Chamber Corner 10/16/08

I’m writing this report while I’m in Orlando, Florida, where I just attended the annual meeting of the Florida Chamber of Commerce to participate in a Forum discussing the Future of Florida. This Forum on the Future of Florida could not have come at a better time considering the worldwide economic crisis unfolding around us.
Led by Susan Story, the president of Gulf Power and outgoing Chairman of the Board of the Florida Chamber, the forum featured presentations by some of the top experts in the state in the areas of business, economics, politics, education, and government.
The program began with an assessment of the current state of Florida’s economy and a discussion about the implications the national and global financial crisis will have on Florida. While there was plenty of bad news to go around, just as there is across the nation and around the globe, there was also a strong sense of hope and opportunity.
Dr. Tony Villamil, President of The Washington Economics Group, and Dean of the School of Business at St. Thomas University, pointed out that while we are experiencing an extremely severe global business cycle downturn, Florida’s Fundamentals are still in place! People still want to live in Florida and the fundamental demand for Florida will grow – even if there is a dramatic slow down in the near term as people pause to let the wild uncertainty in the markets settle down a bit. When the housing and credit crisis stabilizes, people – particularly affluent baby boomers – will resume their migration to Florida.
When we look past current conditions, start to focus on the future, and plan for the next 20 years, we see a clear basis for hope, opportunity, and long term optimism. 1) Florida still has sunshine, warmth, and a high quality of life, and 2) Florida is still expected to add 10 million more people over the next 20 years.
To make sure Florida – and by extension, Jackson County – prepares and plans for the future while working through the current crisis, the Florida Chamber has developed a model for helping us build a future where Florida will exert Global Market Leadership, have Vibrant Communities, and enjoy abundance and Prosperity.
This model is built on a foundation of Six Pillars of Thought. The 6 Pillars, or areas for action, that support our shared vision of Global market Leadership, Vibrant Communities, and Prosperity are: 1) Quality of Life, 2) Governance, 3) Business Climate, 4) Infrastructure, 5) Innovation, and 6) Talent.
Each one of these 6 Pillars, or areas for action, has specific meanings, specific measurements, and specific goals. We don’t have space in today’s article to discuss each of them and what they mean for you, so we’ll deal with them in future articles.
At the conclusion of this Forum on the Future of Florida, as summarized by Forum moderator Susan Story, there was a clear consensus that hope and opportunity are more than just a feeling or a "sense of the moment". They are Central Beliefs that Sustain Us during times of trouble, and motivate us to work together for the future we want to create for ourselves and our children.
Coming back to the present, I’ll close with a reminder about the October 30th Art Auction and Wine Tasting to benefit the Russ House Endowment. There are a limited number of tickets available, so call the chamber today to reserve your spot at this exciting event.