March 9, 2009

VOLUSIA COUNTY HOME TO TOP COLLEGES – According to Florida Trend magazine, Volusia County is home to three of the top 10 independent colleges and universities in Florida by total enrollment. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is No. 5, Stetson University ranks No. 7, and Bethune-Cookman University is ninth.

VALUE STREAM MAPPING – Value Stream Mapping is a systematic and visual tool used to evaluate the administrative and production activities needed to produce a product or service. Daytona State College, in partnership with the Volusia Manufacturers Association and the Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership, is providing a hands on simulation workshop to teach participants how to identify “value added activities” and separate them from waste, redundancies and delays in their processes. This four-hour workshop will be at Daytona State College’s Flagler/Palm Coast campus from 8 a.m. - noon Friday, March 27. Register online at www.floridamep.org/events.html or contact Jayne Fifer at (386) 673-0505 or jayne.fifer@vmaonline.com

ZERO GROWTH – State forecasters project that for the first time since the state began making population estimates nearly 60 years ago, Florida's population growth has come to a standstill. The state is expected to have about the same population – 18.8 million – in April of this year as it did in April 2008. That marks one of the most radical demographic changes in state history. Florida is still attracting newcomers. About 213,000 people are expected to move here in the coming year, the Legislature's demographers say. Those newcomers are offset by people who are leaving the state or are no longer counted. Economists believe aging baby boomers will start coming back to Florida once their financial investments recover and the housing market takes an upswing.

SBA MICRO LOAN PROGRAM – The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides an increased level of funding for SBA Microloans, a program that provides very small loans to start-up, newly established, or growing small business concerns. Loan terms vary and the maximum loan amount is $35. For more information, contact the Central Florida Community Development Corp. in Daytona Beach at (386) 258-7520 or in DeLand at (386) 740-0808, or visit the web site at www.cfcdc.com.

EXPORTS INCREASE – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration recently released the 2007 value of exports for Volusia County as $272,982,451. This represents an increase of $5,421,621, or 2 percent, in exports since 2006.

SPOTLIGHT ON EXCELLENCE – Nominations are being accepted for the 2009 Governor’s Business Diversification Awards program. During the 26th annual Industry Appreciation Week in September, Gov. Charlie Crist will present awards for business expansion, entrepreneurship, innovation, newcomer and green-to-gold (green leadership). Volusia County companies in the aviation/aerospace, homeland security/defense, life sciences, information technology, marine industries, manufacturing, education/training, and alternative energy fields are encouraged to apply. Companies that wish to be nominated by the Volusia County Department of Economic Development can contact Paul Mitchell, Business Assistance, at (386) 248-8048. Self-nominating companies can visit www.eflorida.com/govawards for more information. Good luck, Volusia!

SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE – Curious about the availability of small employer health insurance plans in Volusia County? The State Office of Insurance Regulation provides a Small Employer Health Insurance Search at https://apps.fldfs.com/sercs. Select "Search Small Employer Rates – Find insurance plans and rates for your company."  You'll also find a "Frequently Asked Questions" button on the same page.

NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron, Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us.