From the Greater Pensacola Chamber candidate surveys:
Q10: What role should county government take in attracting new businesses to the area? What types of jobs would you like to see growing in Escambia County? Be specific.
Robert Bender
I support free market principles, but the County should use the tools granted and allowed to attract new businesses. Economic Development is similar to research and development for companies – if you do not invest, you do not innovate, and the likelihood of having success diminishes. We have public and private economic development organizations that should lead these attempts to attract new businesses. Government’s role should be about assisting a company through the process; having a liaison that oversees the entire
project, and providing a positive experience working with the County.
As far as jobs, we should leverage our strengths in workforce development by targeting industries with programs we already have in place. Cyber, aerospace, healthcare, robotics, high-end manufacturing, biology and welding are a few. Targeting some of these industries would give retiring military members an opportunity to use their experience in the private sector, and allow recent graduates to get experience in a new profession. We have great education institutions and job training programs here, but we have been training the rest of the State’s workforce for too long. It is time to have respectable, high-paying jobs locally.
Kendrick Doidge
The role our county government should play is to create an environment that says Escambia County is open for business. We can do that by reducing regulations that stifle growth for our existing businesses, providing guidance and support to start ups and understanding the needs of businesses that could relocate to Escambia County and improve our workforce. For example, we need to understand what type of workforce training and development is needed and work with other governmental bodies and our public schools, Colleges and University to make sure that we are meeting those needs. Escambia County continually ranks in the bottom third of Florida Counties when it comes to per capita income. We are the lowest between Baldwin County, Al and Bay County, Fl. I also see the role of county government to plan on providing the correct infrastructure and public safety as our community continues to attract new business and grow. In addition to the outstanding work that is being done around aerospace, I would like to see high paying jobs moved into the area that include light manufacturing, cyber security and medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Bill Fetke
I compare this to buying a house. When you look for a house, you want a safe area to move to, you want to make sure you can get back and forth to work quickly, and you want to be in a good school district. If we supply this, businesses will want to come to Escambia County. We already have big businesses here that are growing, soon outside businesses will be looking at those businesses and say, “what do they know about Pensacola that we do not know?” At that point we can stop bribing companies to come here because they will want to come here voluntarily
Terry Strickland
The county should take an active role in creating an environment that is conducive to business development and growth. This applies to potential new business development as well as existing businesses within our community.
This includes doing all we can to assist our school system to excel, keeping taxes low, keeping our grass mowed, streets clean and maintain a vibrant community through relationships with each other. All these things work together in the economic decisions business owners make to move here or stay here.
I would like to see more tech companies’ move into our area, more companies like Navy Federal who would want to move their central headquarters here. For example, AllianceBernstein is bringing their headquarters and 1,000 jobs to Nashville. The CEO said that city was chosen for its cost of living, affordability and quality of life, I say why not here.
Boyce White
The government needs to work with businesses that are complementary for our area. As a government official, I would represent our area and trying to attract businesses and or the business leaders to visit our area and show them all the many The government needs to work with businesses that are complementary for our area. As a government official, I would represent our area and trying to attract businesses and or the business leaders to visit our area and show them all the many Benefits for operating in Pensacola. We do need to make sure we can provide training through our educational system for the skills and talents that some of these companies may need to come to our area. Businesses that I would like to see in our area would be technology development, some light manufacturing, marine research and as much small business as possible.
Completed questionnaires:
Bill Fetke
Boyce White
Kendrick Doidge
Robert Bender
Terry Strickland