bay biz - july-september 2011

July 2011

248 POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE: “A Review of the Chamber Legislative Agenda after Session”

10 FEATURE: “Eastern Shipbuilding Group continues Bay County’s long standing tradition of shipbuilding. ”

14 EDUCATION: “Gulf Coast State College: The Community’s College Expands Its Mission”

16 TRENDS: “QR Codes – A New Advertising Experience”

18 Bay Young Professionals to Know

20 BEST PRACTICES FOR BUSINESS:“DON’T CUT PERKS; share their cost”

July-September 2011 | BAY BIZ 3

10

148

3222 ECONOMIC PROFILE: EDA Insights

24 Bay County Waste-to-Energy Facility

28 THE BIZ LIST

32 DEFENSE INTEL: ARINC Engineering Services

34 Small Business of the Quarter

35 OUT & ABOUT

36 NEW MEMBERS

37 MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES

39 CHAMBER EVENTS CALENDAR

Bay Biz Magazinec/o Bay County Chamber of Commerce

235 W. 5th Street - P.O. Box 1850

Panama City, Florida 32402

Phone: 850.785.5206

Email: [email protected]

Online: www.panamacity.org

Facebook: Bay County Chamber

Twitter: @baychamberfl

The Bay Biz is published quarterly by the Bay County Chamber ofCommerce. P.O. Box 1850, Panama City, FL 32402. 850.785.5206

POSTMASTER send address changes to Bay County Chamber, P.O. Box1850, Panama City, FL 32402 or email [email protected].

The Bay Biz welcomes story ideas from its readers. Email [email protected]. Each Chamber Member receives one copy. Torequest additional copies please contact [email protected] orcall 850.215.3755.

PUBLISHERCarol Roberts

EXECUTIVE EDITORCrystal Shuller

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

DESIGNBellhouse Publishing

COVEREastern Shipbuilding - vessel launch of Harvey Supporter

COVERFeature Photographer - Tim Allen

cover & Eastern shipbuilding photos www.timallenphotography.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSDept. of Defense, Crystal Shuller, Chris Thomes

and Florida Architects,Inc.

ADVERTISINGKevin Bell

1.800.264.4958 - [email protected]

Lisa BarnesDr. Jim KerleyJennifer ConoleyTanya DealPat Holley

Valerie LovettShirley Courson

Rich MusgraveElizabeth SmithCrystal Shuller

DON’T BE BLUE THIS CHRISTMAS......book your holiday entertainment today!

Gulf Talent Services offers an array of talent for both corporate and

private events.BandsDJ’S

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Christmas Sing-A-Long Performers

850-747-0903FL License– TA-625

4 BAY BIZ | July-September 2011

where we recognize the local media for

their dedication to reporting not only the

Bay County Chamber information

accurately, but also for community news

and information that affects the growth

and development of Bay County.

Another event in the works is a new one

for the Chamber and the area. Be on the

look out for our first Local First Responders

Appreciation luncheon to be held

September 8th, where we will be

recognizing all of our local hero’s.

Sponsorships are available and more

information is available on our website.

You can find more events on our

chamber calendar page inside or on our

website at www.panamacity.org.

Please note that the deadline for our

Leadership Bay applications is July 29th.

This is a great way for a leader within your

business to gain relationships and develop

knowledge about the community from the

program that will in turn help your business

succeed. Please visit the Chamber website

for an application and more information.

The Chamber has many plans for the

future, which will help to promote Bay

County and its citizens. With your

continued support and effort, all of our

goals can be reached and tomorrow can be

as bright as we envision.

Thank you for helping us make Bay

County a better place to LIVE, WORK &

PLAY!

Because of your support and dedication,

we are making goals become a reality. In

turn, we are also making Bay County a

better place to live, work and play.

I would like to take this time to thank

you as individuals and committees for your

continuous help. When we work together

as a team, the possibilities are endless.

With the strong leadership of

Congressman Steve Southerland and

Senator Bill Nelson, along with Brian

D’Isernia and his team, Eastern Shipbuilding,

one of the largest local employers in our

area, secured a multi-million dollar project

that will bring 300 new direct jobs and

over 400 indirect jobs to Bay County. With

this great news for our area, we found it

only fitting to highlight the story in this

BayBiz edition. You can find a detailed

article and photos of the shipyard taken by

our local photographer, Tim Allen, on the

cover and inside. Also, there is an important

article in our “Political Profile” section with

the conclusion of the legislative session

and an update on our agenda items. Be sure

to read through all of our sections for

highlights on members, community

organizations and business resources.

A congratulations is in order to the

Airport Authority for a successful one year

anniversary event held on May 23rd. Only

one year later and the new airport has

already shown to be a staple in boosting

our local economy. I’d also like to take this

opportunity to welcome the new Airport

Authority Executive Director, John Wheat

to our community. He will be a great

edition to our area in making the airport an

even larger success.

In Chamber news, we are very pleased

to announce new innovative tools to help

our members. We will be launching our

brand new user-friendly re-designed

website www.panamacity.org designed by

ARINC soon. You can stay in the loop on

community news as well as have a place

to find business resources. The Chamber

also recently launched its new “My

Chamber App” for all smart phones. Be

sure to download it and find our member

information and Chamber events at your

fingertips anywhere on the go!

The Chamber is hosting several events

this quarter. For the companies looking for

new ways to market your business, be sure

to attend the annual Public Relations

Training Seminar “Marketing 2.0: New Tools

of the Trade”. This seminar will be held at

FSU-PC Holley Center on Thursday, July

28th, thanks to our sponsors FSU-Panama

City and Neves Media. This event will

explore innovative thinking on how to

navigate the rapidly changing world of

marketing - offering tools, tips and tricks to

make it more efficient and successful for

your business.

On that same day at FSU-Panama City,

we will also host our annual “Media

Appreciation Luncheon” sponsored by

Newks Express Cafe & FSU Panama City,

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President’s Message

The first half of this year has come and gone and it’s been a successfulone for the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and its members.

Political Perspective:A Review of the Chamber Legislative Agenda after Session

In the early morning hours of May 7th, the 2011 Florida Legislative session

came to a close. Legislators filed over 2100 bills with thousands of amendments

during this session. From those filed, over 230 bills were actually passed. Much

of the new legislation is business and economic development friendly.

Every year the Chamber conducts a survey of our membership to determine

what they feel should be included in our annual legislative agenda.

Our survey elicited over 900 responses, which indicates the interest of our

members in what is happening in all areas of our government and in particular

how it relates to the business community. There were six issues that were of the

most concern. These six issues were addressed in our 2011 Legislative Agenda.

The six were: Transportation (SR 79 corridor & SR 390 widening), Numeric Nutrient

Criteria, Septic Tank Inspections, Consolidation/Elimination/Streamlining State

Departments/Agencies, Florida Reef Fish Endorsement, and on the federal level,

the repeal of IRS 1099 reporting that was included in the healthcare bill.

In an effort to keep our membership informed, here is a short review of our

six legislative items and how they progressed, regressed or stayed the same so

far this year.

Transportation: Specifically SR 79 Corridor to I-10 and the widening of SR

390 from 23rd Street to Baldwin Road. The SR 79 project had previously been

partially funded and there still is no funding for the SR 390 project. These two

projects will need to be monitored to keep abreast of actions by the Department

of Transportation.

Written by: Pat Holley, Bay County Chamber Governmental Affairs

Numeric Nutrient Criteria: The Chamber had

asked the state to continue to petition the federal

government to repeal the EPA’s stringent

mandates. Even though the House and the Senate

proposed water quality legislation that would

prohibit local governments from implementing

these costly numeric nutrient standards and would

aid the state in its legal challenge against the

federal government, the bill failed in the Senate.

Monitoring of the legal actions by the state and

addressing again in the next session will be the

plan of action as of now.

Septic Tank Inspections: Before the beginning

of the session this year, it appeared to all that a

repeal of the 2010 bill mandating costly septic

tank inspections would more than likely be

enacted. The House passed the repeal legislation,

sponsored by Representative Marti Coley, but the

Senate resisted and did not move on this repeal bill.

Because of the need to halt the implementation

of this mandate taking effect on July 1st, a provision

was placed in the budget bill that would

The Florida Capitol, both old and newAndrew Levy, Valerie Lovett, Brian Baumgardner, Rep. Jimmy Patronis, Bo Rivard,

Carol Roberts & Crystal Shuller meet at the capitol during the legislative session.


essentially extend the moratorium enacted in the special session

in November. It requires the Department of Health to do a study

to determine the costs of implementing this law and submit

results to the legislature for approval.

This move should give us time to push for repealing and/or

replacing the 2010 bill in the next session. Northwest Florida

delegates have agreed that they would continue to fight for this

repeal.

Consolidation/Elimination/Streamlining of State

Departments/Agencies: The legislature passed bills that it

hoped would streamline economic development processes. The

Department of Community Affairs will be eliminated, their various

responsibilities transferred to other agencies. A new Department

of Economic Opportunity will be created. Legislation will shift

review and regulations for development from state oversight to

local governments (with the repeal of the 1985 Growth

Management Act). The consolidation of public/private

partnerships is also included.

Florida Reef Fish Endorsement: Because recreational angling in

Florida is a major industry, the Chamber has been encouraging the

legislature and Governor Scott to become more involved in the

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s (FWC) data collection so

that more accurate and fairer regulations can benefit recreational

anglers. At the present time, no legislation has been proposed,

the fishing industry is hoping for a pilot program that will show

researchers the true harvest data for anglers who are reef fishing.

This is an ongoing issue and will be monitored by the Chamber.

Healthcare Bill provision addressing IRS 1099 reporting: It is

with much relief for the business community that the U.S.

Congress listened to their constituents and passed legislation to

repeal this onerous and costly provision in the Patient Protection

and Affordable Care Bill. The President signed this bill in March.

Thus far, this year, has been a contentious one as far as

legislation, both on the state and federal levels. On the state

level the business community is pleased with how many of the

bills passed were intended to assist in lowering costs to businesses

and making economic development a priority.

During the 2011 Florida Legislative session bills were enacted

that would benefit our businesses, our economic development

efforts and the Panhandle. As you can see, we were not as

successful in some areas but the Chamber is poised to continue

to address our concerns.

There was successful legislation passed, one that will benefit

eight Northwest Florida counties recovering from the Deep Water

Horizon Oil Spill, The corporate tax cuts for approximately half

of Florida’s smallest corporations, Growth Management

legislation will streamline the permitting process reducing the cap

on commercial property taxes and the Jobs Florida bill. All of

which benefit the business community in some way.

Panama City Site527 Airport Road

Panama City, FL 32405

A future of opportunities

850-747-0634 | [email protected] | troy.edu

Call Today!

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Eastern Shipbuilding Groupcontinues Bay County’slong standing tradition ofshipbuilding.

Between 1942 and 1945, Wainwright Shipyards in Panama

City produced 108 vessels contributing to the success of

the Allies in World War II. Eastern began building vessels in

Bay County in 1977 at the Nelson St. facility and now

operates two shipyards in Bay County with 700+ employees.

Eastern has built more than 300 vessels at its two shipyards,

and as a testament to the quality of work performed at

Eastern, over 95% of these vessels are still working.

Of course one of the most famous vessels built by

Eastern is no longer working. The F/V Miss Penny, renamed

the Andrea Gail, was lost at sea in 1991. Eastern also built

the sister ships to the Andrea Gail, the F/V Hannah Boden

and the F/V Lady Grace. The Lady Grace stood in for the

Andrea Gail in the movie “The Perfect Storm”. The Hannah

Boden is back to long line swordfishing with Capt. Linda

Greenlaw at the helm.

Eastern has built many other notable vessels. Recently,

they completed two fireboats for the New York City Fire

Department to replace the aging vessels called into service

during the 9/11 emergency. The fireboat contract was a

competitive bid with many other shipyards in competition

and Eastern was selected. Also, Eastern is completing

construction on the Grand Manan ferry for the Canadian

Department of Transportation. This was also a highly

competitive contract. Eastern’s vessels have won many industry awards

and the shipyard is recognized internationally as a quality shipbuilder.

The latest good news for Eastern was the facilitation of a U.S.

Maritime Administration loan guarantee for their Brazilian customer. This

loan guarantee will allow Eastern to build five 292’ platform supply

vessels for Boldini/Brasbunker. This contract will bring 300 new jobs to

Eastern, and will take 3 years to complete. MARAD Administrator David

Matsuda said, “This signing demonstrates that America’s shipbuilders can

be competitive in international markets.” U.S. Transportation Secretary

Ray LaHood echoed Mr. Matsuda adding, “This project means good jobs

for Panama City today and a stronger economic future for our country.”

An economic study, commissioned by Eastern indicated that the

shipyard contributes $361,000,000 to the 6-county regional economy

through direct and induced impact with its current contracts. An

estimated 2,700 jobs for area residents result directly or indirectly with

the existing obligations. The addition of the Boldini contract will

continued on page 12


Mr. Matsuda signs contract that will

provide 300 new jobs for Bay County

A shipfitter working on the CNC plasma cutting machine

generate further significant quantifiable and positive economic

impacts in the northwest Florida region.

The most important benefit of this loan guarantee is that it

results in the infusion of foreign capital into the domestic

economy. This $250,000,000 contract will decrease the current

United States trade deficit. Foreign capital will be used to purchase

American goods and services needed to construct these vessels,

train workers and provide reinvestment resources for American

companies.

The company provides training and competitive wages to skilled

crafts people and entry-level personnel in the shipbuilding

industry. Even in this lean economy, there is still a crucial shortage

of welders, pipefitters and other high-demand workers, which will

only continue to worsen in the near future as many current crafts

people reach retirement age. Eastern trains workers in skilled

crafts, which are valuable to the energy industry as well as the

new green technologies.

Eastern also participates in its community. Northwest Florida

Blood Services conducts two blood drives annually at the two

shipyards and the Spring 2011 drive brought in the highest donation

rate in Bay County with 176 pints from 600 employees. The

company also provided Captain Anderson dinner cruises for the

25 military couples who participated in the Reunion Retreat for

redeployers from Tyndall Air Force Base.

Another community contribution Eastern has made is the

refurbishing of the Governor Stone. The Governor Stone is a

National Historic Landmark. She was a cargo freighter built in

Mississippi in 1877. Justin Smith, a project manager from Eastern

has been making stern repairs to the vessel, currently docked at

St. Andrews Marina. From community participation and steadily

seeking out projects to increase job availability, Eastern

Shipbuilding Group works hard to help Bay County grow.

“The most important benefit of this loanguarantee is that it results in the infusion offoreign capital into the domestic economy.”

The new welding panel line.

Brian D’Isernia - President

Harvey supporter vessel before launch

vessel christening

Mohandas Gandhi once said, “You must

be the change you wish to see in the

world.” That philosophy rings true not only

for successful people, but also for

successful organizations. Businesses that

cannot change and adapt will shrink and

ultimately, wither and die. Institutions of

higher education are no different and that

includes Gulf Coast State College. The

recent name change from “Community

College” to “State College” is a reflection

of the many positive changes occurring

throughout the school and this region of

the state. As president, I was extremely

pleased with the tremendous input we

received from students, faculty, staff and

the stakeholders who live in the

communities we serve. A new chapter is

beginning for our institution, and with help

Active support and documented needs

assessments from area business and

industry was critical to the successful

planning and launch of the program.

Another key to the success of the

bachelor’s degree is due to the College’s

ongoing commitment to offer courses in

online and hybrid formats, giving students

the flexibility to continue their education

while working full-time. Dr. George Bishop,

Vice President of Academic Affairs &

Learning Support, has commented that “we

were able to create this program using

existing College strengths and resources so

that our technology and business students

would have a viable bachelor’s option

without leaving the area.”

One of the benefits of offering the 4-

year degree is that it bears the same

from the citizens of Bay, Gulf and Franklin

counties, we will keep pushing this college

forward to even greater achievements as

we enrich and improve the lives of our

students and the entire community.

Of all the changes that have taken place

in 2011, the introduction of the

baccalaureate degree program expands the

current mission of the College. In

development for two years, the new

bachelor’s degree in Technology

Management is designed to give students

the knowledge and skills to become

managers and leaders in technology-

related industries. The degree was seen by

local industry and engineering firms as a

needed step for their employees to

advance into management roles within

teams of engineers and other technicians.

Written by: Jim Kerley, Ph.D.

GULF COAST STATE COLLEGE:education:The Community’s College Expands Its Mission


affordable, accessible and flexible high-quality

education as Gulf Coast’s associate degrees and

certificate programs. In fact, Florida statutes

explicitly state that colleges offering baccalaureate

degrees must remain steadfast in their commitment

to the core mission of serving their communities.

The expansion of the College’s mission

acknowledges the need to bridge the gap between

education and the local workforce needs.

Expanding the mission is fiscally sound, too. By

collaborating with FSU Panama City, Troy University

and the University of West Florida, taxpayers are

assured of maximizing resources. In fact, one of the

Technology Management courses will be taught by

an FSU PC professor. Even more evidence of the

strong partnership between GCSC and FSU PC can

be found in the enhanced 2 + 2 “Connect” joint

program which offers seamless advising and a

smooth transition for students transferring

between the schools. The cost savings of a state

college offering the first two years and a university

offering the second two years has not been lost on

local and state legislators, and serves as a model

of collaboration during these lean economic times.

Gulf Coast State College also takes its role seriously as a full partner in

regional economic development efforts. One of the most

technologically-advanced learning facilities in the country

is starting to take shape along the northeastern

edge of the main campus. The Advanced

Technology Center (ATC) will be a state-of-the-

art training and education facility which

addresses emerging workforce needs of the

technology, engineering, alternative energy

industries, IT, entrepreneurship, business and industrial

training and a focus on emerging technologies.

The College’s new programs and ATC are consistent with regional economic

development efforts to attract companies developing and deploying alternative

and renewable energy solutions. The ATC will provide a flexible environment to

help educate a new high-tech workforce with the anticipation of attracting new

industry with high-paying jobs. We can bring in industry, but if we don’t have

the workforce in place, it won’t work. Our new Advanced Technology Center is

a transformative facility which will promote job creation and economic

development.

The three-story building, containing more than 80,000 square feet of space,

will be Gulf Coast’s largest and most complex building when completed in

August 2012. The LEED certified building will be home to educational

opportunities in renewable energies, alternative energies, sustainable building

design, architecture and engineering, information science, computer integrated

manufacturing, e-Learning and culinary arts careers. I recently named Dr. Steve

Dunnivant as ATC Interim Dean, whose role is to serve the community and region

in accelerating economic development by continually adapting services and

resources designed to connect entrepreneurs, businesses, industry, academia and

government. Dunnivant has remarked that “This premier facility will be the tipping

point of the region, harnessing the intellectual capital of the brightest minds in

business and academia to create a truly synergistic system grounded in innovation

and the formation of knowledge and technology clusters.”

The future looks bright indeed for Gulf Coast State College to create and

innovate while contributing to the academic pursuits of the leaders of tomorrow

and preparing a global workforce.


What is it?

The QR code is a specific two-dimensional code (OR matrix bar

code) readable by dedicated QR barcode reader apps and smart-

phone cameras. The code consists of black modules arranged in a

square pattern on a white background. By scanning the codes, you

can access images, websites and text. By creating the codes, you

can produce your own messages.

QR codes are not new. They have been around since 1994

when they were created in Japan as a means to track inventory.

The QR is the abbreviation for Quick Response, as the creator in-

tended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high

speed. Because scanning requires less effort than typing a URL, the

QR has become the most popular two-dimensional bar code used

worldwide.

Trends: The QR Code:A New Advertising Experience

Written by: Tanya Deal, Panhandle Educators Federal Credit

Union & Bay County Chamber PR Committee MemberPick up a popular magazine and look for this little black &

white “squiggly square” about the size of a postage stamp embed-

ded within the advertising. You will quickly find the QR code

showing up on ads ranging from cosmetics & blue jeans to up-

coming movies to financial solutions and many products in be-

tween. You can even find it on billboards, posters, grocery store

items and gardening plants.

Why is it So Visible Now?

Trend predictors have been forecasting the acceptance of the

QR code in the U.S. for quite some time but finally their predic-

tions have come true as the sales of smartphones have dramati-

cally risen in the past year. Marketers see our culture embracing

the QR code due to the overall popularity of mobility and the

fact that the QR code takes little effort for both the advertiser

and the consumer. Also, the consumer is in control of whether

or not they want the information available by accessing it. Busi-

nesses can use these codes to provide exclusive offers, guide pur-

chases, and gather consumer information.

Marketers see our culture embracing the QR code due to theoverall popularity of mobility and the fact that the QR codetakes little effort for both the advertiser and the consumer.


How Do You Use It?

First, you need to download a QR scanning application for your

smartphone. When you come across a QR code of interest, open

your scanning app and use your smartphone’s camera to focus

the QR code on your screen. The app will recognize the code

and automatically open the image, video or link in your phone’s

browser. You will need an internet connection to access from this

point.

You can then access the coupon code offered, watch a video,

find the link to purchase the product you want or view more op-

tions from the advertiser.

There are many websites online to create your own QR code

for free with easy instructions. The only effort is figuring out what

you want to market with it and being sure to include it in your

marketing plan.

Ready to give it a try? Download a QR Code reader

from your phones app store and scan our code on the

page to the left and don’t forget to look through this

edition for our advertisers who also use QR Codes!


Many young professionals are enthusiastic about area business and communityopportunities and are ready to get involved as new leaders. Bay YoungProfessionals (BYP) was formed by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce tospecifically address the needs of this target age group, 21-41, to enrich ourcommunity by uniting, developing and retaining our future leaders.

If you are interested in becoming part of the Bay Young Professionals (BYP) group,contact Elizabeth Smith at 850.215.3761 or [email protected].

Bay Young Professionals

Brian Leebrick grew up in Melbourne, Florida, a town

a lot like Panama City. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University

of Florida, he dove into UF Law School, where he graduated in 1999 and

earned an invitation to the Order of the Coif. Despite his academic

achievements, he says that his smartest decision in college was to marry

Candace, with whom he has three adorable girls.

After graduation, he headed to Panama City with his J.D. in hand to join

the firm of Barron & Redding to work with clients in need of representation

in business matters, real estate, estate planning and probate administration.

While at Barron Redding he has enjoyed working with a wide range of

local individuals and businesses on everything from drafting complex real

estate development plans to representing clients in courtrooms. His

clients include banks, property owners, local businesses, and homeowner

associations. He is involved in the Florida Bar’s Real Property, Probate, and

Trust Law Section, serving as a Circuit Representative for the 14th Judicial

Circuit of Florida. He serves as Chairman of the Bay County Law Library

Board for Bay County, providing specialized reference materials for

attorneys and pro se litigants.

Brian is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Bay, and is currently serving as a

member of that organization’s steering committee. His Leadership Bay class

created the Bay Young Professionals program. “We saw a need for an

organization that brought together young professionals from Bay County

and gave them opportunities to get to know each other and learn more

about the community. It has been gratifying to see how the organization

has succeeded.”

He is actively involved in the life of Holy Nativity Episcopal Church as

Chancellor and Senior Warden for the church vestry. Brian enjoys

geocaching and travel with his family in his spare time.

Brian says he is excited about the opportunity for growth in Bay County.

“Bay County has so much going for it—its people, its location, its business

leadership. I look forward to being a part of that future.”


Michelle Lacewell was born in New Orleans,

but has lived most of her life in Northwest Florida. Following graduation

from Mosley High School in 1999, Michelle attended the University of

West Florida in Pensacola where she received her Bachelor of Arts in

Public Relations. While working for the Bay County Chamber of

Commerce as the Vice President of Communication, she went back to

school and earned her Master of Arts in Corporate and Public

Communications from Florida State University PC.

Since 2008 Michelle has been the Mar keting Director for The Resort

Collec tion of Panama City. She is re sponsible for mar keting the proper -

ties managed by the Resort Collection, to include-Edgewater Beach &

Golf Resort, Majestic Beach Resort, Grand Panama Beach Re sort, Emerald

Beach Resort, Long Beach Resort, EnSoliel, Hombre Golf Club and

Edgewater Beach Realty. Michelle also serves as an Adjunct Instructor

for Gulf Coast State College for the E-Marketing and Public Speaking

courses.

Michelle is active in the community as a member of the Bay Young

Professionals Steering Committee, member of the Bay County Chamber

Board of Directors, member of the Jr. Service League of Panama City,

member of the Panama City Chapter of the American Advertising Fed -

eration and the Northwest Florida Coast Chapter of the Florida Public

Relations Association.

In her free time, Michelle enjoys spending time in the Florida sun

whether on the water or on the sand and spending time with family and

friends. Michelle is engaged to Jason Hutchins who is a Lieutenant in the

United States Navy.

uppose your company needs to trim the costs of employee

perks, yet you don’t want to further demoralize valuable

staffers already confronted with a shrinking list of options.

If you’re in this predicament, one alternative is to ask employees

to contribute toward the perks they use.

There is likely no other cost within a business that is of more

concern than the cost of employee healthcare. Although

companies with more than 50 employees have some negotiating

flexibility in healthcare premium costs, firms with 50 or fewer

employees are faced with fixed premiums.

In the past, companies sometimes paid in full the employee’s

insurance cost although most now use some type of cost sharing,

such as the employer paying a

certain percentage of the overall

premium. In this approach, the

business and the employee are

subject to premium increases

imposed by the insurer.

One way to begin to control

the company’s cost is to introduce

Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

paired with a high deductible plan.

In addition the employer would move from paying a percentage

of premiums to a fixed dollar employer contribution. With

healthcare premium costs increasing 15-30% annually, offering a

fixed dollar contribution allows the firm to better budget since

the costs are constant. Firms may choose to either maintain the

fixed dollar contribution over several years or include some level

of increase each year (e.g. 10%) in their fixed portion.

beSt practiceS for buSineSSdon’t cut perks; share their cost

written by: Rich Musgrave, IIB Accredited Executive Associate

In one example, a company offers each employee a fixed

monthly healthcare benefit amount of $400. The monthly cost

for a traditional plan with $1,500 calendar year deductible is $369.

In this choice, the company pays the full premium and contributes

the remaining $31 into the employee’s HSA. The HSA funds may

be used by the employee to pay for out of pocket costs for any

Qualified Medical Expense (QME). Unlike previous Flex accounts

that were a “use or lose,” HSA balances can be carried over from

year to year.

To insure employee satisfaction, one should offer a range of

insurance options. Should the employee choose a plan with a

lower deductible ($1,000), the monthly premium is $480. The

company pays $400 and the

employee pays the difference, or $80.

An even lower deductible plan ($500)

is available for a monthly cost of $520.

The company continues to pay $400

while the employee now pays the

$120 difference.

There are a few Chamber member

firms that are successfully utilizing this

type of approach while also

incorporating some company-sponsored Wellness Programs. In

the southeast region, almost 1/3 of 1800 surveyed firms offer

HSA type plans.

If your organization hasn’t tried cost-sharing before, note that

advance communication and employee involvement are crucial.

Before requiring contributions, your company needs to explain the

need for doing so.

S


Introducing the area’s only Pediatric ER.

It’s important to remember that children aren’t little adults, and that their bodies and injuries require specializedattention and care.

You’d do anything for your children.So why not make the right choice in health care?

Her fi rst word. Her fi rst step. Are you ready for her fi rst emergency?

The Area’s Shortest Average ER Wait Times

449 W. 23RD STREETPANAMA CITY, FLORIDA 32405

EMERGENCY PEDIATRICS AGES 0 UP TO 18

The Area’s Shortest Average ER Wait Times

AGES 0 UP TO 18


ECONOMIC PROFILE

For the first time in history, the Bay

County Board of Commissioners passed

an economic incentive plan as an

attraction tool for high-impact, diverse

industries with quality jobs looking to

locate or expand to an area with a

favorable business climate.

The Bay County Economic Partnership is

a comprehensive, flexible, performance-

based plan that acts as an inducement

for companies that bring high-skill, high-

wage jobs into Bay County. This

incentive is in addition to Bay County’s

property tax abatement program and

other various incentives offered by the

State of Florida .

To be considered for the economic

incentive, the applicant must meet

certain criteria established by the Bay

County Board of Commissioners in

partnership with the EDA. They have

the final authority to approve or deny

any applications for the incentive.

inSiGHtSinside Bay County’s

Economic Development

Efforts

Bay County Population: 168,852 Median Age: 40Labor Force: 89,030 Average Wage: $32,626Households: 74,585 Household Income: $47,505Per Capita Income: $29,357

de

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ics

BAY COUNTY FLORIDA

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bay county sales tax collections GROSS SALES TAXABLE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS Apr 11 $518,814,626 $286,917,706 $17,514,594 Mar 11 $427,106,776 $206,598,110 $13,241,526 Feb 11 $357,378,807 $181,641,327 $11,511,206

Apr 10 $539,464,597 $272,226,854 $16,634,460 Mar 10 $415,336,233 $193,714,514 $12,515,528 Feb 10 $371,470,256 $175,444,291 $10,839,354

current labor statistics for bay county LABOR FORCE EMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED RATE

May 11 91,161 82,636 8,525 9.4% Apr 11 91,002 82,469 8,533 9.4% Mar 11 91,328 82,124 9,204 10.1% May 10 91,568 83,172 8,396 9.2% Apr 10 89,489 81,277 8,212 9.2% Mar 10 91,070 81,576 9,494 10.4%

real estate salesEXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

REALTOR SALES MEDIAN PRICE REALTOR SALES MEDIUM PRICE

May 11 133 $140,800 17,228 $135,500 Apr 11 121 $132,100 17,192 $131,700 Mar 11 132 $124,000 18,522 $126,300 May 10 70 $142,900 11,890 $131,300 Apr 10 71 $158,900 10,465 $130,900 Mar 10 94 $165,700 14,923 $139,800

EXISTING CONDOMINIUMS

May 11 98 $176,600 8,338 $98,200 Apr 11 94 $144,000 8,987 $91,900 Mar 11 83 $178,900 9,703 $84,300 May 10 53 $138,600 6,779 $98,700 Apr 10 65 $187,100 7,291 $103,600 Mar 10 53 $198,900 7,148 $96,900

bay county building permits RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL May 11 9 2 Apr 11 8 4 Mar 11 12 8 May 10 16 5 Apr 10 20 1 Mar 10 13 2


The company must meet the following

criteria:l It must operate in a target industry

sector designated by the EDA or

State of Florida .

l It must create at least 150 new,

full-time, permanent Bay County

jobs paying an annual average wage

that is at least 115 percent of Bay

County ’s average annual wage.

l It must make a cumulative capital

investment within Bay County over

the life of the project that is

greater than the amount awarded

through the incentive program.

l The company’s share of sales or

revenues of products or services

derived from outside of the region

must exceed 50 percent.

We commend the Bay County

Commissioners for their leadership in

taking such a meaningful step in making

our community more business-friendly.

We would also like to give special

thanks to the county’s administrative

team for working diligently to create a

viable plan and seeing it to fruition.

M a r k Yo u r C a l e n d a r s

The EDA will host another Economic

Development 101 Session on July 20th to

provide an overview of the economic

development process and available job

creation incentive programs. Also, each

year Florida takes one week in

September to honor businesses and

industries throughout the state. To

celebrate locally, the EDA will host its

2nd Annual Celebration of Industry

Excellence Awards Luncheon on

September 23rd. Be sure to check our

website for updates and applications for

the Community Impact Award. For

additional information on any of these

events, please call the EDA at 215.9965

or visit www.BayEDA.com.

JULY - SEPTEMBER

bay county bed tax collections PANAMA CITY BEACH MEXICO BEACH Apr 11 $1,216,652.89 $29,819.29 Apr 10 $992,335.01 $28,722.97 % Change 22.61% 3.82%

Mar 1 $1,482,498.95 $28,809.11 Mar 10 $1,539,121.49 $25,307.84 % Change -3.68% 13.83%

Feb 11 $483,178.62 $15,304.65 Feb 10 $442,790.64 $15,393.16 % Change 9.12% -0.57%

northwest florida beaches international airport passenger traffic TOTAL PASSENGERS COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS Apr 11 74,058 1,430 Mar 11 79,195 1,502 Feb 11 54,916 1,245 Apr 10 28,852 919 Mar 10 31,192 1,009 Feb 10 21,120 843


national, state & local unemployment rate - January 1990 - May 2011

The Bay County Waste-to-Energy facility creates from our

everyday garbage enough electricity to power 4,000 homes, while

reducing the refuse that goes into our landfill 90 percent by

volume and up to 60 percent by weight.

But as of June, Bay County is taking recycling at the incinerator

a step further.

Metals, that would otherwise be part of the ash that goes to

the landfill, are being removed and sold for reuse.

It’s a venture that is expected to pay for itself in less than two

years and provide an estimated $500,000 per year in additional

revenue for the county thereafter.

“We take the garbage and burn it and sell the electricity that

process generates,” Bay County Commissioner Mike Nelson said,

“and now we sell the metals. If that’s not recycling, then I don’t

know what is.”

The latest improvement at the facility is one of many initiated

in recent years.

It wasn’t so long ago, however, that the incinerator’s future

was even grimmer than its long history as a drain on taxpayers’

money.

“A combination of complicated past financing decisions and

environmental laws, coupled with a convoluted management

contract that two accountants and a fleet of Philadelphia lawyers

couldn’t understand, had gotten us to that point,” Nelson said.

Building on the incinerator began in 1984 with a $60 million

bond issue, and operations started in 1987. Since its construction

it has been sold and bought back, refinanced and subsidized by a

tipping fee and sales tax, all the while continuing to lose money

and ultimately costing taxpayers well over $100 million.

In 2007, the Bay County Commission faced a difficult choice.

They could either continue to run the plant under the egregious

terms of the contract with operator Montenay Bay, LLC, thus

paying out millions in contractually obligated bonuses and fees,

or cut taxpayers’ losses and shut down the facility while they

explored other options.

Nelson, who had been assigned by the board to tackle the

incinerator issue, said he had tried to hammer out a deal with

Montenay, to no avail.

“We had been losing millions of dollars,” he said, “but after

about the third or fourth meeting with Montenay, it kept coming

back to the same thing – we were still going to be losing money.”

There’s no need to separate paper or plastic to recycle in Bay County – it’s as easy as taking out the trash.

Bay County Waste-to-Energy Facility

written by Valerie Lovett, Bay County Public Information Officer

Control Room operator Jeff Barker monitors the combustors at the Bay

County Waste-to-Energy facilityThe new metals recycler will separate metals

from the ash that goes to the landfill and will

then be sold at a profit to benefit the County


Enter Engen, LLC, sister company of local manufacturing

company Merrick Industries, owned by the Tannehill family.

In fall 2007, Joe Tannehill, Sr. and his son, Joe Tannehill, Jr., and

the county commission struck a deal to operate the facility that,

going forward, would provide complete financial and operational

transparency.

It was turnabout from the county’s contract with Montenay

that had provided no means for identifying the incinerator’s true

costs or auditing the revenues collected there.

The Tannehill’s were familiar with the plant and its personnel.

Merrick did the work in a federally-mandated retrofit of the facility

in 2005.

Joe Tannehill Jr. said that when his company took a closer look

at the plant in 2007, they saw much room for improvement.

“Because that facility had operated in a closed-book manner

for so long, we didn’t know in terms of the true condition of the

facility how much it would cost to operate it,” he said. “Once we

got into it, we found many opportunities to save money, from

reducing the usage of consumables to the way we maintained the

tractor tires.”

Engen’s charge was to maximize revenues and minimize

expenditures, Tannehill said.

“We just started making lists of everything and thinking, ‘Okay,

we’re on a budget. Where does the small amount of money we

do have available make the biggest impact?’” Tannehill said.

He said that after a few months into the operation, it was clear

that the 20-year-old facility had fallen into disrepair. It was also

about that time, in the summer of 2008, that a fire damaged the

facility.

Fires on the tipping room floor, where all of the trash is

deposited before being incinerated, are not uncommon at the

plant, and in fact any incinerator will average around a dozen fires

per year. The 2008 fire, however, was much larger than normal.

“It turned out to be a blessing in disguise,” Nelson said. “The

county’s obligation was a $25,000 insurance premium and for that

we got an upgraded facility.”

New prevention and suppression practices put in place in the

wake of the fire that summer have proven sufficient.

“It slowed us down for a while,” Nelson said, “but the

incinerator’s never run better than it runs right now.”

Bay County Commissioner Mike Nelson and

Engen, LLC owner Joe Tannehill Jr., in front

of the Bay County Waste-to-Energy facility



As the plant was being rebuilt, Engen continued its cost-

saving, revenue-enhancing efforts, focusing on what Tannehill

Jr. describes as the “low-hanging fruit.”

“One of those was metal recovery,” he said. “All you have

to do is look at the ash that is produced by the combustion

process to see how much metal doesn’t burn.”

The incinerator burns trash at extremely high temperatures,

using steam emitted to create electricity. The byproduct of the

process – ash – is trucked to the landfill.

Until now, the ash included both ferrous metals, such as

steel and iron, and non-ferrous metals, such as silver, aluminum

and copper. Metals are the most valuable recyclable materials

in any marketplace.

“So not only were we paying money by tonnage to ship it

across town to the landfill, it also went into the ground

forever,” Tannehill Jr. said. “It’s a no-brainer that we shouldn’t

be putting steel into the ground.”

What are essentially giant magnets separate the metals by

type from the ash, said plant manager Ken Caine.

The ferrous metals are sold by the ton, he said, and the

non-ferrous metals are sold by the pound.

Caine estimates Engen will sell between 5,000 and 7,000

tons of metals each year in a market that fluctuates daily. He

figures that in two years, worst-case-scenario, the revenue

from the recycled metals will earn enough to recoup the

system’s around $1 million price tag.

“Everything after that,” Nelson said, “is gravy.”

One-hundred percent of the profits go to Bay County.

While metals recovery and incineration are a somewhat

atypical means of recycling, they are indeed recycling,

Tannehill said.

Burning garbage that includes paper, plastic and organic

material yields electricity.

“That’s electricity that Gulf Power didn’t have to generate

from the burning of coal or natural gas,” Tannehill said.

With the addition of the metal recycling program, Bay County

is making it easier to feel good about taking out the trash.


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Biz lisTThe

If you are a member of the Bay County Chamberand would like to submit your business news forpublication, e-mail a press release and photo [email protected]

CHAMBER MEMBERS SHARE THEIR BUSINESS NEWS IN “THE BIZ LIST”.

Jennifer BowesBay County Board of

Commissioners

Tara Catalano-SmithCatholic Charities of

Panama City

Richard Clark Naval Surface Warfare Center

Cory ProctorTrustmark Bank

Heather RickettsGulf Coast Community

College Foundation

Angela RobersonIntegration Innovation, Inc.

Rae Anne Coutou

Emily DavilaJunior Service League

Renee DavisLife Management Center

Kenny Douglas

Gulf Power Company

Irene Field The News Herald

Mary MolinariARINC

Founded in 1983, is a community leadership development program sponsored by the Bay County

Chamber of Commerce. Based on the premise that people are our most important resource, the

purpose of the program is to offer potential leaders a curriculum in community leadership training.

Sessions are held every other Wednesday, beginning in August and running through April, to familiarize

selected participants with issues and resources that directly impact the future of Bay County.

Please help us congratulate the 28th Graduating Class of Leadership Bay!

The Bay County Chamber is currently accepting applications for the next class of until July 29, 2011,

participation is limited. You can find more information and an application at www.panamacity.org.

Dede RowanMcCalla Raymer

Melissa SaleHarrison, Sale, McCloy

Bryan TaylorUnited Way of NWFL

Julie TorresRoyal American Management

Your BBB Foundation serving

Northwest Florida is pleased to

announce the winners of the

sixth annual Torch Award for

Marketplace Ethics, Customer

Service Excellence Award and

Student Ethics Scholarship from

its District III, which includes

Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden,

Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty,

Wakulla and Washington

counties in NWFL. The Torch

Award was awarded to M D

Billing Solutions for their ability

Emergency Services has

developed Continuity of

Operations Plan (COOP)

software for local businesses.

The software uses a series of

questions to provide a

customized plan that can allow

your business to continue

essential operations in the

event of a disaster. The Coop

discs are available at the ’s

Chamber offices as well as the

Bay County Emergency

Management Office.

Emergency Services also

provides educational materials

and presentations as a public

service. If you are interested in a

disaster preparedness

presentation for your business,

please call 850-248-6050.

Dr. Doug Merkle, representing

the Bay County Chamber was

recently named chairman of the

new Citizens Oversight

Committee, a group tapped by

Superintendent Bill Husfelt and

the School Board to review

projects and expenditures

funded by the half cent sales

tax. He served on the first

Citizens Oversight Committee

starting in 2004. “We are

extremely grateful to Dr.

Merkle for his many, many

contributions to our schools

and students. While he has

served on a number of

committees to the benefit of

to assist physicians in proper

coding and confidentiality. The

Customer Service Excellence

Award winner, Diana Whitmire

with Gulf Coast Work Force

Center, was recognized for her

"knowledgeable and friendly"

work ethic. The $1000 Student

Ethics Scholarships were

awarded to local students: Kali

Lynne DeBerry, from J.R. Arnold

High School; Sahara Rayne

Peters, from Bay High School;

and Lacee L. Rudd, from Deane

Bozeman High School.

The Associates Architects are

pleased to announce that they

now have a Port St. Joe office to

service Gulf and Franklin

Countles. Owners Mark Hawley

and Victoria Williams intend to

continue operating their Panama

City office while alternating

their time in Port St. Joe.

Charles Gaskin, a lifetime

resident of the area, has joined

‘The Associates’ and will be

working out of the Port St. Joe

location. We are very excited

about expanding into Gulf

County and the opportunity to

add Charles to our team. The

brings a wealth of knowledge to

our company and proves to be

a true asset to his County. ‘The

Associates’ new office is

located at 252 Marina Drive,

Port St. Joe, Florida, 229-7075.


Tamika Williams

Gulf Coast Medical Center

Paul Wunstel

Brown & Brown Insurance

Alice WallsGulf Coast State College

our school district, the

experience he brings to the

table as a member and now

chairman of the Committee is

really immeasurable,” said

Superintendent Husfelt.

Career and technical education

in Bay County will soon get a

boost with the help of a

$200,000 Florida Career

Academy Community

Engagement Model grant from

Workforce Florida, Inc. Bay

County’s CTE Council was one

of only four entities from

around the state selected to

receive funding to develop a

Ford Partnership for Advanced

Studies– Next Generation

Learning Community. The award

was made to the Gulf Coast

Workforce Board in partnership

with Bay District Schools and

Gulf Coast State College. The

goal of the initiative is to

strategically plan and expand

Bay District School’s career

academy network by

developing a Ford NGL

Community Five Year Master

Plan.

On April 1, The PBSJ

Corporation and its PBS&J

subsidiary company was

renamed Atkins. Atkins is the

world's 11th largest design firm.

“We have maintained our focus

on client service and our

commitment to delivering

technical excellence. Our teams

are highly skilled and we are

confident in our ability to

augment our services by

delivering Atkins’ international

Oaseas Resorts announces the

appointment of Susie L.

Singletary as Human Resources

Manager. With a degree in

business administration,

Singletary has more than 20

years of human resources

experience, including time spent

as the staffing manager for Bay

Medical Center, the human

resources manager for Royal

American Management, Inc.,

and the executive personnel

assistant for the Florida

Department of Corrections.

Naval Surface Warfare Center

Panama City Division's Business

Operations Department's

business manager was named

the 2010 Naval Sea Systems

Command (NAVSEA) Women's

Professional Development

"Women Moving Forward" 2nd

Runner Up. Candace Robertson

was selected from a pool of

NAVSEA candidates for her

outstanding professionalism,

leadership and community

involvement.

expertise locally through teams

that understand the local

requirements, practices, and

culture,” states Robert J.

Paulsen, former chairman and

president of The PBSJ

Corporation and now president

and regional managing director

of Atkins in North America.

FSU - Panama City awarded a

total of 423 degrees to gradu-

ates during the 2010-11 aca-

demic year (349 bachelor’s

degrees, 72 master’s degrees, 1

specialist and 1 doctorate). Each

FSU Panama City graduate re-

ceives the same nationally rec-

ognized degree as students

attending the main campus in

Tallahassee. Most of the un-

dergraduate students complete

associate degrees at a Florida

community or state college be-

fore transferring to FSU Panama

City to complete their bache-

lor’s degree. FSU Panama City

has graduated more than 5,400

students since its inception in

1982 and conferred more than

6,400 degrees.

Harrison Sale McCloy is

delighted to announce the

expansion of its civil litigation

practice through the recent

promotion of Robert Fleming to

Junior Partner and the addition

of Melissa Sale and Andy

Weddle as Associates. The firm

is also pleased to be enhancing

its business law practice

through the Of Counsel

association of Andrew Levy.

Mr. Fleming limits his practice to

civil litigation in federal and

state courts. Ms. Sale practices

health law and civil litigation.

Mr. Weddle limits his practice to

civil litigation in federal and

state courts. Mr. Levy practices

commercial law, including all

types of contracts, shareholder

and partner agreements and

intellectual property. The firm's

unique practice in Bay County

and Northwest Florida includes

substantial depth in business

law and commercial litigation,

real estate, estate planning and

probate, collections, land use

and local government law,

employment law and health

law.

After 23 years of dedicated

service to the citizens of

Panama City, Commissioner

Jonathan Wilson sat on the dais

for his last Panama City

Commission meeting on May

24th. Mr. Wilson has represented

Ward 2 with foresight and true

professionalism. Mr. Wilson, who

has lived in Panama City for 54

years, has supported and been

involved in so many local

organizations that it would be

impossible to list them all. He has

assured all that he will stay

active in the Panama City

community and will still be at

Wilson Brothers Barber Shop

cutting hair as he has done since

1955. Be sure to thank Jonathan

Wilson for all his years of public

service to the citizenry of Panama

City.

.


The Airport Authority has

named John Wheat as the

Executive Director of the

Northwest Florida Beaches

International Airport. As

Executive Director, Wheat is

responsible for leading the

operational and strategic

efforts of the Airport and

reports to the Airport

Authority Board of Directors.

Wheat brings a wealth of

knowledge and expertise in the

aviation industry as well as

brings valued relationships with

key partners. He most recently

served as the COO of the

Tampa International Airport,

where he was responsible for

the organization’s finances and

operations.

Blair Sale has joined Landrum

Professional Employer Services

as a Business Development

Manager for the Panama City

and Bay County market. Prior to

joining the Landrum team, Sale

spent five years with Century

Boat Company, a recreational

boat manufacturer. He was

responsible for Business

Development, Marketing and

Product Development. Sale

earned his BS Degree in

Business Administration from

Washington and Lee University,

Lexington, VA.

The American Heart Assoc. is

pleased to announce that net

proceeds totaling $116,000

were raised at the 18th Annual

Bay County Heart Ball, exceed-

ing the event’s fundraising goal

by 22%. The Bay County Heart

Ball is the community’s signa-

ture fundraising event for the

American Heart Association,

with funds raised directly im-

pacting the organization’s mis-

sion to build healthier lives free

of cardiovascular diseases and

stroke. This year’s event was

held at the General Aviation

Hangars at Northwest Florida

Beaches International Airport

with over 350 guests.

The Junior Museum of Bay

County has now become known

as the Science and Discovery

Center of NWFL along with a

new logo and mission state-

ment. The Science and Discov-

ery Center is an oasis located on

12 acres with a Nature Trail, Pio-

neer Homestead, Nature’s Cor-

ner, Discovery lab, 50 exhibits,

including the “Bizzare Bugs” ex-

hibit continuing through August

14th. There are Camps, Lego

Teams, Girl Scouts, and new sci-

ence programs scheduled for

the Fall. Visit www.scienceand-

discoverycenter.org for more in-

formation.

respect to members of

America's armed forces who

answered the Nation's call to

duty during World War II. Clark

and Dellatore have also been

long standing members of the

military affairs committee.

Naval Surface Warfare Center

Panama City Division (NSWC

PCD) logistics intern, Lydia

Velez, was presented with

Naval Sea Systems Command

(NAVSEA) – Logistics Intern of

the Year Runner Up from

Commanding Officer Capt. Keith

Sykes, USN recently. Velez is a

logistics intern with the Federal

Career Intern Program (FCIP)

acquisition, formerly the Naval

Acquisition Intern Program

(NAIP). Velez competed with

122 other logistics interns,

within NAVSEA and the Warfare

Centers, for the prestigious

award.

The Tommy Hamm Sr. Cancer

Center’s Laboratory has won

the prestigious COLA Labora-

tory Excellence Award for the

second time in a row. The

Tommy Hamm Sr. Cancer Cen-

ter of Northwest Florida Hema-

tology Oncology, PA, has met

all criteria for Laboratory Ac-

creditation by COLA (Commis-

sion on Office Laboratory

Accreditation), which is an ac-

crediting organization for clini-

cal laboratories. Accreditation is

given only to laboratories that

apply rigid standards of quality

in day-to-day operations,

demonstrate continued accu-

racy in the performance or pro-

ficiency testing, and pass a

rigorous on-site laboratory sur-

vey.

As part of the Panama City

Garden Club's annual Memorial

Day celebration, Brig Gen

Browne and CAPT Brovarone co-

presented the NCOA World War

II Patriot Medallion of Honor to

five WWII veterans - Adam

Brudnicki, Newton Brooks, Jim

Clark, Reverend Julian Hodges,

and Tom Dellatore. The

medallion remembrance

bestows the respect and the

honor of the Non

Commissioned Officers

Association for military service

during World War II. It is

presented with dignity and


written by Shirley Courson, ARINC

Defense Intel:ARINC Engineering Services

“Many Bay County businessesplay a large role in protectingMarines on the front lines.”Two MRAP Vehicles designed to counter Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), by safely detecting and inspecting possible roadside IEDs)


One of the key players in supporting the Naval Surface Warfare

Center’s mission in this ongoing effort is ARINC Engineering

Services. Within the offices of one of Bay County’s largest

employers, some exciting things are happening.

“ARINC has assisted NSWC PCD’s Research and Development

needs by developing prototypes for testing, testing prototype

capabilities, and overseeing the fabrication of urgent hardware

needs,” explains Neil Rodenbeck, Expeditionary Systems

Development Sr. Manager. As a retired Marine, Rodenbeck

understands the benefits new technology offers Marines on the

front lines.

Based on the nature of the ever evolving threats in-theater,

ARINC provides direct support to NSWC PCD in partnership to

meet urgent needs by progressing from initial concept to actual

real-life hardware, sometimes in a matter of months.

Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, ARINC‘s 3,200

dedicated employees provide engineering and technical services to

customers in more than 104 countries. As part of the company’s

global expansion plan, there is a focus on positioning local staff

closer to the customer, to better provide local, industry-specific

expertise.

Such is the case with ARINC’s Panama City offices located near

the Naval Surface Warfare Center. ARINC employees also occupy

offices within Tyndall Air Force Base. Established in 1991 with just

two staff members, ARINC’s presence has grown to include 217

employees, providing a wide variety of engineering solutions and

logistics support to military, government, and commercial

customers. ARINC supports NSWC PCD in over 33 major Littoral

Warfare and Mine Countermeasure programs.

One of these programs involves support of NSWC’s United States

Marine Corps’ Maneuver Systems and Ship to Shore Connector

branches. Traveling from place to place can be risky business for

Marines. These USMC programs aim to reduce that risk. In particular,

these efforts strive to protect Marines from Improvised Explosive

Devices (IEDs) by detonating the explosives with equipment

designed to take the impact, before the Marine arrives.

These ongoing efforts have provided technical solutions to the

United States Marine Corps’ mission during Operation Iraqi Freedom

(OIF) and now Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan.

These efforts directly support the Marine Corps Route

Reconnaissance and Clearance (R2C) capability needs ARINC is

supporting, which includes the NSWC Panama City Generation III

Mine Roller System, Lightweight Route Clearance Blade, and

capability insertions for the Buffalo Mine Resistant Ambush

Protected Vehicle.

ARINC is a long-time corporate citizen

committed to building jobs in Bay County

by reaching out to students interested in

technology. The company’s engineers and

scientists are actively involved with

students of various levels, starting with

middle school and continuing through high

school and college.

Bay County students have the

opportunity to work side-by-side with ARINC

engineers and scientists through the

Explorer Post Program. The group meets

twice a month to design, construct and test

projects. The group recently completed a

solar powered boom box. The group’s

current project will be unveiled as an

exhibit for Panama City’s Science and

Discovery Center in July. The “Sound of

Light” display will demonstrate the

principles of electricity.

lookIng to the future

For more information on ARINC’s Explorer Post Program,

please call 850-636-7422. To learn more about ARINC,

please visit the company’s website at www.arinc.com


unknown depths. To prepare for the worst case scenario, ARINC

and NSWC PCD engineers have teamed up to develop an

emergency lighting system to illuminate the outlines of escape

hatches in case the passengers need to escape from a precarious

situation.

“This system will add another layer of safety to an important

vehicle used for fighting the constant threat of IEDs,” explains

Matt Nienow, ARINC’s lead Engineer supporting NSWC’s USMC

Buffalo Capability Insertion projects.

The most recent effort in this realm is the development of a

hydraulic Rear Door Assist Modification to provide emergency

door opening if the vehicle is damaged.

This system will allow Marines to escape quickly in an

emergency situation. ARINC engineers work hand and hand with

NSWC project engineers to provide effective and efficient

solutions to the Marine Warfighter that directly impacts their

ability to perform their mission at a reduced risk.

In addition to the USMC program support, the ARINC team

assists NSWC PCD in many areas, including fleet support, sea

operations, test and evaluation for littoral warfare, mine warfare

and Naval special warfare systems and equipment, training,

technical manual development, and life-cycle management of

ships to name a few.

The Mine Roller System is attached to the front of the large

Tactical vehicles used to transport Marines from one location to

another. The Mine Rollers extend far in front of the vehicle, so if

a blast occurs only the Mine Roller is damaged, sparing the Tactical

vehicle and its passengers.

The Lightweight Route Clearance Blade is adaptable to many

USMC tactical vehicles and is used to literally shove obstacles

out of the path of the vehicle. ARINC engineers and technicians

have supported the USMC’s Light Weight Route Clearance Blade

project since its inception.

ARINC depends upon other Bay County businesses to get the

job done. For example, the prototype fabrication of the Route

Clearance Blade is manufactured from the local machine shop,

UDT, Inc. The assembly is then completed in ARINC’s 49,000 sq.

ft. assembly and integration high bay facility. Additionally, ARINC’s

robust drafting department provides 3-dimensional modeling to

support a myriad of Marine Corps and Littoral Warfare programs.

ARINC has the capability to go from a concept to detailed design,

fabrication, testing and low rate production.

The latest effort to support NSWC PCD and the USMC has

focused on developing an Emergency Egress Lighting System for

the Buffalo Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.

Due to rough and unpredictable terrain, these vehicles are

susceptible to rolling over or going through waterways with

Congratulations to Shore House Furniture for being selected as

the Small Business Institute’s Small Business of the Quarter.

Shore House Furniture has been in business in Bay County for

over 7 years. Locally owned and operated, Shore House Furniture

serves the furniture needs of the growing Bay County residential

and condominium market offering quality coastal furnishings,

unique accessories, complete home decorating services and

complimentary local delivery. Their mission is to be the Gulf

Coast’s premier headquarters for home and home away from

home coastal décor.

Shore House believes in giving back to their community. They

proudly support the Miracle League, Junior Service League, Friend’s

of St. Andrews, American Heart Association and Patronis

Elementary School.

Small Business of the Quarter

Congratulations again to Shore House Furniture for being

selected as the Small Business Institute’s Small Business of the

Quarter.

Bay County Chamber Members with 35 or fewer employees

are eligible for Small Business of the Quarter. Businesses that

are selected receive publicity in the Bay Biz magazine, recognition

on the Chamber’s website at, www.panamacity.org and at First

Friday as well as a sign for your business recognizing you as the

Small Business of the Quarter. For more information or an

application, please contact Elizabeth at 215-3761 or

[email protected].

Shore House Furniture


out&about1.

5.

2.

4.

6.

1. Spring Classic “Dude look like a lady Fundraiser” Nathan Creel, Raymond Powell, Josh Scriber and Paul Dick

2. Business Referral Network All Groups Luncheon

3. June Business After Hours - Margaret Henkle, Jeff Stevenson, Billy Stevenson and Don Pitts

4. Peaden - 1st Place Jungleball Volleyball Tournament

5. First Friday Tourism Appreciation Month Committee 6. Bay Young Professional Tour BookIt.com

out&about

2011

3.

newf o r A p r i l , M a y , J u n e 2 0 1 1

{AFLAC - Lance Stanley611 Baywood Dr. Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 258-6832

Agape Animal Center438 S. Tyndall Pkwy Panama City FL, 32404(850) 913-9777

Allstate - Teresa Robinson17320 PCB Parkway, Ste 111 Panama City Beach FL, 32413(850) 249-4900

Autism Education Center Inc1612 Tennessee Ave. Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 248-0030

Bath Fitter33 Brent Lane, Ste. 102 Pensacola FL, 32503(850) 429-1777

Bay Quality ProstheticsPO Box 1364 Lynn Haven FL, 32404(850) 522-5343

Bay Town Trolley3331 N. 1st St. San Jose CA, 95134- (850) 769-0557

Becker Scuba Instruction, LLC.2126 Fox Run Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 774-9309

Bond & Associates, Inc621 N Tyndall Parkway Ste. A Panama City FL, 32404(850) 747-1187

Business Network International100 Country Club Dr. Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 874-1011

Carmike Cinemas Inc.1301 1st Ave. Columbus GA, 31901- (850) 913-9291

Civil Air PatrolPO Box 10352 Panama City FL, 32404(850) 200-5065

Crank It Up Outdoors1812 B Tennessee Ave. Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 571-5599

Crush LLC401 E. 23rd St., Ste G Panama City FL, 32405(218) 590-2367

Emerald Coast Baths19201 PCB Parkway Panama City Beach FL, 32413(850) 588-8466

Fresenius Medical Care2100 Harrison Ave. Panama City FL, 32405(850) 522-5407

Hopewell Nursing & Living Assistance554 E. 4th St. Panama City FL, 32401(850) 387-4115

Insurance Office of America1855 W. State Rd. 434 Longwood FL, 32750 (850) 814-5417

Jeffcoat & Associates, LLC5610 Shirley Park Dr. Bessemer AL, 35022(205) 481-1100

Legendary Marine3829 Thomas Dr. Panama City Beach FL, 32408(850) 271-8950

McCalla Raymer, LLC.306 E. 19th St. Ste. A Panama City FL, 32405(850) 392-0123

Mike Reiter & AssociatesPO Box 330 Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 277-0777

Paul Winterman Outdoor Photography3018 Syracuse Ave. Panama City FL, 32405(850) 276-4411

Pregnancy Resource Center ofPanama CityPO Box 828 Panama City FL, 32402(850) 763-1100

Premium Outdoor Signs3001 S. Hwy 77 Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 890-0989

ProComm SolutionsPO Box 1870 Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 248-1515

Pyne Law Group, P.A.2309 Frankford Ave., Ste A Panama City FL, 32405(850) 215-9090

Red Diamond, Inc.2505 Industrial Dr. Panama City FL, 32405(850) 238-0557

Reeds Jewelers2120 D Cove Blvd. Panama City FL, 32405(850) 784-8042

Reilly's Kolaches & More401 East 23rd St., Ste I Panama City FL, 32405(850) 769-7700

Resort Vacation Properties ofSt. George Island140 W. 1st St. St. George Island FL, 32328(866) 293-2919

Roughstock's Steak Pit &Seafood Inc.1800 S Highway 77, Ste 300 Lynn Haven FL, 32444(850) 271-4470

Snelling Staffing1420 Airport Rd. Panama City FL, 32405(850) 769-1441

Sweet Spot Music225 Cherry St. #4 Panama City FL, 32401(850) 630-9134

Tender Touch Health Care Services217 E. 23rd St., Ste E Panama City FL, 32405(850) 913-1500

The Humane Society of Bay County2620 E 15th St. Panama City FL, 32401(850) 691-2725

Thrive Partnership, LLCPO Box 7096 17320 PCB Parkway, Ste 110 (850) 230-2756

Tol WilliamsPO Box 27607 Panama City Beach FL, 32411(850) 867-8965

Trump Network127 Lake Merial Trail Panama City FL, 32409(850) 974-5577

Valley Crest148 Shannon Lane Santa Rosa Beach FL, 32459(850) 622-6280

Members.


ONYX - 5 YEARSACE Home & Garden Center

Air Gas Co.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of NW Fl.

Comfort Systems USA Southeast

Conventions Plus

Honda & Volkswagen of Panama City

HSG Accounting

Mexico Beach Community Development

Premium Clean Care

Rowland Publishing Inc.

RUBY - 10 YEARSBay Bank & Trust Co.

Burg Management Company, Inc.

CRI Technology Solutions

Landever Estates

Military Media, Inc.

Panama City Health Club & Spa

Steel City

OPAL - 15 YEARSBay Walk-In Clinic, Inc.

General Scientific Manufacturing

State Attorney's Office-14th Circuit

Trane

WFSU-FM & WFSU-TV

EMERALD - 2O YEARSSegers, Sowell, Stewart, Johnson & Brill

SILVER - 25 YEARSAmerican Heart Association

Brock Lawn and Pest Control, Inc.

Century 21-Commander Realty, Inc.

DIAMOND - 60 YEARSH. G. Harders & Son, Inc.

Peoples First Insurance

Van Horn Transfer & Storage

MemberAnniversaries


Recognizing renewing members for their dedication at 5 year intervalsfor April, May, June 2011

first friday 7:30 a.m. – Networking / Program 8:00 a.m.

FSU-PC Holley CenterSponsored by: Knology

Program: Economic Development Free event for Chamber members and Chamber invited guests

first responders Appreciation lunch 11:00 a.m. FSU-Panama City – Holley Center Sponsorships are available, contact [email protected] or 215.3757

small Business Institute8:30 a.m. - Program TBDChamber Boardroom RSVP: [email protected] or 215.3761

Business After hours5:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.Sponsored by & located at: Spinnaker Beach Club

Calendar Bay County Chamber of Commerce Events{

first friday with the Beach7:30 a.m. / Program 8:00 a.m.FSU - PC Holley Center

Sponsored by: Sams Club Program: Ed Smith, Bay County Manager “Where we’ve been and where we are going” Free event for Bay County & Beach Chamber members and Chamber invited guests

small Business Institute 8:30 a.m. Program: SBI review and future goals

Chamber Boardroom RSVP: [email protected] or 215.3761

no Cost - Bay Young Professionals social 5:30 / 7:00 p.m.

Located and Sponsored by: TGI Fridays (23rd Street) RSVP to [email protected] or 215-3761 Business After hour

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.Sponsored by: Acentria & Visual Arts Center (19 E. 4th St.)

Marketing 2.0: new tools of the trade seminar

8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.FSU-PC Holley Center

$35 for members / $45 for non-members Sponsored by: Neves Media & FSU-Panama City Breakfast sponsored by: The Bagel Maker Contact [email protected] or 215.3757 to register

Media Appreciation luncheon12:30 p.m.

FSU -PC Holley Center Open to invited Media & Chamber Board of Directors Sponsored by: Newks Café & FSU Panama City RSVP by July 22 to [email protected] or 215-3751

August

8

13

14

28

first fridayNetworking 7:30 a.m. / Program 8:00 a.m.FSU - PC Holley Center

Sponsored by: Workforce Center Program: John Wheat, Airport Executive Director for the NWFL Beaches International Airport Free event for Chamber members and Chamber invited guests

9

13

23

september

5

14

20

July

for a detailed listing of Chamber

and community events visit

www.panamacity.org

Dates, times and locations subject to change.

28

2


new Member 411 Breakfast8:30 a.m. Chamber Boardroom

Free for new Chamber members Sponsored by: Reilly’s Kolaches & More RSVP: [email protected] or 215.3753

small Business Institute 8:30 a.m. - Program: TBD Chamber Boardroom RSVP: [email protected] or 215.3761

Business After hours 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Sponsored by & located at: Knology (235 W.15th St.)

8

26

Accounting • Auditing • PayrollTax Compliance • Business Advisors

(850) 763-9635

2589 JENKS AVENUE • PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA

bay biz - july-september 2011

Documents

bay county chamber ofcommerce

bay countys

bay county chambertwitter

baychamberflthe bay

chamber member

thebay county chamber

chamber websitefor

ourleadership bay applications