Imagine a place rich in retired and active Fortune 500 CEOs, senior executives, and noted entrepreneurs. Visionaries who are motivated with the desire to help your business thrive. Seasoned corporate leaders who join forces to form a hotbed of intellectual capital, private equity capital, and innovative business opportunities.

Now imagine a place where the only things as hot as those business opportunities are the white sand beaches and the world-class lifestyle amenities amid the warm breezes of the Gulf of Mexico. Imagine Southwest Florida, where the sun-washed lifestyle is wired to the world.

Your business deserves to be among experienced intellectual capital and substantial financial resources, all backed by a superb business infrastructure and attractive incentives in a business-friendly environment.

At the Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida, we understand that in this technology-driven day and age you can do business just about anywhere. But we want you here, and we're confident that once you experience our truly unique business opportunities you're going to want to be here where boating meets the boardroom.

We invite you to learn more by exploring our Website. And we look forward to hearing from you so we can make your business vision our business vision.

Strategically positioned as the future gateway to the Caribbean Basin and Latin America, Southwest Florida is one of the fastest growing population and economic areas of both Florida and the nation. Additionally, the region has emerged as one of the nation's leading hot spots for business.

Reflecting the dynamic growth of the region are a newly expanded international airport and the state's 10th University, both of which are among the fastest growing in the nation.

Recently undergoing a $438-million enhancement to double its capacity, Southwest Florida International Airport continues its record-setting pace, serving more than 7.6 million passengers in 2006 as one of the 50 busiest airports in the nation. The airport is served by a host of major commercial airlines and offers direct flights to Europe.

Since its opening in 1997, Florida Gulf Coast University has been touted as the national model for the regional university of the 21st Century. Academic programs and research funding at this comprehensive, full-service university also continue to expand, embodied by the recently established School of Engineering with its programs in bioengineering, civil engineering and environmental engineering.

While Southwest Florida continues to experience strong growth, what truly sets the region apart is its outstanding intellectual and financial capital.

A Legacy of Intellectual and Financial Capital
Interestingly, this bounty of intellectual and financial capital springs from Southwest Florida's acclaimed tropical beauty and year round warm weather. Its beaches and hospitality industry have attracted millions of visitors over the years - among them a Who's Who of the nation's most successful business leaders and entrepreneurs who may have simply been on vacation.

In an often-repeated story, waves of America's best and brightest business leaders who visited the area were so taken with its outstanding year-round weather and upside opportunities that they have made Southwest Florida their permanent or seasonal home. Consequently, substantial corporate leadership and personal wealth have steadily migrated into the area since the middle of the last century.

Summer Street Capital Partners, a private equity fund with a presence in Southwest Florida and an affiliate of the RBA, also offers direct access to their "Operating Partners", successful CEOs who have run companies in diverse industries.  Summer Street's Operating Partners have helped their portfolio company CEOs to grow sales, enhance margins, and dramatically enhance efficiency.

Unparalleled Philanthropy
When it comes to private support of regional causes and initiatives that foster a truly meaningful impact on the future of the area, Southwest Florida is proud of its track record.

The record-breaking growth and development of Florida Gulf Coast University, for example, would not have been possible without the regional private support of its “Dedicated to Greatness” capital campaign, which has exceeded $200 million. Indeed, the support of higher education as a key factor in Southwest Florida’s economic development is further demonstrated by the $12 million gift from local benefactors to International College that allow the independent, four-year institution to move from college status to university status as Hodges University.

Further evidence of the region’s superlative philanthropic commitment includes the support of the renowned Naples Winter Wine Festival, which has raised $55.5 million since 2001 for the benefit of the Naples Children and Education Foundation, which is committed to making a profound and sustaining difference in the quality of children’s lives. Last year’s festival alone raised a record $15.6 million. Additionally, The Philharmonic Center for the Arts, the region’s premier performing arts venue, has built an endowment exceeding $60 million.

A Wealth of Opportunity
Today, it is estimated that more than 1,000 active and retired Fortune 500 CEOs, senior executives and noted entrepreneurs call Southwest Florida home, year round or seasonally - leaders whose experience and business relationships span virtually every industry. For businesses that choose Southwest Florida, this translates into access to:

• An enthusiastic corps of seasoned and successful corporate leaders to serve as board members and provide mentorship to enhance a company's growth and development
• An expansive network of business relationships through members of the RBA that span national and international markets
• Substantial private equity capital to fuel corporate growth

Underpinning this wealth of opportunity, Southwest Florida's business infrastructure offers significant benefits. The bottom line? Southwest Florida is your address for success in a new land of opportunity. All set amid the sun-washed, Gulf coast paradise that has made the area famous.

The Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida seeks to support and enhance the diversification of the region's economy by attracting small and mid-size:

• Corporate Headquarters
• Healthcare technology/life sciences firms
• Information technology firms
• Research and development firms
• Education institutions (public and private)

One of the primary drivers for pursuing economic diversification springs from the realities of the region's tax base. Increasingly throughout Southwest Florida, more and more of the weight of ad valorem taxes is falling on the residential real estate sector. Enhancing Southwest Florida's business base will help balance the tax scales between residential and business and help sustain the region's quality of life.

Through its efforts to attract desirable businesses, the Alliance also seeks to secure the future of the region's youth. Prosperous career options close to home will enhance Southwest Florida's ability to deliver on the promise of a prosperous tomorrow by increasing top job prospects and allowing our youth to stay in the area as they pursue professional careers.The result is a continued growth of an educated population which, in turn, continues to boost Southwest Florida as an attractive location for businesses.

« back to Board Members

Mr. VanOort gained his expertise in business strategy, finance, operations and organizational development from his 20 years experience with Fortune 500 firms and privately-held entrepreneurial companies.

The former President and CEO of USA Datanet, a rapidly growing telecommunications provider and Summer Street portfolio company, Mr. VanOort also served as COO at Quest Diagnostics, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services. Previously, he served in a variety of executive capacities at Corning International, including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Corning Life Sciences, Inc. and Director of Mergers and Acquisitions, as well as several division and corporate level financial positions.

A graduate of Bentley College, Mr. VanOort serves on the boards of three Summer Street portfolio companies - Reichert, Inc., ICE and UStec - as well as several public and privately-held corporations and charitable organizations.

Although Southwest Florida has long been known as a lifestyle destination, it is now nationally acclaimed as a top-tier business destination as well. All the critical components are in place to make the area your address for success.

Transportation
Southwest Florida offers a proven and continually expanding transportation system. Interstate 75 provides easy access north to the rest of the state and beyond, and east to the Atlantic Coast. The area is also serviced by major state highways and limited rail transportation.

Southwest Florida International Airport is ranked as one of the 50 busiest airports in the nation in the wake of a recently completed $438-million renovation to double its capacity. Looking ahead, the Federal Aviation Administration estimates that it will be the eighth fastest growing airport in the nation over the next few years.

Additionally, the area boasts the Naples Municipal Airport, which has accommodated as many as 300 corporate jets simultaneously. There are also private, general aviation facilities throughout the region.

Labor Force
With a labor force exceeding 540,000 as of August 2007, Southwest Florida's labor force is educated, diverse and growing at a faster rate than the national average.

Education
Southwest Florida is home to strong public, private and parochial school systems. Additionally, the region features six public and private post-secondary educational institutions, including the state's newest public university -- Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) -- and the nation's newest private university, Ave Maria University.

Although just 10 years old, FGCU's growth has been nothing short of remarkable by every measure. It is a strong and responsive partner in Southwest Florida's economic development. This dynamic synergy has translated into unprecedented quality growth and external financial support - support that has resulted in the creation of an engineering program that was significantly accelerated by generous private gifts to facilitate the program's launch years ahead of what might have been a typical timeframe.

Further, in response to an identified regional desire to establish an industry cluster focused on biomedical and related companies, FGCU created a research focus in biotechnology that spans several colleges and draws advice from biotechnology firms both regionally and nationally. Despite its relative youth, the University generates over $14 million in sponsored research each year.

Complementing the University, the region also boasts other fully accredited universities and colleges, including Hodges University and Edison College.

Telecommunications
In today's wired world, business-critical connectivity and high-speed data transmission are keys. Included in the infrastructure that wires Southwest Florida to the world is direct fiber optic connectivity to the Tier 1 Network Access Point in Miami. The Miami N.A.P. is one of only five in the nation that provides direct backbone access to the world's major carriers.

Business-Friendly Environment
At the state level, "Forbes Magazine" ranks Florida among the Top 10 "Best States for Business," based on a wide spectrum of factors ranging from costs of doing business, labor force, quality of life, economic climate and growth prospects. Further, the state has a very attractive corporate tax structure, no personal income tax, and is a "right to work" state.

Supplementing the advantages of doing business in the State, Southwest Florida also features abundant industrial and commerce parks spread across the region, a business-friendly public policy environment, and public/private agencies designed to streamline and expedite the relocation process.

Renowned as the winter home for tens of thousands of seasonal residents who flock to the area from colder winter climes, Southwest Florida is the perfect place to live, work and play.

Bordering the Gulf of Mexico, the region is blessed with an average annual temperature of 75 degrees and offers something for everyone. The region spans the coastal counties of Collier, Lee and Charlotte along the Gulf, and stretches east into the interior counties of Hendry and Glades to Lake Okeechobee, the second largest freshwater lake in the U.S.

As you would expect for a popular resort destination, Southwest Florida is known for gorgeous beaches, delicious dining that features fresh local seafood, superb retail offerings, excellent residential communities, and a vibrant cultural scene with outstanding performance venues.

The area's year-round sunshine and warm Gulf breezes create the perfect backdrop for those who enjoy outdoor activities. The region has one of the highest densities of championship golf courses in the nation and is home to two PGA Tournaments. Strolling the beach at sunset, boating, fishing, sailing, tennis, eco-tours, and sunset dinner cruises are also favorites of locals and visitors alike.

Reflecting Florida's rural heritage, the interior counties of Hendry and Glades have sprouted from agricultural roots and feature a unique blend of Old Florida charm and a relaxed lifestyle amid abundant land.

In addition to its unsurpassed lifestyle amenities, the region also features nationally recognized healthcare facilities; strong public, private and parochial school systems; and six post-secondary educational institutions, including the state's newest university, Florida Gulf Coast University.

When it comes to lifestyle, you can find your place in the sun in Southwest Florida.

Southwest Florida encompasses Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Glades and Hendry Counties. The region spans approximately 5,450 square miles and is among the most dynamic and fastest-growing regions in the nation.

Click for virtual fly-in

The Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida, Inc. provides a single point of contact for small and mid-size businesses, as well as corporate and regional headquarters interested in exploring opportunities in Southwest Florida.

Working collaboratively with local government and public/private economic development agencies, we strive to streamline and expedite the exploratory and relocation processes by providing a comprehensive perspective and understanding of the region and the five counties it encompasses.

A private sector 501(c) (6) organization, we are composed of notable chief executive officers and senior business executives - both active and inactive - who are committed to leveraging their talent, resources and networks to support and enhance the recruitment of small and mid-sized businesses to Southwest Florida.

• Identifying companies for relocation
• Assisting in the relocation of new companies
• Mentoring
• Board membership
• Identifying sources of capital funding.

December 17, 2007

At the Dec. 7 Issues '08 conference organized by our local legislators at Florida Gulf Coast University, the most important message we heard was that Southwest Florida needs to think regionally.

Unlike other regions in Florida - the Space Coast, Tampa Bay, the Green Coast, or Metro Orlando, for example - we are still very parochial in the way we present ourselves to the outside world.

Creating a strong regional identity would strengthen future planning, business opportunities and political capital.

The steps presented by FGCU Lutgert Business College Dean Richard Pegnetter include creating an umbrella structure to develop unified aims, developing a brand image of Southwest Florida, making our region identifiable, moving the idea of regionalism forward and recruiting key leaders to make it happen.

Lee County alone will be growing at a rate of 20,000 residents per year and with Collier, Glades, Hendry and Charlotte counties combined, we can become a force that ensures the growing prosperity and influence of our community.

Gulfshore Business, February 2008 

For the second year in a row in 2007, Atlas Van Lines moved more people out of Florida than into the state, reflecting what Southwest Floridians are seeing every day-friends and neighbors moving away and houses languishing on the market for months.

Perhaps more than any other time in recent memory, Southwest Florida needs strong leadership that transcends political and geographical jurisdictions.

Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties have differences and needs. But when it comes to battling for the big items-economic advancement, education, capital, water resources, infrastructure, quality-of-life issues-it makes sense to unite under a regional banner rather than proceeding as fractured, competing entities.

Community and political leaders have been advocating regionalism for years, and a number of organizations here do have a regional focus on specific issues, such as the Alliance of Educational Leaders, the Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida and the Southwest Florida Transportation Initiative, to name a few.

But in spite of efforts by people such as Richard Pegnetter, dean of FGCU's College of Business, and Richard Botthof, executive director of the Regional Business Alliance, an umbrella organization that presents a united front for the region still hasn't taken shape. As Botthof says, "Until we get a well-defined, regional branding and marketing platform, we are irrelevant in the state, the nation and globally."

In other parts of the state, regional organizations such as the Tampa Bay Partnership, Florida's Great Northwest and the Beacon Council have succeeded in building new business opportunities and in securing resources that a sole agency might not. They recognize that companies considering a relocation or expansion care much less about the particulars of any given jurisdiction's offerings than they do about a region's workforce, cost of living and infrastructure. They also know that more venture capital and other funding can be attracted and more infrastructure improvements and incentives can be offered by a united organization than by any one entity.

And while they focus primarily on economic development, as Botthof points out, without water resources, a "green and clean environment," affordable housing, good healthcare and other quality-of-life elements, economic development isn't possible.

Issues '08, an annual conference held in December, brought into focus some serious, long-term challenges that go beyond today's economic slump, such as improving education and getting a grip on long-term land use, water supplies and even the ramifications of global warming. A regional approach doesn't make sense in all situations, but when it comes to ensuring that future generations enjoy at least as good a quality of life here as we do, the sooner the region unites behind a strong leader, the sooner Southwest Florida will be able to compete statewide, nationally and globally.

Since the days of its earliest pioneers seeking new opportunity and sunshine, Southwest Florida has attracted visitors from around the world.

Among this constant wave of visitors have been some of the nation's foremost business leaders and innovators simply looking to relax and unwind along the area's white sand beaches. Or fish its sparkling waters. Or tee off on one of its countless championship golf courses. Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone were on to something when they moved into the area in the early 1900s.

Today, it's not surprising that many business leaders who discovered this tropical jewel along Florida's Gulf coast as visitors now call the area home. As a result, Southwest Florida is a reservoir of tremendous intellectual and financial capital. It is estimated that more than 1,000 Fortune 500 CEOs or senior level executives live in the region.

Seeking to be active citizens, a nucleus of 50 + of these executives has joined forces to attract companies to Southwest Florida. Through their membership and networking, they assist in identifying relocation candidates and promote the region as an outstanding business destination. In addition to the intellectual resources afforded relocating companies, the organization provides access to financial capital in the form of private equity and angel funding.

With their exceptional wealth of experience in major domestic and international companies, this core of leaders is able to draw together an extraordinary executive group to assist small to mid-size companies with a collective leadership that rivals the talents of any business support organization in the country.

It is our memberships' enthusiastic commitment to leaving a legacy of sustaining Southwest Florida's quality of life for future generations, along with the enjoyment of outstanding personal networking, business opportunities and camaraderie that forms the launching point for this special opportunity for companies that relocate to this slice of paradise along Florida's Gulf coast.

Editorial: Businesses should support schools research
Naples Daily News, February 14th, 2008

Editorial: Looking for leadership
Gulfshore Business, February, 2008

Southwest Florida should create a regional identity
Fort Myers News-Press, December 17, 2007

We need to ‘incubate’ technology startups in SW Florida
Naples Daily News, May 19, 2007

Life sciences offer golden opportunity for SW Florida
Naples Daily News, April 29, 2007

SW Florida is a premier location for businesses
Naples Daily News, April 15, 2007

Editorial: Business alliance's push targets what area needs
Naples Daily News, April 14, 2007

Business alliance looking to UF to attract companies
Naples Daily News, April 11, 2007

Diversifying tax base will preserve our quality of life
Naples Daily News, March 18, 2007

Southwest Florida needs to get on the economic-regionalism bus
Naples Daily News, March 4, 2007

Economic Outlooks
Gulfshore Business, January 2007

LeHigh Technologies Raises More Than $8 Million in Second Round
May 24, 2005

Brain Trust
Gulfshore Business, March 2005

Editorial: Regional Business Alliance
Naples Daily News, November 12, 2004

CEOs form group to lure companies to area
Naples Daily News, November 10, 2004

Mr. Williams is actively involved in numerous civic, charitable and community organizations throughout South Florida and currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Community School of Naples. Mr. Williams is a graduate of Leadership Collier and was inducted into the Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida Hall of Fame.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Universities are teeming with innovations.

Visit practically any college or university campus in Florida and you will learn about a multitude of new product and new company ideas, many based upon a licensed technology.

When you talk with university technology licensing staff, you learn that many of these innovative companies do not proceed beyond the conceptual stage for two reasons: lack of management talent and lack of seed capital to develop the proposed products, in that order.

In working with the University of Florida and Florida Gulf Coast University, several members of the Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida (RBA) became aware of the need to help startups successfully commercialize their technologies in Southwest Florida.

Startups have a more significant impact on the national economy than many people recognize. The total revenue of venture capital-backed companies was 16.6 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product in 2005. As noted in related op-ed pieces in the last two months, new businesses that will provide high-wage jobs need to be fostered here. Technology-based businesses will do this while helping to diversify the economy and buffering it from volatility.

By definition, a business incubator provides assistance to startup companies to help ensure the company succeeds in the market. That assistance comes in three forms, primarily: management help through mentoring, aid in locating seed or angel funding and aid in getting established in a facility.

Many incubators are affiliated with specific universities and many are associated with a specific building where startup companies share the facilities. Many studies indicate that incubators produce higher startup success rates.

After learning that only one active technology business incubator exists on the west coast of Florida (in Tampa), RBA members investigated what starting an incubator in our area would take. We should, after all, be one of the best places in the state of Florida to do so, given the vast financial and executive resources!

The breadth and depth of intellectual capital available in our area, including that of the 60 senior-level executives that comprise the Regional Business Alliance, led to a decision to focus early efforts on lending mentoring talent/intellectual capital to enhance the management of startups. Office space can be found for small companies in the area.

Here is how the incubator would operate. A proposed or existing startup company would apply to become part of the incubator. If it meets the criteria the incubator has established, the company would join. Then the incubator would establish a team of executives that would help the business with its most critical startup functions. The composition of the team would depend upon the needs of the company, from both industry and functional viewpoints. That team would work with the company for a period of six to 24 months. Within two years, the “incubated” company would be expected to “graduate” and proceed with its business without the assistance of the incubator.

For funding, incubators are generally underwritten through government grants, loans and/or investments from various organizations and individuals. The incubator takes a small equity ownership in its developing companies and, with the passage of time, such equity interests can become significant ongoing financing sources. A complete business plan has been developed for the incubator. The current priority is financing the plan.

What next? Key organizations are already in place — the economic development councils in our counties, the Gulf Coast Venture Forum, Florida Gulf Coast University and the Regional Business Alliance — that could form the nucleus and create the necessary elements that would make our region attractive to startups. There are excellent models of cooperation with the Springboard Capital Fund in Jacksonville and the Emergent Growth Fund in Gainesville. Both of these member-managed angel investment funds are closely tied to an incubator and universities. We can make Southwest Florida a hotbed for innovative ideas and firms, much like that which occurred in Southern California half a century ago.

If you are experienced in the development of an incubator, have benefited from one as an entrepreneur or have interest in a member-managed angel investment fund, we would like to hear from you at 591-6229.

- - -

Jackie West is a retired executive from the information technology industry, most recently vice president at National Computer Systems (now part of Pearson LTD).

Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - Naples Daily News

The Regional Business Alliance hasn’t hit a home run yet. But it hopes to find a winning company in talks with the University of Florida’s Office of Technology Licensing.

At a meeting Wednesday overlooking the golf course at Kensington Country Club off Pine Ridge Road, alliance members heard about promising technologies developed by UF scientists that may one day generate successful companies that could call Southwest Florida home.

The alliance has been in discussions with the university for months, searching for a start-up company with the right fit. The group’s mission is to diversify the local economy by attracting new companies and high-wage jobs to the region.

The alliance, a who’s who of active and retired CEOs and senior executives, has seriously looked at three or four prospects presented by the university, said Dick Botthof, executive director. But the search and dialogue continue.

“One day our batting average is going to improve,” Botthof said. “We have to keep swinging for the fence.”

UF recently signed a partnership agreement with Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero to collaborate on research that could lead to new inventions and technologies locally. That could open up the door for more possibilities for promising, growth companies to locate in Southwest Florida.

UF is now one of the top research universities in the country. It brings in $500 million every year for research, and with every $2 million scientists “get to create something,” said David Day, director of the university’s Office of Technology Licensing.

“Our scientists come up with about 300 new ideas a year. Some of them stink. Some of them are really bad,” he said.

But some of the inventions are really good and the alliance is searching for one or two that could drive successful companies in Southwest Florida.

“We have an oversupply of technology,” Day said.

And there’s plenty of investor money chasing the technologies. But what’s missing are the mentors and the management needed to create the companies to produce and market them, Day said.

“We’re going to continue to conspire until we’re successful, until we get some of them here. The technologies are portable,” he told the alliance.

He gave examples of some of the more successful technologies coming out of the university. One of those technologies — a process that turns donated human tissue into bones — resulted in the creation of a public company, Regeneration Technologies Inc., which set up shop in Alachua, down the road from university. The university made about $70 million off the sale of the company’s stock, Day said. Its technology is used in orthopedic and other surgeries.

At the meeting executives from ChaoLogix Inc., another company generated by technology developed by UF scientists, made their pitch. The startup is searching for more capital to bring its product to market. The company describes its technology as a “chaotic circuit.” Using the technology, the computer chip can morph to perform different tasks as needed. It could lead to smaller chip size, as well as offering more flexibility at a cheaper price.

“This company is one that is going to change the world, that’s going to turn the world upside down,” Day said.

Company executives demonstrated how the technology works at the meeting on a laptop computer.

“It can morph as required. It does this on the fly,” said Eric Buffkin, vice president of marketing and business development.

The company is looking to raise $2.2 million from so-called angel investors, venture capitalists who provide money to startups. Louis Kessler, the company’s president, said in making a presentation to the alliance it hoped to find financial support from members. “Right now we’re not looking for a new home,” he said.

ChaoLogix might not be the home run the alliance is searching for, but the game isn’t over yet.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Collier County is truly a special place. Beautiful sandy beaches, unparalleled good weather and a multitude of cultural and entertainment venues combine to make our community a leading high-end retirement and recreational destination. We enjoy a standard of living today unlike any time in our community’s history.

To a large degree, however, we are living in a "fool’s paradise." Our residential real estate taxes are absorbing a disproportionate share of governmental expenses. The current reliance on the residential sector to support our quality of life and fund government services is simply not sustainable. We must diversify our tax base to ensure that we can maintain our current way of life now and into the future. If we do not correct this current imbalance, we will soon be faced with tough choices: raising taxes and/or reducing services.

In the vast majority of communities throughout the United States business shoulders a much higher percentage of their respective communities’ tax burden than does ours. A strong business environment is beneficial for residents as business acts as a subsidy to the residential sector. Business, while still contributing to the tax base at the same millage rate, does not require the amount of infrastructure and government services as the residential sector.

We as a community must embrace the creation of a vibrant business community that provides high-wage employment for our citizens, both present and future. This will not only diversify our tax base but will provide an opportunity for our children and grand children to remain in our community, raise their families, prosper and provide the leadership for future generations. Far too often many in our community have an almost Pavlovian negative image of economic development, equating it to strip malls, condominiums and big box store projects.

Unfortunately, this view is also shared by some in the public sector. This could not be further from the truth. Economic development is about building substance, depth, character and sustainability into our community’s fabric.

When we speak of economic development, we are referring to attracting life-science companies in bio-medical research and pharmaceutical, medical device, nanotechnology and information technology. We are talking about attracting corporate headquarters. These are the type of companies that support high-wage job growth, are environmentally compatible and would support our expanding health-care, educational and cultural institutions.

Most in our community come from areas where economic development is a defensive strategy revolving around plans to retain existing businesses and to encourage current residents and their children to remain in the area. On the contrary, we are blessed by times and circumstances that present us with outstanding opportunities.

We are in one of the fastest-growing states in our country and live in the best area of that state. We have land in the eastern part of our county that is ripe for the creation of a world-class life-science campus. Many life-science companies around the globe have either committed to or are contemplating investing in the state. We have a young and energetic population that is growing by the day. One thousand new residents arrive in Florida every day, and 44 percent are under 35 years of age. They overwhelmingly state that the reason they relocated to the state is career opportunities rather than the climate.

To reiterate, we as a community must act in our own personal self-interest. We must diversify our tax base. We must create a local economy that is sustainable. It is no longer enough to give passive support to economic development efforts; we need to actively embrace them. We also need to insist our public officials do the same, being proactive and creative in approaching the situation.

We live in an outstanding community that is experiencing unprecedented growth. Regardless of whether we like it or not, this growth will continue to occur. We need to play an active role as a community in order to answer two questions: How do we want to grow and can we create a model community along the way? I believe we can and we will. Let us all be part of that exciting journey.

Richard Botthof, a native Floridian and 40-year resident of Southwest Florida, is a retired banker. He served as First Union’s (now Wachovia) regional president for Southwest Florida until his retirement in 1999. He was twice chairman of the Economic Development Council of Collier County and is currently a member of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He also serves on the Advisory Council to the Business School at Florida Gulf Coast University. For more information on the alliance, call 591-6229.

Naples Daily News, February 14th, 2008 

Over the years we have advocated long and hard for "advanced research" at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Though we have tried to explain this means pushing science to the next level - inventing better ways to do things, patenting those breakthroughs and cashing in on the proceeds, ideally with local production and marketing - the concept remains a fuzzy, pie-in-the-sky academic notion for some.

We welcome a specific example every time one comes along. We have one from our story the other day about how FGCU is using a U.S. Department of Defense grant to combat global biological weapons.

FGCU used the $1.5 million on state-of-the-art lab equipment for a team of three staff biochemists working on detecting sinister threats from chemicals and viruses, for example, and curing the sick.

Their work would have applications among soldiers as well as civilians.

From this research, FGCU has already applied for five patents which would enable the university to participate in royalties if the breakthroughs are put to work.

The researchers are getting help with that from FGCU's College of Business.

This is the kind of academic/business activity that attracts more of the same - from the private sector as well. It leads to faculty jobs and cutting-edge opportunities for students at the undergraduate as well as graduate levels.

In sum, it comprises good, clean, sustainable, good-paying economic diversity immune from the fluctuations of tourism and development.

For a university only 10 years old, FGCU, whose main mission remains undergraduate education, is far ahead of the curve. Yet, FGCU and Southwest Florida are in competition with many other, better-established research communities. That is why it is good to see the Economic Development Council of Collier County and other business organizations starting to take advanced research seriously and making it a high priority. There is work to be done, and the results are worth it.

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Let me begin by defining the Southwest Florida region. It consists of Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties, all of which to differing degrees have their economic-development initiatives.

Regionalism in no way would diminish these efforts/organizations; rather it would strengthen these individual county groups, serving to brand Southwest Florida collectively with leveraged human and financial focus and resources, as a preferred business destination.

Multicounty economic-development organizations, which have been a basic structure in economic development for about 30 years, provide a broader and stronger leadership base to work together to plan and execute solutions to our local challenges and provide more comprehensive strategies to seize opportunities for our local communities.

Indeed, our list of challenges is lengthy and getting more so every day. Just pick one: transportation, affordable housing or taxes, as a start.

Additionally, it is essential we provide post-educational, high-wage employment opportunities to our youth so that they may work, live and raise a family here and become our future leaders. The leverage of the region, with collective resources, human and financial, is a superb value in addressing these significant issues.

Within Florida, regionalism is a household word, evidenced by The Tampa Bay Partnership, The Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission or Florida’s Great Northwest.

The list goes on.

Meanwhile in Southwest Florida we cooperate with each other from time to time and even “pool” a few advertising dollars promoting the area. But this level is a rounding error in impact. Such baby steps are woefully inadequate for today’s dynamic market forces. In other words, we’re not on the bus.

The major role for multicounty economic-development organizations in Florida and elsewhere is a more leveraged strategy around high-value business attraction. One only needs to look at the most recently announced high-value company announcements in Florida — Burnham Institute in Orlando and SRI Technologies and Merck, both in Tampa Bay. Each were, in large part, driven by regional economic-development organizations.

Multicounty-region collaborations to attract high-wage jobs are happening all over Florida.

Pursuing a regional multicounty project, that is well-funded and guided by a public/private board of directors, is absolutely essential if we are to compete on a national and state level. Without such, our current parochial approach to economic development marginalizes each of our communities’ efforts and, worse yet, renders us all bit players relying on luck in the sophisticated world of economic development.

The urgency of this initiative should not be dismissed. The tsunami of economic development is descending on Florida as evidenced by the aforementioned announcements. These are not isolated occurrences. Every day we hear of other high-wage, clean industries that are looking to relocate in Florida — and no wonder. We are soon to be the third most-populous state in the union, we are considered business-friendly and our quality of life is unparalleled. We need to be best positioned to control our destiny and share in this prosperity.

The critical benefit of business as a partial offset to the tax burdens of residents is left for discussion another day. The call to action today is for our elected leaders, and the leaders in education, social services, arts and culture, and business to reach collaboratively across jurisdictional boundaries and develop the Southwest Florida Partnership.

A current groundswell supporting this effort is gaining steam and is being led by Dr. Richard Pegnetter, acting president of Florida Gulf Coast University. He is joined by a dedicated cadre of multijurisdictional public- and private-sector individuals. It is in everybody’s self-interest to support regionalism. Let’s all get on the bus.

Jim McGraw Jr., a resident of Naples and Cincinnati, is an attorney with a background in business development, mergers and acquisitions. He is on the advisory board for executive education at Notre Dame University, his alma mater, and a director of BIO/START, a biotech incubator. He is president and CEO of KMK Consulting Co., a national economic development firm.

Greater Naples is home to an estimated 250 Fortune 500 CEOs and other high-powered executives—many of them retired, from companies such as Pillsbury, Ford Motors and Cisco Systems. Dolph von Arx knows several who live in his Port Royal neighborhood. He’s one himself.

Von Arx mentions this to illustrate a point that he and a group of colleagues are trying to make: The community is full of influential people, captains of industry, if you will; and von Arx and a few of his friends believe they’re a powerful resource that can help recruit small- and medium-sized companies to Collier County.

Von Arx and a who’s-who handful of active or retired executives are spearheading the Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida. A major goal of the private group is to enhance and diversify the local commercial tax base with new, high-paying business operations. It’s essential, von Arx says, to prevent future spikes in property taxes. Currently, residential taxes generate more than 87 percent of county revenues; the statewide average is 76 percent. “We’re so heavily reliant on taxes to cover the cost of services,” says von Arx, retired president and CEO of Planters Lifesavers, an affiliate of RJR Nabisco. He’s co-chairman of the alliance.

The group also believes that if they can bring in better-paying jobs, the community’s younger generation will return rather than be forced to live elsewhere after they’ve graduated from college, for example, and are ready to work. “The average wage in Collier County is among the lowest in the state, and the state is below the national average,” says Dick Botthof, the Alliance’s executive director and retired regional president of First Union Bank in Southwest Florida, which folded into Wachovia. “We’ve got to change that.”

To accomplish its goals, the organization will begin recruiting other CEOs to help and will establish a $100 million venture capital fund to help sweeten the pot for targeted companies. “We’ll put together a package to let them know how attractive we can be for them,” von Arx says.

The Challenges

County leaders continue to seek new businesses that would expand upon the economic mainstays—largely tourism, banking, real estate and construction. So-called clean industries, including high-tech firms, aero-technology and bio-medical, are among the types of companies that groups such as the Collier County’s Economic Development Council prefer.

The council can point to several examples of desirable companies with roots here: Arthrex, which manufactures orthopedic surgery products; Vitarich Laoratories, a neutraceutical company; Neighborhood America, a communication management firm; and ASG Software Solutions.

The EDC also is finding success in the international market. A recent trip made by members to Poland laid groundwork for conducting business with that country. There’s also the Florida Tradeport, a foreign trade zone at Immokalee Regional Airport.

But attracting firms is not always easy. Housing costs in the Naples area are among the highest in Florida, with a median home price of $430,000. That can prompt companies to look elsewhere. Then there is the matter of soaring commercial land costs and the large impact fees that greatly increase construction expenses, meaning higher real estate purchase prices or rent. “Impact fees in Collier County are twice as high as anywhere else in the state,” says Todd Gates, EDC vice president and CEO and president of Gates McVey, a Naples-based builder and developer.

Yet another challenge Collier faces is stiff competition.

with scores of cities across the state and country. Fort Myers and Cape Coral are among them. Many of those competitors offer companies financial incentives if they’ll bring their business to them.

The business alliance is confident it can augment the EDC’s efforts. “We are nothing more than a marketing extension of the EDC. They have a big job,” Botthof says. “They’re creating awareness, and they’ve done very well.”

The Plan

Botthoff, von Arx and their alliance colleagues have three goals to accomplish. They will recruit 50 local CEOs and senior executives—active and retired—to join the group by next New Year’s, will secure $100 million in venture capital and will bring two companies to Collier by Dec. 31.

Bringing together the brain trust of executives is key to the program’s success. “It’s a bunch of high-powered people getting together and focusing on an idea,” Botthof says. They’re seeking retired executives who remain active in commerce. “Active in the sense they’re still investing in companies and still serve on boards of companies and they own companies outright,” Botthof explains.

Adds von Arx: “We have a tremendous reservoir of intellectual capital here.”

Alliance members will then target other CEOs here and throughout the country and sell them on Collier County.

The goal is to convince these successful people to relocate their executive offices to Collier, along with the staff. Typically, that would involve 25 to 50 people earning at least 150 percent of the County’s average wage of $32,000 and up. Human resources, marketing, financial and operations typically make up the headquarters, von Arx says. The companies, optimally, would be generating $100 million to $500 million in annual revenues. They will be both publicly traded and private.

“Once we get all CEOs on board, we’ll create a database categorized by geography,” Botthof says. “Then we’ll go after specific companies.”

The Sell

The quality of life greater Naples offers is a top incentive. CEOs who live here full time, part time or who have visited will be familiar with the offerings. Nice weather, the beach, cultural venues and golf courses are among the amenities that are natural selling points.

At the same time, the alliance must appeal to an executive’s business sense.

“They think of us as a retirement mecca, as a resort destination. But they’ve never thought of us as a business destination,” von Arx says. “Then all of a sudden the light turns on; and they say, ‘Why not?’”

The state has no income tax, and corporate taxes run 5 percent, which is relatively low, von Arx says. For companies that have moved their manufacturing operations offshore where costs are cheaper, relocating a headquarters operation to Florida would be cost-effective. “They’ve already closed down the plant, and the visibility was in closing the plant. Moving 50 jobs is easy,” von Arx says. “It’s happening all over.”

The region also boasts Interstate 75, great health care, Florida Gulf Coast University and several other higher education institutions, Southwest Florida International Airport and Naples Municipal Airport. “We have the infrastructure,” von Arx says.

The alliance will have some money to show, as well. Plans are to create a $100 million venture capital fund that might provide assistance to certain new companies that have patents pending, for example. “Not companies that are in early stages of biotech or developing drugs that are just concepts,” von Arx says.

Roughly 40 percent of the fund will go to help Southwest Florida companies, 25 percent will go to businesses in the Southeastern United States with the remainder to be spread across the United States.

“One of the reasons we did not seek public money is we wanted to remain a private organization so we can stay under the radar screen,” he says. “We want to spend most of the initial work in locating and analyzing opportunities and then making initial offers to companies prior to going public.” That will help avoid counteroffers by the competition, he hopes.

Greater Naples Area Chamber of Commerce President Michael Reagan predicts the Regional Business Alliance will succeed because of the people involved. “It makes a lot of sense, and it fits in with the character of Naples,” Reagan says. He believes the cultural and social qualities of the Naples area nurture the sort of “creative class” discussed by author and researcher Richard Florida in his works. Artists, engineers, scientists and other professionals who create ideas for a living will congregate in the area because of its quality of life.

And when the companies come, Gates and his colleagues will be ready. “Once they physically bring them to Collier County,” Gates says, “then they can be turned over to the EDC. I think what the alliance is doing is extremely commendable.”

The Regional Business Alliance Board

Executive director: Dick Botthof, retired regional president of First Union Bank in Southwest Florida (now Wachovia).

Co-chairman: Dolph von Arx, retired president and CEO of Planters Lifesavers, an affiliate of RJR Nabisco.

Co-chairman: Paul Marinelli, CEO of Barron Collier Companies.

Secretary/treasurer: Jim Lozelle, retired executive vice president of Tower Automotive.

Board of directors: Arthur L. Allen, CEO of ASG Software Solutions; Dick Censits, retired CFO of Campbell Soup Co. and former chairman and CEO of MedQuist; Scott Lutgert, chairman and CEO of the Lutgert Companies; Tom Monaghan, former CEO of Domino’s Pizza and founder of Ave Maria University; and Jerry J. Williams, CEO of Orion Bank.

Phil Borchmann

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

They have "fire in the belly" to make a difference in Collier County. They hope to do so by providing capital to start-up companies and by luring more corporate headquarters here to create more high-paying jobs.

Retired and active chief executives officers and senior business executives have banded together to create The Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida Inc. The nonprofit organization will use the talents and experience of its members to attract businesses to the region. Its vision is for Southwest Florida to become the "small and mid-sized company headquarters of the South by 2015."

The alliance shares its mission with the Collier County Economic Development Council, which has a public-private partnership with the Collier County Commission to diversify the economy, create high-wage jobs and promote capital growth.

But that shouldn't be taken to mean the EDC isn't doing the best job possible with the resources it has available, said Dick Botthof, the new group's executive director.

In a fact sheet about the alliance, organizers say the EDC lacks the funding and staff to "mount a successful effort." They feel there has only been minimal success in attracting businesses to Southwest Florida that offer higher-paying jobs.

"The fact remains that we have an average salary in Collier County that is $30,000, which is one of the lowest in the state and far below the national average," Botthof said. "Everybody talks about our median income. We have a very high median income because that takes into account transfer payments, which are interest dividends and pension."

The alliance plans to create a $100 million venture capital fund that can be used to help start new companies in Southwest Florida. Members would also act as mentors to entrepreneurs relocating their young companies to the community.

The regional business alliance is an outgrowth of the EDC's Chairmen's Circle, which brought local business leaders together several years ago to evaluate the EDC's success and come up with a plan for improvement. The council was created when Botthof served as EDC's chairman about seven years ago.

"We are essentially a support organization to the Economic Development Council," he said of the alliance. "All we are here to do is support their efforts and help them recruit companies. Whereas the EDC is big-picture focused, we are targeting specific companies that are identified by our members."

Botthof wouldn't name any companies the alliance plans to target. He said the group will do its work quietly, honoring the privacy of the businesses that its members talk to. Often, companies want to keep talks confidential until they make a final decision about where to locate.

The alliance will go after the same types of businesses as the EDC. Among the EDC's targets: biomedical, manufacturing and aviation companies.

"We have identified some (companies)," Botthof said. "But you've got to crawl before you walk." The alliance hopes to have recruited at least two companies by Dec. 31, 2005, that pay an average wage of about $45,000.

Tammie Nemecek, the EDC's executive director, welcomes the new group.

"It's a marketing arm for the EDC," she said. "That's really what this organization is."

She said it's the opportunity to take the EDC's efforts to the next level.

"We are putting more tools in our toolbox," Nemecek said. "I think for many years we've been all talking about this untapped resource with the retired CEOs that we have here. So this is our opportunity to provide an outlet for them to be engaged in our local economy."

The alliance makes a lot of sense in Southwest Florida because it's known to have more retired CEOs than almost anywhere in the world, Nemecek said.

"There is a tremendous amount of intellectual capital in this community and all we are attempting to do is to harness that capital to help make this a better place to live," Botthof said.

The alliance's venture capital fund could become one of the most important tools for growing new businesses in the region, Nemecek said.

"One of the things we lack in the state of Florida is venture capital," she said. "Venture capital is a very sought after type of funding just because it's very difficult to get traditional bank financing when you are in a (research and development) phase and you may not have a patented product."

The venture capital could help turn the research coming out of local colleges and universities, including Florida Gulf Coast and Ave Maria, into private businesses that can develop innovative products, Nemecek said. She said it's time that Collier County become more like California's Silicon Valley, long known as a center for technological innovation.

Alliance organizers believe it's critical to attract more new businesses to Collier County for many reasons.

They point out that 87 percent of the property tax revenues Collier County collects comes from residential property. That compares to a state average of 73 percent, and if growth continues as it has in Southwest Florida, Collier County's percentage could grow to 90 by 2010.

Collier County's cost to service individuals is $1.15 for every $1 it collects. That compares to 75 cents per $1 for businesses.

Alliance organizers say the tax scales must become more balanced to maintain the quality of life that residents enjoy today.

And if more companies locate here it will provide better employment opportunities for this and future generations, they say.

"The problem is we can't provide a platform for the young people that have grown up here and been educated here to come home after college and prosper and raise their families and be the future of this community," Botthof said.

About a dozen retired and active executives have committed themselves to the alliance. There are hopes to attract many more.

By 2006, the group expects to have recruited 50 local chief executive officers and senior business executives as members.

The alliance's co-chairmen are Dolph von Arx, chairman of NCH Healthcare System, and Paul Marinelli, president and CEO of Barron Collier Cos. in Naples. Jim Lozelle, the former executive vice president of Tower Automotive in Milwaukee, serves as treasurer.

Other board members are Scott Lutgert, chairman and chief executive officer of The Lutgert Cos. in Naples; Jerry Williams, CEO and president of Naples-based Orion Bancorp; Arthur Allen, president and CEO of Allen Systems Group Inc.; Tom Monaghan, creator of Ave Maria University and founder of Domino's Pizza; and Dick Censits, a former chief financial officer for Campbell Soup Co.

There's a good balance between retired and active professionals, said Botthof, the former regional president for First Union who spent close to 40 years as an executive in the banking industry.

"That was the whole idea," he said. "The active guys, they are going to rely on us retired guys to do the heavy lifting."

Some of the alliance members are the same business leaders who helped build competitive communities up North before they moved here to retire.

The alliance has set its initial budget at $300,000 annually, which includes a small staff. Most of that money will come from active executives on the alliance and organizers.

The alliance will also charge membership dues of $1,000 a year to help support itself.

An inaugural meeting is planned for this week. Anyone interested in joining the alliance should call Dick Botthof at 595-0788.

With nearly 40 years of experience in the software industry, Arthur L. Allen forged ASG from a small entrepreneurship into a $200 million a year business.

Arthur L. Allen's career began when the field of modern computer programming was still in its infancy. A native of Dayton, Ohio, USA, Allen graduated from Dayton Junior College with a data processing degree in 1965. Soon after, in 1966, Allen enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. He served during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged as a corporal in 1968.

That same year he joined Frigidaire, then a division of General Motors Corporation (GM), as a senior systems analyst. He held this position until 1971, when he joined another division of GM, Chevrolet, again as a senior systems analyst.

In 1972, Allen ventured into software sales with Cutler-Williams, Inc., a solutions-oriented software services firm and one of the earliest operators in the IT services industry. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, the company was founded by two executives from IBM. Here, Allen began marketing "The Executor," a product designed to increase computer processing power and throughput capacity, thus greatly improving mainframe efficiency. The Executor proved to be an effective solution for many clients and a lucrative product for Cutler-Williams. Some clients, however, required only one component of the solution. Allen's team focused on expanding that component, and then leased it to clients rather than selling it. Allen's team maintained control of the product while significantly increasing its functionality and the revenues it generated.

Based on the successful initiatives he implemented with The Executor and two other solutions, Allen founded Allen Services Corporation in 1976. Five years later, in 1981, he sold the company for $18 million to CGA Computer Associates of New Jersey. Allen "retired" to Naples, FL, USA.

However, Allen stayed connected to the IT software and services industry, and he began marketing a performance monitoring product called "ShopMon" (which became the basis of ASG-Pre-Alert®). ShopMon and another product (now known as ASG-FastAccess®) inspired him to launch Allen Systems Group (ASG) in 1986.

Allen and ASG are committed to the community, supporting charitable outreach and community sponsorship initiatives. Allen, a father of two, also travels around the globe throughout the year to secure partnerships and meet personally with ASG clients.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Progress depends on good ideas. Progress depends equally or more so on follow-through.

A volunteer group of retired captains of industry, known as the Southwest Florida Regional Business Alliance, is following through on its mission to diversify our economy beyond agriculture, tourism and traditional development. They aim for something less intense, more sustainable and better paying. One of the most promising options on the business alliance radar is advanced research and how “reinvented science” can make the leap to the private sector for production, marketing and sales.

The list of would-be winners goes on and on: investors; scientists, their students and other assistants; employees; our tax base, and even our families, who would be able to stick together longer due to good job opportunities closer to home.

Ideally, a university would be in the mix and profit from inventions’ royalties.

Aiming high, the business alliance is consulting with one of the giants in the field — the University of Florida. UF research and development officials came to Naples the other day to brief the alliance on what’s being done, the potential and even scout for some specific venture capital for ideas already out there.

This is very exciting. It is consistent with long-range goals for research at the comparatively fledgling Florida Gulf Coast University.

The alliance’s pursuit in general and the meeting with the UF officials in particular ought to get the community’s creative and entrepreneurial juices flowing.

Rather than resent the idea that FGCU can be more than an undergraduate hub, the alliance is embracing it.

Any and all efforts in this direction are to be applauded. As we have said before, they are the stuff of legacies.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

The United States will face unprecedented growth in the number of older Americans as the baby boomers age and people live longer. This, in turn, will create more pressure on the nation’s health-care system, because the cost of treating older adults is three to five times greater than the cost for those under 65.

As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that unless something is done, changing demographics will result in a 25 percent increase in health-care costs by 2030. These trends will have an even greater impact on Florida, which has proportionately more 65-year-olds than any other state and which today spends more on health care and human services than it does on education.

To meet these challenges, the health-care industry needs to press for greater efficiencies and capitalize on the vast array of emerging life-science technologies. Fortunately, Southwest Florida has a strong foundation upon which to build.

Hospital Management Associates (HMA), which is headquartered in Naples, operates 18 hospitals in the state of Florida and 61 hospitals nationwide, including a recently opened 100-bed hospital in East Naples. The NCH Healthcare System has the largest in-patient facilities in Collier County with 615 beds in two locations and a level of technology rarely found in community hospitals this size. To the north, the largest provider in Lee County is Lee Memorial Health System, which operates five acute-care hospitals and two specialty hospitals with nearly 1,600 beds.

The community also is fortunate to have outstanding organizations that provide outpatient care to the less fortunate. The Neighborhood Health Clinic serves the working poor with no state or federal support, relying instead entirely on donations and volunteers. Community support is also building for Collier Health Services, a federally qualified health center, which treats over 20,000 migrant workers, operates the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile and handles over 190,000 patient visits a year.

There’s also a new spirit of cooperation. Earlier this month, NCH donated property in Immokalee worth $4.5 million to Florida State University. Thanks to the generosity of Isabel Collier Reed and other donors, as well as subsidies from the state, the existing building will be renovated and a chair of pediatric medicine will be endowed so that third- and fourth-year med students from FSU will be able to train at a pediatric facility managed by Collier Health Services. This truly is a life-changing accomplishment for Immokalee’s children.

This same spirit of cooperation is needed to bring innovative life-science companies to Southwest Florida. Other Florida communities have long recognized this need. In the 1980s, H. Lee Moffitt convinced the state to support the creation of the cancer research institute bearing his name in Tampa, which has become one of the nation’s leaders in cancer research.

And the beat goes on. Four years ago, the California-based Scripps Research Institute obtained a $310 million commitment from the Florida Legislature and as much as $200 million in additional support from Palm Beach County to build a biomedical science center in Jupiter.

More recently, The Burnham Institute decided to build a major biomedical research facility in Orlando, thanks to a support package of over $300 million provided by the state, county, city, two universities and the philanthropic community. Last year, the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies also received a $90 million support package to build a state-of-the-art facility in Port St. Lucie. As a result of these initiatives, Florida is quickly becoming a life-science mecca that will be far more attractive to smaller biotech companies and tomorrow’s pioneers in medicine.

When it comes to this kind of innovation, Southwest Florida is behind the curve. To meet the daunting challenges facing the health-care industry, public and private support is needed to attract a constellation of companies focusing on areas that will reshape the future of medicine — areas like nanotechnology, imaging, proteomics, genomics and robotics, to name a few.

The Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida consists of 60 business and professional leaders who are dedicated to strengthening and diversifying our economy. A major effort is under way to find life-science companies and, where necessary, build the support necessary to bring them to our area. Success will bring tremendous synergies, making it easier, for example, to attract the brightest young doctors.

With public and private support, these efforts can become win-win propositions for the community, bringing better health care and a much better economy for Southwest Florida.

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Ned Stedem is a retired Ford Motor Co. executive who has served on several health-care boards, including the NCH Healthcare System, where he currently serves as chairman of the Finance Committee. He also works with Collier Health Services and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. For more information on the alliance, call 591-6229.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Southwest Florida has matured. No longer is it a cluster of quiet fishing villages. In fact, it is time for it to be recognized as a top location for business. The region’s unmatched quality of life and its exceptional civic, cultural, educational and health-care resources, combined with favorable business conditions, create one of the leading business environments in the country. And businesses are noticing these advantages.

Our demographics are different than most people realize. Seventy-five percent of Collier County’s population is younger than 65 years of age, with a median age of 44.1 years. In addition, the region’s average household income and educational levels are above state and national averages. The region has one of the strongest economies in the state, with one of the lowest unemployment rates, highest rate of job creation and an average wage that has climbed by 20 percent in recent years.

Our tax picture is bright. The state of Florida has one of the most competitive tax structures in the country. With no personal income tax, we can attract top employees to the area from high-tax regions. The state corporate income tax of 5.5 percent is one of the lowest in the country and the county-level millage rates are comparable to most other regions nationwide. Further, there is no state property tax, no inventory tax and no corporate franchise tax levied on stock. Plus the state and counties offer a range of financial incentives to new businesses wanting to locate in the area.

A pro-business, pro-technology agenda is assured in the state due to ongoing communication between legislators and business sector associations, including BioFlorida, ITFlorida and the Florida Space Authority. Florida’s local, county and state governments have also made many of the most vital business functions easily accessible online.

Business growth has begun. According to the Milken Institute, an independent economic think tank, the Naples-Marco Island area was ranked third on the Best Performing Cities Index for 2005. The index ranked the top 379 U.S. metropolitan areas based on their economic performance while measuring job, wage, salary and technology growth.

Naples/Collier County ranked first for both its percentage of job growth and percentage of salary growth over the prior five years. Between 1999 and 2004, the area added about 27,000 jobs and wages grew by about $1.73 billion. From 2003 to 2004, the Naples area gained nearly 6,000 jobs and wages increased by about $442 million.

Over the past decade, the region has been one of the top five fastest-growing areas in the country. Admittedly, this growth has slowed in the last two years as the housing market statewide has cooled down from the frenetic pace of 2004 and 2005. Economic projections, however, show that this rapid growth in population and available work force is expected to continue unabated. By 2030, the current population of Collier County (315,000) is expected to double.

Education has boomed in Southwest Florida in the last 10 years. Collier County’s public schools now serve 43,000 students in 44 schools. Florida Gulf Coast University, opened in 1997, serves over 7,000 students with undergraduate enrollment expected to double over the next five years. It comprises five colleges and is in the process of adding an engineering school, a music school and executive programs.

Ave Maria University opened its temporary campus in Collier County in 2004 and is moving to its permanent campus in eastern Collier County this year, where it will grow to a 5,000-student body within the framework of the new town of Ave Maria. The Ave Maria Law School recently announced plans to move to the county as well.

Edison College now serves 10,500 students on four campuses. International College, founded in 1990, now has 1,800 students.

Land costs in rural Collier County and other non-coastal areas remain reasonable. This is where most of the growth in the region can be expected to take place over the next decade. Our region is serviced by an international airport with room to expand (one of only two in Florida that can make that claim). Additionally, four smaller airports in Collier County provide access to diverse areas of the county.

With top-notch resources in a wide range of support facilities and an educated work force, Southwest Florida will continue to grow and attract businesses that recognize our favorable business climate complements the unparalleled weather and lifestyle.

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Dolph von Arx is vice chairman of The Conservancy of Southwest Florida and serves on the board of the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation and Northern Trust, NA, Southeast Region. He previously served as chairman of NCH Healthcare System.

Gulfshore Ventures Leads Second Round Funding

Naples, Florida ‚ May 24, 2005 ‚ Lehigh Technologies, LLC, a leading manufacturer of high quality industrial polymers, announced today that it has raised more than $8 million in a second round of private venture funding. Gulfshore Ventures, an affiliate of Florida Gulfshore Capital, led the round with participation from management, existing investors and other private investors. As a result of the funding, the Company will relocate its headquarters from New York to Naples.

Lehigh's advanced polymers enhance the value proposition and in many cases improve the performance characteristics of tires, tire products, extruded and molded rubber goods, paints, coatings, sealants, plastics and other industrial goods. The Company's PolyDyne™ and PolyFlow™ lines of ultra-fine rubber powders offer significant cost advantages over natural and synthetic rubber. The costs of these other rubber inputs have more than tripled since 2001, due in large part to a surge in demand from China and today's higher price of oil.

Funding to Address Pent-Up Demand
"We have several Fortune 500 companies eager for our product," said Dennis J. Gormley, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lehigh, "they know they can realize significant benefits by incorporating our products, including cost savings and product enhancements." Gormley, who also serves on the board of directors of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, stated that Lehigh's first facility would be located in Atlanta and would begin shipping product in the fourth quarter of this year. "Depending on their size, our customers can save millions of dollars to their bottom line," added Gormley.

Leveraging the Area's Executive Talent
Richard Molloy, managing partner of Gulfshore Ventures, will join the Company's board of directors. "We're impressed with both the market opportunity and the strong team that Lehigh has assembled," said Molloy. "Members of the management team and the board bring significant industry experience as well as strong relationships with the largest industrial purchasers of polymers. The Company is a great example of our investment model, which builds upon the operating expertise of Southwest Florida's rich executive community."

About Lehigh Technologies, LLC
Lehigh Technologies, LLC manufactures and distributes high quality industrial polymers that enhance the value proposition and in many cases improve the performance characteristics of many types of industrial goods. The Company is headquartered in Naples, Florida. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.lehightechnologies.com.

About Florida Gulfshore Capital, LLC
Florida Gulfshore Capital, LLC is a private equity investment firm focused on growth stage companies. It combines the investment expertise of its partners with the rich operating experience of successful business executives in Southwest Florida. Florida Gulfshore Capital has a strategic partnership with the Regional Business Alliance of Southwest Florida. For more information, please visit the firm's website at www.gulfshorecap.com.