Contact: Stuart Doyle
                             (407) 956-5689 
  doyle@eflorida.com

Enterprise Florida gains new regional partner

Southwest Florida Economic Development Partnership to serve as liaison to Enterprise Florida, representing Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Lee and Sarasota counties

          ORLANDO, FL (April 29, 2010) – Enterprise Florida has expanded its statewide partner base with the addition of the Southwest Florida Economic Development Partnership, a newly established marketing coalition representing five counties -- Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Lee and Sarasota -- that aims to help increase job creation and capital investment in five counties. 

A regional partner of Enterprise Florida, the state’s primary economic development organization, Southwest Florida EDP will support Enterprise Florida’s programs and services by publicizing them to local companies and other groups that typically need such information. 

 Enterprise Florida partners are officially designated economic development organizations in each Florida county as well as regional alliances like Southwest Florida EDP.  The other regional partners are:

• Cornerstone Regional Development Partnership (seven northeast Florida counties)

• Florida’s Great Northwest (16 northwest Florida counties)

• Florida’s Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative (a.k.a. FHREDI, six South Central Florida counties)

• Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (four Central Florida counties and Orlando)

• North Florida Economic Development Partnership (14 counties)

• Opportunity Florida (eight rural Northwest Florida counties)

• Tampa Bay Partnership (eight counties)

Generally, its partners help Enterprise Florida remain abreast of local and regional needs and goals.  They also inform their communities about state-level initiatives designed to spark business creation and expansion in Florida’s focus industries for economy-building.

 “Through the support of our statewide partners, we’re able to obtain valuable data and guidance on ways Florida can continue strengthening and diversifying its economy,” said Enterprise Florida President & CEO John Adams.  “It has helped the state maintain a generally healthy business climate, and we’re looking forward to the contributions that the Southwest Florida partnership will bring to the table.”

 
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Enterprise Florida, Inc. is a partnership between Florida's business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for the state of Florida.  Headquartered in Orlando, Enterprise Florida’s mission is to diversify Florida’s economy and create better-paying jobs for its citizens by supporting, attracting and helping to create businesses in innovative, high-growth industries.  In pursuit of its mission, Enterprise Florida works closely with a statewide network of economic development partners and is funded both by the State of Florida and by private-sector businesses.

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