OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF Business FLORIDA 2019 Opportunity. GUIDE• Florida's Top Assets p. 10 • Regional Round-Ups p. 38 • Points of Contact p. 79 What is big? With more than 67,000 students, the University of Central Florida is one of the biggest universities in the nation. Big is U.S. News & World Report ranking 25 UCF graduate programs in the top 100 of their fields. It’s being named one of the “Most Innovative Schools” in the country — and the only one in Florida. And it’s being recognized among the top 20 best online programs in the nation. But being big goes beyond our size, statistics and accolades. It’s in our classrooms and labs, from cyber security to the performing arts. It’s in our students and professors, who come from around the U.S. and all over the world. Learn more at ucf.edu. What is big? With more than 67,000 students, the University of Central Florida is one of the biggest universities in the nation. Big is U.S. News & World Report ranking 25 UCF graduate programs in the top 100 of their fields. It’s being named one of the “Most Innovative Schools” in the country — and the only one in Florida. And it’s being recognized among the top 20 best online programs in the nation. But being big goes beyond our size, statistics and accolades. It’s in our classrooms and labs, from cyber security to the performing arts. It’s in our students and professors, who come from around the U.S. and all over the world. Learn more at ucf.edu. Table of Contents Business 2019 FLORIDA OPPORTUNITY GUIDE FLORIDA Publisher ANDREW P. CORTY An Official Welcome Deputy Publisher DAVID G. DENOR Associate Publisher JANICE G. SHARP 6 Gov. Rick Scott and Florida’s economic development leaders share how they are working to create the number one place for families and businesses to succeed. EDITORIAL & DESIGN Editor JANET WARE Design Director ANNE MEYER Florida’s Top Assets A Florida Trend Designer MARY ANN UPHAM WILL 10 Choose Florida NOW Special Report p.23 Researcher LESLIE VASBINDER Florida Trend’s Contributors JOHN ANNUNZIATA, AMY MARTINEZ, 12 Join the Best MIKE VOGEL Research Copy Editor TIM MEYER 14 Supporting Growth FLORIDA ADMINISTRATION 16 Driving Success From the ocean depths to space flight simulation, cutting-edge research is Business Manager KRISTIE STRADER underway throughout the state. Staff Accountant JENNY SHEA 18 Trading Up IHMC expands its research 20 Training for Excellence and presence in Pensacola. PRODUCTION Over his long career, Ken Ford has amassed a raft of accolades in the world of science. An expert in the field of Director of Production JILL SOUTH artificial intelligence, he won NASA’s highest honor after heading its scientific advisory board. A member of several scientific societies, he’s a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, from which he’s won two prestigious awards. 22 Living Large He holds two patents, belongs to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame and was in the inaugural class of the National Acad- emy of Inventors. He’s served on boards that advised the na- tion’s military on science and intelligence-gathering. Over the course of his career, Ford has brought in $25 million in federal DISTRIBUTION R&D money, written or edited seven books and authored or photo: Matthew Coughlin photo: Matthew co-authored hundreds of articles in scientific journals. Ken Ford co-founded an institute that made Not least, he co-founded the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition, a highly regarded research outfit that its name in artificial intelligence, robotics and Audience Development Director KAREN TYSON engineering. put Pensacola on the research map nationally and has helped revive the city’s downtown. Regional Round-Ups Print/Fulfillment Supervisor CONNIE GREENBLATT www.BusinessFlorida.com BUSINESS FLORIDA | 2019 23 Customer Relations MARSHA ALMODOVAR 38 Dynamic Sites Florida Map and Regional Statistics ADVERTISING Senior Market Directors 40 East Central Cocoa · Daytona Beach · Kissimmee Melbourne · Orlando · Sanford · Titusville Central, Northeast & East Central Florida LAURA ARMSTRONG Southeast 46 North Central Alachua · Cedar Key · Gainesville · Jasper Florida ANDREEA REDIS-COSTE Lake City · Live Oak · Ocala Tampa Bay & Northwest Florida CHRISTINE KING 51 Northwest Destin · Fort Walton Beach · Panama City Advertising Coordinator RANA BECKER Pensacola · Port St. Joe · Tallahassee WEBSITE 54 Tampa Bay Bradenton · Clearwater · Lakeland · North Port Digital Manager JOYCE EDMONDSON Sarasota · St. Petersburg · Tampa · Winter Haven Digital Publishing Specialist ROBB LEE 61 Northeast Fernandina Beach · Jacksonville · Palatka PUBLISHED BY TREND MAGAZINES INC. Ponte Vedra · St. Augustine Chairman PAUL TASH President ANDREW P. CORTY 66 Southeast Boca Raton · Fort Lauderdale · Hollywood · Jupiter Key West · Miami · Port St. Lucie · Stuart · Vero Beach · West Palm Beach Secretary KRISTIE STRADER Treasurer ANDREW P. CORTY Arcadia · Clewiston · LaBelle · Lake Placid 74 South Central Okeechobee · Sebring · Wauchula © Copyright 2018 Trend Magazines Inc. All rights Cape Coral · Estero · Fort Myers · Naples · Punta Gorda reserved. Business Florida is published in partnership 76 Southwest with Enterprise Florida Inc. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the information herein. However, Trend Magazines and Enterprise Florida are not respon- sible for any errors or omissions that might occur. Also, Points of Contact advertising material and information is the responsibility of the individual advertisers and appearance in Business Florida does not necessarily reflect endorsement of the Largest Public and Private Companies product or service by the publisher or Enterprise Florida; 79 Business Leaders nor are the publisher and/or Enterprise Florida responsible Business Incubators, Venture Capital Firms, for the contents of the individual advertisements. Repro- 80 Assistance & Funding duction in whole or in part of any text, photography or illustration without written permission from the publisher Florida SBDC Network Regional Offices is strictly prohibited. 83 Economic Developers Florida Trend Custom Publishing Division 490 First Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL USA 33701 Phone +1 727 821-5800 2 BUSINESS FLORIDA | 2019 www.BusinessFlorida.com WITH 15 DEEPWATER PORTS, INCLUDING A SUPER POST-PANAMAX PORT, FLORIDA WILL OPEN UP A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR YOUR BUSINESS. Success today requires global access. And no other state can expand your reach like Florida. We offer one of the most extensive multi-modal transportation systems in the world, and are home to one in fi ve U.S. exporters. Because when your business can be everywhere, there’s no limit to how far you can take it. Discover what a future in Florida means for your business at fl oridathefutureishere.com/markets or call 877-YES-FLORIDA. WITH 15 DEEPWATER PORTS, INCLUDING A SUPER POST-PANAMAX PORT, FLORIDA WILL OPEN UP A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR YOUR BUSINESS. Success today requires global access. And no other state can expand your reach like Florida. We offer one of the most extensive multi-modal transportation systems in the world, and are home to one in fi ve U.S. exporters. Because when your business can be everywhere, there’s no limit to how far you can take it. Discover what a future in Florida means for your business at fl oridathefutureishere.com/markets or call 877-YES-FLORIDA. Florida’s Booming Economy Has Real Momentum Governor Rick Scott I am proud of Florida’s amazing turnaround story, and we “Our playbook Chairman, will never stop fighting so every Floridian can get a great job, Enterprise Florida of cutting taxes put their children in world-class schools and live in safe by more than communities. When I became Governor in 2011, Florida’s economy was in terrible shape. Florida families lost more than $10 billion and 800,000 jobs, and by December 2010, state debt and unemployment eliminating had skyrocketed. Today, Florida’s economy is booming and has become the 17th largest thousands of economy in the world. Since December 2010, Florida’s private sector has created nearly 1.6 million jobs, with more than 88,000 new businesses burdensome opening in the past seven years. We’ve paid down more than $10 billion regulations has in state debt, and Florida serves as a model for the nation’s economy. Our playbook of cutting taxes by more than $10 billion and eliminating created real thousands of burdensome regulations has created real momentum in momentum in Florida. Nearly 80 percent of Florida businesses don’t pay business taxes, which means companies can invest more in creating new job Florida.” opportunities. ~Florida Governor Working with the Florida Legislature, we established the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to provide funding for public infrastructure and Rick Scott workforce training projects across the state. These targeted investments pay huge dividends for local economies. By focusing on return on investment, we have ensured that Florida’s economy can continue to grow. As Florida’s economy keeps booming for Floridians and bringing thousands of families to Florida, the entire country is taking note. I’ll never stop fighting to make sure Florida is the best place for families to succeed. PHOTO COURTESY JON M. FLETCHER PHOTO COURTESY JON M. FLETCHER 6 BUSINESS FLORIDA | 2019 www.BusinessFlorida.com OUR ENERGY EXPERTS CAN HELP YOU BECOME AN EXPERT, TOO. FPL smart tools and a free Business Energy Evaluation can help your business save up to $500 a year. Schedule your evaluation today at FPL.com/BizEasyToSave. Helping Businesses Find Success Florida’s economy continues to expand and diversify thanks to our state’s low taxes and common sense regulation championed by Gov. Rick Scott and the state legislature. Those policies, coupled with Florida’s highly-skilled workforce, expansive infrastructure and global access, mean business leaders find everything they need to exceed expectations in the Sunshine State.