AROUND THE
REGION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
Vero Beach • Fellsmere • Sebastian
First IRC Manufacturing Boot Camp a success!
The Chamber’s Economic Development
Office is proud to announce the success
of the first Manufacturing Boot Camp in
Indian River County.
The program introduced eight recentlygraduated
high school seniors to the manufacturing
industry, providing them an
opportunity to explore potential careers
in this industry sector or decide to pursue
a college degree. During the week-long
program, the students toured 10 companies,
asking questions of owners and
facility managers about the skills needed,
entry-level pay scales and job responsibilities.
The results: Two students received job
offers and at least three others had followup
interviews with local employers.
The students also completed the “FL
Ready to Work” computer modules, which
provide lessons in soft-skills training such
as communication, teamwork and critical
thinking. Additionally, they took part in a
virtual welding session and an intro to the
Certified Production Technician program.
Manpower conducted sessions on interviewing,
resume writing and the importance
of a firm but not bone-breaking
handshake. National Bank of Commerce
offered tips on budgeting.
A speed interviewing session was held
for students to meet one-on-one with participating
Boot Camp employers. Following
the interviews, a special completion
celebration was held to acknowledge the
students’ hard work and week-long commitment
to the program. School Board
Chair Laura Zorc handed out the certificates
of completion and congratulated
each student.
The program is a partnership with the
Indian River County School District and
CareerSource Research Coast, plus many
volunteers who helped with the planning
and logistics. A special thank you
to the local employers who hosted the
group, many of whom provided lunch and
take-away items for the students: Triton
Submarines, Dragonfly Boatworks, Girard
Equipment, Float-On Boat Trailers, M.A.
Ford, Nylacarb, Aluma Tower, United Juice,
CVS Distribution and Piper Aircraft. And,
to Wells Fargo Bank for providing goodybags
for the students. Planning is already
underway for next year’s program.
Indian River County promotes commercial air
service at airline forum
Reps from Indian River County attended the Volaire Airline
Services Forum in Tucson, Arizona, to promote the Vero Beach
Regional Airport for additional commercial service. Allison Mc-
Neal, tourism director, and Helene Caseltine, economic development
director at the Indian River Chamber of Commerce, plus
Eric Menger, executive director of the airport, met with reps
from five airlines (regional and national carriers) who expressed
interest in expanding their operations to/from Vero Beach in
terms of tourism travel as well as the potential for increased
business travel.
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Nominations open for 2019 Industry
Appreciation Awards program
The Indian River County EDO is seeking
nominations for its 2019 Industry
Appreciation Awards program; nomination
deadline is 8/30/19. In addition to the
newest category, “Veteran-owned Business
of the Year,” the Chamber will honor
Entrepreneur of the Year; Manufacturer of
the Year; Minority Business of the Year; and
small, medium and large Companies of the
Year. Additional award categories include
new residential, commercial and industrial
construction; commercial redevelopment
projects and building renovations. The
committee agreed to add a new award
category. Nomination forms and criteria
are available on the Chamber’s economic
development website https://indianrivered.
com/business-resources/
Award recipients will be recognized at
the Chamber’s annual Industry Appreciation
Awards luncheon in late October.
For more information on the 2019
Awards program, please call Helene Caseltine,
the Chamber’s economic development
director, at 772-567-3491.
MANUFACTURING
The Indian River Chamber’s Economic
Development Office is working with a
company that assembles structures for
modular housing. The company anticipates
30 new jobs.
The Indian River County Economic
Development Office is working closely
with county staff on behalf of the owners
of a pre-cast manufacturing plant. The
company anticipates 150 employees and a
$15-$16 million capital investment.
Former Fellsmere shrimp farm potential new home
for California-based company
Reps of the former shrimp farm discussed expansion plans with
the CFO of a California company planning to expand operations
into Indian River County; the company has a 1,500-acre production
field in Fort Pierce. The company grows alternative crops
on former citrus land — the Pongamai tree, a legume similar to
soybeans used for human consumption and as organic animal
feed. Negotiations are underway to construct a 100,000-squarefoot
nursery in Fellsmere, a $40-million processing facility and a
tissue culture lab. Anticipate 100 jobs within the next 18 months.
/TCBusiness.com