Northwest Florida Business Climate June 2014

June 2014

Taking

STRIDES Inside the effort to make Pensacola more walkable and bikeable

SUDDEN

UNEXPECTED

DEVASTATING The 2014 flood’s impact on business

Collaboration Nation Education Industry Spotlight Business Hurricane Preparedness

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from the publisher’s pen

Education. It is a frequently-contested policy subject, a necessary part of life and one of the best predictors of success. The old joke goes, “Those who can’t do, teach,” and yet this nation’s future depends on the knowledge of our workforce and the competency of our professionals.

Teachers, those mediums of imparting understanding and inspiration, deserve our utmost respect. They make our kids work hard, question effectively, and criticize constructively.

They know what questions to ask as well as what questions to answer. While we see our kids for who they are, teachers

Atmospheric Administration has recently predicted a near-normal or below-normal 2014 Atlantic hurricane season. That’s fantastic news for a portion of the country that has suffered many losses from these storms in the past. Nevertheless, it never hurts to be over-prepared.

Contributing writer Matthew Schwartz shares with us some useful preventative tips that can save a lot of money in the long-run if a storm does strike.

Turning our heads in a more positive direction, our feature story this month concerns our city’s connectivity.

TO SUBSCRIBE: contact (850) 433-1166 ext. 30 or info@ballingerpublishing.com

see them for who they could be. Education in all of its vital, irreplaceable beauty is this month’s industry profile, on page 12.

By now, a month has passed since the devastating rain storms that enveloped Northwest Florida in late April.

These storms caused millions of dollars in damage and even took a life. These events serve as a reminder that no matter how much progress we make and how developed we are, our neighbors and friends are often the only things that will help us out of unforeseen circumstances. This month, we take a look at the storm’s commercial impact and examine the efforts that have gone into restoring our region after this destruction.

Not to be an arbiter of bad news, but hurricane season is also around the corner. The National Oceanic and

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There’s a lot that goes into planning a city, structuring it as best as possible for businesses, residents, tourists, and the like. It is not an easy task to create streetscapes that are as beautiful as they are functional and navigable. One aspect of city planning involves connectivity, or how well non-vehicular transportation can get from one point in the city to another. A recent study shows that towns with high connectivity are 20 percent more profitable than towns with limited connectivity. At the moment, Pensacola falls into the latter category. However, plans are being made to make us a healthier, more walkable city. Learn more on page 22.

Remember what I said earlier about the benefits of neighbors and friends? Well, the same is true for your atwork friends. Collaboration is a concept that many leaders acknowledge but few actually implement. And yet, this current population is more connected and more diverse, with more access to knowledge and different perspectives than any time in history. In your business right now lies a workforce that is more comfortable working as a cohesive unit than you may realize. In this age of networking and crowd funding, we are discovering the benefits of a team.

No longer content to simply harness individuality and stop there, today’s workforce is looking to the benefits of collaboration and putting the common good above the personal good. On page 8, we show you the benefits of workplace collaboration and socialization. As we’ll see, the benefits far outweigh the costs.

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contents

22 Taking Strides

8 Collaboration Nation

12 An Education

14 The Coming Storm

In Every Issue

Reader Services Letters We welcome your letters and comments.

Send letters to Ballinger Publishing PO Box 12665 Pensacola, FL 32591 or contact specific staff members under the Contact Us: Staff Info link on ballingerpublishing.com

18 Sudden, Unexpected, Devastating

Writing Opportunities We are always willing to consider freelance writers and article ideas. Please send queries to Kelly Oden, executive editor, at kelly@ballingerpublishing.com, or care of Kelly to the postal address.

Around the Region 28 People on the Move 29 Business Scene

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Cover image of Christian Wagley by Guy Stevens II

JUNE 2014 Publisher Malcolm Ballinger malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com Executive Editor Kelly Oden kelly@ballingerpublishing.com BC Editor Josh Newby josh@ballingerpublishing.com Art Director Rita Laymon rita@ballingerpublishing.com Graphic Designer & Ad Coordinator Guy Stevens II guy@ballingerpublishing.com Editor Emily Lullo emily@ballingerpublishing.com Editorial Interns Madelyn Mancera, Karianne Payton Sales & Marketing Sharyon Miller, Account Executive sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com Becky Hildebrand, Account Executive becky@ballingerpublishing.com

Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger Publisher Malcolm Ballinger · malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com Executive Editor Kelly Oden · kelly@ballingerpublishing.com Art Director Rita Laymon · rita@ballingerpublishing.com Graphic Designer & Ad Coordinator Guy Stevens II · guy@ballingerpublishing.com Editor Emily Lullo · emily@ballingerpublishing.com Business Editor Josh Newby · josh@ballingerpublishing.com Sales & Marketing Sharyon Miller, Account Executive, ext. 28 sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com Becky Hildebrand, Account Executive, ext. 31 becky@ballingerpublishing.com Simone Sands, Account Executive, ext. 21 simone@ballingerpublishing.com Website: ballingerpublishing.com Editorial Offices 41 North Jefferson St., Ste. 402 Pensacola, FL, 32502 850-433-1166 · Fax 850-435-9174 Published by Ballinger Publishing: Member of:

NW Florida’s Business Climate and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contens herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions exxpressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the autho of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2014

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workforce

Collaboration

Nation

We can accomplish more together than we ever can apart, so why do so many business leaders encourage teamwork while discouraging employee interaction and socialization? Josh Newby explains why you can’t have one without the other.

Teamwork is essential to creativity, innovation and big tasks. Most business leaders and managers in the country would agree with that statement. But if you were to say that teamwork is equally essential to productivity and maximizing focus, you may get some dissenters.

Businesses are formed by groups of people because each person brings a particular expertise to the table, able to perform functions that maybe others cannot. This amalgamation creates a single, cohesive unit that works day in and day out to accomplish business objectives. Morning meetings are typical and brainstorming sessions are the norm, yet after the meeting is over and the new idea has been conceived, we go back to our desks, working in relative silence on our own projects.

Busy work is fine and important, but too many business leaders nowadays see collaboration—or even socialization—as a waste of time and

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money. Team-building retreats? There’s no time.

Employee social functions? There’s no money.

And yet, these are just a few of the building blocks necessary to a good team, and ultimately, a good company.

In America’s puritanical and individualistic society, the abilities and functions of the person are always put ahead of the group. Just like in grade school, we dread team projects. Sure, we can accomplish more together, but the Tragedy of the Commons dictates that there will be freeloaders that inevitably cause a few to carry the weight of many. This perception is actually rarely the case with a properly constructed and healthy team.

From social networks to crowd funding, we are discovering the benefits of aggregated input and resources. No longer are we bound by our own abilities; we can import and export knowledge from others easier than ever before, and this exchange has led to many of the greatest innovations of our era. Reliance on these methods and outcomes has led to a generation of workers who are simply unwilling to remain independent; they want interdependence. Flooded by this new form of employee, organizations are having to recreate

workforce

“If you want to go quickly, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.” their structures into open-sourced, non-hierarchical layouts. Doors, walls and even non-tangible professional boundaries are becoming a thing of the past, as collaboration, integration and team equality become the buzzwords of the future.

The benefits of teamwork are many. With proper goals and guidelines in place to keep things on track, team members can innovate faster and think more creatively when surrounded by peers and friends. Working with a team also helps utilize everyone’s strengths. Different perspectives are introduced and previously unforeseen obstacles are addressed. When employees are a part of a team, their loyalty increases. They are no longer loyal to the “company” as a vague concept, but to individual people with whom they have crafted relationships.

On a deeper level, collaboration enhances trust and gives workers meaning. Humans are productive creatures and expand to the challenges with which we are met. We work harder toward something we care about than something we do not, and teamwork, feeling like an integral part of something bigger than ourselves, drives that concern.

Many employers have taken notice of these positives and agreed that more collaboration and socialization

are beneficial, so they add some chairs to the conference room or put in a coffee machine and call it a day. While they mean well, more foundational changes are needed to truly establish productive and meaningful collaboration.

First, employees have to move their focus from “I” to “we.” This is most easily facilitated by giving employees opportunities to learn from each other, not only professionally but personally. Most employees, as many as 70 percent, feel disengaged at work on a daily basis.

Teamwork creates engagement and stimulates thought.

People are more loyal to and collaborate more readily with those to whom they are emotionally attached.

In order for that new knowledge to benefit everyone, employees must socialize in both formal and informal ways. In this way, trust and knowledge spreads throughout the organization.

Second, informal brainstorming and meetings are a must. Organizational structure is important for behaviors and expectations, but it can also stifle creativity that only comes from informal interaction. In fact, formal meetings are often counterproductive. Seventy percent of workers spend 15 minutes just looking for a place to meet and 24 percent waste up to 30 minutes. Most great

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workforce

Levels of workforce cohesion

Employee feelings toward job tasks

Collaborate

Level 3: Workers collaborate as a team with unified goals, fostering interdependence and creativity.

Communicate

Optimum team size

Level 2: Information is exchanged in a community, but not to achieve a common goal.

Coordinate

Level 1: On this most rudimentary of levels, workers are independent and only communicate to meet their own needs.

ideas occur during organic, nonplanned interactions. Supervisors should trust their employees to engage in these unplanned, more social connections, even during work hours.

Third, the nature of collaboration is important. When first adjusting to an environment that encourages socialization and routine informal interaction, colleagues may be hesitant to reach deep-level integration.

There are three phases of collaboration, and it is important to encourage gradual growth from the first to the third. The first phase, coordination, is rudimentary and only allows for independent work and communication of personal needs. The second, communication, allows for communal information exchange, but without a clear and cohesive goal. The third, collaboration, allows for unification over singular goals, which fosters interdependence and creativity. In your organization, this may be accomplished as simply presenting these ideas, or it may take a more drastic change, like a new office layout or task assignments spread across several people and departments.

Team size is also important. Five to six people is an ideal size. If the team is too big, certain members will dominate conversation. If the team is too small, there are simply not enough differing perspectives to accomplish well-rounded objectives.

Just like with any new development, collaboration presents its own challenges. Personalities may not mesh well, and therefore further socialization may present conflict. Competition may arise between partners, there may be a resistance to change, and inconsistent management behavior can confuse and cause distrust in employees.

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A five-person team is an ideal team. Just remember: more than eight, no collaborate.

It is therefore helpful to view employees as empowered and autonomous individuals, free to participate in collaborative and work and socialization as they see fit.

This allows them to adjust their own comfort level and fosters natural friendships. This mandates leadership trust. While it might seem risky to allow small talk during the day and informal meetings between colleagues, the trust that employees feel will create a loyalty that spurs them toward productivity and creativity.

As employees begin to feel more comfortable and trusting of each other, that positive relationship will transfer to their workplace tasks, where they rely on each other’s expertise more and are able to achieve far more than they could have alone and apart.

Reorganizing a company’s social and hierarchical structure to allow for greater informal integration, employee autonomy and leadership trust can be easy for some, intimidating for others. Because of economic pressures or ignorance, many leaders today are too concerned with the month-to-month to worry about the long-term positive effects of employee socialization.

But, as an old African proverb states, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

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industry

I

An Education As part of an ongoing series of stories exploring prominent industries in Pensacola, Northwest Florida’s Business Climate spoke with various scholars and experts in the education field to understand the sector’s regional impact, educational expectations and career projections.

Story by Karianne Payton 12 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

T MAY NOT BE ONE OF the highest paid industries but it could be argued that it is the most important.

Teachers shape the minds of the younger generation and prepare them for the real world. Those in the education industry are vital, even if they are not always acknowledged.

Education is constantly improving and transforming with technology. No longer are teachers teaching their students on a black board using chalk—they are not even using a white board and expo marker. They are integrating technology into their curriculum, using iPads so each student can focus on different books that would benefit them and using projectors so all the notes taken can be saved online for later use. Technology in the classroom should come naturally.

“When you have technology, you don’t bring it into the classroom just for the sake of having it; you have to have great instruction with that,” said Susan James, assistant professor for reading education at the University of West Florida (UWF).

“For instance with reading, there are all kinds of programs now that would allow me to share, if I had a classroom set of computers or iPads, certain literature works that I want the whole class to use.

For instance, if we were studying around a theme and you wanted to read a different book than I did or you were at a different reading level, it would allow me to load different books on those devices. It is amazing the types of different things you can do with the technology.”

According to James, baby boomers are getting ready to retire, opening up many jobs in the education industry, and thus leaving a shortage. Those studying education are well equipped to jump in the field. Their skills do not limit them to just teaching jobs; they can do anything with the communication, critical thinking, writing and publishing skills they acquire.

industry

According to James, that is exactly what UWF is They can also pursue a career in training for various doing. They are supplying local areas with high quality companies in different industries.

“However, most people are going into education teachers. UWF is focusing on different fields in teacher because they really want to teach,” said James. “They education such as Exceptional Student Education (ESE), English as a Second Language (ESL) and reading want to make a difference and work with kids.”

Locally, the industry employs 3,555 people, which is endorsement. Those are areas where a shortage exists about 3.07 percent of the workforce. There are roughly and is being recognized. UWF is preparing its students 100 educational establishments throughout the city. the correct way, by making sure they know how to inteAlthough our education industry is not as big as oth- grate their content area, and current technology in their ers, those employed make just under the United States teaching.

Because of technology and its use in the classannual wage, which is $24.46 an hour, opposed to room, students are enjoying reading and it’s Pensacola’s $21.81 an hour. enhancing their reading levels at an early Different teachers make different salaage. According to James, this is an amazries depending on what they teach and “Society is changing fast ing phenomenon, because reading is the their education level. The annual mean and we’re going to have backbone to everything we do. Reading wage for professors at universities, proto teach them how to also provides us with critical thinking fessional schools, and colleges make troubleshoot when changes skills, along with math, social studies, about a wage of $74,420. Elementary come and how to handle and language arts. and secondary school teachers make an that change.”

“We need critical thinkers,” said annual mean wage of about $48,420.

James. “Society is changing fast and On the lower end of the scale, those involved in child day care services make we’re going to have to teach them how to troubleshoot when changes come and how an annual mean wage of about $26,410. to handle that change.”

The education industry is not the same as it Teachers are a type of second parent towards children. was years ago.

“People are looking at education because our society They shape not only their minds and attitudes, but their is changing so much and we want to change with it,” said futures as well. Without teachers, whom children spend James. the majority of their time with, there would be no future for any of our generations.

“Always keep the students at the center of what you do,” said James. “We have a growing population, so learn with the kids and create a community in your classroom. If you keep your students at the center you’ll always make the best decisions and you’ll want to continue to grow and learn more.”

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weather

The Coming Storm Northwest Florida has already experienced a fair share of unpredictable, sometimes devastating weather this year. As hurricane season approaches, learn how to take preventative measures to ensure your business’s next storm isn’t its last.

BY MATTHEW C. SCHWARTZ

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weather

HETHER YOU ARE A PROPONENT OF CLIMATE change theory or simply believe the world is experiencing a particularly fierce natural cycle, there is no denying that we are experiencing an upsurge in hurricane intensity and frequency.

The good news is that hurricanes are among the few natural forces that can be anticipated with sufficient time to prevent employee injury.

Unfortunately, it is more difficult to prevent property damage. Preparation is critical—the US Department of Labor estimates that 40 percent of businesses never reopen after experiencing a natural disaster. In addition, businesses that do not have Photo by Kakela a quick and decisive plan of action for getting back The US Department of Labor estimates that to work after a hurricane 40 percent of businesses never reopen after run the risk of significant experiencing a natural disaster. financial impact and losing ground to a more prepared competitor.

Choosing a facility services Proactive steps to minimize One vital element of pre- provider loss and maximize business planning that is often overlooked As businesses research service continuity is establishing a relationship with providers, they should be mindful The key to minimizing property a facility services provider that of working alongside a partner that loss and maximizing business concan provide emergency services. can deliver a vast majority of the tinuity is preparing for a hurricane, However, it is vital that this rela- emergency services you may need not reacting to it. While a facility tionship is developed before a hur- so you are not managing multiple services provider like ABM will be ricane. Facility services companies contractors during a stressful time. instrumental in clean up, they can like ABM have helped hundreds of Key services your company may also help businesses take vital, companies quickly and successfully require include: proactive steps to reduce property recover from natural disasters, but • Low- to high-voltage electrical damage and prevent employee only by creating detailed business services injury. continuity plans in place prior to • HVAC and mechanical services storm strikes. The fact of the mat- • Plumbing services Mitigate water damage ter is that once a storm hits, these • General cleanup, water and Heavy rains can cause water facility services companies must debris removal damage to buildings, equipment prioritize work requests due to an • Roof, door and window repairs and inventory due to leakage in overwhelming demand for mainand replacement roofs and walls. Rain in varying tenance and repair work—and the • Carpentry and handyman ser- degrees can continue for days or highest priority of service is inevivices even weeks after a hurricane has tably reserved for those companies • Security services to protect been downgraded. The longer the with whom they have already estabassets water remains in interior spaces of lished a good working relationship. • Temporary generators buildings and equipment, the more Remember, an ounce of prevention damage it will do. is worth a pound of cure.

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weather Photo courtesy of Governor Andrew Cuomo

post-hurricane work involves possible contact with contaminated materials, a good facility services provider will have the proper personal protective equipment and all clean up work will be closely supervised to prevent injury or illness—particularly where there is potential for exposure to raw sewage or other grossly contaminated water.

What can you do

will inspect all roofs for deterioration of roof covering, with particular attention to unsealed overlaps in flashing that will allow windblown water to penetrate the roof.

They will physically inspect gutters, downspouts and drains—ensuring each is free of clogs and debris.

In addition, they will make sure tarps and/or plastic are available to cover office equipment, stock, inventory and machinery during the hurricane. And, as needed, they will provide waterproof covering to cover areas exposed by storm damage.

Expect power outages It is a virtual certainty that widespread and extended power outages will occur during and after a hurricane. There is also the potential for long periods where normal phone service is interrupted. Loss of power and communications can make the post-storm response extremely difficult if not anticipated and included in the response plan.

A good facility services provider will help your business develop a plan of action that will—to the extent possible—allow continued operations during a pre- and poststorm response. Keep in mind that power outages can damage computers and destroy data. They 16 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

The key to today?

While a facility minimizing services proproperty loss vider like ABM and maximizing is an extremely business valuable partcontinuity is ner, it is vital preparing for a to immediately develop a writhurricane, not ten plan that reacting to it.

will help ensure your computer equipment is protected with appropriate surge protectors, and that critical electronic data is routinely backed up and stored off site. In addition, they will help establish an emergency power supply to prevent critical electrical equipment from shutting down.

Ensure employee safety As mentioned earlier, there are usually at least 24 hours of warning before a hurricane strikes. There is no reason why employees should be working in areas directly affected by a passing hurricane unless it is a certainty that they will be sheltered from the storm until it passes. It is therefore important to plan for business interruption that might be caused by either by cessation of customer business operations, or by cessation of your facility services provider’s business operations.

A good facility services provider will help your business develop a plan that will ensure proper communications during the pre- and post-hurricane response periods.

The plan should take into account that employees will need time to prepare their homes and families when a hurricane is expected. If

lists all assets, local evacuation guidelines, procedures for pre- and post-storm operations, staffing policies, computer support, and communication guidelines. Ensure all employees, clients and suppliers’ contact information is up-to-date and an emergency contact list and communication plan is finalized.

Finally, make sure all necessary hurricane emergency supplies are stocked and readily accessible.

FEMA has provided a list at www. ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplieskit.

Depending on where your organization is located, it is only a question of when a hurricane will affect your facility. There are many elements of running a business that cannot be foreseen—preparing for the eventuality of a hurricane is not one of them.

*Note – the above are guidelines; contact a service provider for a detailed hurricane preparedness plan customized to your business’ needs.

Matthew C. Schwartz is a Regional Vice President for ABM. He oversees strategic operations for ABM’s clients in the Southeastern United States. For more information, go to: ABM.com

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SUDDEN

UNEXPECTED

DEVASTATING Story by JOSH NEWBY Photograph by MARIANNA MASSEY

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recovery

B

Gov. Rick Scott tours downtown damage

ETWEEN APRIL 29 AND 30, PENSACOLA RECEIVED MORE rainfall in a 24-hour period than any city in Florida since records have been kept. The ensuing impact was devastating for the entire region, resulting in about 2,000 homes with major damage, 930 homes with minor damage, 13 homes destroyed, 180 businesses with major damage and a foot of water, 45 road closures, more than 10,000 911 calls and $50 million in damage.

This almost unprecedented flood caused the most severe damage in Pensacola. In Escambia County, infrastructure damage is estimated at $21 million. In Santa Rosa County, the damage is about $6 million, and in Okaloosa County, estimated damage is about $9 million. The destruction prompted quick and significant reaction from the city and county’s emergency response units, with repairs beginning less than a week after the storm. However, work is still being done to assess and determine best practices for repairing the damage.

The force of nature was unlike anything the city had experienced before, veterans to hurricanes and tropical storms though we are. Perhaps it was the little notice people were given, or the fact that many doubted the sheer power of rain. Regardless, the rainfall and

subsequent destruction have highlighted not only the volatile state of Gulf Coast weather, but also our area’s infrastructure and need for safety nets should this happen again.

Of the almost 500,000 residents in Escambia County, there are only about 13,500 flood coverage policies. That accounts for about 15 percent of homes and businesses.

Flood damages can leave homes and businesses irreparable, as this area now knows all too well. The problem that was exacerbated by this storm, according to commercial insurance specialist Kim Hinton, is that many areas most affected by the floods were not traditional flood zones.

All areas of the United States are designated a flood zone risk estimate. The three designations, A, V and X, nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 19

recovery Photo by Guy Stevens II demonstrate the susceptibility a particular area has to flooding, A being the highest and X being the lowest. Mortgage companies only require a flood policy if the structure is within an A or V zone. Most high-risk areas for Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties are located along the coasts of the Gulf, bay, and bayous and rivers. The April 29 and 30 storm hit zone X of Northwest Florida the hardest, which means that most structures did not have flood coverage.

“Most of the damage from this storm has been flood-related, and therefore only covered by a flood policy,” said Hinton. “Unfortunately, most of the businesses and homes affected did not have such a policy.”

Hinton said that some of the damage could be covered by a traditional coverage policy, since flood insurance only covers damage from an excess of water on land that is normally dry, but those instances are unfortunately few.

“In order for the damage to be covered, it has and Sarah Gillette at Urban Objects both reported that to be a covered peril,” said Hinton. “If the roof leaked, business was shut down for April 30, but there were no that is often bad craftsmanship and not a covered peril.” lasting negative effects from the flood. Conversely, Joe Hinton recommended that even if your home or Abston at Hopjacks and Tin Cow reported that both business is not within a high-risk flood zone, the smart sustained quite a bit of damage. decision is to secure a flood policy. There is a 30-day “Most of it has to do with mechanical compressors waiting period, but after that, you are covered from any in cooling units that got wet,” said Abston. “Both stores rising water damage. were down for one day after the storm and repairs will be ongoing for some time.”

THE DAMAGE TO DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA Neither locations have flood insurance. Abston said businesses was truly arbitrary, as lower levels of some that coverage is prohibitively expensive even though places like Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom and Vinyl that portion of downtown is not in a high-risk zone. He Music Hall were underwater, while places like Pensacola hopes that Pensacola will get the positive media coverBay Brewery and Urban Objects survived relatively age that promotes redevelopment like New Orleans did unscathed. Mark Robertson at Pensacola Bay Brewery after Hurricane Katrina.

AGENCY NEEDS AND DONATION SITES Arc Gateway, 3932 N. 10th Ave. Needs: Help is needed to restore the Chapman Group Home damaged by floodwaters. Walmart or Target gift cards are needed for the residents to replace clothing, bedding, etc lost in the flood. All donations can be sent through PayPal at www.arc-gateway.org Ministry Village, 1830 E. Olive Rd. Needs: Canned goods and gifts cards in $25 increments (Walmart, Target and gas cards) Contact: Stan Lollar, Executive Director, slollar@ ministryvillage.org, 850-475-1106 or Denita Williams, Program Administrator, dwilliams@ministryvillage.org, 850-473-4466

St Joseph Catholic Church Clothing Closet, 850-436-6461, 134, W. Government St. Accepting: All clothing Open: Tuesday – Thursday, 9:30 – 11:30 am.

Alpha Center (Maternity, infant and toddler clothing closet), 850-479-4391, 6004 Pernella Rd. Accepting: Children’s clothes up to 5t. Call first.

Warrington Emergency Aid Clothing Closet, 850-453-6193, 4 W. Sunset.

Accepting: All clothing Open: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 12:45 pm

Little Flower Catholic Church Clothing Closet, 850-456-6533 Accepting: Clothing. Specifically need large size clothing for men and women.

Open: Wednesday and Friday 9 – 11:30 am behind Little Flower Catholic Church on Lillian and 65th Ave.

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recovery

We rebuilt Northwest Florida before, and we’ll do it again.”

Pensacola City Councilman Brian Spencer has been vocal in his support of his downtown district through this hardship, praising their spirit.

“Business owners have shown their resilience and tenacity by cleaning up and getting back to work,” said Spencer.

Miles away, other small businesses had similar experiences. Pine Meadow Vet Clinic on 9 Mile Road was hit hard. The business sustained three feet of water in the facility and veterinarian Dr. Lance Coy said that the walls are permeated with moisture.

“We have begun to replace them, but obviously with the construction, we are limited as to what we can do as far as appointments and surgery,” said Coy. “For the past week we have only been working out of one or two exam rooms that are separated by plastic. We were hopeful that FEMA would provide support for small businesses like us without flood insurance. We are not in a flood zone, but we flooded. Because we did not have flood insurance, all contract work is coming out of our pocket.”

In the short-term though, it appears that Pensacola is slowly getting back on its feet. Shortly after the storm, politicians weighed in with promises to rebuild and listen to any and all suggestions and cries for help.

Scenic Highway, which arguably received the most devastation, is being repaired already. The $1.2 million repair project south of Scenic Highway Circle will include the reconstruction of the road, installation of new drainage features and culverts, installation of guard rail and the construction of a retaining wall.

“We will work hard to restore the community,” said Florida Gov. Rick Scott. “As people tell us their needs, we will do everything we can.”

Over a month since the storm, those promises seem to have rung true.

“We rebuilt Northwest Florida before, and we’ll do it again,” said Senate President Don Gaetz.

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE BECAME AVAILABLE A week after the storm, and within 24 hours of money being released, more than 2,500 people in Escambia County had registered for assistance. In addition, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced that individuals who lost their jobs or businesses in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as a result of severe storms and flooding April 28 through May 6 might be entitled to Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits. More than 1,100 businesses have sought various forms of assistance.

While the community needs and deserves these resources, the storm’s impact on our infrastructure has called into question the strength and age of our roads, bridges and structures.

In Escambia County alone, about 700 sites like roads and bridges have been identified as storm-damaged, all of which are priorities as hurricane season is just around the corner. As car-centric land development has been center stage since the invention of the automobile, people are often rendered immobile when road and rail networks are washed away.

While there are plans to make Pensacola and its surrounding areas less vehicle-dependent, questions remain about the age of many regional structures and their viability in unpredictable weather. Florida land also rests on large sections of limestone, which is very susceptible to sinkholes and can be weakened by excessive water or extensive droughts. nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 21

TAKING STRIDES PENSACOLA IS THRIVING BUT LACKS THE CONNECTIVITY

OF MANY PEER CITIES.

THERE ARE PLANS TO CHANGE THAT.

BY JOSH NEWBY 22 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

Photo by Guy Stevens II

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N AVERAGE, businesses located in cities with high connectivity—that is, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists are able to safely travel anywhere they please within city limits—receive 20 percent more traffic and income than businesses in non-connected cities.

This of course leads to more taxable revenue, better infrastructure, more attractive commercial and residential climates, healthier citizens, and a better city overall. Right now, Pensacola is not one of those cities.

Fortunately, there are plans to change that. Unfortunately, just like with any type of dramatic change, there are notable obstacles.

The connectivity conversation has been occurring in Pensacola for decades. Years ago, Institute for Human & Machine Cognition President Ken Ford brought in experts to speak on the importance of city walkability. The public took notice, and slow and steady change began to occur. However, with the City’s limited budget and various districts all wanting a slice of the pie, Pensacola was left with systems of sidewalks and bike paths that were disconnected from other systems just blocks or miles away.

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in Pensacola is lacking,” said Pensacola city planner Alan Gray.

“We are very disconnected between residential and commercial areas.

People can’t walk or bike from their homes to the amenities they want to access. We have a very amenity-rich uptown, but you can’t take a bike there.”

This focus on pedestrian and cyclist connectivity between city hubs, as opposed to just vehicle connectivity, has recently become a health concern, as well. Right now, the Escambia/ Santa Rosa Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) ranks 19th among Florida’s 22 MSAs in health. The state loses billions of dollars annually

for every dollar invested in worker health, we see a return of more than $4 in reduced healthcare costs, lower absenteeism and improved productivity.

“We can change people’s behaviors, make them healthier, by changing our current infrastructure to allow people alternate modes of transportation,” said Pensacola Councilman Brian Spencer.

Pensacola Chamber President Jerry Maygarden, who praised the City’s recent downtown bike rack installations as a step toward encouraging more active lifestyles, recently echoed these sentiments.

“I applaud the City’s efforts to cre-

Photo by Leo Hidalgo

in productivity due to workers with chronic diseases, many of which are caused by lack of exercise and vehicle pollution. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

ate a more walkable, bikeable, livable city and increase health and wellness throughout our community,” said Maygarden.

Although this is a step in the right

direction, there is much that still has to be done. Of our City’s many attributes, including the waterfront, historic village, Maritime Park, Cordova shopping area, East Hill and the Belmont-Devilliers renaissance, connectivity between those is not currently a quality Pensacola enjoys.

Clarence Elebash, a retired Air Force officer and University of West Florida professor emeritus of finance and economics, has spent years studying the city’s areas for improvement and devising solutions.

“A revival has to happen on and near the waterfront,” said Elebash.

“Common themes of urban experts who visit here are walkability and

•

•

•

Think long term about reducing Bayfront Parkway to two lanes.

Otherwise, Bayfront Parkway/ Main Street will increasingly become a barrier between the people and the waterfront.

Connect the Maritime Park to the Palafox Street corridor and the Seville historic district with attractive pedestrian walkways.

Emphasize private development at the Maritime Park. Turning the Trillium property into a “green field” was a major success. The next step is commercial development. Private investment is the key. The Park needs lease income, and the City needs tax

Photo by Aldo Altamirano

pedestrian access to the waterfront.”

Pending the finances, Elebash recommended providing pedestrian crossings across Bayfront Parkway to the existing walkway that extends from the three-mile bridge to Bartram Park. Other upgrades include: • Provide an attractive walkway from Plaza de Luna to the east side of Commendencia Slip and Bartram Park.

• Ease the entries to the Seville historic neighborhood by creating traffic “roundabouts” at the Interstate 110, Garden StreetAlcaniz Street intersection and the 9th Avenue-Bayfront Parkway intersection.

revenues. Unfortunately, parking is a problem. This may constrain commercial investment.

• Encourage ECUA to sell or lease the old Main Street plant to private investors. City Council would be ill-advised to place rigorous land use restrictions on the property. Burdensome controls will scare away private investors and the property could remain vacant indefinitely.

Elebash is not the only person with plans for improving connectivity. In February 2012, the Mayor’s Urban Redevelopment Advisory Committee (URAC) was convened and met publicly 15 times over the next eight

months to compile a recommendations report for the administration to follow. The report included guidelines for everything ranging from tourism, housing and neighborhoods, and of course, connectivity and mobility.

According to the report, mobility is a paramount concern because, as Pensacola becomes a larger urban center where lots of people live, work and play, a greater strain is placed on vehicle transportation arteries. By providing infrastructure for alternative modes of transportation, as well as encouraging their use, the city’s citizens and visitors can conserve energy, reduce carbon emissions and extend facility life.

“Getting traffic to and through downtown becomes increasingly important as we add jobs, visitors, and residents,” the report stated.

Where major thoroughfares like I-110, Garden Street and 9th Avenue are primarily vehicle-used roads purposed with transportation between city hubs, other roads like Palafox, Wright and Spring are important for internal transportation. It is on these internal roads that the URAC report emphasizes the importance of sidewalk connectivity and ease of access for pedestrians and cyclists.

“The streets and sidewalks downtown must become more pedestrian and bicycle friendly,” the report stated in its city accessibility section. “They need to be safe, aesthetically pleasing, in good condition, and ADA compliant. Aggressive code enforcement will ensure that they are kept open and free of debris and obstructions. A Complete Streets Program has merit here, where so many people move on foot and the terrain makes it easy to do so. Downtown street design must accommodate all modes of travel.”

Consequently, a Complete Streets Ad-Hoc Committee was launched in late 2012. Five City Co u n c i l m e m bers were appointed, and each member nominated an additional member. This committee was tasked with focusing resources and strategy on improving connections between neighborhoods and making transformative investments throughout the city. Although public transit was initially considered to be outside the committee’s scope, it recently adopted nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 25

that facet as well.

The first priority of the committee, which meets once a year and provided recommendations to the City administration for further focus and funding, was to fill gaps in the network. Currently, there exist many neighborhoods with extensive mobility infrastructure and accordingly random gaps in that infrastructure.

The committee considered filling these gaps a low-cost, high-return option.

“Right now, we don’t have meaningful connectivity between much of our existing networks,” said Gray.

“A lot of streets we have are almost fully sidewalked; there’s just quarter- or half-block sections that are incomplete. There’s fruit on the vine that would yield great results with minimal investment.”

“We don’t necessarily have to build a lot of new facilities,” said Spencer.

“We can recapture existing infrastructure for a new purpose.”

A project in the works is implementing sidewalks on 12th Avenue south of Bayou.

“Common The project, slated themes of for a vote by City Council in the sumurban experts mer, would begin who visit here in 2015.

Another priorare walkability ity of the commitsidewalk on Davis and pedestrian tee is to enhance Highway between existing sidewalks access to the University Parkway and place new sideand 9 Mile Road, and waterfront.” more. walks near schools.

“How are these chilRight now, the commitdren getting to school?” said tee and the City administration Councilwoman Sherri Myers. “Some are in the beginning stages of making of them walk and I want to make sure these plans come to pass. Often, these they can safely do so.” stages happen behind the scenes and The committee plans to reach out to can be mistaken for lack of progpublic and private schools and receive ress. Right now, Gray and his staff numbers on how many children walk are working to map all sidewalks, or bike to school, and what areas see bicycle routes, and transit paths using the most pedestrian children traffic.

Geographic Information System (GIS) Other, more specific plans include monitoring. Once that is complete, cyclist and pedestrian thoroughfare the team can easily identify gaps and improvements to intersections like propose fiscally-responsible changes.

Creighton Road and 9th Avenue, “You don’t immediately see wide paved shoulders and bike lanes on sidewalks or new bike lanes, and Navy Boulevard, wider curb lanes that is frustrating to a lot of people,” and ADA improvements to Texar said Spencer. “We have to do a lot of Drive, wider curb lanes and sidewalk foundational work before that can be repair to 9th Avenue, an entirely new accomplished.”

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Some, like environmental consultant Christian Wagley, argue that much of the city’s present infrastructure supports these changes.

“Since Pensacola was built before vehicles were around, you have a lot of the basic framework for walkability and bikeability,” said Wagley. “We don’t have to do as much heavy lifting to make this happen as a lot of other cities. Our city was made for street trees and wider sidewalk facilities.

Unfortunately, in order to make people want to walk and bike, you have to make it harder to drive, which might mean less parking or reduced lanes.”

Funding is also a hurdle. Years ago, when the City first realized the positive impact sidewalks and greater connectivity could have, it tried to distribute funds in the most equitable way possible and not necessarily the most connectible way, so every

Photo by Guy Stevens II

Getting traffic to and through downtown becomes increasingly important as we add jobs, visitors, and residents.

neighborhood improved slightly, but no one neighborhood improved fully. Now, after the Recession and several financial commitments—such as Maritime Park bonds, the ECUA clean-up, and pension liabilities—cash is even tighter than it was.

The idea of federal grants has been proposed, but those come with their own problems.

“We could realistically get matching grants, which means the federal government pays 80 percent or 50 percent, and we pay the remainder,” said Gray. “Administering those grants, with all the oversight and reporting required, needs a dedicated staff, which of course costs money.”

Right now, the committee plans to continue to fine-tune their priorities and draft legislation that would overcome the administrative challenges they have encountered thus far.

“This kind of thing doesn’t happen unless the administration wants it to happen,” said Councilwoman Megan Pratt, who chairs the committee.

“Drafting ordinances for that reason is a good idea.”

Ultimately, the committee and Pensacola’s lawmakers and citizens have made considerable progress toward a more interconnected, homogenous city, where someone can bike from East Hill to the Cordova area as easily as they can bike downtown.

Right now, the progress is happening behind closed doors, on computers instead of on city roads, but policy makers assure the city that change is coming, and with it, greater sustainability and connectivity.

“We are working on a long-term plan,” said Pratt. “That can be frustrating, since people often want change now. That change is happening; it just takes time.” nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 27

around the region

Andrea Krieger & Ted Kirchharr

Winners of the 2014 Combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola and University of West Florida Ethics in Business Award.

Ted Kirchharr was given the award for the large business sector (50 or more employees), while Andrea Krieger was given the award for the small business sector (49 or fewer employees). Kirchharr serves as vice president and chief operating officer of Landrum Professional and Landrum Consulting, where he is responsible for strategic planning, benefits administration, risk management, human resources and marketing.

Krieger is the CEO/president of United Way of Escambia County, where she provides innovative and strategic leadership to identify, understand and act on the issues that enable the organization to accomplish its mission and vision.

Pensacola makes ConventionSouth magazine’s 2014 Editors’ Hot Pick list

Pensacola has made it onto ConventionSouth magazine’s 2014 Top 10 list of the “South’s Five-Star Destinations for Military & Public Service Groups.”

The cities on the list were chosen for their all-American patriotic spirit, appreciation discounts, patriotic festivals and attractions, and local public-service organizations such as veteran legions and law enforcement fraternal orders.

Big Read Grant $15,000 grant to West Florida Public Library The West Florida Public Library (WFPL) announced that it has received a grant of $15,000 to host The Big Read program in Escambia County. The West Florida Public Library is one of 77 nonprofit organizations to receive a grant to host The Big Read project between September 2014 and June 2015. The Big Read in Escambia County will focus on The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien’s novel about the lasting impact of the Vietnam War. O’Brien will come to Escambia County to launch The Big Read activities in October.

3

rd City of Pensacola website recognized by First Amendment Foundation The City of Pensacola’s website scored third-highest out of 47 cities in the First Amendment Foundation’s recent report card on local government website transparency.

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IHMC licensed robot

The Institute for Human & Machine Cognition is happy to announce that one of their robot technologies has been licensed to a small start up with the goal of making an affordable, legged running robot commercially available to the public.

This fast running robot, named OutRunner, is part of a KickStarter campaign by Robotics Unlimited to raise funding to begin production.

PSC students win 57 medals at SkillsUSA Conference

Pensacola State College students won 57 medals in 23 events at the 2014 SkillsUSA State Conference held at the Pensacola Bay Center recently. They amassed 31 gold medals, 10 silver medals and 16 bronze medals.

More than 1,850 students from across Florida competed in 119 events based on workforce skills, leadership and service.

Gold medalists advance to the SkillsUSA national competition in Kansas City, Mo., in June.

SkillsUSA is a national organization for students enrolled in career and technical education programs.

people on the move

Allergist Joins Nemours Children’s Clinic Pensacola

Baptist Health Care on Becker’s ‘150 Great Places to Work’ list

Baptist Health Care (BHC) earned a spot on the 2014 Becker’s Healthcare 150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare” list. The list was developed through nominations and editorial research. BHC was chosen for its benefits, wellness initiatives, commitment to diversity and inclusion, professional development opportunities and work environments that promote employee satisfaction and work-life balance.

Ritu Pabby, MD recently joined Nemours Children’s Clinic, Pensacola as a board certified allergist/immunologist. Prior to coming to Pensacola, Dr. Pabby was in private practice at Allergy Partners of Eastern Virginia in Williamsburg, Va. She is also a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Dr. Pabby joins alongside Dr. Brandon Dorion in a partnership to treat children in the community and surrounding areas with allergy and immunological disorders.

Matt Amos named as physician relations management liaison for Baptist Health Care

Baptist Health Care (BHC) has selected Matt Amos to serve as physician relations management liaison for BHC. Amos has been working with BHC and the Andrews Institute since 2007 as a physician liaison and clinical athletic trainer. He has more than nine years of experience working in the local health care market.

In his new role, Amos is responsible for maintaining and analyzing regional physician demographics, while implementing programs designed to foster relationships between employed and independent physicians and BHC.

Federal agency honors Gulf Coast Enterprises for performance excellence

GCE received the AbilityOne Network’s 2013 Quality Work Environment Performance Excellence Award for providing employees with increased opportunities, wages and upward mobility.

Operating in 13 states and the District of Columbia, Gulf Coast Enterprises (GCE) was founded in 1986 to provide employment for people with significant disabilities while ensuring exceptional services for its customers.

It does this by securing contracts to provide specific services and then hiring, training and supervising a workforce composed mostly of people with disabilities.

Wade sworn in as president of FACDL

William R. Wade, attorney at law, will be sworn in as President of Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL) in St. Petersburg, Florida at the Don Caesar on June 7, 2014. FACDL is the only statewide bar organization in Florida comprised solely of criminal defense attorneys. Bill has been an active member since 1992 and practices in Northwest Florida with offices in Milton.

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business scene

At the LeaP project ribbon-cutting Darrel H and Rusty Branch

2014 LeaP Class

Annette Bankich, Kasey & John Armbruster

Donald Kobiec & wife

At the home of Stan & Amy Connolly, a reception for Florida House, attended by Florida First Lady Ann Scott Mary & Doug Broxson, Gene & Maureen Valentino

Charles Carlan, Mayor Ashton Hayward, Charlie Switzer

Mary Hoxeng, Justine Simoni, Glenys Ballinger

Reception for County Commission candidate Rob Williamson Cathy & David Hammond, Rob & Amie Williamson

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Milette West, Laura & Barry Cole

David Bear, Debbie Wein, Cindi Bear

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