Profile 2016_Welcome County.qxp_Layout 1 6/13/16 9:45 AM Page 17
An Appealing Location for Business and Personal Success
The public-private partnership between the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners and the Business Development Board remains critical to facilitating and maintaining activities and programs that improve the economic health of the county and the quality of life for county residents. Through this partnership, sound incentive programs are tailored to meet the specific needs of a business while ensuring a positive benefit to Palm Beach contaminant. Brownfields in Northwood Village, the City of West County. Our combined endeavors to attract and retain Palm Beach and South Bay are each getting “cleaned up” in order job-producing, revenue-generating businesses consistently to increase local tax bases, facilitate job growth, utilize existing produce their intended results – employment for the Palm infrastructure and take development pressures off of undeveloped, Beach County workforce and expansion of the county’s tax open land. As a testament to the strength of the partnership between base. With a gain of more than 14,000 jobs in 2015 and unemployment at its lowest rate in eight years, Palm Beach Palm Beach County and the Business Development Board, the County continues to polish its already stellar reputation as Board of County Commissioners approved additional funds for one of South Florida’s most appealing locations for business the current year to support economic development in the Glades. This renewed commitment comes as and personal success. the Glades Regional Master Plan (the Last year, several key efforts With a gain of more than 14,000 jobs in 2015 advanced Palm Beach County’s and unemployment at its lowest rate in eight years, first comprehensive analysis of the Glades region’s issues and conditions) position in the vanguard of Palm Beach County continues to polish its transitions from development to science and technology. The already stellar reputation implementation. Targeting the agriPalm Beach County Board of County Commissioners approved business incentives to co- business, recreation/tourism and transportation/ logistics industries, locate United Technologies Corporation companies including and prioritizing establishment of employment centers and local Carrier Corporation and Otis Elevator Company in a state-of- workforce growth, the Glades Regional Master Plan is a “bridge to the-art center in Palm Beach Gardens. Together, these the future” of economic development in Palm Beach County’s companies will demonstrate new building technologies and western communities. The strength of Palm Beach County’s economic development encourage global consumer interaction, collaboration, and innovation to develop advanced integrated and sustainable lies in its ability to leverage, support and coordinate the expertise and business solutions. In addition, the Board of County resources of community partners, organizations, and other county Commissioners approved incentives to facilitate the agencies. On behalf of the Palm Beach County Board of County expansion of the corporate headquarters of Sancilio Commissioners, I invite you to help us develop and deliver new & Company, a Riviera Beach-based leader in the opportunities for employment and business growth throughout biopharmaceutical industry. Anticipating continued growth in the county. biotech and manufacturing industry clusters, efforts to Mary Lou Berger expand the Lake Worth Park of Commerce and also to Mayor, Palm Beach County determine the feasibility of creating a research park in northern Palm Beach County are currently underway and supported with federal grant dollars. The county continually works to creatively complement its business development efforts. To that end, Palm Beach County is accessing federal funds from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up “brownfields” – properties where expansion, redevelopment, or sale is complicated by the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or
17 BDB.ORG | PALM BEACH COUNTY BUSINESS PROFILE