Florida Trend: The Job Multiplier – Manufacturing Companies Bring High-Wage Jobs to North Port.

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In late 2010, cousins Ethan and Jonathan Adams realized that their family’s company, Adams Group, a manufacturer and installer of interior architectural casework, had outgrown its space in Punta Gorda, Fla. After seeing an ad for the City of North Port, they contacted the city’s economic development division to learn more.

“They expected to create 102 new jobs over the next three to five years at wages well above the local average,” recalls Allan Lane, economic development manager for the City of North Port “we had the space that they were looking for, and they didn’t need to move far.”

Since moving the company to North Port in January 2011, the Adams brothers have hired 17 local residents.

“We needed a highly-skilled workforce base, and North Port offered that, plus a great location,” says Jonathan Adams.

The ad that attracted Adams Group was no accident, says Jim Blucher, North Port city commission chair and member of the city’s Business and Economic Development Advisory Board. This public private advisory board supported the city’s aggressive marketing campaign to attract manufacturing companies.

“We targeted the manufacturing sector because it provides higher wage jobs for our residents,” Blucher explains. “Since then, we have been proactive in promoting our business incentives, including economic development grants, tax exemptions, impact fee reduction, and fast track permitting and plan review processes.” In order to benefit from the incentives, companies must agree to hire 30 to 80 percent of their new employees from North Port.

Jeff King of King Plastic says he chose North Port due to the availability and cost of land, the city’s proximity to his employee base and the lower cost of living. “A purpose-built facility in North Port has improved our work and process flow and allowed us to improve efficiencies.”

The city is home to a University of South Florida instructional site and is close to the State College of Florida Venice campus. North Port has affordable housing and a new Sarasota Memorial North Port Emergency Room &: Health Care Center.

Matt Uebelacker, president and owner of Busy Bee Cabinets calls relocating to North Port “one of the best decisions I’ve made.”

“The North Port Park of Commerce is less than a mile from l-75. The central location is 90 miles south of Tampa and 90 miles north of Naples,” Uebelacker says. “North Port is continually growing with new roads, schools, parks and public safety buildings.”

Location was everything for Kevin Harris of Hot Sauce Harry’s, a company that sells customized bottled sauces as marketing tools.

“Since we moved to North Port, we’ve saved money in shipping costs because we’re closer to our U.S. Southeast customers,” Harris says.

Jamie Lovern of Lola Blue Living fell in love with the peacefulness of North Port and its low cost of living.

“The city’s Entrepreneurial Academy has taught me everything I need to know about running my business,” Lovern says. “The city hosts monthly ‘Lunch and Learn’ business workshops for entrepreneurs and has a Small Business Revolving Loan Guarantee Fund to help new companies nourish.”

Barbara Rescigno of Atlantic Teleconnect agrees: “Our company has enjoyed doing business in North Port for a variety of reasons, but the number one reason is the people and their concern for developing this city into a great place to not only live but to work.”

For more Information call 1-8NORTHPORT or visit www.CityofNorthPort.com

–Ashley Cisneros
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Ashley Cisneros is a co-founder of Chatter Buzz Media, an Orlando Internet marketing firm that helps companies and organizations engage with their target markets through inbound marketing via the Internet. Chatter Buzz Media, which won the Social Madness competition for the Orlando small business market, is a full-service digital marketing firm specializing in website design, search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing and content creation. Prior to founding Chatter Buzz, Ashley worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, technical writer, marketing manager, public relations practitioner and freelance journalist. To see Ashley’s content writing, visit www.ashleycisneros.com. You can also reach Ashley on her Google profile.

By | 2011-07-22T01:42:00+00:00 July 22nd, 2011|Categories: Blog, Samples|Tags: , |0 Comments

About the Author:

Ashley Cisneros Mejia is a journalist, entrepreneur and marketer. She began her career as a newspaper reporter and later as an editor at Florida Trend business magazine. Ashley has worked as a professional freelance writer since 2009, as a technical writer, marketing manager, and public relations practitioner. She also founded two digital marketing agencies in Orlando. Named one of Orlando’s 40 Under 40 and honored by the Women’s Executive Council of Orlando for achievements in media and communications, Ashley earned a B.S. in Journalism and an M.S. in Entrepreneurship at the University of Florida.

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