was to build something to draw attention and traffic to the area. Today there is a baseball stadium, a maritime park that provides access to the water, novelty shops, cafés, bars and more. And, Studer adds, “they’re fighting to find empty spots in downtown.”

4 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

PITCHING A DREAM

Quint Studer, standing on the pitcherâ€™s mound at the Blue Wahoos stadium, took a chance that a baseball team would help lure locals and visitors back to downtown.

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[ QUINT STUDER PROFILE ]

Dedicated to ‘Home’ He’s been called a Carpet Bagger and an “out of towner” by some who have called into question his dedication to improving his adopted city. But Quint Studer says he pays that no nevermind. “I get asked why I’m investing in Pensacola. People should be pleased,” he says. His philosophy is simple: “I believe everyone has the responsibility to make where they live the best it can be.” In Studer’s first career, he taught special needs children for 10 years. Then, because of his own battle with and treatment for alcoholism, he began a new career working at a facility that treated drug and alcohol addiction before going into the hospital business, where he excelled at bringing excellence to the facilities under his supervision. He earned renown in the health care industry when, as COO of financially strapped Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago, his work brought patient satisfaction from 3 to 73 percent in six months and improved the hospital’s financial outlook at the same time. Studer came to Pensacola in 1996 to serve as president of Baptist Hospital, and while there he started The Studer Group — a part-time endeavor Quint Studer designed to help health care organizations improve clinical outcomes and profits. By 2000, his consulting company had turned into his full-time passion and job. After starting out with three employees, today it boasts more than 270. He could have left Pensacola — after all, his sinuses feel a lot better when he is out of town — but he made a promise to his family to stay in one place until his son graduated from high school. “We had moved several times. By the time my son was in second grade he was in his third school,” Studer recalls. “After we moved to Pensacola, we noticed a bald spot on his head. His adjustment had been so hard that his hair was falling out. We couldn’t do that again.”

“I get asked why I’m investing in Pensacola. People should be pleased,” he says. His philosophy is simple: “I believe everyone has the responsibility to make where they live the best it can be.” —

6 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

By the time his son graduated high school, however, the company had grown and employees who worked there had deep roots in the community, not to mention extended family in the area. If the company moved, those people would have to move or leave. In the end, he decided he didn’t want to disrupt so many lives. He stayed and put his effort into making Pensacola the best it can be. A motivational speaker and author, as Studer travelled across the country he kept questioning why Pensacola didn’t have a

COLIN HACKLEY / VISIT FLORIDA HAMILTON IMAGES

vibrant downtown like so many of the places he visited. To bring people into Pensacola, he knew that there would have to be something to do, including places to shop, eat and work. Studer and his wife, Rishy, were ready to put their money into helping make improvements.

Baseball Calls

One of the three essential ingredients for helping turn a town around is an angel investor, someone willing to invest who isn’t hung up on the return on investment, says Studer. “There are people with money that say, ‘I can die with this money, or I can leave it to my kids and watch them fight over it. Or, I can do something now with my money and enjoy watching people benefit.’ ” After a pause, he continues, “I told (Pensacola attorney) Fred Levin that my goal is to die like Mickey Rooney. He died with $27,000.” Although as a kid he was a White Sox fan, Studer grew up on the side of town where he had to watch the Chicago Cubs play on TV. And he readily admits he knew nothing about minor

Quint and Rishy Studer league baseball when he learned a team was (left), standing on the up for sale. But “they were almost giving it now busy Palafox Street away,” and he bought it. What better way, (right), are promoters of economic development he reasoned, to bring people to the middle and entrepreneurism of Pensacola? in downtown and are First he had to come up with $500,000 funding programs designed to help the to get the Pensacola property rights (which region improve. the Mobile team owned) and then another $2 million to build the stadium and maritime park. Another problem was that the team was independent and it was hard to find other teams to play. A growing number of independent teams were becoming affiliated with major league teams and joining the minor leagues. Needing other teams to play, the Blue Wahoos became a Class Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. “It’s been a journey,” Studer says with a smile. “It’s like you get on a highway and can’t get over. The next thing, you’re building a stadium.” But that effort, he proudly points out, helped attract golf star Bubba Watson, two time Masters Champion and Pensacola native, back home. In January 2015, Watson bought a minority

2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

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interest in the team. At the time Watson said, “I wish Pensacola had a team like this when I was growing up. There’s something special about pulling for the hometown team. It’s great that Quint and Rishy were willing to let me be a part of it.” For his part, Studer is also hoping that Watson’s national prominence will help bring more attention to the region. “Together we will continue to create great experiences for all ages, make lifelong memories for our fans, be a super

Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, home of the Blue Wahoos

8 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

place to work and now, with Bubba’s leadership, we will gain a national and international awareness for the Blue Wahoos and Northwest Florida.” Meanwhile, the team continues to set attendance records — hitting a million fans in late spring of 2015 — even while it can’t boast a winning record. Partly because of its bayfront location, but also because of the family atmosphere and the enthusiasm of its employees, the park has consistently ranked as a top minor league fan experience. In 2015, minor league fans voted it

[ QUINT STUDER PROFILE ]

coming. But one of the benefits of not having made his money in Pensacola is that he doesn’t have a long history of relationships and has remained fairly independent. “We use our own money and we’re not beholden to anyone financially,” he explains. “And that’s put us in a unique light.” Besides the park/stadium project he has worked on with local government, he has been involved with purchasing a downtown office building and is currently working on an apartment complex designed to provide affordable housing in the downtown area for people who work there. “You need places for people to eat and shop and work. On the residential front, we’re still trying to catch up,” he says of the 260-unit complex he is working on. “But it’s — Quint Studer complicated to build in Pensacola because it’s expensive.” He freely admits he doesn’t want to be a property developer. He wants to instead be active as and remembered as a community developer. “I don’t go into this stuff to make money. I want to make a better community. That’s my return on investment,” he says. At the Studer Community Institute, the focus is on making life in the community better through distribution of information, leadership development, entrepreneurial assistance and workshops on emerging issues. A “dashboard” has been set up so that the public can monitor key economic and social indexes, allowing them to compare Greater Pensacola to communities of similar size in areas such as high school graduation and household income. The point is to get citizens more engaged with what’s happening in their backyard. To boost entrepreneurism in the community, the Studers last year committed $1 million for the new Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of West Florida, which will be housed in the College of Business and focus on creating a culture of entrepreneurial thinking. Much of the Center’s activity will be centered in downtown Pensacola. “This is the most excited I have been about any project that Rishy and I have been involved in,” Studer said on the day of the annoucement. “In the long-term history of Pensacola, when they look back at monumental days, I think that this will be one of them.”

MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER/ PENSACOLA TODAY

“I don’t go into this stuff to make money. I want to make a better community. That’s my return on investment.”

the “Best Seat in the House,” and it came in second best of the nation’s 160 minor league parks. “It’s increased community pride and helped with the economy,” Studer says. “When visiting teams come here, we fill more than 2,000 hotel rooms.”

Building Blocks Making changes in a community, Studer says, requires being comfortable with discomfort — because surely some pushback is

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[ QUINT STUDER PROFILE ]

ESCAMBIA COUNTY Studer Community Institute KINDERGARTEN READINESS 66.2%

in 2013–2014

0.8%

from 2012–2013

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE

71%

66.1%

State Average

This measures the percentage of 5-year-olds found kindergarten-ready when evaluated in the first month of the school year. Kindergartenready students tend to have greater success throughout their academic careers.

in 2013–2014

+1.9%

from 2012–2013

$42,645 State Average

This measures the percentage of students who completed their high school career within four years of starting it. While Escambia’s graduation rate increased more than 8 percentage points since 2010–2011, the rate still lags behind neighboring Santa Rosa County, the state and national averages.

COLLEGE GRADUATES 23.7% in 2013

from 2009

Positive Direction Negative Direction No Change Better than State Average FREE & REDUCED PRICE LUNCH

26.4% State Average

66.1%

in 2014–2015

+2.6%

from 2012–2013

60.8% State Average

This figure tracks the number of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree and higher. Research shows that communities with higher percentages of college-educated residents have higher wages.

This helps measure poverty in a community. Children living in households at or below 185% of the poverty level are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals at their schools.

SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS

OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY RATE

Editor’s note: Escambia’s 2014-15 graduation rate, released in January, was up by 6.6 percent, jumping from 66 percent to 72 percent.

REAL PER CAPITA INCOME $38,389 in 2013

+1.1% from 2012-2013

MIDDLE CLASS HOUSEHOLDS

$43,645

64.5%

State Average

in 2015

+1.9%

from 2012–2013

63.4% State Average

40.4% in 2013

-0.4%

from 2012

35.1% State Average

59.8%

-8.1%

in 2015

from 2010

62.8% State Average

Real per capita income represents the total GDP of our area, adjusted for inflation and divided by the working-age population. It measures the average person’s purchasing power and economic well-being.

“Middle class households” — families who earn between $20,000-$99,000 in 2009 dollars — add to the economic activity, stability and vibrancy of a community.

Children living in single-parent families often face more economic and social hurdles than their peers from two-parent families.

Two out of three people in the Escambia County are either overweight or obese, meaning they have a body mass of 25 or higher. Obesity-related health problems diminish worker productivity and add costs to the health care system.

RENT-BURDENED HOUSEHOLDS

COST OF CHILD CARE

POPULATION

MEDIAN WORKFORCE AGE

57.2% in 2013

from 2010

59.4%

49%

State Average

in 2015

from 2012

56%

State Average

313,954 in 2015

+5.3%

from 2010–2015

+6.4% State Average

38.7 in 2013

-0.2%

from 2012–2013

41.4 State Average

The rule of thumb for affordable housing is that it should cost no more than 30% of your monthly income. This data measures the percentage of people who spend more than that on rent.

This measures average child care costs (for infant and preschoolers) as a percentage of media income for single-parent households. For many parents, the cost of child care may lead them to leave the workforce entirely.

To prosper, a community needs to grow. Data shows that after steeply increasing every decade between 1970 and 2000, our population stagnated. Santa Rosa’s population has boomed from 118,360 in 2000 to 167,785 in 2015.

It is no news flash that Florida is an aging state. But it is important to maintain — and increase — a healthy population of “young professionals” to add the intellectual and creative capacity that vibrant cities thrive upon.

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

CRIME RATE (PER 100,000)

VOTER TURNOUT

BED TAXES (2% NORMALIZED)

62%

in 2013

-0.2%

from 2012–2013

60.1%

4,761

State Average

The unemployment rate is often reported as a measure of joblessness, but it leaves out people who quit looking for work. Labor force participation shows how many people who are eligible to work are doing so.

in 2014

-9.9%

from 2012–2013

3,451 State Average

This measures the number of crimes reported per 100,000 citizens, including both violent crimes and property crimes.

10 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

49.3% in 2014

-26.2% from 2012

50.5% State Average

How healthy is democracy in your community? Voter turnout is one way to measure that. In the 2014 general election, 43.3% of Santa Rosa voters cast ballots.

$855,711 in July

+9.6% from July 2014

The tourist development tax, also called the “bed tax,” is collected from hotels and other lodging establishments and is a measure of tourism traffic in a community.

MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER/ PENSACOLA TODAY

What’s Next Ask Quint Studer what he wants to be doing 10 years from now and he jokingly replies, “I hope I’m still alive.” When in college, his aspiration was to retire by 55. “My dad retired at 60 and mom was 56. They moved to Florida and I thought there was nothing better than that,” Studer recalls. Born in 1951, however, he’s already missed that opportunity. On a more serious note, he wants to be very involved in the Center for Entrepreneurship, hoping to pass on to students what he has learned along the way in his business career. After all, his “hobby” is mentoring. Studer readily admits that he and Rishy are always coming up with ideas, and they don’t expect that to stop. “I can’t turn it off. I’d like to but I can’t. Your brain is always working,” he says with a laugh. “I wake up in the middle of the night thinking.” Admitting his drive comes partly from a fear of letting people down, Studer works an average of 16 to 17 hours day, dubbing it “binge working.” He gets a lot of questions about how he can maintain a life balance with the work he does. But he counters, “If you enjoy what you are doing and it’s working, who’s to criticize?” His next push is for the community to better prepare the young (from birth to 3 years of age) to enter and succeed at school. In great part that focus is designed to make sure local schools are

The Studer Community graduating the educated and skilled workInstitute, shown here force needed by local employers. holding an education “In Escambia County, our high school town hall, is focused on improving the graduation rate is 66 percent. And only 66 community’s quality percent of our students are kindergarten of life by helping ready. That’s really bad,” Studer says. “The people understand the issues that need to be state of Florida is 81 percent.” addressed to move the If more students don’t get help to gradregion forward. uate, he reasons, it’s going to hurt the economy in the workplace. “People will never move to Pensacola because it’s in a central location,” he explains. “The only way you’ll grow is by telling companies that you’ve got a good workforce. If you don’t help more kids graduate, it’s going to catch up with you in the workforce.” In 10 years, he hopes “to be celebrating because more kids are ready for kindergarten, graduation rates are up and our wages are some of the best in the country.” To him, that will be a sign of success. “I’ve never considered success as financial success, what you can own. I think success is measured by who you can touch, what you can impact. People who are successful never declare victory,” says Studer, who learned early to overcome his partial deafness and speech impediment. “My biggest thrill is seeing somebody else be successful.”

2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

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12 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

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[ FLORIDAWEST ]

The Bluffs is the site of Northwest Florida’s Industrial Campus. The newly master-planned 6,000+ acre development is suited for industrial and manufacturing companies. Located just north of Pensacola, it is situated adjacent to the University of West Florida campus.

Gateway W to West Florida

RENDERINGS COURTESY OF FLORIDAWEST

The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance is setting the stage for development in Pensacola by JASON DEHART

hen the economic development arm of the local chamber of commerce decided to become its own entity two years ago, local leaders knew that branding would play a major role in crafting its core mission. That’s how “FloridaWest,” the economic development alliance serving Pensacola and Escambia County, came to be. “When we went through that process, we wanted something that was reflective of the area we represented and, obviously, Pensacola/Escambia County,” said Scott Luth, chief executive officer of FloridaWest. “We are the most western part of Florida, and so it tied into that. We also wanted to take advantage of the brand and the recognition of the state of Florida, which has a wonderful name globally.” There’s more to “West” than meets the eye, however. Sure, it’s a geographic location, but it’s also an acronym loaded with meaning, Luth explained. The “W” stands for wealth development, which is the agency’s primary focus. The “E” stands

for economic partnerships. The “S” is for sustainable businesses and “T” stands for a transformed workforce. Although the acronym is only four letters, there are actually five core missions in play with FloridaWest’s economic development efforts. The alliance has a business retention and expansion program and a recruitment program, manages a small-business incubator to grow local businesses, and a workforce development initiative that works with education partners to meet job growth demands. It’s also engaged in developing new commerce parks, industrial parks and tech parks. “The majority of work that we do and the companies that we work with and support, they are all net importers of wealth into the community,” Luth said. “And the way we define that is that even our small-business incubator companies are creating or developing a product or service that will be sold outside the region, primarily. And that’s sort of how we define who our customer is. So that is what we’re looking for. Not that our

2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

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[ FLORIDAWEST ]

TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS In a city with a strong military, shipping and financial presence, it’s not surprising that FloridaWest targets companies that would fit in well with what’s already in Pensacola. “We obviously will work with anybody that calls,” Luth said. “We support a lot of different companies, but the ones we kind of focus on — and focus our resources on — are our financial and business services companies, such as our Navy Federal (Credit Union) and those types of companies that focus on the financial services sector. There are information technology companies, our port facilities, our aviation manufacturing sector, and obviously our defense and homeland security with what’s going on with NAS Pensacola, both in the public and private sectors.” It doesn’t end there. FloridaWest, Luth said, has “unique opportunities” for recruiting some energy-intensive industries that would need ample utility resources. That’s something Pensacola has in place with providers

such as Gulf Power, Pensacola Energy and the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority. “The big electrical, gas, water and sewer companies are a target for us as well because of the resources we have in our community. And so those are growth opportunities and targets for us,” he said. PARTNERS IN BUSINESS FloridaWest couldn’t get very far without local partnerships. The city, county and private-sector board members are deeply involved in supporting the alliance’s mission on a day-to-day basis. “We are the acting agency on behalf of the city of Pensacola and Escambia County. That’s what they fund us to do, is to do economic development work on behalf of this area,” Luth said. “Outside of that, we could not be successful without Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida, the Escambia County School District that has the career academies, and George Stone Technical Center. The Workforce Escarosa Center, our employment office here, is a big partner in the success of what we do. And then, obviously, our utility partners. That’s how we build our team, using all those things that go into the success of a business.” THE BLUFFS Billed as “Northwest Florida’s Industrial Campus,” The Bluffs is a 6,000-acre, master-planned development suited for

industrial and manufacturing located just north of Pensacola. The Escambia River borders it to the east and the University of West Florida is to the south. The Emerald Coast Utility Authority, the community’s wastewater treatment plant, is located there, as is Ascend Performance Materials, a large nylon manufacturing company. The site features access to road, rail, barge and air service. There are more than 1,700 acres of developable land and enough space to house 60 new tenants and create 15,000 or more jobs. “The Bluffs is a long-term strategic plan for those heavy energy-intensive type companies,” Luth said. Gulf Power, the University of West Florida, the Emerald Coast Utility Authority, Ascend and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity are collaborating with FloridaWest on the 20-year development plan. “We are marketing and promoting the site, but we are promoting the site to your larger, heavier type of companies that would really be similar to what’s out there now,” Luth said. “We went through strategic planning and sort of a high-level master planning process this past year, and so what you see there from a marketing perspective is the outcome of the recommendations. Now it’s a matter of going back and beginning to implement that plan, which is furthering some of the infrastructure out there.”

More than 60 sites are available in The Bluffs, with lots averaging between 10 and 50 acres. The campus will be developed in phases over 20 years. FloridaWest is coordinating the development with local governments and businesses.

14 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

RENDERINGS COURTESY OF FLORIDAWEST

retail and service community isn’t important, because it is, and so is our health care industry. But we have others in the community that focus on those sectors. We have a full-time tourism department and a great, strong chamber of commerce that supports that. Our focus is primarily on companies that produce a product or service outside the region.”

AT T O R N E YS AT L AW

INSIGHT INTEGRITY INNOVATION

2010 路 2

012 路 2 1路2 0

路 2015

destinlaw.com

REMEMBERING THE PAST, SEEING THE FUTURE

/ 15

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16 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

PensacolaEnergy.com

[ VISION 2015 ]

Vision 2015: Push to grow the economy pays off

VISION 2015 ACHEIVEMENT SNAPSHOT 2009

2015

10.4%

UNEMPLOYMENT

When the bottom dropped out of the economy in 2008, the private sector through the Greater Pensacola Chamber decided to put together a plan that focused on creating jobs, opportunity and investment. It resulted in Vision 2015. JOBS BY YEAR The campaign focused on recruiting new » 2011 - 267 jobs businesses, helping local businesses expand and » 2012 - 927 jobs strengthening the partnerships between the » 2013 - 2,106 jobs military and the private sector in the Pensacola » 2014 - 5,531 jobs region. The goal was to create 3,000 new jobs » 2015 - 70 jobs » Incubator (CIE) - 61 jobs by 2015 — the final tally was close to 9,000. Additionally, 1,191 designated jobs were added TOTAL - 8,962 JOBS in distressed areas. “Vision 2015 served as a catalyst to stimulate existing business growth, improve the available workforce and spearhead community improvements,” said Clay Ingram, Chamber president and CEO. “We are thrilled with the progress made over the past five years, and we will continue to work together as a community to build a bright future for the greater Pensacola area.” // LINDA KLEINDIENST

5.0%

UNEMPLOYMENT

PLAN INITIATED TO CREATE 3,000 HIGHWAGE JOBS BY 2015

VISION 2015 JOBS

8,962 NEW JOBS, $53,898 AVERAGE SALARY

$5.3M TOURISM TAX DOLLARS COLLECTED

TOURISM

$8.6M TOURISM TAX DOLLARS COLLECTED

56.2% HIGH SCHOOLERS IN ESCAMBIA CO.

GRADUATION RATE

66.0% HIGH SCHOOLERS IN ESCAMBIA CO.

1,055 PARTNER BUSINESSES

MEMBERSHIP

1,314 PARTNER BUSINESSES

$5.1B GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT

MILITARY IMPACT

$7.1B GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT

ANNOUNCED VISION 2015 JOBS Company Name

Project Name

Type of Jobs

No. New Jobs

Est. Annual Salary (Avg.)

Est. Avg. Annual Payroll

Cap. Invest. $2,000,000

Cronimet

CONE

Manufacturing

$45,000

$675,000

Hixardt

PRESS

Information Technology

$45,000

$2,700,000

$4,000,000

EVEREST

Manufacturing

102

$55,000

$5,610,000

$56,100,000

Distribution/Logistics

N/A

Information Technology

N/A

Ascend Performance UPS Global Business Solutions, Inc. Avalex

Technologies Information

Technology

N/A

CONTROL

Manufacturing

$39,616

$475,392

$520,000

Alto Products Corp.

ALLEN

Administrative HQ

$70,860

$850,320

$500,000

Navy Federal Credit Union

NEAT

Financial Services

700

$40,745

$28,521,500

$6,150,000

SECURITY

Information Technology

200

$85,000

$17,000,000

$20,000,000

IMPACT

Financial Services

1,500

$44,000

$66,000,000

$200,000,000

Custom Control Solutions

Dept. of Homeland Security Navy Federal Credit Union Global Business Solutions, Inc.

GLOBAL

Information Technology

120

$54,350

$6,522,000

$5,900,000

EVERGREEN

Wood Manufacturing

105

$42,435

$4,455,675

$9,998,210

IGATE-CHCS

PATINA

3rd Party Administrator

381

$27,876

$10,620,756

$89,000

Offshore Inland

STORK

Marine Services MRO

100

$43,680

$4,368,000

$900,000

DIMENSION

Offshore Pipe Manufacturer

100

$55,000

$5,500,000

$20,000,000

VISION

IT/Entrepreneurial

$71,667

$1,075,005

$100,000

STALLION

Aviation MRO

304

$56,160

$17,072,640

$10,000,000

West Frasier, Inc.

Deep Flex Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems VT MAE Navy Federal Credit Union

REVOLUTION

Financial Services

5,000

$49,800

$249,000,000

$350,000,000

International Paper

PHOENIX

Manufacturing

$49,920

$599,040

$93,241,000

Offshore Inland

STORK II

Marine Services MRO

$75,000

$2,250,000

N/A

Aero Sekur, Inc.

CENTAUR

Aviation Mfg.

$43,680

$218,400

N/A

Information Technology

$85,000

$2,975,000

N/A

8,962

$53,989

$426,488,728

$779,498,210

100

$40,745

$4,074,500

$6,190,000

Dept. of Homeland Security TOTAL Canceled Projects Majestic Candies Company

SUGAR

2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

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[ INNOVATION COAST ]

Shining a Light on Escambia County’s Growing Tech Sector Innovation Coast has built and expanded a network of technology and knowledge-based companies in Pensacola and surrounding areas by LAURA BRADLEY

hen people think “Northwest Florida,” the area’s tech sector probably doesn’t ring many bells

— yet. That’s where Innovation Coast comes in. Since its inaugural meeting in 2012, the coalition has worked to bring attention to all the technology and knowledge-based companies in Pensacola and its surrounding areas. But even more importantly, the group has worked to build a network among individuals and companies in the industry to grow the area’s tech sector,

IRIS: Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems was the first place winner of Innovation Coast’s 2014 Innovation Awards. Shown here are Dr. Sunil Gupta, founder/chairman and chief medical officer; Jason Crawford, chief executive officer; Chad Henderson, a board member.

18 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

attract high-level professionals and expand job opportunities. We’re in the age of the Internet, after all. If people can work from anywhere, why not work steps away from gorgeous Florida beaches? Over the past few decades, plenty of areas have rebranded to refocus on tech — to the great benefit of their economies. From Silicon Valley to Austin, Texas, “everyone seems to have this very similar approach,” according to Robert David, TechSoft’s president and chief operating officer, and a member of Innovation Coast’s board of directors. It starts with workforce development and networking, and then it’s a matter of attracting outside interest. For their part, the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College are already involved. Both have faculty members on the board, and Innovation Coast Executive Director Donovan Chau is also director of strategy and engagement at the Center for Research and Economic Opportunity at UWF. Cooperation and communication between the group and area schools will produce more graduates to fill positions in existing and emerging companies. And communication across the entire community is key to everything

Innovation Coast has planned. The foremost goal going in was to create a wide network, and while such efforts are always ongoing, the group has already pulled together a powerful coalition that shares contacts and resources to everyone’s benefit. “We’ve developed a pretty powerful network,” said Innovation Coast board chair and AppRiver Director of Marketing Jim McClellan. “If companies have a need, there are other companies that are willing to step in.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INNOVATION COAST

A vibrant downtown Pensacola is part of what Innovation Coast is using to promote the Escambia/Santa Rosa region to tech companies looking to expand.

On top of writing letters on behalf of both the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College, the group has also helped with grants and helped develop curricula for relevant fields. Companies that otherwise might never have crossed paths have now been able to share resources, contacts and opportunities — and sometimes even strike business deals. The more these industries are able to link up and grow throughout the area, the better. TechSoft’s David pointed

out that these fields encompass a wide array of job opportunities that could bring higher salaries, expand the area’s economy and boost tax revenues. In addition to this ongoing effort to foster a professional network, Innovation Coast is branding the city as a place industry professionals would want to work. “Many of us have difficulty in attracting senior-level talent in our fields,” David explained. “Attracting someone like that to

come to the Gulf Coast can often be difficult because our salaries sometimes seem to be lower than other areas of the country. Come to Pensacola or go to Atlanta? Come to Pensacola or go to San Diego? Usually people are going to pick the largest city and not really understand what they’re missing out on by not coming to Pensacola.” That pitfall is exactly why the area needs a concerted effort such as Innovation Coast — to create a “critical mass of organizations

2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

/ 19

Committed to promoting, improving and enhancing the Pensacola region through economic development, community involvement and the unity of private and public sectors ...

SUPPORT

VISION LEADERSHIP

PensacolaChamber.com 20 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

850.438.4081

that are all on the same page about what they’re trying to do,” as Chau puts it. For now, Chau said Innovation Coast is largely concentrated on Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, but in the future the effort would spread farther east to cover all of North Florida. “That’s what we’re trying to do over the long haul here,” he said. Aspirations are one thing, but delivery is another. It can be tempting to write off efforts like this, and only time will truly tell how robust the outcome will be. Innovation Coast is not immune to the challenges that any such group must overcome — primarily attracting capital funding and finding time among all of its busy professional leaders to accomplish everything that needs to be done. But the foundation it has built in three years is sturdy and promising. The group has already brought many of the area’s

[ INNOVATION COAST ] (Left, top) Emili Hoffman is a product manager for Gulf Breeze-based AppRiver, a leading provider of email and Web security services worldwide. (Below) The Institute for Human and Machine Cognition in Pensacola focuses on developing humanoid robots like Atlas. (Left, below) The College of Business at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.

EMPOWERING YOUR

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INNOVATION COAST

SUCCESS big names into the fold: Avalex, AppRiver, Gulf Power, TechSoft and Global Business Solutions Inc., to name a few. They’re studying not only areas such as Silicon Valley and the Research Triangle, but areas closer to home like Tampa, Orlando and Miami, to come up with the best strategies to fit the region’s specific needs. And for those who want a quantifiable show of strength, Chau, McClellan and David all pointed to the group’s Innovation Awards. The 2014 Innovation Awards allowed 20 business plans to battle it out for capital. Held only two years after Innovation Coast first revved up, the event exceeded expectations. “We were thinking, ‘Well, if we get 20 (companies), that will be good.’ We got 26,” McClellan said. All 20 finalists set up booths for the perusal of entrepreneurs, industry leaders and potential investors and strategic partners; the top 10 presented before a live panel of judges. The firstplace winners (IRIS: Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems) received a $100,000 cash prize, while Accountingfly took the $50,000 second-place prize. Robotics Unlimited received $5,000 in business services. All of the companies received a Microsoft subscription for software, support, development tools and cloud credits to help jump-start their growth. The group plans to hold the event again in 2016, alongside a more robust event schedule — including educational sessions, roundtables and socials — as it recruits more members. Only time will tell if Pensacola could truly be the next Silicon Valley, but in Innovation Coast’s hands, its future looks bright.

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[ IRISH POLITICIANS CLUB ] Jim Reeves created the Irish Politicians’ Club in a backroom at Maguire’s Irish Pub in 1984 and it’s still where key political and business decisions are made.

Bar Politics Irish Politicians’ Club: Where Pensacola Goes to Get Down to Business by T.S. STRICKLAND

he Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce made headlines in 2013 when the organization’s executive committee voted not to extend the contract of then-president and CEO Jim Hizer. That decision touched off a nasty court battle — and a lot of soul-searching — for the organization. In the wake of Hizer’s ouster, the chamber was directed to comply with the state’s open government laws and made the decision to spin off its tourism and economic development divisions into separate entities. This crisis of identity changed the face of economic development in Pensacola. It also had another, less far-reaching consequence — it introduced many people for the first time to the Irish Politicians’ Club. It was during a meeting at the IPC, as the club is sometimes known, that Hizer learned his services were no longer needed. The club, housed in a private dining room in a back corner of McGuire’s Irish Pub, has long been the place where Pensacola’s movers and shakers go to get down to business. The membership roll — as recorded on the beer mugs that line the ceiling — reads like a who’s who of business and

22 / 2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

The inspiration for the IPC, according to Reeves, civic leaders. One newspaper editor dubbed the IPC was the Silver Slipper — a Tallahassee steakhouse “the seat of power” in Northwest Florida. Others have synonymous with backroom politics for the better been less kind. part of seven decades. The restaurant closed its doors Every few years, some controversy or another drags in 2009 — a victim of the economic downturn and the club back into the public crosshairs. In the popular tighter ethics laws. imagination, “IPC” is often a stand-in for “GOB” — This legacy — as well as the club’s exclusivity and the a place where old-school, good ol’ boy politicking still discretion it affords members — is part of its appeal as holds sway. much as its controversy. Jim Reeves, the club’s enigmatic creator, enjoys this “Some people have a negative connotation of the controversy, though he suggests it’s overblown. IPC,” said David Peaden, a member of the IPC’s inner “We don’t burn crosses in people’s yards,” he quipped circle. “They think it’s the fat cats sitting in the IPC in October, while reclining in his office overlooking smoking cigars and plotting against the world.” Pensacola Bay. Still, he insisted, “It’s really not.” The room — like the club he created — speaks to Peaden, director of the Northwest Florida Home Reeves’ flair for the theatrical. The office is encased Builders Association, is an IPC “charter master,” one entirely in carved wood salvaged from the original of seven who control the group’s membership rolls. The Lloyd’s Insurance offices in London. Reeves, a real group typically meets twice per year to vote on new estate attorney and developer, paid $30,000 for the room members. In the old days, they did so by secret ballot. at auction, shipped it to Pensacola and had it cut down “One black ball,” Reeves said, “and you were out.” to fit the space. He went in a different direction with the bathroom, which is wallpapered, floor to ceiling, in fake $100 bills. Reeves, a Pensacola native, served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives in the 1960s and three more on the Pensacola City Council. — Jim Reeves, Irish “Six years is about as long as I can Politicians’ Club’s enigmatic creator last in active politics,” he said. “I never get tired of kissing babies. The other kissing I don’t like too much.” These days, unanimity is still the rule, though the That’s just as well. Reeves doesn’t have to kiss anyone process has become somewhat more “polite.” these days, because the suitors come straight to him. “We’ve gotten away from the black balls,” Reeves said. Reeves started the IPC in 1984 — right around “If I don’t particularly like somebody, I just tell them.” the time he left government. He had helped McGuire Reeves said the club is inclusive. Martin out of some legal trouble and lined up investors “We don’t discriminate on race, color or creed,” to help him move his eponymous pub from its former he said. “We’ve got several convicted felons, a few location to new digs downtown. Upon opening, the foreigners.” restaurateur asked Reeves how he could repay him. The felons — who have their own wall of framed “I said, being in politics, I just want one table in the portraits — include former state Sen. W.D. Childers, whole place I can call my own,” Reeves said. “I can come convicted in 2003 of bribery and corruption. As for at lunch, through the kitchen, and not have to deal with foreigners, new members must claim to be Irish to be the public.” inducted — but that’s just a gag, according to charter Martin’s advertising agent, Cooper Yates, caught master Autumn Beck. wind of the idea and convinced the pair that others Beck, an attorney and former lobbyist whose father might be interested in such an arrangement. The IPC and brother are also members, became the first woman opened in 1984 with 60 members. Today, there are charter master in the club’s history last year. Still, even between 200 and 300. she places the proportion of women in the IPC at less Reeves says the organization remains, at its heart, a than one-fourth. It’s a work in progress, she said. social club. There are no official membership meetings, “We have no limits,” Reeves said, “other than we’ve and the IPC does not openly endorse policies or candigot to like you.” dates, though members often host fundraisers at the club.

DAVE BARFIELD

“Six years is about as long as I can last in active politics. I never get tired of kissing babies. The other kissing I don’t like too much.”

2016 E S C A M B I A C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

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[ NAVY FEDERAL ]

Navy Federal Continues Expanding State and Local Incentives Help Fuel Job Growth in Escambia County by LINDA KLEINDIENST

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

avy Federal Credit Union is one of Escambia County’s greatest success stories, attesting to what good can come when state and local governments join hands to create incentives for a major business project. By 2026, Virginia-based Navy Federal — the largest credit union in the world and named by Fortune magazine five times (including in 2015) as one of the best 100 companies to work for — is expected to have a $1 billion capital investment in Pensacola, a $425 million payroll and 10,000 employees working on the local campus. Florida has the third largest finance and insurance cluster in the nation. Most of the nation’s leading financial and professional services companies have established large operations in Florida to take advantage of its global connectivity, experienced workforce and favorable business climate. Navy Federal’s growth has come in stages, beginning in 2003 with 60 employees. The credit union announced an expansion in 2012 — the first economic development announcement to include funding from the Industry Recruitment, Retention & Expansion Fund Grant Program, which was administered by the University of West Florida’s Office of Economic Development and Engagement. The three-year, $30 million Oil Spill Recovery Act was made available to the eight coastal counties of Northwest Florida that

Navy Federal Credit Union is working toward investing more than $1 billion in capital in Pensacola by 2016 — and having a workforce of 10,000.

Local leaders hailed the news not only for were most affected by the 2010 Deepwater the direct job creation but for the resulting Horizon oil spill. Estimates are that it cost new jobs in construction and, afterward, less than $3,000 in state money for each job within the community as small businesses created through the program, far lower than benefit from having more customers. An the average $10,000. (Sixteen grants totaling economic impact study by the Haas Center $25 million were awarded for 8,961 new jobs. indicates that by 2020, the growth at Navy Navy Federal received three grants totaling Federal will generate 1,000 more indirect $4.9 million to help with a land purchase that jobs in the local community. allowed for expansion.) “This is our largest expanBy 2014, Navy Federal was sion in Pensacola thus far,” employing 3,800 workers in FACTS ABOUT NAVY FEDERAL said Cutler Dawson, CEO Pensacola with a payroll of $160 CREDIT UNION and president of Navy Federal, million. Then came another » Headquarters is when making the latest expanannouncement in October 2014 in Vienna, Virginia. sion announcement. “It under— plans to bring another 5,000 » Organized in scores what we’ve long been jobs. While many of those 1933 with seven members. Today saying about this great commuworkers are in the credit union’s it is the world’s nity — it’s a great place to grow call center, there has been an largest credit union your business and a wellspring expansion of services in the with more than 5.9 million members of talented people to employ. region to include lending, mortand a workforce of Continued growth for Navy gage loan processing and informore than 12,000. Federal not only signifies the mation technology. » More than $71 strength of the credit union but To help with the expansion, billion in assets. » Field of also means upholding our high new incentive programs and membership standards for member service. It workforce training were leveraged includes all takes the best to serve the best, to encourage the credit union’s Department of Defense and Coast and that’s why we continue to continued growth in Pensacola. Guard activeinvest in Pensacola.” Incentives included the Goverduty, civilian Dawson was awarded the nor’s Quick Action Closing and contractor personnel and Business Ambassador Award by Fund, a federal grant, local tax their families. Gov. Rick Scott for his efforts abatements and an economic» 274 branches and to create jobs and opportunities development incentive program 548 proprietary for Florida families. established by Escambia County. ATMs worldwide.

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[ DEMOGRAPHICS ]

Collegiate Schools of Business) Accreditation, a distinction that less than 5 percent of management education programs in the world can claim.

POPULATION (2014)

» Cox Communications (cable provider) ranked in the nation’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity and ranked in the Top 10 Companies for Blacks by DiversityInc in 2013

ESCAMBIA COUNTY — 310,659 UNDER 18 — 20.8% 18-64 — 63.5% 65 AND OLDER — 15.7% (Population projected to increase 12 percent from 2012 to 2020)

PENSACOLA (CITY) POPULATION, 2014 — 53,068 The median age of Greater Pensacola’s population is 38.4 years, compared to the state’s 41.1 and United States’ 37.4.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (PERCENT OF 25-YEAR-OLDS OR OLDER) HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION OR HIGHER — 88.70% BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER — 24.20%

Ester Remegio, Sacred Heart Hospital of Pensacola

» Navy Federal, the nation’s largest credit union, earned a spot on Money Magazine›s “Best Banks” list in 2013

NATIONAL RANKINGS

» Sacred Heart Hospital of Pensacola was named one of the Top 10 most affordable hospitals in the state of Florida by NerdWallet Health

» Pensacola was ranked the No. 1 least-congested commuter city according to Texas A&M University’s Transportation Institute, 2013. » Best Places for military retirement 2012, according to the MOAA (Military Officers Association of America) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. » Among the Top 10 successful aviation and aerospace clusters in the South, according to Southern

Business & Development magazine, 2012 » Ranked in the Top 20 “Biggest Gainers” in the U.S. when it comes to cities making the biggest economic advancements by the Milken Institute, 2011 » Downtown Pensacola’s Palafox Street was named one of the American Planning Association’s “10 Great Streets” for 2013 » Pensacola’s University of West Florida (UWF) was ranked No. 10 on Forbes’ Best Public Colleges, 2012, and holds an AACSB (Association to Advance

» For six consecutive years, Studer Group has been named one of the best small workplaces in the nation by the Great Place to Work Institute on its annual Best Small & Medium Workplaces list published by Fortune magazine. This is its third consecutive year in the Top 10. » The University of West Florida was named one of G.I. Jobs magazine’s “top military-friendly schools” for a sixth consecutive year.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SACRED HEART HOSPITAL

HOUSING ANNUAL AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME — $62,957

TOP 10 EMPLOYERS IN THE GREATER PENSACOLA (ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES) AREA

WORKFORCE

Baptist Health Care Navy Federal Credit Union Sacred Heart Health Systems Gulf Power Company

CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE (ESCAMBIA COUNTY) — 140,813

West Florida Healthcare Ascend Performance Materials West Corporation Medical Center Clinic

Santa Rosa Medical Center International Paper

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, FloridaWest, Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce

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[ PORT OF PENSACOLA ]

Eyeing the Future

here are seaports that make a living moving cargo and ports that fill a different role. The Port of Pensacola is one of the latter. This Panhandle port doesn’t measure its success so much in terms of cargo tonnage. Instead, it’s made a living servicing ships that service Gulf oil exploration. “The offshore industry doesn’t (produce) cargo. We view our success as vessel dockage days. There were 443 dockage days last fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015. So that industry sector is still going very well for us,” said Amy Miller, port director. The port can always count on “topside” maintenance service to carry the day if the economy falters, as it did a few months ago when oil prices took a nosedive. A direct result of this caused the construction of a multi-million dollar DeepFlex submersible pipe plant to hit a snag. However, port tenant Offshore Inland Marine & Oilfield Services — the company involved in running the plant when it’s finally operational — hasn’t slowed down its maintenance service. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. “Offshore Inland still has a vessel service depot here for various projects in the Gulf; the dive support ships, the surveyors,” Miller said. “They perform topside maintenance and repair on those vessels, and that activity has been strong because as production has slowed down many ships in the Gulf and elsewhere are coming into port to get their maintenance work done.” Miller said they are hopeful the pipemaking industry will make a comeback soon. “DeepFlex had difficulty finding investors given the current market conditions,” she said. “The price of oil has slowed down the pipe manufacturing plant so that facility

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is 90 percent (complete). By lease, they have until 30 May of 2016 to obtain a certificate of occupancy. There is language in the lease that allows an extension. My guess is they will seek it. The city will look upon that request favorably, I think.” In the meantime, Miller said, the tenant is still paying rent, so the DeepFlex slowdown hasn’t really hurt the port at this point. “Certainly we had hoped that in first quarter of (2016) they’d be in production. It’s not going to happen as quickly as we hoped, but the slowdown hasn’t hurt us,” she said. “If the facility is never completed, we got basically a brand spanking new warehouse at the port with a 50-foot ceiling. You could get an overhead crane capable of lifting 40 feet into the air in there. Even if the worst happens we are left with a highly marketable asset.” Although not a big cargo mover, some very big players move some massive cargo on a regular basis. “GE is still an important customer for us. They’ve got the wind generator nacelle production plant in Pensacola, so we move about 800-1,000 of those units a year for their international, and a portion of their domestic, shipments. That’s been very steady business for us, and we expect that to continue into next year,” she said. “And then we have our anchor customers. Cemex is still here, the Martin Marietta aggregate rock import and distribution center is here, and both of those business lines are picking up a little bit coming out of the recession. The rock business is construction-dependent so as the construction industry comes back and the economy gets better, their volume should continue to pick up as well. So that’s the lay of the land going into 2016.”

SCOTT HOLSTEIN

The Port of Pensacola works hard to stay ahead of the game by JASON DEHART

The Port of Pensacola, which makes its living in large part through servicing the ships that service Gulf oil exploration, is about to embark on a multi-million dollar rehab project.

Of course, the port is always looking for new tenants. Some site work has turned a six-acre parcel into marketable land that could be used for some kind of maritime or shipping related activity such as a warehouse. While that search is going on, some essential capital improvement projects will be getting underway. Plans call for burying some overhead utilities and creating a “heavy lift” roadway to accommodate oversize cargo haulers, and performing some needed dock renovations. “We’re in the process of selecting an engineering firm to renovate the port in a five-year contract,” Miller said. “Berth 6 on the southeast corner needs rehab. The value of that project could flux considerably. It’s a multiphase project somewhere in the $12 million to $15 million range. After Berth 6 we have to do an assessment of Berth 5, so we expect a rehab project on it in the next few years. Our other berths, 1, 2 and 3 ought to be in good shape. After Berth 5 and 6 we should be in good shape with the docks.” Meanwhile, there’s another challenge to be faced. Construction of a new, $450 million Pensacola Bay Bridge is expected to start in 2017. The bridge is a vital link between the mainland and Gulf Breeze, and planners are looking for any way to ease traffic problems during the four-year project. Construction will be a headache for locals and tourists alike. “When the bridge goes into construction it will be disruptive to people trying to get to the beach by car,” said Clark Merritt, economic development manager. The city is rising to help meet this challenge by establishing a passenger ferry service. The Pensacola Bay Ferry System would consist of two 150-passenger catamaran-style boats that would shuttle visitors between the city, Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens. Docks and passenger terminals will be built at Commendencia Slip between the Port of Pensacola and Plaza de Luna, and Quietwater Beach on Pensacola Beach. Service is expected to start in March 2017. A private company will run the service under the direction of the National Park Service and is expected to operate seasonally from midMarch to the end of October. It’s estimated that 65,000 people will use the ferry system annually.

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OUR SITES ARE SET ON FLORIDA’S GROWTH. Gulf Power’s Florida First Sites program adds certiﬁed industrial sites and parks to Northwest Florida’s portfolio of competitive advantages. McCallum Sweeney Consulting provides an objective analysis which minimizes risk, accelerates speed to market and gives companies the conﬁdence to make Northwest Florida their prime choice for future growth.

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FEBRUARY 25, 2016

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COME HEAR:

JAMES McLURKIN DANCES WITH ROBOTS: THE STORY OF ONE ENGINEER, 112 LITTLE ROBOTS AND THE TOYS, INSECTS AND STAR WARS MOVIES THAT MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE

PBS for the Gulf Coast

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[ FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES ]

Local Investment Pays Off Four Area Companies Make Inc. Magazine’s Annual List

by T.S. STRICKLAND

SCOTT HOLSTEIN

our area companies — Footbridge Media, Pensacola Apothecary, IMS Expert Services and AppRiver — made the 2015 list of the nation’s 5,000 fastest-growing private firms, published annually by Inc. magazine. Scott Luth, CEO of FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance, called the four “shining stars” and said he hopes their success will encourage other homegrown entrepreneurs to invest in the area. Together, the four companies accounted for 361 jobs and more than $116 million in annual economic impact to the area. AppRiver, an email and Web security firm based in Gulf Breeze (in neighboring Santa Rosa county), and IMS Expert Services, an expert-witness provider based in Pensacola, have now made the Inc. list nine years. Footbridge Media, a digital marketing firm geared toward the contracting industry, ranked on the list for the first time this year. However, it placed higher than any other local firm, coming in at No. 2,555 and posting a three-year growth rate of 144 percent. “When I started, we were working in 250 square feet,” said CEO Aaron O’Hanlon. “Right now, we’re on Palafox (Street) with about 6,000 square feet … We’re at 34 (employees), and we’re still looking at probably three or four more spots to fill. We’re constantly hiring.” In fact, O’Hanlon said finding enough human capital to fuel his business’s growth is his biggest challenge. A New York native, he moved to the area in 2004 to take a job with a mortgage lead company. After the housing market collapsed in 2008, O’Hanlon decided to stay and build a business in Pensacola. He said it was the area’s quality of life that most appealed to him. “I grew up with the Jersey Shore,” he said. “If you go to the Jersey Shore, you can’t see the sand because everyone’s got a towel, and there’s millions of people. But I can take my kids out to Pensacola Beach or Fort Pickens, and there’s no one around us. It’s beautiful. I love it here.”

Still, O’Hanlon said growing a business in Pensacola presents challenges. “There needs to be more opportunity,” he said. “I have a talent problem getting people to my company. I think there needs to be a way to keep people here. I think there needs to be not just more jobs, but better jobs.” Bill Wein, CEO of IMS Expert Services, said the increased focus on entrepreneurship and “economic gardening” in the area represents a “giant shift” in the region’s development priorities. “The reality is it costs three times as much or more to bring a company from outside of Florida into Florida,” he said. “We’re standing right here, and all we need is talent and access to resources.” Despite the challenges ahead, Wein said he feels Pensacola is at a “tipping point.” “We’re all feeling the renaissance now in Pensacola,” he said. “It’s here, and companies like ours, knowledge-based companies, technology companies, are blowing up as a result of it.”

The late Mike Wein, at left, founded IMS Expert Services, a business that scours the world to find expert witnesses for clients. He is pictured with his son, Bill, the company’s president. Mr. Wein died in October 2012 following a lengthy battle with cancer.

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CAPITAL CORRIDOR

Gadsden, Jefferson + Leon Counties

From Humble Beginnings

Hayes Computer Systems has gone from a one-man operation to a giant success By Linda Kleindienst

provide communications services, including Internet access and voice. It also provides network design and security for a variety of clients, many of them local governments and schools, and provides

hardware equipment. The support center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Although sold to a public company in 1997, the Hayes family bought it back in 2000. Karen Hayes was given 51 percent

BRUCE PALMER

aren Hayes became CEO of Hayes Computer Systems when she was only 29 years old. But it took her a couple of weeks to realize that she — not her father — was indeed now the one in charge. “He stopped coming in the office. He felt the engineers wouldn’t listen to me as well if he were here,” she remembers with a smile, 15 years after the fact. “I didn’t realize I would be on my own. But I didn’t have time to worry about it. We had customers to take care of and employees to worry about. Looking back now, I should have been scared to death.” Hayes Computers has been around since 1986, when it was founded by Hayes’ father, Danny. Self-taught about emerging computer technologies, which he delved into as a hobby, he started to work in programming to help pay expenses racked up by his cropdusting business in Mount Pleasant, near Quincy in Gadsden County. “His father was a crop-duster,” Karen Hayes explains of her father’s first business. When his father died in a drowning accident, Danny Hayes took over at the age of 17. “But at one point the farmers couldn’t afford to pay their bills, and he still had to pay for the product he had used. So he started this (computer) business.” When it opened in 1986, Hayes Computer Systems was small. Today it has about 80 employees and occupies a new, 24,000-square-foot FAMILY AFFAIR building in Tallahassee. Karen Hayes grew The company has up in and now runs the family contracts with the business started state of Florida to by her father.

850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

“It’s almost a break for your brain to do something different,” she says. “I choose all of the items. It’s easy — you just pick what you like. I look for something different for the store, items that you can’t get elsewhere. But it’s definitely not focused on a coastal theme.” Some of that creative flair is found at her company’s headquarters, which Hayes says she works to make sure feels like home. “We work harder and longer at work than at home. So I try to make it comfortable for everybody,” she says, adding that she and the staff try to have lunch together several times a week, cooking in the company kitchen. “We have a good group of people.” A mother of two, Hayes’ college-age daughter worked in sales at the company last summer. She hopes that is a sign her daughter might be interested in learning more about the family business. “I was so pleased she was able to grasp it and care. She’s studying sales (at Florida State University), and the customers loved her. She went on calls with our reps and she learned a lot, which is great because I wanted to see what she was interested in,” Hayes says. Then she says,

COURTESY KAREN HAYES

KAREN AND DANNY HAYES

ROB GELHARDT

interest in the company; her father took 49 percent. That made her the boss. When she picked up the reins, Hayes was already well acquainted with all aspects of the company that she had started working at while she was still in high school. “I did deliveries, GROWING BUSINESS answered the phone, Hayes Computer did repairs on printSystems recently moved into its new ers, whatever needed headquarters, a doing that I was 24,000-squarecapable of doing,” foot building on Welaunee Boulevard in she remembers. “I Tallahassee. grew up in it. And I was interested in helping customers.” Her father says he was “very impressed” by her work when she started in the company. “She works very hard and has always been interested in the customer. She would work with us whenever she had time as a student.” Karen went to Tallahassee Community College and then studied entrepreneurship at Florida State University. She returned to the company instead of graduating and continued her learning curve. Human resources, engineering, sales. She never had a yen to leave Tallahassee, saying, “There’s no reason to go somewhere else. I love my friends, family and community. Tallahassee is safe and good. If you want to go somewhere else, visit.” While most of her time is spent working at the computer business, which brings in close to $40 million a year in revenue, Hayes four years ago established a creative escape for herself by opening a store in Apalachicola called Charming Comforts. There she sells furniture, gifts and accessories that she personally selects and also provides design services.

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

850businessmagazine.com

almost wistfully, “I hope she wants to work for the company.” Brooke Rick, 21, says her goal is definitely to join her mom in the business after graduation. A junior at FSU studying professional sales in the College of Business (with a minor in communication), she knew she wanted to join the family business as soon as she got into college. As for her summer stint in sales, she says, “I still have a lot to learn, but it was a great start.” Not surprisingly, Martinoff admires her mom’s tenacity and success in a male-dominated business. As for her grandfather’s foray into a new technology during the early years, she says, “I have always looked up to Pop-pop. When he started Hayes, people thought he was crazy for working with computers. I think it is truly amazing how far Hayes has come since it was founded.” Danny Hayes is obviously pleased with his daughter’s management of the company and his granddaughter’s interest in working there. “She is a much different leader than I was,” he says of Karen. “She empowers people to do their jobs, and she works alongside to get the best job done for the customer.” As for his granddaughter’s career path, he adds, “I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

“(KAREN) IS A MUCH DIFFERENT LEADER THAN I WAS. SHE EMPOWERS PEOPLE TO DO THEIR JOBS, AND SHE WORKS ALONGSIDE TO GET THE BEST JOB DONE FOR THE CUSTOMER.” DANNY HAYES, FOUNDER OF HAYES COMPUTER SYSTEMS

FEBRUARY 25, 2016

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FEBRUARY â€“ MARCH 2016

Panama City, Panama City Beach + Bay County

850businessmagazine.com

Mexico Beach Supermarket Offers That Small-Town Touch Quality and attention to customer needs have helped fuel Gulf Foods’ success By Lazaro Aleman

mall towns, if their sizes don’t warrant a Piggly Wiggly, Winn-Dixie or another such chain supermarket, are lucky if they have a hometown grocery store that offers more than the basic fare found at convenience stores. Count Mexico Beach among the lucky with the family-owned and operated Gulf Foods Superette and Beach Things on U.S. Highway 98. A full-line grocery store and gift shop, Gulf Foods sells a varied selection of fresh produce, quality meats, dairy products, seasonings, beers and wines, and even specialty items not always found in larger stores, along with the usual assortment of staples and non-food items. Add the gift shop with its mix of beachwear, jewelry, souvenirs, toys, airbrushed T-shirts and such, plus original artwork, and it makes for a diverse experience. At the helm of this thriving business are Bonnie and Ike Godwin, hands-on owner-operators since 2007. Bonnie, moreover, is an accomplished artist, which explains the beach murals on the building’s façade and artwork for sale inside. Ike Godwin, or “Mr. Ike,” as most customers and employees call him, got started in the grocery business in 1962, straight out of high school.

Given an opportunity to manage a country grocery store (his other option was farming), he not only accepted the challenge but eventually purchased the business and sold it not long after. In 1965, against conventional wisdom, he built his own store on family-owned land where his grandfather’s house had once stood. That store has since more than doubled in size and become “Walmart-like.” Now 71, with 53 years of grocery store experience under his apron, Godwin concedes he should probably be retired and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Most days, however, you will find him at Gulf Foods by 6:30 a.m., working alongside his 16 employees, interacting with customers and generally overseeing the operation and ensuring friendly, courteous service. “Personal attention encourages customers to buy more,” Godwin says.

LOVING THE JOB Even after 53 years in the grocery store business, Ike Godwin, with wife Bonnie, loves going to work each day.

Photos by HOLLY GARDNER

850 Business Magazine

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

ECLECTIC CONVENIENCE In catering to locals and vacationers, the Godwins have learned to provide a full shopping experience that includes expensive spices, hand-cut meats, clothing and original art.

FEBRUARY â€“ MARCH 2016

850businessmagazine.com

PHOTOS BY HOLLY GARDNER

Nor is Gulf Foods his sole enterprise, although it’s his primary focus. He also owns a 700-acre farm in Georgia; the original grocery store in Pelham, Georgia, that his two sons operate; and a realty business that mostly deals in coastal properties. “I have a lot of irons in the fire, a lot of weight on my shoulders,” Godwin says. So why not retire? “I love the business,” he says. “It’s a joy to me to be with people and meet people. I just love that; and what better place to be than on the beach, where you meet folks from all over the world.” Not surprisingly, HANDS ON Ike Godwin, 71, starts the majority of at 6:30 a.m. most days, Gulf Foods’ cusworking alongside his 16 employees, and tomers are visitors, he has no immediate especially in the retirement plans. summer, the beach community’s busy season. “Business quadruples in summer,” Godwin says, noting that his nearest competitors are a Piggly Wiggly in Port St. Joe and a Walmart in Callaway, a suburb of Panama City. “The local business is good and you can survive with it, but it’s 400 percent better in summer. It’s mostly locals and a lot of snowbirds from November through February, the offseason.” The prevalence of visitors explains the store’s varied selection, including some high-end products. Godwin makes a point of approaching customers, asking if he can help them find an item, and taking note of the fact if he doesn’t stock it. If two or more customers ask for something he doesn’t have, he will stock it. “Spices are an example,” he says. “People tell me we have more spices than bigger stores. We also carry a lot of specialty items you wouldn’t normally find in stores this size. But we have a variety of people who demand high-end products. They’re more expensive, but they sell well.” The meats and produce are another example. Godwin is proud of the store’s selection of meats, which are cut in-house. Gulf Foods, in fact, enjoys a reputation for quality meats, with out-of-towners often buying the meats to take home. “We have a huge meat business,” Godwin says. As for the produce, it’s delivered thrice weekly, as well as purchased from local sources whenever possible and straight from the field in season.

“IT’S GROWN TREMENDOUSLY. THE INVENTORY HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED. AND IT CONTINUES GROWING. LAST YEAR WE WERE AROUND $150,000 OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AND THIS YEAR WE’LL BE MORE THAN THAT.” IKE GODWIN, HANDS-ON OWNER-OPERATOR OF GULF FOODS SUPERETTE AND BEACH THINGS “Meats and produce are the backbone of the grocery business,” Godwin asserts. He’s particularly pleased with his switch to IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance), a name he says people associate with bigger stores, more products and lower prices. And in fact, prices on many of the store’s products have come down since the switch, he says. Godwin estimates that the store does about $3.5 million in sales annually, a million-plus dollars more than when he purchased it. “It’s grown tremendously,” he says. “The inventory has more than doubled. And it continues growing. Last year we were around $150,000 over the previous year. And this year we’ll be more than that.” The growth reflects the improved economy and Mexico Beach’s upbeat tempo in the wake of the recovery, evident by the increasing number of visitors and property sales and rentals. The Godwins themselves fell in love with Mexico Beach in 1995, when they came to celebrate Bonnie’s birthday. The same

weekend, they purchased a beach house and, soon after, Godwin got into buying and selling coastal properties. “It was fun and easy,” he says. “It was the boom time.” When the grocery store came available, he jumped at the opportunity. The store then was run down and in need of hands-on management, Godwin says. He and Bonnie redid much of it, as well as purchasing additional sections of the building that today house the gift shop and a tenant business. Godwin returns to the theme of retirement. Selling the store isn’t completely out of the question, he allows. That is, if the right person were to come along — someone who would maintain the store’s quality and integrity. “I want people who will keep going what we have,” he says. Were he to sell, however, he wouldn’t necessarily hang up his apron. Instead, he would likely return to the Pelham store and help his sons, he says. “I love what I do,” Godwin reiterates. “I look forward to every day.” n

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Coastal Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa + Walton Counties

Doolittle Institute Sparking innovation by bringing together the military, entrepreneurs and investors By Linda Kleindienst

hen Steve Butler began working on long-range cruise missiles, a GPS receiver for each missile cost about $250,000. So, in the 1990s, the military gave the GPS technology to companies that build fishing receivers, hoping the commercial world would improve the product and lower the cost. Today, there are GPS receivers in phones and watches with chips that cost maybe $10 — and the military indeed has its access to low-cost receivers for its missiles. “Our newer weapons use these cheaper receivers and are very affordable,” explains Steve Butler, director of the Doolittle Institute. “Sharing technology with a commercial venture that made a lot of money on it didn’t hurt the government. It helped the government.” And that is exactly what the Doolittle Institute — named after legendary Air Force Gen. Jimmy Doolittle — is doing today in Florida. Not surprisingly, its facilities are located near Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, where most local technology companies were started by a civil servant who left the government, and near MacDill Air Force Base and the U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa. Just two years old, the institute is a nonprofit that contracts with the U.S. Air Force research lab at Eglin to provide a neutral facility where Air Force personnel can connect with universities, businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers “outside the gate” in hopes that commercialization of military technology will result in better and cheaper

products. Its mission is to provide what Butler describes as “collider” opportunities in which “the Department of Defense collides with the commercial world and learns how people do things.” Of course, not all secrets are revealed — just those the military is comfortable sharing with the public. “Obviously, there are technologies we can’t share,” says Butler, past executive director of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. “We have to be very careful we don’t violate security rules or give away technology that would give an adversary advantage over us. “But there is also a reason in some cases to give technology away so that universities, small businesses or entrepreneurs can run further and faster with it. Those who have studied the science of science have learned that in some cases it’s better to give intellectual rights to others and let them go faster than you could go on your own.” Tucked away in Fort Walton Beach’s Uptown Station, the Doolittle Institute is a complex of meeting rooms used to provide classes for military and non-military personnel and “Shark Tank”-like events where researchers/inventors from the base

BRAINSTORMING A recent “Ideation Event” was designed to come up with new ideas for the Emerald Coast Science Center’s outreach to the community. The Doolittle Institute specializes in bringing together various elements of the community as well as the military.

Photos by CHASE YAKABOSKI

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FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

TRAINING FOR SUCCESS A student in Northwest Florida State College’s welding technology program works in the welding facility on the Niceville campus.

JIMMY DOOLITTLE Jimmy Doolittle is famed for his accomplishments as a decorated fighter pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps (forerunner to the U.S. Air Force). A Medal of Honor recipient, he commanded the Doolittle Raid in 1942 — the first Allied bombing raid on the Japanese mainland. Training for the mission was conducted at Eglin Air Force Base. But few know that Doolittle was also a famous scientist and inventor who earned a doctorate in aeronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and developed instrument flying. According to a 2013 article in MIT News Magazine: “Doolittle’s thesis was accepted in 1925, but his research continued. With backing from the Guggenheim Fund, he returned to the question of whether more advanced technology could allow pilots to perform blind landings in dense fog or darkness. In 1929, using a plane specially outfitted with a radio beacon for communication with the ground and gyroscopes that established an ‘artificial horizon,’ he took off and landed in a covered cockpit — the first ‘blind flight,’ or one made completely with the aid of instruments.” Adds Doolittle Institute Director Steve Butler, “To this day, the cockpit displays you see in airplanes were all invented by him.”

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

(civilian and military) pitch their ideas and get helpful feedback from successful business leaders on the likelihood of a successful commercialization. Local angel investors are also interested in what’s being pitched. At a recent Innovation Discovery event, Butler explained to participants that “a lot of researchers are so focused on the problem, they don’t see the bigger picture.” And the Air Force is indeed a great place for science, “but not necessarily innovation.” Mike Miller, a civilian researcher at the Eglin lab, has already formed his own company, Solo Navigation, but wanted advice on a new idea to make driving safer through an automobile navigation system that would allow vehicle-to-vehicle communication and help prevent accidents. “Our key focus is providing navigation data at a low cost,” he said. “Even if no one else has it in their

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car, it still gives you very accurate data on where you are.” While Miller’s idea would be welcome to many motorists and likely insurance companies, Butler later points out it could also be extremely beneficial to the military in its airplanes and cruise missiles. While in Fort Walton Beach the focus is on collaboration, offering technical classes to the military and civilian population and providing financial support and instructors to Okaloosa’s STEMM Academy, the Tampa branch of Doolittle has different areas of interest. At Special Operations Command — which oversees Special Operations Component Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps — there is interest in improving the armor that soldiers wear to make it

PHOTOS BY CHASE YAKABOSKI AND COURTESY OF THE DOOLITTLE INSTITUTE (JIMMY DOOLITTLE)

NEUTRAL ZONE (Right) Steve Butler, director of the Doolittle Institute, oversees a complex of meeting rooms designed to provide business classes and information exchange opportunities for civilians and military personnel in a “neutral” atmosphere. (Left) Mary Tinsley and Chuck Kennedy with the Emerald Coast Science Center exchange ideas in the Institute’s “Bistro,” the kitchen.

“PART OF OUR ROLE IS TO CONNECT THEM TO UNIVERSITIES AND SMALL-BUSINESS INNOVATORS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL COME UP WITH IDEAS FASTER THAN THE TRADITIONAL MILITARY BUREAUCRACY AND LABORATORY SYSTEM.” STEVE BUTLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DOOLITTLE INSTITUTE lightweight and even include motors that allow wearers to run faster and lift heavier weights; pursuing technology for 3D printers that can be used by troops stationed in far-flung places of the globe; and putting laser weapons on the battlefield. “Part of our role is to connect them to universities and small-business innovators in the community that will come up with ideas faster

than the traditional military bureaucracy and laboratory system,” says Butler, who envisions soldiers eventually wearing armor with sensors that not only help them see better on the battlefield — including over walls and behind bushes through a satellite or unmanned aerial vehicle link — but also monitor their physical condition, including hunger, tiredness and blood pressure during battle.

“The big companies will build the systems, but the government and big companies won’t always come up with the innovative ideas,” he adds. “By creating these innovation institutes, we can help bring in innovators who think of new ways to do things and bring them into an environment where they can understand some of the military issues.” n

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Architecture I in the Family After over 50 years and more than 1,000 projects, Donofro Architects is still changing the face of Marianna By Laura Bradley

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2016

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n recent decades, multi-generational local businesses have become increasingly rare. But at Donofro Architects, it’s all about staying small and keeping close contact — with the community and each other. Donofro Architects has been a Marianna fixture since 1963, when Paul A. Donofro moved to the area to be closer to his brother, Joseph (also an architect), in Alabama. Their family was originally from Buffalo, New York, but the chance to be near his brother — and the potential he saw in the area — attracted Donofro, now 84. His sons

Liberty Counties and Madison + Taylor Counties

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DONOFRO ARCHITECTS

FAMILY AFFAIR (Above) Paul Donofro Jr. looks over plans the firm used for the Chipola College Health Sciences building (at left). Paul Donofro Sr. opened the firm in 1963 and his grandson, Paul Jr.’s son, is now studying architecture.

Paul and Sean Donofro work with him at the firm, which they renamed Donofro Architects when ownership transferred to Paul Jr. They’ve kept the business small and, more importantly, kept it in the family. Now, with Paul Jr.’s son Christopher studying architecture at Florida A&M University, the business might have yet another generation lined up. Paul Donofro Sr. was in the U.S. Army before relocating to Florida for school, studying architecture at the University of Florida. After graduation, he relocated to Marianna. His brother, Joseph, was already

practicing architecture out of Dothan, Alabama. Joseph has since passed away, but his son, Joe Jr., now runs the Alabama business. Similarly, Paul Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps and studied to be an architect. His interest was cultivated after years of going to job sites with his father and working at the firm. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go into construction or architecture,” Paul Donofro Jr. reflected. “But growing up, I worked in (my father’s) office from the time I was probably in seventh or eighth grade doing blueprinting … I remember we had an old blueprint machine that ran off of ammonia in the old office. I had to stay back there for hours and hours running prints one at a time, and the ammonia fumes were very strong.” In 10th grade, Donofro recalls he designed and developed his first set of plans for a geography teacher. That building is still up today. Like his father, Donofro also attended the University of Florida — after which he

moved straight to Marianna, where he’s since taken over the firm his father started. “When I finished school, I elected to come back and go to work directly for my father,” Donofro said. “We’ve only been in two locations. When we first opened up, we rented space in an old two-story building right downtown. And in, I want to say it was late 1979, he purchased an old house that he retrofitted and converted into an office … We’ve been in this location ever since.” The firm mostly does commercial work

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and specializes in educational facilities. In addition to a lot of public school projects, the firm has worked with Chipola College, designing its health sciences building, a $3 million project with three stories that now houses the college’s nursing programs. There has also been renovation and augmentation of local church buildings, and Donofro served as the architects for the Farmer’s Market Pavilion. Since its start back in the ’60s, the firm has done close to 1,000 projects in the Marianna area. Donofro explained that the firm has stayed small and kept its operating radius similarly limited to focus on close communication throughout an architectural project. Especially since the firm does a great deal of restoration and alteration — jobs that require extensive, frequent communication — Donofro said the proximity is important. “It’s easy for me to just walk a block and be at the construction site to help resolve any issue that might come up in a very timely manner, and that’s important,” Donofro said. “Not only to the owners, but to the contractors and subcontractors, because they like to keep things moving as well.” For as long as they’ve lived in Marianna, the Donofros have seen its potential. Their careers and public lives have been motivated by helping make the community better. Paul Sr. served for a long time on Marianna’s planning and zoning board, including a stint as board chairman. Paul Jr. served as a city commissioner for 24 years and as mayor of Marianna. He was also involved in the inception of the Main Street Board of Directors, whose mission was to beautify and revitalize Marianna’s downtown area. “I’m very proud of the fact I was able to serve the community in that capacity,” Donofro said, adding later, “It’s great to ride around and know that we’ve had such an impact on the built environment in Jackson County.” One project he’s most proud of was recently completed for Mowrey Elevator. It’s a three-story, contemporary office building. What makes it special? It was an addition to a building his father designed back in the 1970s. “I’ve got pictures of it hanging on my wall,” Donofro said. “Two of them.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONOFRO ARCHITECTS

COLLABORATIVE ARCHITECTURE Paul Donofro Jr. designed a contemporary building for the Mowrey Elevator company’s headquarters — an addition to a building designed by his father, Paul Sr.

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The Last Word

You’ve heard of Comic-Con. Started in California in 1970, the purpose of the organization, as outlined in its mission statement, is “creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the history and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.” The first event drew 100 attendees. Obviously, the concept was a winner since conferences are now held annually across the country, attracting thousands of rabid enthusiasts dressed as their favorite comic book character. Pensacola has its own version, Pensacon — an annual gathering of fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and gaming that attracted 22,000 attendees last summer. So why not introduce a similar concept that brings together business owners, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs-in-training for two days of meetings with local, regional and national business stars? OK, maybe it isn’t as sexy as Comic-Con. But about 200 men and women gathered in the historic REX Theater in downtown Pensacola in November to attend EntreCon and learn how to “become a business superhero.” Over the two days, they learned the do’s and don’ts of starting a new business, legal issues that need to be faced, how and where to get financing, how to get their message out through advertising and social media, how to hire the right employees, how to turn a dream into reality. Some of the inspirational messages they heard included:

LINDA KLEINDIENST, EDITOR lkleindienst@rowlandpublishing.com PHOTO BY KAY MEYER

 Don’t ever think you’re not good enough.  The world needs you — and needs you firing on all cylinders.  Embrace change.

What a great resource for someone thinking of starting or expanding a business. The event, hosted by The Studer Institute and the University of West Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurship, even drew in owners of existing longterm businesses who are in the throes of starting yet another business and trying to get some up-to-date advice. Pensacola business leader Quint Studer hopes EntreCon is a concept that will continue and grow. After all, he says, the hardest part of running a small business is that entrepreneurs don’t have time to get the training they need — yet successful small businesses are the very backbone of a community. “I’ve always found education and learning really important,” Studer says. “There are a lot of small businesses here . . . so I tried to come up with a cost-effective way to bring the intellectual capital to them.” Studer kept the price of the event down by having it in a lowcost local facility and, instead of providing lunches for everyone, encouraging the participants to walk around downtown and spend their money at one of the many cafés and restaurants that dot Palafox Street. Speakers who came in from around the country didn’t charge a fee. Studer is also hoping that events such as EntreCon and work by UWF’s entrepreneurship center will promote the idea of mentoring so that those learning important new lessons in how to run a business today will help teach the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Using the analogy of the ripples that are caused by dropping one small pebble in a pond, Studer says, “Never underestimate the difference you can make.” Words we can all live by.

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