AROUND THE
REGION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS
MARTIN COUNTY
Stuart • Jensen Beach • Hobe Sound
Martin County committed to stronger, healthier business climate
It was a message delivered with the confidence found in a firm
handshake: Martin County is fully committed to fortifying its
economy.
Martin County commissioners approved a 10-year contract
with the Business Development Board of Martin County so the
public-private partnership — originally founded in 1991 with
the support of the Economic Council, the area’s five chambers of
commerce and Martin County — could excel at assisting existing
businesses, creating better jobs, and broadening the tax base
through a stronger, more resilient economy.
“I’m happy about where the Business Development Board is
headed,” said Commission Chair Harold Jenkins and county liaison
to the BDBMC. “You have my full support.”
The new contract, made effective in fall of 2019, requires the
BDBMC to work collaboratively with county staff through monthly
meetings and regular interactions, file quarterly performance
reports with financial statements and records, conduct board
meetings in full compliance of “Government in the Sunshine Law,”
and submit an annual business plan and budget for consideration
and approval.
“The BDBMC Board has worked hard to reset the direction of
the organization,” said David Powers, immediate past president.
“It’s extremely fulfilling to have the county’s confidence through
the approval of this unprecedented 10-year contract so we can
continue to champion and lead the crucial work of building a
stronger, healthier
economy for all in
Martin County.”
Angela Hoffman,
current president,
heralded
the “perfect” timing
of the contract
when considered
in conjunction
with local and
national economic
conditions and
BDBMC’s addition of Joan K. Goodrich as executive director.
“It’s amazing to see these final parts of the puzzle fit together
at just the right time,” says Hoffman, chief advancement officer
for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County. “Nationally and locally
we’re enjoying record-low unemployment. And Martin County
is blessed with some outstanding geographical benefits, natural
resources and high-caliber leadership talent. The county commission’s
strong support — and the depth of experience and
relationships that Joan brings as executive director — provides
the ideal fuel for us to excel in supporting the goals of local businesses,
increasing desirable job opportunities, and attracting
employers that complement the character of our community.”
TCBusiness.com SPONSORED CONTENT 41
NEW DAY
2020 BDBMC Board of Directors.
Key Martin County Contributors Recognized
Several businesses and local leaders made extraordinary contributions
to Martin County’s economy and community in 2019,
including:
• Small Business of the Year: Joe Connelly, Recovery Insurance
Adjusters
• Business Expansion of the Year: Dan Capen, Stuart Jet Center
• Headquarters of the Year: David Armellini, Armellini Express Lines
• Non-Profit of the Year: Tara Vaughn Baldwin, Operation 300
• Business of the Year: Bob Thornton, O’Donnell Impact Windows
& Storm Protection
• Entrepreneur of the Year: Scott Fay, TCI-Rood
• New Business of the Year: Patrick Kelly, Dassault Aircraft Services
Martin’s Aviation Industry Continues to Soar
Indiantown Airport is riding high as Florida
Turbine Technologies recently received approvals
from the Indiantown Village Council to
conduct engine testing at the location.
A division of Kratos Defense and Securities
Solutions — a leader in national security innovations
— the Jupiter-based Florida Turbine
Technologies needed a site-specific location to
test small (10 inches in diameter) turbine engines. Each testing effort,
company officials say, can last for weeks. Prospective customers
come from across the country to visit the site and oversee the tests.
The birthplace of commercial aviation and the air-transportation
hub of the western hemisphere according to Enterprise Florida,
Florida’s rich history in aviation includes hosting the first night
flight (Tampa, 1911) and scheduled airline service (St. Petersburg to
Tampa, 1914).
Closer to home, Martin County’s aviation-industry cluster encompasses
air transportation, support services, and flight training. In
addition to increasing activity at Indiantown Airport, Stuart’s Witham
Field — which enjoys a rich historical significance, particularly during
World War II — primarily supports business and corporate traffic.
Featuring a U.S. Customs facility, Witham Field — whose longest
runway is 5,828 feet — creates an annual economic impact of nearly
$800 million in total business sales and hosts the three-day Stuart
Air Show, a regional favorite.
2019 Business Award Recipients.
/TCBusiness.com
