850 Business Magazine- April/May 2016

SPECIAL SECTION: SANTA ROSA COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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850 Magazine April – May 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

CAPTURING THE MOMENT A photographer’s job is to be ready for anything when working to capture a couple’s priceless wedding moments.

The job is fun, they agree, but not very luxurious.

(Photographer pictured: Alena Bakutis)

850 FEATURES

SPECIAL SECTION

Roads to Success Everything about transportation 32 affects the development of a region’s economy.

anta Rosa County Business Journal 131 SSanta Rosa County offers some of the best

The Emerald Coast in Northwest Florida is particularly challenged, at least geographically.

Some of the solutions local officials are working on are unique, others may be decades in the offing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALENA BAKUTIS PHOTOGRAPHY

By Linda Kleindienst

on the Bride Wedding photographers 38 Ffindocusing themselves in a rough and tumble — but yet a very lucrative — business. The trials and tribulations of this competitive profession are many, and clients can be picky and demanding. Photographers who work across the 850 give the lowdown on what it takes to survive and thrive. By Rochelle Koff

schools in Florida and a laid-back lifestyle that offers plenty of variety, from farms and equine facilities to beachfront condos. The county also offers a well-trained workforce, thousands of them retired veterans ready to start their second career.

On the Cover: Northwest Florida’s road network transportation woes are complicated by the area’s geography.

Illustration by PODIS/Shutterstock.com

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850 Magazine April – May 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

24

154

10 From the Publisher 159 Sound Bytes 162 The Last Word from the Editor

Special Section DEAL ESTATE

148 What’s selling and what’s hot to buy in the 850? Find out here.

14 Last April, 850 took at look at how successful economic development organizations in the region’s bigger counties had been in developing new jobs over the prior five years. This year we take a look at what they accomplished in 2015.

28 WI-FILES Economic development depends on high speed connectivity, so how connected is Northwest Florida? Better than it was and getting better. Bay County is working to join the Lambda Rail and rural counties are getting hooked up.

THE 850 LIFE

Corridors

BUSINESS ARENA

17 Clay Ingram talks about how he juggles his two demanding jobs, as a state legislator and CEO of the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce.

THE BOTTOM LINE 20 In 2014, state legislators enacted the Florida Microfinance Act and set aside $10 million to help entrepreneurs around the state emerge from the national economic slump and get access to small loans for their business.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

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Our wedding planner invites consideration of a host of wedding venues ranging from the country to the coast to downtown and introduces you to vendors who can see to the last detail.

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22 Author, entrepreneur and community activist Quint Studer gives advice about employee retention and how to best engage workers within the workplace, ultimately reducing turnover by 66 percent.

LEADING HEALTHY 24 As demands grow and resources shrink, we all struggle to do more with less. Without proper coping skills, middle-aged managers can skid down a slippery slope of chronic exhaustion into debilitating burnout.

CAPITAL

150 Gretna Racing was billed as an economic driver for the region, with its live Quarter Horse racing and poker room. Now slots might even be in the future. A look at how Gadsden County has already benefitted from this parimutuel enterprise.

BAY

154 Forty years ago the Baxter family from Marianna took over the landmark El Governor motel in Mexico Beach, and in 2015 they celebrated their most successful season ever. They’ve succeeded through perseverance, having loyal staff and catering to locals and tourists alike.

I-10

156 Mickey Minnis, the owner of Bigfoot Moving Company in Crestview, is an amateur investigator of the legends that surround the mythological ape-like creature. And he uses that hobby as a marketing platform for his company.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BOOINI (154) AND SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (24)

Departments

In Each Issue

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850 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA

April – May 2016

Vol. 8, No. 4

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Steve Bornhoft EDITOR Linda Kleindienst SENIOR STAFF WRITER Jason Dehart EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rebecca Padgett STAFF WRITER Shelby Bouck CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lazaro Aleman, Laura Bradley, Marcel Daane, Rochelle Koff, Quint Studer EDITORIAL INTERN Nina Rodríguez-Marty PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan COPY EDITOR Barry Ray CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lawrence Davidson PRODUCTION MANAGER/NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR Daniel Vitter SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Saige Roberts ART DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Charles Bakofsky, Shruti Shah, Tony Watts, Jr. ADVERTISING DESIGNER Jillian Fry CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS John Armour, Alena Bakutis, Michael Booini, Hannah Brown, Lawrence Davidson, Emily Dorman, Jennifer G. Photography, Darris Hartman, Scott Holstien, Kay Meyer, Kansas Pitts, Pure 7 Studios, Tim Skipper Photography, Terri Smith SALES, MARKETING & EVENTS VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi AD SERVICES COORDINATORS Tracy Mulligan, Lisa Sostre ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bess Grasswick, Darla Harrison, Lori Magee, Rhonda Murray, Dan Parker, Will Patrick, Linda Powell, Paula Sconiers, Alice Watts, Brianna Webb INTEGRATED MARKETING SPECIALIST Jennifer Ireland EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Leigha Inman MARKETING AND EVENTS ASSISTANT Mackenzie Ligas OPERATIONS CORPORATE CLIENT LIAISON Sara Goldfarb ACCOUNTING Carlin Trammel ADMINISTRATIVE AND HUMAN RESOURCE LIAISON Caryn Nelson RECEPTIONIST Katherine Marshall, Lisa Snell

DIGITAL SERVICES DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER Carlin Trammel DIGITAL SERVICES PRODUCER Chelsea Moore 850 BUSINESS MAGAZINE 850businessmagazine.com, facebook.com/850bizmag, twitter.com/850bizmag, linkedin.com/company/850-business-magazine ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com SUBSCRIPTIONS A one-year (6 issues) subscription is $30. To purchase, call (850) 878-0554 or go online to 850businessmagazine.com. Single copies are $4.95 and may be purchased at Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million in Tallahassee, Fort Walton Beach, Destin and Panama City and at our Tallahassee office.

850 Magazine is published bi-monthly by Rowland Publishing, Inc. 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308.

850/878-0554. 850 Magazine and Rowland Publishing, Inc. are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. Editorial contributions are welcomed and encouraged but will not be returned. 850 Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor. Copyright April 2016 850 Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Member of three Chambers of Commerce throughout the region.

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From the Publisher

Traffic Decongestants Won’t Come Easily

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 The state reporting the best road conditions is Nevada, with only 2.2 percent of federal-aid highway miles in poor or mediocre condition. Florida is fourth at 4.8 percent. (It’s a good thing that we don’t have frost heave to deal with.)  Highway capacity has been growing slowly in recent years. Currently, the U.S. has 4.12 million miles of roads. Between 2000 and 2013, the U.S. built an average of 13,788 miles of new roads per year. This, along with widening of existing roads, added 31,217 lane-miles per year. So, the capacity of the highway system grew only 5.3 percent during those 13 years. At the same time, the U.S. population grew 12 percent and the number of licensed drivers grew by 11 percent, while the number of vehicle miles traveled on the nation’s highways grew 8.8 percent.  More than 64 percent of the new road capacity added during that time represented local roads to develop new residential neighborhoods. Only 18 percent represented new capacity on the Interstate Highways and other major roads that carry most highway traffic. (It’s no wonder congestion increases every year.)

All of these numbers are enough to make me wonder how we managed to build our highway system in the first place, and they strongly suggest that we are going to have to find ways to make domestic needs a bigger priority in years ahead.

Mass transportation may help reduce traffic flow, but the financial feasibility of such alternatives is hard to achieve. There was a time a few years back when a Bay County commissioner proposed a cross-bay passenger ferry as a way to eliminate or postpone the need for construction of a replacement Hathaway Bridge. Needless to say, those numbers didn’t work out.

I suppose that Americans’ relationship with the automobile and personal transportation is to blame. But that love affair isn’t going to subside any time soon.

Least of all mine.

Travel safe this summer.

BRIAN ROWLAND browland@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY SCOTT HOLSTEIN

I do some of my best thinking behind the wheel and, ironically I suppose, while walking. But like most of you, I suspect, I don’t often think about the roads, highways and interstates that serve the 850 region as a circulatory system as critical to the survival of our communities as a heart, arteries and veins are to each of us. Let a natural disaster or other calamity disrupt our asphalt and concrete pathways, however, and our reliance upon them immediately becomes apparent.

Editor Linda Kleindienst’s project, “Road to Success,” beginning on page 32 of this edition of 850, is a close examination of the status and future of transportation in Northwest Florida, particularly from Bay to Escambia counties — an area that has a close relationship with increasingly overwhelmed U.S. Highway 98 and coastal tributary, Highway 30A. The competition between burgeoning growth in population/visitation and infrastructure development, a dynamic long present in peninsular Florida, is now a pressing Panhandle reality.

Catching infrastructure up with growth will be a huge undertaking, as Linda points out, one complicated by big bumps in the road that include finite funding amounts and the inescapable need to work around or over water. And, the wheels of the transportation bureaucracy turn slowly. Sometimes, the number of stakeholders involved, ranging from local and regional planning organizations to elected officials at all levels of government to road and highway departments, seems to be as great as the number of cars between the shoulders.

Meanwhile, the stakes are high, both in terms of quality-of-life considerations and economic development. Transportation systems dictate whether, where and which businesses come to town.

For a national perspective on rubber-tire transportation in our country, I turned to the website of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. There, I learned that:  The cost to construct a new two-lane undivided road ranges from $2 million to $3 million per mile in rural areas and about $3 million to $5 million in urban areas.  Building a new four-lane highway costs $4 million to $6 million per mile in rural and suburban areas and $8 million to $10 million per mile in urban areas.  Milling and resurfacing a four-lane road runs about $1.25 million per mile.

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850businessmagazine.com ONLINE POLL RESULTS

In our Feb/Mar issue we interviewed mothers who have shared their experiences of raising children via blog writing.

Many of these blogs focus on family-oriented products. Would you consult one of these blogs as a means of doing consumer research on products? You said: YES

70%

NO 30% | NOT SURE 0%

TIME FOR NOMINATIONS! 850 — The Business

Magazine of Northwest Florida is now accepting your nominations for the 2016 Pinnacle Awards. These awards honor the women in our region who exhibit exceptional leadership abilities in their field, are active in their communities and serve as outstanding mentors to others. Winners will be featured in our October/November 2016 issue. Nominations close June 15.

Nominate at 850businessmagazine.com/Pinnacle-Awards/.

EXTRA CONTENT ONLINE ONLY: VIDEO! GET A GLIMPSE OF LAST YEAR’S PINNACLE AWARDS ONLINE.

CURRENT ONLINE POLL

Northwest Florida’s explosive growth has strained the region’s road network, especially along the coast from Bay County to Pensacola.

Should the state be putting more dollars and resources into relieving the congestion?

YES NO Visit 850businessmagazine. com/polls/ to take our newest poll now.

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the latest from 850 Business Magazine? Sign up for our e-newsletter and get updates about our website, video previews and additional offers.

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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

Flip Books: View this issue and past issues in a digital book format.

Archived Stories: Peruse our vast archive of articles.

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Twitter: @850BizMag Facebook: 850 – The Business Magazine of Northwest Florida Instagram: 850bizmag LinkedIn: 850 Business Magazine

Deal Estate: View the latest real estate deals and listings.

Blog: Read about local business events, happenings and gatherings through our up-to-date blog section.

PHOTO BY PURE 7 STUDIOS

CONNECT WITH US …

No matter what device or social medium, we want to be a resource for you. Find 850 Business Magazine in all the best spots. And be sure to join our group on LinkedIn and engage with other business professionals in the area.

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Executive Mindset

Business Arena NEWS AND NUMBERS

Update on Job Creation In April of 2015, 850 published a story about the major economic development organizations in Northwest Florida and their track record in helping to create jobs by bringing in new businesses or helping existing businesses expand during the prior five years. We promised to readdress the issue a year later to see what those counties have been up to. We asked the EDOs featured in that story to provide us with how many jobs they had helped bring to their county in 2015 — and the breakdown of jobs per company.

As in our original report, Okaloosa and Escambia counties provided information on the successful projects where the economic development organization had some involvement.

Bay County officials reported they had no new job announcements to claim credit for during 2015. “We didn’t have any official announcements in 2015 — it was all about planting seeds,” said Scarlett Phaneuf, vice president of the Bay Economic Development Alliance.

During the interim, the Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, which was housed with the Chamber of Commerce, was dissolved. On Feb. 29, the Intergovernmental Agency, made up of the Leon County Board of County Commissioners and the Tallahassee City Commission, voted to establish itself as the county’s new economic development organization and is now responsible for all economic development initiatives.

Here is a look at last year’s numbers/activity for Bay, Escambia, Leon and Okaloosa counties.

BAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE During the year, the EDA submitted 34 proposals to companies and site selectors; went on 16 international and domestic marketing missions; participated in more than 20 one-on-one meetings at the Paris Air Show; and hosted more than 15 site visits and fam trips to the county.

136 NEW JOBS SUN COAST CONVERTERS: 6 new jobs, 28 retained

BAY STATE CABLE TIES: 40 new jobs, 100 retained FORT WALTON MACHINING: 30 new jobs LOCKHEED MARTIN: 20 new jobs BOEING: 40 new jobs

55 NEW JOBS

— Linda Kleindienst

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF TALLAHASSEE/LEON COUNTY As of Sept. 30, 2015, the end of its fiscal year, the nowdissolved Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/ Leon County Inc. reported a total increase of 4,141 jobs for the county. The numbers were provided by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and include all new jobs in the county, not just those created with assistance of the EDC. (The EDC reported it was working on nine active projects with a potential capital investment of $35 million and 1,083 potential new jobs.)

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IN OKALOOSA COUNTY

FLORIDAWEST (ESCAMBIA COUNTY)

AEROSEKUR (AVIATION MANUFACTURING): 5 new jobs CENTAUR (CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS): 15 new jobs

DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY): 35 new jobs

Danfoss Turbocor (Advanced Manufacturing and Research Company) Retained 166 jobs, 25 new jobs, 10 of those jobs projecting an average salary of $74,758. The project brings a $14 million capital investment, with construction beginning in 2016.

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TO GIVE US THE TOOLS

Executive Mindset

(850) Life The

C REATING A BETTER BUSINESS CLIMATE

EYE ON THE GOAL CLAY INGRAM, PENSACOLA Legislator and President, Greater Pensacola Chamber

S

ince childhood, Clay Ingram has had an interest in current events. He was involved in student government as early as middle school and served as president of the student government association at Pensacola’s Tate High School. His aim was to one day make an impact on an even bigger stage.

»

Photo by TIM SKIPPER PHOTOGRAPHY

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850 LIFE

HIS ALMA MATER “I’d say that FSU chose me. I’ll never forget opening the first letter that I received in the mail from Bobby Bowden as a high-school football prospect.

Recruiting coordinator Ronnie Cottrell saw something in me and gave me a chance to live my dream of playing college football, and for that I am eternally grateful. I majored in general communication and minored in political science.”

HIS FOOTBALL MEMORIES “I was the deep snapper on punts and field goals from 1996 through the nationalchampionship game against Virginia Tech in the 2000 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

The memories that I treasure the most revolve around the time I spent with my teammates. Those kinds of relationships don’t come around often in life, and I miss the closeness that we shared during the 1999 season.”

ON SEEKING ELECTION “Creating a better business climate in the state was the motivating factor for me to run for office. Regardless of whether you are passionate about education, health care or eliminating poverty, a thriving economy will make a positive difference. I felt like I could be a real part of helping get the economy back on track. Looking back to 2010, it feels good to know that we have made it possible for the private sector to make a comeback through our efforts to reduce burdensome regulation and taxes.”

HIS MAJOR GOAL “Making some of the same strides locally with regard to improving the regulatory and tax environment that we’ve made at the state level would be a tremendous achievement.”

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“I’m blessed to have some incredibly supportive people in my life,” he says, adding that the backing of family and staff enables him to handle both of his high-profile jobs and the constant commutes across Interstate 10, from Pensacola to Tallahassee and back.

A graduate of Florida State University and member of the 1999 national-championship football team, the 38-year-old Ingram doesn’t get to attend many home games because of his children’s young ages, but “I look forward to taking them more often when they’re a little older.” — Linda Kleindienst

ON LEGISLATING “Convincing 119 other members of the House and 40 members of the Senate to agree with your idea can be a real challenge. The good news, though, is that the job can also be extremely rewarding. Through our constituent service program, we are often able to help people struggling through the maze of government red tape. We’ve all been there at some point, and so guiding someone through that process is very fulfilling.”

PHOTO BY TIM SKIPPER PHOTOGRAPHY

Today he is indeed influencing events — statewide and locally — in his two jobs. As a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, Ingram is chairman of the Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee and serves on the Florida Defense Support Task Force and the Joint Legislative Budget Commission. As president of the Greater Pensacola Chamber, he is making an impact on the business community and economy of Pensacola and Escambia County.

By any account, Ingram is a busy man.

ON PENSACOLA’S FUTURE “We have so many assets that other communities would love to have, including worldclass beaches, museums and cultural attractions, a university and state college, and first-class hospitals. When you team these things with the fact that Northwest Florida isn’t as crowded as other parts of the state and the things we’ve done to make Florida attractive to employers, then people will come. Our challenge becomes making sure that our infrastructure can support the increased population.”

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Executive Mindset

Bottom Line ACHIEVING ACCESS TO CAPITAL

A Helping Hand for Small Businesses State microfinance programs are an untapped resource in Northwest Florida

BY LINDA KLEINDIENST

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I

n 2014, hoping to help entrepreneurs around the state emerge from the national economic slump and get access to small loans for their business, state legislators enacted the Florida Microfinance Act and set aside $10 million for implementation. The intent was to provide loans and loan guarantees for business owners who had trouble getting access to small amounts of capital.

Since the program was initiated, 92 businesses have applied. As of January, 53 had been approved and 38 loans and three loan guarantees had been granted — for a total of more than $1.1 million. (Of that amount, loans accounted for $653,764 and guarantees $585,200.) But state officials say there has been little interest in the program from North Florida.

Instead, it has been most popular in Southeast Florida, where beneficiaries include small-business owners Arturo Dominguez of Miami and Nubia Cardenas of Hollywood.

Dominguez is owner of Arpechi Windows Inc., a business that manufactures and installs custom windows and doors. In October 2014, Dominguez applied for and received a microloan in the amount of $9,500 for working capital. The loan’s purpose was to stock up on custom glass inventory to be used in the business’ high season, which runs from January to October.

Cardenas, meanwhile, owns Mi Columbia Linda USA Inc., an import company that distributes Columbian handmade crafts. In 2015, Our Microlending LLC provided a loan for

Cardenas, who used the $9,000 working line of credit to stock inventory for the holiday season.

“DEO’s microfinance programs are helping Florida entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive by providing access to much-needed capital,” said Cissy Proctor, executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “Small businesses are the backbone of Florida’s economy, and programs like these help support companies, jobs and families across the Sunshine State.”

The Microfinance Loan Program consists of short-term, fixed-rate microloans. Loan administrators provide a one-to-one match to make short-term microloans of up to $50,000. Each loan is contingent on the borrower completing business training and receiving technical assistance from the Florida Small Business Development Network.

The Microfinance Guarantee Program provides credit enhancement on loans offered by a bank for between $50,000 and $250,000. On meeting certain qualifications, the state will guarantee each loan up to 50 percent with the help of Enterprise Florida.

The types of businesses currently making the most use of both programs involve retail, construction, manufacturing and food service.

State officials don’t have an inkling why the programs aren’t as popular in Northwest Florida as they are in the southeastern and central parts of the state, but entrepreneurs and/or small businesses with 25 or fewer employees and gross annual revenues of up

to $1.5 million can apply. Proceeds can only be used for startup costs, working capital and to purchase materials, supplies, furniture, fixtures and equipment. The money cannot be used to pay off creditors, pay for lobbying activities or finance the purchase, construction or improvement of real property held for sale or investment.

Legislation to establish the program was championed by Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, who cited the lack of access to capital as a critical issue for small business.

“Oftentimes banks find this type of lending less than desirable because loan amounts are too small to recoup underwriting costs, pay loan-process expenses and earn an adequate profit for the lender,” she said at the time.

“However, by making capital available to lenders at below market costs, the Florida Microfinance Act will stimulate growth, expansion and job creation within creditworthy small businesses throughout our state.”

To apply for a loan, a business must contact one of the DEO’s Microfinance Loan Administrators to begin the application. In Northwest Florida, the Florida Black Business Support Corporation in Tallahassee is a loan administrator (accessfloridafinance.com). For the Guarantee Program, the business must apply and obtain loan approval with a retail bank of their choice that is also willing to use state funds to guarantee a portion of the loan.

For more information on both programs, visit floridajobs.org/microfinanceprograms.

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Executive Mindset

Management Strategies HOW TO KEEP THE KEEPERS

Rounding Your Business INTO SHAPE It all starts with a sincere conversation BY QUINT STUDER

T

he topic that’s top-of-mind for many business owners is employee retention and how to best engage employees within the workplace, ultimately reducing turnover by two-thirds. What if there was a way to help retain staff, fix processes and identify best co-workers, all by having structured conversations?

There is such a tool, and it is known as employee and customer rounding.

Rounding can be best defined as conversations based on achieving desired outcomes. Ultimately, rounding on employees and customers are so commingled, it essentially becomes one task to master. Let’s focus on staff rounding, because managing people is definitely not a “soft skill.”

The first step in rounding is also the most important. It is connecting with your employee on a personal level. The personal connection will be what’s most top-of-mind for your employee — his or her family, a hobby, favorite sports team, etc. In my opinion, it is

EDITOR’S NOTE: Quint Studer has agreed to share with 850 Magazine readers what he has learned while running companies from startup to sale, as well as working with companies for many years to create a culture of high performance. He will be writing periodic columns for 850 and welcomes your questions and comments. His writings will address key topics, from hiring and keeping great employees to creating customers who are incredibly loyal to your business and brand. Email your questions to lkleindienst@rowlandpublishing.com and they will be forwarded to Studer.

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a myth that people should make a distinct separation between work and personal life.

The No. 1 reason people leave a job is their boss and not feeling as though their boss cares about them as a person. As supervisors, we have a responsibility to find the time to connect with employees in meaningful ways, or we pay for it in staff departures and lost customers.

The second item to ask employees when rounding is, “What is going well?” It is human nature to focus on what’s wrong first. I can almost guarantee that supervisors typically only hear when things are not working. This question helps employees

realize and be more aware of all the daily activities that go well.

The third question to ask is, “Which coworkers have been helpful to you?” This not only provides a supervisor with compliments to pass on but helps leaders learn which employees are most helpful to others.

The last question is particularly important to employee engagement and creates the foundation of a good work environment.

That question is, “Do you have the tools and equipment needed to do your job?” These are great wins over time, as you’re able to provide necessary tools and equipment for employees to perform well. If the employee

feels he or she doesn’t have the tools needed, this question gives the opportunity to explain the importance of obtaining the right tools and equipment.

Be patient when first rounding. A sudden change, even if it’s positive, can sometimes be disconcerting to employees. Rounding is a skill leaders get better at with time. It becomes much more natural the more conversations you have with your team members. What outcomes can you typically expect with rounding on employees and customers? Improved service, less employee turnover, more customers and a much better margin.

Quint Studer is the founder of Studer Group, which started as an eight-person operation in 2000. With the recent sale of Studer Group to Huron Consulting Company, he has been able to invest in the future of the Pensacola community. Quint and his wife, Rishy, are co-owners of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos minorleague baseball team. They have also founded the Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization that sponsors research and the development of benchmarks to help communities evaluate and understand the health of their local economy, government and quality of life. The institute produces fact-based analyses of issues communities need to address to move forward. Studer has written and contributed to a number of books. His first book, “Hardwiring Excellence,” is a BusinessWeek bestseller. “Results That Last” hit The Wall Street Journal’s bestseller list of business books.

OUR SITES ARE SET ON FLORIDA’S GROWTH. Gulf Power’s Florida First Sites program adds certified industrial sites and parks to Northwest Florida’s portfolio of competitive advantages.

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For more information, contact Rick Byars, Community and Economic Development Manager for Gulf Power Company, at 850.444.6849 or crbyars@southernco.com.

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Executive Mindset

Leading Healthy KEEPING A SHARP FOCUS

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Nine Brain-Aging ‘Sins’

That Kill Your Competitive Edge Sitting all day, chugging coffee and skipping the gym can cause middle-age career death

BY MARCEL DAANE

I

t’s Monday morning and Michael, a senior executive at a global telecommunications company, faces the week utterly exhausted. Only 38, he’s been a high-level leader with the firm for more than a decade. Once he was a wunderkind, an “energizer” on the fast track to become the company’s youngest-ever CEO. But those days are over. Now, Michael is perpetually depleted, and his pinpoint focus has given way to constant brain fog. He struggles with stress and anxiety every day — a state of mind (and body) that’s killing his performance capacity.

There are many “Michaels” out there. As demands grow and resources shrink, we all struggle to do more with less — and without proper coping skills, we slide down a slippery slope of chronic exhaustion into debilitating burnout. That’s bad news for the middleage-ish among us who must compete with the endless line of fresh-faced, energetic younger workers jostling for position.

Working while fatigued once in a while is OK, but when this state becomes chronic, our resilience against stress drops. Enthusiasm and motivation plunge. Before we know it, we can no longer perform at our best.

What’s more, this endless fatigue ages us rapidly.

You don’t just feel older than your age; you are older.

Your capacity to regenerate the cells in your body and brain falls off sharply.

That’s right: Stress is a potent cause of neurodegeneration. The brains of people who are chronically fatigued show signs of shrinking, which means stressed executives have about the same brain capacity as people decades older.

This deterioration of critical brain regions hinders memory processing, strategic planning and the ability to manage anxiety, which are all crucial skills for the executive. The deficiencies can knock you out of the game. Mental sharpness and the ability to innovate, collaborate and connect are the price of admission in today’s world.

The good news is we can affect how fast our brain ages, depending on how we treat it throughout life. Research at King’s College in the United Kingdom shows that the brains of elderly people who practice a healthy lifestyle are the same as people decades younger.

The lesson is clear: Overworked executives can go a long way toward keeping their brains young and highperforming by controlling their lifestyle choices.

We may be committing predictable brain-aging “sins” on a regular basis. Here are nine of the most damaging:

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LEADING HEALTHY

1 You regularly forgo a daily walk in favor of fire. They speed up brain-cell destruction from stress, a flop on the couch. After a long day, it’s tempting resulting in memory decline similar to what we see in to talk yourself out of exercise with a Alzheimer’s patients. weary “I’m just too tired.” But sedentary Bring your own healthy snacks — AMYGDALA The part of the behavior doesn’t reward your fatigued brain affected by Alzheimer’s those that build memory capacity, disease. brain and body — it makes you more improve physiological brain balance, fatigued. Your brain recovers better and help you perform complex mental faster when your body moves. tasks, reduce symptoms of stress and Movement produces proteins and anxiety, and keep you focused. hormones in the brain that stimulate Bananas are a quick source of glucose memory and make you more alert. One and potassium, and potassium improves such protein is called brain-derived neuphysiological brain balance. Cottage rotrophic factor (BDNF), which is procheese is another good option because it duced only during exercise and works includes whey protein, which has been like fertilizer to help new brain cells shown to remove symptoms of stress grow. Thus, a daily walk in the office, and improve cognitive function. Bring around the parking lot or through the airport helps a container of chopped celery, carrots and broccoli with keep your energy level up and your brain awake. organic almond or coconut butter for dipping. Finally, you can top anything with almonds, which improve cognition and memory.

2 You hit the snooze button (again) and run out of time for breakfast. While you’re still lying in bed, it may seem like a good idea to stay there for an extra 5 You swill coffee and soda instead of water.

30 minutes at the expense of breakfast. But robbing You may think your morning jolt of caffeine is revving your brain of essential nutrients in the morning is a big you up, but it really isn’t. Yes, it creates a momentary mistake. Just as an athlete’s muscles shrink without lift as it blocks neurons in the brain that make you proper refueling, so do the executive’s “mental musfeel tired, but the lift quickly declines and fatigue sets cles.” Neurons in the brain die with repeated exposure in. The more you consume, the greater the impact of to stress, resulting in a loss of brain mass and ability. stress on your brain, and the more dehydrated you Try oatmeal topped with berries, cinnamon and become. The best hydration is water, which transports walnuts. You may even be able to hit snooze once or nutrients and oxygen into your tissues and brain cells. twice and still have time to make and eat a healthy breakfast.

6 You regularly “relax” with an after-work beer or a nightcap. Alcohol is not so much a relax3 You skip lunch to take an emergency conant as it is an anesthetic combined with a stimulant. ference call. If your workday includes last-minute During a stressful day, the brain cells in the hippomeetings, emergency conference calls, staffing issues campus (our memory-processing center) are stretched or other urgent craziness, taking time to refuel your beyond capacity. As we drink alcohol, our brains are brain can seem impossible. But the brain has a minianesthetized and overstimulated, which causes addimal capacity to store its own glucose, which is the tional trauma to the hippocampus and compounds primary brain fuel. When you skip meals, the regions the damage. The brain can recover from the occasional of your brain responsible for self-regulation, empathy trauma of drinking, but if it’s too much and too often, and solution-based thinking begin to shut down. You it loses its capacity to recover. become hyper-responsive to stress, brain cells in your Practice mindfulness meditation, go for a walk or a memory processing centers die and your brain ages run, or take a yoga class. All of them reestablish calm more rapidly. in the brain and body, and help you build brain cells rather than kill them.

4 You don’t stock up on good snacks (so you naturally grab bad ones when temptation 7 You sacrifice sleep on the altar of work. On strikes). Stress and fatigue are notorious triggers for occasion, we all have to burn the midnight oil to finish bad-food binges. That’s why many people grab chips or a project. Yet many executives think it’s a badge of comcookies and mindlessly devour them while multitaskmitment to regularly sacrifice sleep in favor of working. The problem is that stress causes chronic brain ing late or starting up in the wee hours of the morning. inflammation, and processed foods such as cookies, The irony is that a bit more sleep would make them far sodas and cakes only add fuel to the inflammation more effective by allowing the body to recuperate and

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super-compensate (a fancy word that means to store excess energy for the next day).

A chronic lack of sleep has serious effects on brain health and function. One study showed that a single 90-minute reduction in sleep decreased performance and alertness by a whopping 32 percent, and another study showed that a chronic lack of sleep caused significant decreases in brain volume and memory. To top it off, poor sleep has also been associated with body fat gain, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Family Adventures, We’ll Tell Forever.

8 You skip water cooler chats. In today’s alwayson, technology-fueled culture, it can be tempting to lock yourself in your office or hide away in your cubicle, chasing the rabbits of deadlines all day. No wonder research suggests that more than 50 percent of employees suffer from feelings of isolation at work. And that’s bad for organizational and personal performance.

One study showed that social isolation results in reduced capacity for planning, communicating, impulse control, imagination and empathy. Conversely, social interactions help us learn and see other perspectives. They help us relax and feel happier. They make us more effective when we do return to focusing on work.

9 You sit and sit (and sit some more). Every day, millions of executives and office workers suffer the ill effects of sitting too much. Scores of research show that sitting more than six to eight hours a day increases brain stress and early mortality, not to mention exhaustion, stiff necks, heavy limbs and aching backs. If all that isn’t disturbing enough, consider that too much sitting actually thickens your connective tissue over time until you lose your range of motion (not unlike the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz”).

Hardworking neurons need oxygen and nutrients to function, build memory, remain alert and stimulate creativity. That’s why you must stand up and move around during the day. Stand at your desk; conduct stand-up or walking meetings; take regular walks away from your desk; walk or stand while thinking.

These small changes will greatly increase oxygenation and reinvigorate the neurons needed for your brain to excel at any cognitive task.

Marcel Daane is CEO of Headstrong Performance, a Singaporebased, globally operating boutique consulting firm, and the author of “Headstrong Performance: Improve Your Mental Performance with Nutrition, Exercise, and Neuroscience.” He is considered a pioneer in integrating health and neuroscience to improve performance in executives. Daane is a former member of an elite naval intelligence unit with advanced degrees in neuroscience of leadership and complementary medicine.

there is

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3/21/2016 1:49:01 PM

Executive Mindset

Wi-Files

RIDING A COMMUNICATION BULLET TRAIN

SUPERSPEEDY DATA DELIVERY LambdaRail increases speed, capacity and security for Northwest Florida universities, hospitals and research centers BY JASON DEHART

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I

n the world of computer communication, conventional broadband Internet is what most of us use or have access to on a regular basis. For the most part, its speed and capacity are adequate to conduct business both at work and at home. But what if you need to move millions of files all at once with lightning speed and high security? That’s where LambdaRail comes into play.

LambdaRail is powerful stuff. It’s high-tech broadband that can transmit the data equivalent of 80 million text-filled file cabinets daily. It can simultaneously download an e-book for every one of Florida’s 2.7 million grade-school kids in about two minutes. It outsmarts smartphone data transmission by

50,000 times. If it were a highway, it would be 32 lanes wide and the regular Internet would be a two-lane road.

Wow, that sounds great, you say. Hook me up, you say.

There’s just one catch. LambdaRail isn’t your typical information superhighway. Nor is it available to your average Internet user. LambdaRail is for big-league data movers, crunchers and shakers: universities, high-tech research centers and medical centers.

Florida LambdaRail, or FLR for short, was established in 2004 and is a consortium of public and private universities needing a mega-capacity, ultra-reliable and high-speed data network able to handle the unique transmission needs of research communities. LambdaRail doesn’t sell commercial service. It’s a public-private partnership that works solely in the nonprofit sector. If you want to be on the network, you have to show the organization that your institution has a nonprofit mission. FLR is owned and operated on behalf of

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WI-FILES

LambdaRail is powerful stuff. It’s high-tech broadband that can transmit the data equivalent of 80 million text-filled file cabinets daily. It can simultaneously download an e-book for every one of Florida’s 2.7 million grade-school kids in about two minutes.

It outsmarts smartphone data transmission by 50,000 times. If it were a highway, it would be 32 lanes wide and the regular Internet would be a two-lane road.

12 Florida research institutions, including Florida State University in Tallahassee and the University of West Florida in Pensacola.

FIBER OPTIC CONNECTIONS There are also “affiliLambdaRail is ates” that have access helping Northwest Florida’s schools, to FLR through their universities, military association with the and hospitals join a superhighway main equity partof computer ners. In Northwest communication that has a megaFlorida, these include capacity.

Bay District Schools, the Escambia County School District, Florida A&M University, Gulf Coast State College, Pensacola State College and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

In Bay County, economic development leaders are taking steps to ensure that the entire county is “looped” by the network. The Bay County Economic Development Alliance is working diligently on this project through the Bay Tech Initiative, according to Scarlett Phaneuf, vice president of the alliance.

“Broadband access is fairly readily available in Bay County, but we identified a need for something even more secure and at higher speed,” she said. “The EDA was tasked with commissioning a study, and we hired a consultant to do that. We completed that process along with stakeholder input, and we have continued the charge since then to identify funding in order to bring the infrastructure down into Bay County and provide that for our military installations and our community college and hospital.”

Essentially, officials want to extend the fiber optic line carrying the service from the vicinity of Bruce (near the intersection of State Road 81 and State Road 20) down State Road 79, then southeast along U.S. Highway 98 to Naval Support Activity Panama City, and thence to Tyndall Air Force Base. Phaneuf said that, ideally, they’d like to bring it back up State Road 77 and link up to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Connection points would be made available to West Bay, Gulf Coast State College, Bay District schools, hospitals and the city of Panama City.

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The project carries a $1.7 million price tag; to date, the EDA received a $500,000 grant from the Florida Defense Support Task Force. They’ve also asked for $1 million from the RESTORE fund of Bay County in an attempt to boost economic development.

“We have a growing cluster of technology companies located in downtown Panama City that need access to this type of infrastructure, so we are definitely hoping it will help support that and help us to recruit similar companies that need this type of infrastructure,” Phaneuf said. “It’s really critical in the technology sector, and it’s vital to our ability to grow that sector of our economy.”

Bay County is just one example of Northwest Florida counties reaching for LambdaRail technology, according to David Mann, spokesman for Florida LambdaRail in Tallahassee.

“Bay County is an interesting example where there is a hub of activity going on, especially with the FSU campus as well as Gulf Coast State College and the public school district,” Mann said. “The three of them are joined up, and I do know there is a good deal of interest. The chamber of commerce there has been talking about creating a proposal for economic development. Escambia has been pretty active, too. The University of West Florida is one of our owners, as is FSU, so they are the main anchor institutions in this area. In Escambia, the school district recently

joined as affiliate members. Two of our five K-12s are in the 850 area code.”

Meanwhile, Pensacola State College is on the network, and the chamber of commerce there has previously received a grant for making those connections, Mann said.

“They created a local loop out of their money, an Internet ring if you will, and that’s being managed by Pensacola State College,” he said. “Its intention is to connect up the hospitals, and to provide a mechanism for the military installations to hook up. We have a direct connection to that Pensacola ring, and any folks who want to avail themselves of that can do so.”

The Okaloosa County Economic Development Council has also jumped on the LambdaRail bandwagon. The EDC formed a partnership with Okaloosa County, the University of West Florida and the state to provide Florida LambdaRail to educational and research facilities — as well as Eglin Air Force Base. Together, these organizations form the Emerald Coast Advanced Research Network team, tasked with formulating a plan and timeline for connecting Eglin and Fort Walton Beach.

The entire FLR network consists of 1,540 miles of fiber and recently completed an upgrade enabling data to travel at 100 gigabits per second. Mann said that only two other regional networks, in California and Ohio, have completed such a systemwide upgrade.

Your local business Internet and phone provider

(From left to right) Dolly Evans; Darlene Syvertsen; Thomas Harrison, CEO Tallahassee Primary Care Associates; Julia Leland, Laboratory Technician; and Paul V. Watts, CEO Electronet Broadband Communications

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Thomas Harrison, CEO Tallahassee Primary Care Associates

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ROAD TO SUCCESS The route to Northwest Florida’s economic vitality is through its transportation system

BY LINDA KLEINDIENST

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PHOTO BY LAWRENCE DAVIDSON

Transportation is defined by Merriam Webster as the act or process of moving people or things from one place to another. And, since the beginning of mankind, we’ve used a variety of methods to do so.

The Old Silk Road was essential to commerce in 200 BC. And while the Romans were renowned for their world-conquering ways, they were master road builders as well, developing a network that helped keep that sprawling empire together for centuries.

Rivers were instrumental in moving people and heavy goods during the western movement of the early settlers in North America. Railroads opened up more opportunities for moving cargo and settlers — Florida’s development certainly got a boost in the 1800s from railroads built by Henry Flagler and Henry Plant. And the federal interstate system championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by the ease of movement on Germany’s Autobahn system during World War II, opened access to myriad new locations for Americans looking to relocate in the mid-1900s.

Florida’s population boom in the decades following World War II put a stress on the state’s ability to efficiently move the newcomers, but the network of roads has continued to expand in an effort to meet the challenges in most regions.

Now it is Northwest Florida’s turn to find itself in the middle of a growth spurt. More people (residents and tourists) means more traffic. And that’s becoming a growing problem.

“Transportation is economic development,” Harold Barley, executive director of MetroPlan Orlando, told participants at a Transportation Symposium sponsored by the West Florida Regional Planning Council last fall. “If people and goods aren’t moving, there is no economy. If you can’t get there, the land has no commercial value.”

with a list of demands for infrastructure, fast-track permitting and a request for $6 million in economic incentives.

One day, a representative of Bass Pro did appear, but the company was in a hurry to plant its flag in the area before its competitor did. So, said Long, no incentive was required and the newly widened and improved Mahan Drive (U.S. 90) — which provided a straight shot from Interstate 10 — made it easy to fast-track the retailer into an existing building in Fallschase, formerly occupied by Sportsman’s Warehouse. When it opened in 2013, the 70,000-squarefoot store brought 200 jobs to the area.

Roads Mean Jobs

“The reason that store is there is this road,” Long said. “You’ve got to ask yourself: ‘Without that road built to that standard, would Bass Pro have come in that close to town or would they do their usual model, which is to be right there on the interstate?’ ” Drs. Jean-Paul Rodrigue and Theo Notteboom emphasized in their book, “The Geographic of Transport Sytstems,” that high-density transport infrastructure and highly connected networks are commonly associated with high levels of development.

The decision by Bass Pro Shops to move into Leon County and Tallahassee is a great example of how important roads are in developing an economy.

Bass Pro Shops is a huge get, bringing jobs, money, visitors and a certain cachet to a community.

Its customers travel an average of 50 miles and 2½ hours to shop there. Leon County Administrator Vince Long knew if and when the regional outdoors mega-retailer came knocking, it was going to be

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By 2030, Florida is projected to grow by 6 million people — and attract more than 150 million visitors.

17%

5%

commute work from across county home lines to work

3%

80%

drive alone

use public transit

10%

2%

carpool

walk

Florida was home to six of the 20 fastest growing metro areas in the nation between july 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The areas and their ranking are: 1 3 9 11

13

14

The Villages Cape Coral-Fort Myers Punta Gorda N orth Port-SarasotaBrandenton O rlando-KissimmeeSanford N aples-ImmokaleeMarco Island

(Between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, the Panama City metropolitan area was the 19th fastest growing metro.)

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“When transport systems are efficient, they provide economic and social opportunities and benefits that result in positive multiplier effects such as better accessibility to markets, employment and additional investments. When transport systems are deficient in terms of capacity or reliability, they can have an economic cost such as reduced or missed opportunities and lower quality of life,” they concluded.

By 2030, Florida is projected to grow by 6 million people — and attract more than 150 million visitors. That means we’re likely to have at least four to five million more cars on the road, increasing congestion and likely hindering mobility.

“Transportation is totally interlinked with economic development. As more people come in and out of Florida, we have to make sure we move them around efficiently and effectively,” says Beth Kigel, a member of the Florida Transportation Commission who is president and CEO of the Northern Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce.

“Transportation transforms communities,” Kigel stresses.

Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast especially feels the impact of growth during the summer tourist season as visitors vie with residents for space on a network of roads that hasn’t kept pace with the population boom.

“There are two things we’ve got to get right. Talent and infrastructure,” says Tony Carvajal, executive vice president of the Florida Chamber Foundation, a statewide research organization.

State transportation officials are working closely with counties in assessing and trying to meet infrastructure needs brought on by a growing population. Projects to ease the traffic congestion have been funded over the past several years and many are still under construction while others are entering the planning stage.

“Basically, it’s kind of like everything else,” says Jason Peters, director of transportation development for the Florida Department of Transportation office that covers the Panhandle. “We have a number of avenues in which we work with our county partners on their vision and their transportation needs, especially as to where their economic growth is occurring. As in most production arenas, sometimes the dream is more than the supply.

But we have been very fortunate over the last couple of years to fund some transportation projects for the area.”

Roads along the Emerald Coast in Northwest Florida are jammed with traffic during the tourist season, making it difficult for visitors and residents to move around and for businesses to move their goods.

PHOTO BY KANSAS PITTS

FLORIDIANS’ COMMUTING HABITS

ROAD TO SUCCESS “When we talk about economic development it encompasses so many different aspects of what goes on in the world.

Transportation is just one leg of economic development, but it’s one of the most important legs. If you can’t move people and can’t move goods, you’re not having economic development.”

— AUSTIN MOUNT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WEST FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL

Hurdling Geographic Barriers “When we talk about economic development it encompasses so many different aspects of what goes on in the world,” says Austin Mount, executive director of the West Florida Regional Planning Council.

“Transportation is just one leg of economic development, but it’s one of the most important legs. If you can’t move people and can’t move goods, you’re not having economic development.”

The western portion of Florida’s Panhandle has some unique geographic barriers that limit what can be done to help improve the flow. U.S. 98 is the major east-west thoroughfare where a bulk of the population lives — close to the Gulf. Traffic is bumper to bumper during the height of the (summer) tourist season. It hinders tourists, local residents and employees working at businesses and can serve as a deterrent to businesses looking to relocate to the area.

“We’re seeing a lot more development on U.S. 98 and obviously there is not a lot of relief coming,” says Mount. “Of course, if money was no issue we could do a lot more. The Florida Department of Transportation has to address traffic issues across the state and we’re sensitive to that. But with tourism and the amount of development occurring, the capacity is not keeping pace with the growth.”

As for how that affects economic development, Mount adds, “I think any company coming into the area would really take a hard look at (the traffic situation). Especially if they have a lot of products being delivered.”

Peters concedes that U.S. 98 is congested and, in fact, is one of the most crowded roadways in the state. “The department has been looking at what can be done. There was an Eglin bypass study for a toll facility that would run parallel to 98, but the economy of scale was not feasible. The need outweighs the funding at this time.”

There is some relief on the horizon in Okaloosa and Walton counties, but it’s going to come in phases and it won’t happen overnight.

“I don’t know that we have a total solution, but things are being worked on now that will provide some assistance,” says James Wood, a member of the Destin City Council who is vice chairman of the Northwest Florida

Regional Transportation Planning Organization and chairman of the Okaloosa-Walton TPO. The assistance is coming in the form of a $50 million-plus widening project for U.S. 98. This fall work will start on the first phase in Walton County, running from Airport Road to Silver Sands Road. Work on the Okaloosa side will likely begin in 2017.

“This is going to be a long-term issue,” Wood says. “It takes a long time to go from a good idea for a project to putting tar down on the road. It could be 10 to 15 years in the making. I wish there were a finger-snap solution.

There’s got to be some out-of-the-box thinking.”

For instance, he suggests, if and when Amtrak resumes passenger traffic between New Orleans and Jacksonville, might there be a way to connect that rail traffic to the beaches of Okaloosa and South Walton?

Or, instead of appealing to a wide variety of tourists, should the counties narrow their pitch to bring in smaller numbers of tourists with a larger disposable income? That would mean fewer people and cars, although there’s no guarantee local businesses would make the same amount of money each season and Wood concedes, “I don’t know how you would handle that from a marketing standpoint.”

In Santa Rosa County, which has become a bedroom community to Escambia to the west and Okaloosa to the east, the push is to find better ways to move the cars.

FLORIDA’S GROWING TRANSPORTATION WORKFORCE There are more than 540,000 jobs in transportation, trade and logistics.

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Part of the solution is the planned replacement of the three-mile bridge linking Santa Rosa and Escambia counties and handling about 45,000 cars a day.

“We’re certainly limited in what we can do because from Gulf Breeze to Navarre it is a peninsula surrounded by water. U.S. Highway 98 is the constant in the county, and traffic has increased at a steady pace. Long term there are plans to widen 98, but that could be decades in the making,” says Lane Lynchard, a Santa Rosa county commissioner and chairman of the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization. “There is no quick fix to our traffic problem, but I think the counties in the region and the Florida Department of Transportation recognize we have an issue and we’re working every year to improve that traffic flow.”

Part of the solution is the planned replacement of the three-mile bridge linking Santa Rosa and Escambia counties and handling about 45,000 cars a day. Work on that project, which will turn the bridge into a six-lane facility, should begin in early 2017 and will continue — JAMES WOOD, A MEMBER OF THE for several years.

DESTIN CITY COUNCIL WHO IS VICE Already finished is the transCHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHWEST forming of 98 into a well-lit FLORIDA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION thoroughfare that Lynchard PLANNING ORGANIZATION AND contends has established a betCHAIRMAN OF THE OKALOOSAter atmosphere for bringing WALTON TPO more economic development into southern Santa Rosa. The project was paid for by the Florida DOT and included Gulf Power’s installation of nearly 1,000 LED lights. The county paid for enhanced bike lanes to improve safety. Now, “that drive has really been transformed, going from being extremely dark with little or no ambient light to a well-lit, wide

“The balance between economic development and people wanting to live in quality places where they can ride their bikes more, have smaller car lanes and less traffic isn’t always easy.”

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thoroughfare. It’s a much more attractive drive. And we’re seeing some big commercial development.”

Transportation issues along the coast don’t just run east and west. They go north and south as well.

“Some of the congestion, from what we’re seeing, is migrating north,” says DOT’s Peters. “(The coastal) area is constrained from an economic development standpoint. Growth is occurring and moving north, so we’ve got to take that into consideration for future transportation needs.”

From Bay County over toward Escambia, the focus is on widening roads like U.S. 331 that lead from the coastal areas north toward Interstate 10, which is the acknowledged commerce backbone of Northwest Florida. Not only will these projects help move traffic north during hurricane evacuations, they’ll make it easier for tourists to come south into the beach areas during the growing tourist season and aid businesses that need to move products to and from the interstate system, local seaports and airports.

“The balance between economic development and people wanting to live in quality places where they can ride their bikes more, have smaller car lanes and less traffic isn’t always easy,” concedes Wood. “But I’m anxious for the future. We have good elected officials and planners, and folks are starting to move in the same direction. We’ll fix the problems we can fix.”

Shuttling Cars Off the Road One of the most congested areas in the 850 region is 30A along the Emerald Coast. While some counties are trying to beef up and rebrand their public transportation — and hoping residents and tourists will warm to the idea — in Walton County a private company, Sunshine Shuttle, is hoping to help take some cars off the roads.

In 2014, the company took one trolley and put it on one route, from Seaside to Gulf Place Town Center in Santa Rosa Beach, during the summer tourist season — with stops at beach accesses. The idea was to enable tourists to easily go from place to place without using their cars. There were 5,000 riders the first year.

In 2015, the route was extended to Cypress Dunes and included seven stops. Ridership rose to about 7,000.

This year, the plan is to add a second trolley and have nine or 10 stops.

“It’s a free ride that is paid for by our partners, who want to provide an extra amenity for their guests,” explains Alan Roberts, vice president of business development for Sunshine Shuttle. Guests can use a smart phone app to see where the trolley is and how long it will take to get to their location. It runs from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day.

In Sandestin, Sunshine Shuttle provided the Sandtram to get around, alleviating the need for ev-

ROAD TO SUCCESS FLORIDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM In 1915, the State Road Department was established, with six employees and a total maintenance budget of $16,410 to oversee 94.4 miles of paved roads and 3,777 miles of unpaved roads. In 2015, Florida became the third largest state in population, with 20 million residents and 100 million annual visitors. The state’s transportation system now includes 12,099 miles of state roads.

State Highways

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNSHINE SHUTTLE

Sunshine Shuttle takes cars off the road along 30A and during spring break in Panama City Beach, making it easier for everyone to move around.

eryone to rent a car. That business partnership ended in March, but during the three years it was in place, it carried about 600,000 passengers, says Roberts. “It completely changed the culture,” he explained. “And that’s when we realized that this idea could work anywhere. So we went to 30A.” The company has its sights set next on the Destin and Panama City Beach areas, any resort area that has a transportation challenge during the summer. In March, the plan was to run four buses along Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach for spring break, with beer companies taking care of the cost through “transvertising” and helping with the campaign to keep spring breakers from drinking and driving.

Sunshine Shuttle also has an agreement with Seaside to provide transportation for the town’s workers. Keeping their cars off the resort town’s roads leaves more room for visitor cars — and more income for local businesses.

“Everyone realizes if they get employee vehicles out of Seaside, they’ll make more money,” says Roberts. ”We serve about 10,000 riders a summer. That’s about 5,000 cars that aren’t on the road at Seaside.”

The employee transportation program runs 18 hours a day all summer. They park at South Walton High School and then one of four shuttles will pick them up and drop them at Seaside. Shuttles arrive every 15 minutes.

Lynchard says he would love to see a shuttle system along the U.S. 98 corridor, since there are natural constraints on other options.

“It seems that public transport and mass transit would be tailor made for this situation. In Navarre, a tremendous number of people work at Hurlburt or Eglin and there is a tremendous daily load on the roads,” he says. “If there were an option available for people to take some form of mass transit, I think that would be attractive.”

Santa Rosa had a pilot mass transit program several years ago that saw steady growth in the number of daily riders but ridership never rose to the level where continuation of the program would be financially successful.

And, Lynchard laments, with the price of gas being so low “people don’t think so much these days about hopping in their car and driving 20 miles to work.”

▪ 12,099 Centerline Miles ▪ 6,783 Bridges

Local Roads ▪ 107,674 Centerline Miles ▪ 50,091 Bridges

Public Transit ▪ 30 Urban Transit Systems ▪ 23 Rural Transit Systems

Rail ▪ 2,753 Railway Miles

Seaports/ Waterways ▪ 15 Public Seaports ▪ 3,475 Miles of Intracoastal and Inland Routes

Aviation ▪ 780 Airports ▪ 129 Public ▪ 19 Commercial ▪ 651 Private

Spaceports ▪ 2 Spaceports ▪ 10 Launch Facilities

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Wedding photographers tackle a job that calls for a steady hand, creativity and, sometimes, a sewing kit BY ROCHELLE KOFF

The focus of wedding photography is to capture a love story.

And that’s the easy part.

“Comfort is the biggest thing,” she said. “Brides can stress out. You want them to have fun and not worry.”

Photographer Lindsay Bray, who shoots for Pure 7 Studios in Miramar Beach, said it helps if a photographer’s personality jives with the bride’s.

“I encourage brides to make sure they pick someone who meshes well with them,” Bray said.

Personality is one of those intangible factors that ranks up there with price and portfolio when picking a wedding photographer in a market that’s “very healthy and

DARRIS HARTMAN

Sometimes a wedding photographer is also a tailor, decorator, stylist, counselor and confidant.

“On a wedding day, you’re not just a photographer,” said Darris Hartman, of Fort Walton Beach. “You become a jack-of-all-trades.”

In June, Hartman was photographing a bride getting ready for her ceremony “when her dress broke. I said, ‘You hold my camera and I’ll sew your dress.’ I didn’t expect to be sewing a button on the bride’s dress, but no one else could do it.”

Most importantly, Hartman was able to restore the bride’s confidence.

MULTI-TASKERS A wedding photographer has to be personable, quick-witted and be able to handle a needle and thread when the occasional need arises.

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PUTTING A FOCUS ON LOVE

competitive,” said Beth Rodan, president of the 50-member Tallahassee Association of Wedding Professionals.

“We have limits in every category, and photography is the only one that’s full, with people on a waiting list to join the group.”

their big day, according to the latest survey of nearly 16,000 brides from website The Knot, up more the NATIONAL than 4 percent from AVERAGE COST of 2,170,593 weddings $29,858 in 2013. And in 2014 that doesn’t include honeymoons.

The marketing research firm The the AVERAGE COST Wedding Report isof 2,521 weddings sues a more conserin TALLAHASSEE Popular Career, vative view, stating in 2014 Competitive the average cost of Business 2,170,593 weddings The number of phoin 2014 was $26,444. the AVERAGE tographers in NorthThe average cost COST of 2,451 west Florida has of 2,521 weddings in weddings in the skyrocketed over the Tallahassee in 2014 CRESTVIEW-FORT past decade. was $23,927, rankWALTON BEACH“There’s a very ing the city 328th DESTIN AREA competitive market out of 977 national for beach photogrametropolitan areas phy because it’s such surveyed by The a haven here,” said Wedding Report. In the NATIONAL Fort Walton Beach AVERAGE COST the Crestview-Fort of photography and photographer John Walton Beach-Destin videography Armour. “But it’s a area, another area good marketplace for surveyed, the averweddings because age price of 2,451 weddings was there are always new clients, new $31,370, climbing to 106th on the businesses and new opportunities national ranking. since it’s a tourist and vacation Nationally, couples spent an area.” average of $2,780 on photography The lure of sugar-sand beaches, and videography, according to clear blue-green water and casual The Wedding Report. ambience has made the Emerald Coast an increasingly popular Digital, Film and Video wedding destination, drawing Wedding photography costs in couples from as far away as AlasNorthwest Florida vary greatly, ka and even Asia. As a result, the from about $1,000 to $8,000, deregion is “drawing more photogpending on several factors, includraphers who want a piece of that ing the number of hours schedpie,” Armour said. uled, experience and whether And that piece is substantial. albums and portraits are included American weddings are a $51 along with a digital gallery. billion industry that employs “Every industry is constantly nearly 800,000 people, according evolving,” said Erica Manthey, to the market-research firm IBISwho handles the business side World. of Pure 7 Studios in Miramar In 2014, couples nationwide Beach. “We try to educate people spent an average of $31,213 on to consider printing their images.

According to The Wedding Report:

$26,444

$23,927

$31,370

PHOTOS BY PURE 7 STUDIOS (OPPOSITE PAGE) AND JOHN ARMOUR (THIS PAGE)

$2,780

Our research has shown us that people lose their images or their computers crash. They’re not always going to take the proper precautions” about archiving their digital images.

Like the photo industry, Pure 7 Studios has grown and evolved.

Ryan and Erica Manthey took a leap of faith in 2007, leaving a secure job in a family business to pursue a dream.

“I got into photography when my daughter was born, and she’s 10,” Ryan Manthey said. “I took pictures of her growing up, and I thought, ‘These are really nice.’ I started taking pictures of friends, who really loved them, and they told their friends, and it snowballed.

“I started realizing this was something that I’m good at,” he said. “I was making good money at another job, but I was more passionate about photography.”

WEDDING HAVEN Northwest Florida’s beaches are popular with couples enticed by the sugar-sand beaches and blue-green water.

The lucrative beach wedding business is also attracting more photographers to the area.

Manthey said the couple started out small.

“We tried to keep costs low when we got started compared to where we are now,” he said. “Now we have two photographers and a videographer.”

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PUTTING A FOCUS ON LOVE

“Film photography is making a huge comeback. I lost one wedding because I didn’t shoot film.”

OPTIONS VARY Couples can opt for digital photos, old-style film photos and video. Nationally, couples spend an average of $2,780 on photography.

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Ryan Manthey, describes as a “more cinematic look.”

Video fees in Northwest Florida are also wide-ranging, from about $1,800 to $8,000.

“The turnaround time is a lot longer than photography,” said LeBlanc, who does about 15 to 20 wedding videos a year.

One of the newest trends in wedding photography is a throwback to the past.

“Film photography is making a huge comeback,” said Terri Smith, of Tallahassee. “I lost one wedding because I didn’t shoot film.”

Smith said she would consider shooting film as well as digital “if I felt like I was losing weddings because of that.”

Pensacola photographer Emily Dorman made the switch to film photography because of her personal preference.

“I was always frustrated with digital,” Dorman said. “I couldn’t feel a connection with it. I started shooting film, and people loved it. I love it. It’s not a trend for me.

Film is where my heart is, and I’ll never go back.”

After shooting a wedding, Dorman sends 25 to 30 rolls of film to a professional lab, which scans in the pictures. She orders prints from the negatives. Film can be more costly — “about $2 a shot,” she said — “but I try to stay close to digital pricing.” Her packages range from $1,900 to $6,000.

Dorman sharpened her skills shooting weddings in Anchorage, Alaska, “where summer has never-ending light — there’s never that golden hour. And in the winter, there’s no daylight. It’s totally dark. It was extremely hard. Everything else is easy after that.”

Dorman said that by using film, “I’m more intentional with my composition and lighting. It’s more of an art form for me.”

Erika Smith, a Gulf Breeze-

based photographer, uses a mix of film and digital cameras.

“With digital, you can shoot thousands and thousands of pictures,” she said. “Film makes you slow down. You get a different look.”

Work That Gets Personal Whether shooting film or digital, the photographer’s job is one of the toughest at the wedding.

“It’s not a luxurious business,” said photographer Hannah Brown of Santa Rosa Beach. “You’re out on the beach sweating, running after people. You have to be on your toes, ready for anything.”

Brown said her goal is to “get true emotions to come out,” and those emotions can be heartbreaking.

At one wedding, “the bride’s father had cancer, and his goal was to walk his daughter down the aisle,” Brown said. “He tripped crossing Highway 38 and fell on his face, and the bride was holding his head. He did walk down the aisle, but she and the father of the groom were holding him up.

All three walked down the aisle together. He died two days later.”

That was one wedding where she was “crying and taking pictures.”

While Brown primarily works with hotels, resorts and wedding planners, she has also photographed events that were a little more chaotic.

At one wedding, “the bride was still in her curlers at the beach telling people how to decorate. I dropped the camera and started helping,” said Brown. “I’ve decorated the altar before.”

Brown, who shoots photos with her husband, Shawn, said photography was always a part of her life.

“My mother was a professional photographer in Madrid, where I grew up,” she said. “I was 15 when she gave me all her equipment.”

PHOTOS BY EMILY DORMAN (THIS PAGE) AND HANNAH BROWN (OPPOSITE PAGE)

Pure 7’s videographer, Alan LeBlanc, said videography is a growing trend, due in part to the appeal of video apps and social media.

“With everything digitized, it’s helped the acceptance of videos,” said LeBlanc, who grew up in the Destin area and studied film at Florida Atlantic University.

— Tallahassee Photographer While videography Terri Smith is getting more popular, however, “photos still come first,” he said. When budgets get tight, the videos often get cut.

Pure 7 charges $5,000 for LeBlanc’s videos, which his boss,

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TERRI SMITH

Brown learned to shoot using film and developing pictures in the darkroom. She took college classes in photography, then interned at a gallery. After graduating, Brown worked with a Fort Walton Beach photographer for five years.

“She told me I should start my own business,” said Brown, who was 25 at the time. “I’m 34 now.

I’ve been shooting a long time.”

She primarily photographs destination weddings, working with vendors in Alys Beach, WaterColor and Rosemary Beach.

“I try not to shoot more than 30 a year,” said Brown, who also travels to Tennessee, Texas, Georgia and other locations. “About 90 to 95 percent of my clients are not from this area.

“You can always have work — it’s how much work you want to do,” she said.

Terri Smith shoots about 45 weddings a year, half in Tallahassee and half around the country.

Like many photographers, she started out doing portraits of her children and her friends’ children.

Then, about a year after she got into the photography business, she shot a friend’s wedding at St. George Island.

“My girlfriend was getting married and she said, ‘Please take some pictures,’” Smith said. “At first, I said no, too much pressure.”

Smith ended up taking those photos, and the experience changed her life.

“My friend was walking down the boardwalk with her mom,” Smith said. “The look on their faces — it was very emotional. When I was loading my pictures later and saw that image, I woke my husband and told him I was going to be a wedding photographer.”

That was 10 years ago. Smith now shoots about 30 to 50 weddings a year, locally and further afield, including shoots in Chicago, New York and Alaska.

“It’s a very selfish thing to do a wedding,” Smith said. “Weddings make me happy. And it makes me so happy when I take the best picture … Every day I’m so glad I went to St. George.”

Given the popularity of the photo-sharing website Pinterest, wedding websites and TV shows, the pressure is on to have a perfect wedding — and perfect wedding photos.

“It’s very common for a bride to share a bunch of Pinterest images and say, ‘I like this and that,’” said Santa Rosa photographer Roland Moriarty. “I definitely give her the images she wants and also add my personal touch.”

Moriarty said he approaches a wedding like a photojournalist.

“I’m looking for a story to tell while I’m shooting,” he said.

“Wedding photogra— Santa Rosa photographer phy has really gotten Roland Moriarty to the level of fine art.”

Moriarty said he fell in love with photography in 1990.

At the time, he was a talent agent and wound up shooting covers for some record albums.

“I had an appreciation for music and art, and one thing led to another,” he said.

He reinvented himself as a fulltime photographer and five years ago moved from South Florida to Santa Rosa Beach. Moriarty photographs models, families and does a lot of commercial and food photography as well as weddings.

“I’m looking for a story to tell while I’m shooting. Wedding photography has really gotten to the level of fine art.”

TELLING A STORY Photographers are sensitive to the notion that their work is capturing a couple’s personal time that will be filled with memories to be shared for generations.

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PUTTING A FOCUS ON LOVE

Considering most weddings take place on the weekend, and there are 104 to 106 Saturdays and Sundays in a year, most photographers have a broad portfolio beyond weddings.

John Armour shoots community and holiday events and portraits as well as weddings, specializing in beach photography.

Photography appeals to his creative side. Armour received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Columbus State University in Georgia. He later joined the Air Force, where he served for 12 years as a graphic designer and photographer.

“I gained a lot of experience utilizing different cameras and technology,” Armour said.

While he was in the military, Armour earned a master’s degree in management from Troy University in Alabama.

He’s been on the Emerald Coast 12 of his 15 years in the photography business, operating Personal

RESEARCH A MUST There are no do-overs when capturing events on the wedding day, so photographers urge couples to do their research before hiring a photographer to ensure they are getting a professional.

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Touch Photography out of his Fort Walton Beach home.

Shooting a wedding is very personal, he said.

“Weddings are about two people in love, and their family is there to capture that moment.

I get to be a part of that, and the memories I shoot will stay with them a long time.”

Wedding photography has become so popular, he said, that some inexperienced people are passing themselves off as professionals. He always recommends that clients research the experience and knowledge of the photographer.

Tools of the Trade Becoming a serious photographer isn’t cheap. Aside from costs for classes or workshops, newcomers should expect to spend “at least $10,000,” said Panama City photographer Alena Bakutis.

The cost is totally subjective, depending on how much someone

wants/can afford to invest from the get-go, said Erica Manthey.

“It also depends on what they want to shoot,” she said. “Weddings? Portraits? Sports? Commercial?”

Other considerations are whether to invest in new or used equipment, and whether to start on a lower grade and work your way up.

At the bare minimum, photographers will want to have two cameras in case something goes wrong. Camera bodies can be $2,000 and up. In addition, there are lenses, one or two flashes, memory cards, hard drives, computers, editing software and camera bags, as well as general liability insurance.

Many photographers, like Darris Hartman, work from home, which saves studio costs.

Hartman said she took pictures for free while she learned and got more experience — though she grew up around photography.

“My grandfather had one of the first studios in Alabama in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s,” she said.

“Everywhere we went, I was the friend with the camera.”

But when it came to shooting her first wedding on a little farm in Milton, “I was so nervous,” Hartman said. “There’s no doover. In a wedding, you don’t get that moment again. You have to be on it.”

And that’s part of the appeal for many photographers.

“Weddings are special,” said Panama City’s Bakutis. “Every wedding is unique, and every couple is unique. It’s more of a privilege that they chose you — and you do your best to make the wedding look fabulous.”

204 SENSATIONAL SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

The

Northwest Florida Bride’s Guide to Everything

OUR TOP PICKS IN VENDORS AND VENUES ARE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Hop In!

Your dream honeymoon is just around the corner

+

Flower Power: A bride’s guide to what’s blooming in florals

STEPBY-STEP How to pull off a flawless ceremony, DIY projects and a yearlong to-do list

Imagination without limits.

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contents

issue 3 oastal 17 cweddings

18 Want a Beach Wedding?

No Sweat 20 Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa 22 The Pearl Hotel 24 WaterColor Inn & Resort 26 Alys Beach 28 Fresh from the Sea 29 ResortQuest

33 PURE 7 STUDIOS

HOLLY GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY

city weddings

34 A Roaring Twenties Rendezvous

36 FSU Alumni Center

38 The Edison

40 Four Points by Sheraton

42 Wowing with the Welcome Bag

44 Tallahassee Downtown

48 Hotel Duval

50 Social Catering & Events/ The Gathering

ountry 53 cweddings

54 Flower Decoder

LAUREN WOMBLE PHOTOGRAPHY

aking 57 mit happen

204 SENSATIONAL SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

The

Northwest Florida Bride’s Guide to Everything

OUR TOP PICKS IN VENDORS AND VENUES ARE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Hop In!

Your dream honeymoon is just around the corner

+

Flower Power: A bride’s guide to what’s blooming in florals

STEPBY-STEP How to pull off a flawless ceremony, DIY projects and a yearlong to-do list

On the Cover

We love love. For our 2016 cover couple, we wanted to find two newlyweds so crazy about each other they just couldn’t contain themselves. This image, shot by Black & Hue Photography, is filled with so much genuine happiness, we get giddy just looking at it. To Brett and Caroline, our gorgeous cover couple, congratulations on a beautiful downtown Tallahassee wedding, and thank you for making Northwest Florida smile!

58 # HashtaggingHappiness

60 Andrew’s Catering/ Andrew’s 228 62 John Gandy Events 66 Meet the Wedding Planner

68 Fisher’s Flowers

72 Hilly Fields Florist

oneymoon 79 hdestinations 80 ResortQuest NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2016

7

SW The Perfect Place to

Say I Do from the Beach to the Bay Love and cherish every moment of your wedding, from romantic white beaches to venues overlooking the Choctawhatchee Bay. Sandestin offers the perfect location for an unforgettable wedding day at the #1 Resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast.

The #1 Resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast

866.748.7863 • sandestin.com/flwed

HBB Photography, Sarah Lyn Photography, Paul Johnson Photography, Irina Behr Photography, Aislinn Kate Photography

from the editor

First Comes Love, then Comes Planning

BLACK & HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

Congratulations! You’re getting married. Can we just let that sink in for a moment, please?

As the team at Rowland Publishing was gearing up for our third annual issue of Northwest Florida Weddings I have to admit I got a little nostalgic. It was strange sorting through the thousands of images featuring smiling brides and grooms from years gone by. Some have little ones now. Some are traveling the world. And through our publication, all have played a role in helping another couple plan their own unique wedding.

That’s a tall order to fill for 2016. But the team of wedding and creative professionals I’m privileged enough to collaborate with make the process of bringing to print the best this region has to offer a breeze. From world-class photography to the most delicious eats and gorgeous venues imaginable, the coastal, city and country communities of Northwest Florida are full of beauty. I’m just grateful to know so many individuals who are excited to cultivate it.

Want to know a secret? At the time of writing, I’m an anxious/ adoring/humbled bride-to-be myself. At the time of publication, I’ll be a newly hatched Mrs. thumbing through/gushing over our freshly printed wedding photos Let me tell you — that’s a pretty surreal feeling.

Sean and I have been together for nearly six years, and when he proposed last November we thought we had our pending nuptials all figured out. But from bridesmaids’ dresses to appetizers, we (OK, fine, it was me) must have changed our minds a thousand times. Planning a wedding together is an adventure — and no matter where your style leads you or how high your guest list grows, I guarantee when you look back on it all you’ll see is love.

So deep breaths. And don’t forget — this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You’re a fiancé now! We’re so excited for you.

Yours,

PHOTOS BY CHELSEA MOORE, CHASE YAKABOSKI (INMAN) AND PROVIDED BY INDIVIDUAL (GREEN)

Chay D. Baxley, Editor

Contributors

Rebecca Padgett Editorial Coordinator

Casey Feindt

Contributing Writer

Anjelica MacGregor Contributing Writer

McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck

Vice President/ Corporate Development

Leigha Inman

Events and Special Projects Coordinator

Christie Green Event Specialist

Jennifer Ireland Event Specialist

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weddings

online access

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

& HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS

northwestfloridaweddings.net

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Brian E. Rowland

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Steve Bornhoft EDITOR Chay D. Baxley EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rebecca Padgett CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Casey Feindt, Anjelica MacGregor PROOFREADER Melinda Lanigan CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lawrence Davidson PRODUCTION MANAGER/ NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR Daniel Vitter LEAD DESIGNER Jennifer Ekrut PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Shruti Shah, Tony Watts, Jr. ADVERTISING DESIGNER Jillian Fry

WEDDING BELLS RING FOR OUR NEW WEBSITE

In a day and age where Pinterest boards and wedding blogs provide 24/7 access to wedding inspiration, Northwest Florida Weddings & Honeymoon Destinations was excited to develop our online presence. Now blushing brides from coast, to city, to country, can find resources for planning their dream wedding day from Northwest Florida Weddings’ website. Peruse the site to find talented photographers, stunning venues, tasty catering options, insightful stories, planning guides and more. From coastal beaches to country plantations explore the vibrant and inviting wedding scene that Northwest Florida provides.

» DIGITAL EDITIONS Isn’t technology a beautiful thing? The magazine can be right at your fingertips whenever you need us. Our digital edition presents the same magazine you know and love with easy virtual access. » WEDDING BLOG If you’re looking for

the latest in wedding trends, our blog section is your go-to source.

Wedding Shows Calendar

We can’t wait to share the beauty of Northwest Florida with the cities we visit during our 2016 wedding shows. Check out our events calendar to see if we will be in a city near you.

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» FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Like, follow, tweet, tag and post! We want to hear and see how your Northwest Florida wedding planning is progressing.

SALES AND MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATORS Lisa Sostre, Tracy Mulligan ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bess Grasswick, Darla Harrison, Lori Magee, Rhonda Lynn Murray, Dan Parker, Will Patrick, Linda Powell Paula Sconiers, Alice Watts, Brianna Webb SALES AND MARKETING ASSISTANT Christie Green SPECIAL PROJECTS EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Leigha Inman WEB DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER Carlin Trammel DIGITAL SERVICES COORDINATOR Jennifer Ireland DIGITAL SERVICES PRODUCER Chelsea Moore Northwest Florida Weddings and Honeymoon Destinations Magazine is published annually by Rowland Publishing, Inc. 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. 850/878-0554. Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine and Rowland Publishing, Inc. are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. Editorial contributions are welcomed and encouraged but will not be returned.

Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor. Copyright March 2016 Northwest Florida Weddings and Honeymoon Destinations Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Partners of Visit Tallahassee and Member, Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and Florida Magazine Association.

IGNITE SOMETHING O N LY T H E P E R F E C T C U T C A N U N L E A S H A DIAMOND’S BRILLIANCE.

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H E A R T S O N F I R E S T O R E S , A U T H O R I Z E D R E TA I L E R S , H E A R T S O N F I R E . C O M

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contributing photographers

Alena Bakutis Photography

Alicia Osborne Photography

Anna Kinchen Photography

Amy Riley Photography

Dede Edwards photography

Elizabeth Davis Photography

HBB Photography

Hardy Klahold Photography

Kay Meyer Photography

Kylene and Ryan Studios

Lauren Womble Photography

Mari Darr~Welch, Modern Photojournalist

Terri Smith Photography

Wedding Belles Photography

Woodland Fields Photography

Wild Light Films

alenabakutis.com | (850) 778-5370 featured on p. 28, 35, 54

dedeedwards.com | (850) 543-0426 featured on p. 49

kaymeyerphotography.com | (850) 894-4529 featured on p. 36-37

terrismithphoto.com | (850) 321-5609 featured on p. 33, 64-65

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aliciaosbornephoto.com | (850) 510-2929 featured on p. 44-45, 72

elizabethdavisphoto.com | (850) 443-2956 featured on p. 34, 48-49

kyleneandryan.com | (850) 778-5197 featured on p. 49

weddingbellesphoto.com | (850) 273-8169 featured on p. 46-47

NORTHWESTFLORIDAWEDDINGS.NET

annakinchen.com | (850) 661-0996 featured on p. 61

hbbphotography.com | (850) 368-5448 featured on p. 24-25, 74

laurenwomblephotography.com | (850) 274-2435 featured on p. 7

woodlandfieldsphotography.com | (850) 559-1095 featured on p. 49, 62-63

amyrileyphotography.com | (850) 819-9037 featured on p. 66, 79

hardyklaholdphotography.com | (720) 936-8076 featured on p. 68-69

maridarrwelch.com | (850) 699-3403 featured on p. 18, 57

wildlight.film | (850) 319-9636 featured on p. 50

Amy Susi Photography

Black & Hue Photography

Callie Gardiner Photography

Candice K. Photography

Hello Miss Lovely

Holly Gardner Photography

J&J Weddings

Josh McLawhorn

Mi Amore Foto

Pure 7 Studios

Sunset Images Photography

SWAK Photography

susiphotography.com | (850) 797-5144 featured on p. 19

hellomisslovely.com | (850) 774-3041 featured on p. 17

miamorefoto.com | (904) 545-0432 featured on p. 34, 55

Black & Hue Photography | (850) 443-4796 featured on p. Cover, 9, 35, 59, 72

hollygardner.com | (850) 890-9636 featured on p. 7, 53

pure7studios.com | (877) 865-PURE (7873) featured on p. 7

calliegardiner.com | (850) 259-5841 featured on p. 29

candicekphotography.com | (850) 974-7907 featured on p. 19

jandjweddings.com | (850) 933-6033 featured on p. 41

joshmclawhorn.com featured on p. 60-61

sunsetimagesphotography.com | (850) 642-0605 featured on p. 20-21

swakphotography.com | (850) 866-5389 featured on p. 22-23

Want More Information?

Visit us online and check out our exclusive Photographers Index.

You’ll have access to photographer bios and their work in past issues. It will also send you directly to their blogs and portfolios.

Want to get in touch with a photographer? Their contact information can also be found online.

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Simply Inspiring.

Distinctly Southern.

BEACH

WEDDINGS

3 0 A / S O U T H WA L T O N , N O R T H W E S T F L O R I D A

Forever Starts Here...

When you choose St. Joe Club & Resorts for your wedding, rehearsal dinner or anniversary, it will be more than just the scenery that will inspire you. Our team of Wedding Experts will make your event unforgettable. Enjoy upscale accommodations, exceptional amenities and the comforts of southern hospitality—the ultimate wedding experience.

Water • Color® Inn | The Pearl Hotel | Water • Sound® Vacation Rentals | Water • Color® Vacation Rentals | 30A Vacation Rentals 25 Miles West of the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

sjcrweddings.com | 1.850.231.7773

PHOTO BY HELLO MISS LOVELY

from coast to city to country It’s true. Northwest Florida has the best beaches in the world. The region’s coastline is characterized by a surprisingly stunning blend of natural wonder and unmatched amenities. From the world-class resorts to the glistening emerald waters and the sweetest sugar sand beaches, this coastal setting was made to love.

MARI DARR~WELCH

the coast

Want a Beach Wedding?

No Sweat Expert-Approved Steps to Planning Your Perfect Beach Wedding By Chay D. Baxley

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If you have a hard time imagining anything more romantic than the glow of a pink and coral sunset or if the sound of gentle rolling waves has been humming in your ears since he got down on one knee, than a beach wedding is definitely for you.

Kudos are in order if you’ve landed in this sunny spot. So congratulations. You know what you want! Not all newly engaged couples can say as much when they start venue hunting. But beware: Once you’ve decided to take your event al fresco, naysayers will abound.

They’re right in part. You can’t control Mother Nature.

However, there are a few tried-and-true steps to pulling off a dreamy, beachy affair.

Beach weddings, like all events, take a bit of finessing to make them look effortless. Fear not, though. These easy steps will have you frolicking in the sun faster than you can say, “I do.”

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LAYING OUT THE LOGISTICS At the start of the planning process, you want to be as flexible with the date as possible. Do your research. A beach wedding during the height of college spring break might be fun for the groomsmen, but your wedding photos won’t have the ethereal vibe you’re going for as hordes of coeds line the coast.

Meanwhile, finding nearby guest accommodations on the heels of a major spike in the tourist season can also be complicated. Stay open-minded. Your wedding date might look different than you originally thought but better than you ever hoped for.

water, sun protection and even lightweight blankets or wraps close by to make sure everyone stays happy and healthy throughout the night.

“This will be the first time you’re entertaining as a couple,” noted Gandy. “You want to make sure that your guests are having a good time. I know a lot of people who say it’s the bride’s day, but it’s really the bride and groom’s time to entertain. That’s the biggest thing.”

We love beach weddings! With the right professionals behind you, a little luck and a lot of love, nothing is more romantic than a coastal ceremony.

CANDICE K. PHOTOGRAPHY

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COORDINATION IS KEY Beach ceremonies are gorgeous. They’re also practical, because the average ceremony takes approximately 20 minutes. Beach receptions are a tad more rare because of their length and the legalities surrounding having a private event on public property.

Glass and adult beverages are often not permitted — a major letdown for some couples.

“More than likely you can’t have the reception on the beach,” admitted John Gandy, owner of the awardwinning John Gandy Events. Nearly half of Gandy’s brides incorporate some form of coastal celebration into their wedding. “It’ll have to be on an adjacent property.”

Once you two decide on a coastal community that speaks to your needs, see what types of resorts and other proprieties are situated there. When venue shopping commences in that neighborhood, don’t be shy asking the local event coordinators questions.

Make sure wherever you sign has a clear plan in case of inclement weather. Tents can do the trick if skies are just a little gray, but indoor space is crucial if there’s an actual downpour.

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THE CONSIDERATE HOST Couples should always strive to make their wedding as comfortable as possible for guests.

That’s especially true when hosting outdoors. Be as courteous as you can be on the big day, and pay special attention to partygoers’ most basic needs. Have cool

AMY SUSI PHOTOGRAPHY

OCEANS OF STYLE The next step is to decide how you want the ceremony to look and feel. The possibilities are endless, but articulation comes first. “I have a lot of brides that reach out to me wanting a beach wedding without a beach theme,” laughed Gandy. “That’s always interesting. But you know, it’s totally doable.

We’ve had beautiful black tie weddings on the beach.”

Just remember, while there’s no such thing as a perfect wedding, a wedding that’s perfect for the two of you is always on the menu. “Be true to yourself,” added Gandy. “If you love it, that’ll translate to your guests.”

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the coast

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HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA Regal. Resourceful. Resort. // Miramar Beach

“After reading and comparing multiple venues, my husband and I chose Hilton Sandestin and could not be more pleased that we did! My guests really enjoyed the Southern hospitality they received from the Hilton staff. The food was amazing, and everyone loved the variety and presentation of it. I was very open to anything as long as it was simple, clean and crisp. I told them what I wanted, and they took it from there. From the moment I woke up, I was calm but excited. As the day went on, it got a little more stressful with my brother’s flight being delayed. Carol (the planner) and the staff did everything in their power to make sure I remained calm. My favorite part was when my brother arrived and was able to walk me down the aisle to the man of my dreams.” - Jena Bryant, Nashville, Tennessee PHOTOS BY SUNSET IMAGES

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ SPA SERVICES ▪▪ RESORT STAY ▪▪ HONEYMOON OPTIONS ▪▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES

(850) 267-9500 // HiltonSandestinBeach.com 4000 Sandestin Blvd. S., Miramar Beach, FL 32550

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the coast

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THE PEARL HOTEL

Elegant. Intimate. Stunning. // Rosemary Beach “Jake and I wanted an intimate atmosphere while also being close to the beach. The eclectic architecture of Rosemary Beach brought it all together in the perfect location at The Pearl. Our guests enjoyed the elegant yet intimate atmosphere of the Hemingway Room. The staff took what could have been a stressful day and turned it into pure enjoyment. I can’t overstate the help and consideration that was given to the entire wedding party and myself. My favorite moment was when the wooden doors leading into the Hemingway Room opened and I could hear the cello playing as I stood on Main Street. As I made my way to the aisle, I was so happy I made the choice that led me to this beautiful place.” - Sarah Michelle Bolt, Paragould, Arkansas

PHOTOS BY SWAK PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ SPA SERVICES ▪▪ RESORT STAY ▪▪ HONEYMOON OPTIONS ▪▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES ▪▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪▪ THIRD PARTY VENDORS AVAILABLE

(850) 460-9040 // SJCRWeddings.com 63 Main St., Rosemary Beach, FL 32461

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the coast

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WATERCOLOR INN & RESORT Luxury. Coastal. Oasis. // Santa Rosa Beach

“I could tell from the very beginning that WaterColor did not believe in ‘one size fits all’ events. They wanted to help us create the day of our dreams just like we had always imagined it. From choosing vendors all the way to the ‘I do’s,’ WaterColor was there for every step. Our wedding day was beyond magical. It was everything we had always dreamt of and more. And thanks to the staff at WaterColor, we were able to enjoy every minute of it!” - Jessica Updyke, Houston, Texas

PHOTOS BY HBB PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ SPA SERVICES ▪▪ RESORT STAY ▪▪ HONEYMOON OPTIONS ▪▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES ▪▪ THIRD PARTY VENDORS AVAILABLE

(850) 231-7773 // SJCRWeddings.com 34 Goldenrod Circle, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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the coast

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ALYS BEACH

Romantic. Serene. Pristine. // Alys Beach “When I first met Jason, I knew that I wanted to be with him forever. While we were dating, I went on a girls’ beach trip to Rosemary Beach. That’s when I discovered Alys Beach and fell in love with it. I knew right then Alys was where I wanted to get married.

“We always knew we didn’t want a big wedding. We wanted it more traditional, but still ‘beachy.’ Jason’s parents own a couple of condos in Destin and he had never even seen Alys Beach. I booked it without him seeing it, and he loved it! I can’t actually describe how beautiful Alys Beach is. You have to see it with your own eyes. Everything is white and absolutely stunning. Meghan Kelly, the Alys Beach wedding coordinator, helped me with everything, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything without her.”

- Heather Sappenfield

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪▪ PLANNING SERVICES

(866) 481-8391 // AlysBeach.com/weddings events@alysbeach.com 9581 County Hwy. 30A E., Panama City Beach, FL 32413

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALYS BEACH

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the coast

Fresh from the Sea Local Seafood Fare Offers Endless Options for Flavor

White sand and serene endless water views make seaside nuptials a classic option for couples looking to tie the knot. You don’t necessarily have to get hitched near the water to incorporate coastal elements into your ceremony, though.

Wherever you are in Northwest Florida, the region’s proximity to the coast means fresh local seafood is just down the road.

“When you’re close to the beautiful water and have so much fresh fish at your fingertips,” said Ed Ward, co-owner of 790 on the Gulf in Destin, “it’s what people tend to want and enjoy.”

Ward caters almost 250 seafood-centric weddings a year. His most impressive dish? A signature creation featuring grouper acadiana – a tender fillet of Gulf grouper, pan blackened, and topped with crawfish étouffée. Other favorites include bacon wrapped lump crabmeat, crabmeat stuffed grouper medallions and trout florentine. And all are either caught locally or sourced from nearby seafood distributors from the region.

When it comes to selecting the freshest in seasonal seafood, the key is to ask a lot of questions. Some fish can be strictly seasonal, while others are available year-round.

“How fresh the seafood is, where it came from, these are definitely questions you should be asking,” said Ward. “From there, you’ll be able to find reputable seafood vendors and be able to buy the freshest seafood possible.”

When putting together a maritime menu, the world is your oyster. Local seafood vendors as well as restaurants and caterers are constantly coming up with elaborate menus that would impress King Neptune himself. Fresh Gulf shrimp, red snapper and crab cakes are easy and

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ALENA BAKUTIS PHOTOGRAPHY

by Casey Feindt

delectable options that guests are sure to love.

Feeling bold? Take it a step farther with fried crab gnocchi bites or cilantro shrimp-stuffed avocados.

Dave Rauschkolb is another seafood-loving professional. The founder and owner of Bud & Alley’s, a popular waterfront restaurant in Santa Rosa Beach, Rauschkolb says that in his mind, seafood and weddings are a perfect match.

“Being located directly on the Gulf of Mexico here in Seaside,” started Rauschkolb, “our brides naturally look to Bud & Alley’s culinary team for coastal-inspired menus.

Fresh seafood prepared to perfection in an unforgettable beachside setting makes wedding dining that much more deliciously memorable.”

With entrées like grilled Gulf snapper with baby lima beans and sweet corn succotash, it’s safe to say that the fare at Bud and Alley’s would make any wedding unforgettable.

In addition to putting The best seafood is a fun spin on any menu, always fresh from chilled seafood provides the sea. For truly delicious eats, a refreshingly convenient Northwest Florida food option for wedding can’t be beat. goers trying to beat the heat. Instead of opting for a traditional carving station or hot food line, try incorporating chilled ceviche and raw oysters with a glass of ice-cold champagne. Guests will appreciate the scrumptious escape.

Coastal-inspired serving displays can also add a beautiful visual element to any reception.

Serve fresh Gulf shrimp in mini sand buckets of cocktail sauce for a creative appetizer option. Small wooden dinghies can also be filled with ice and stocked full of oysters for guests to dine on throughout the evening. The seafood-inspired displays will help solidify the wedding’s coastal theme.

the coast

RESORTQUEST LODGING – YOUR WEDDING, YOUR WAY

Individualized. Sensational. Beautiful. // Endless Possibilities. Multiple Locations.

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪▪ HOME RENTALS ▪▪ CONDO RENTALS

“Our wedding was perfect because of the staff at ResortQuest. Everything went smoothly because they were invisible, but always appeared exactly when needed. The staff took into consideration every circumstance, such as weather, and always had a backup plan.

“It actually rained two hours before the ceremony, but cleared up exactly 30 minutes before she walked down the aisle. The rain beforehand was the best part. It cleared pedestrians off of the beach, made the sand more solid, cooled the temperatures and made the lighting great for photos. The guests mostly enjoyed the fact that I finally got married to a beautiful woman, but also loved the location. Many had not been to Florida before and our wedding was like a vacation to them.” - Scott Nelson, Atlanta, Georgia PHOTOS BY CALLIE GARDINER

(888) 412-6408 // NWFLWeddings.com

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the coast

SUNDESTIN MANAGED BY RESORTQUEST

Ebullient. Accommodating. Beachfront. // Endless Possibilities. Multiple Locations.

“Whether a couple is looking for a beachfront resort or private beach home for their wedding, our experienced sales team at ResortQuest SunDestin will help them find the location best suited for their unique needs. SunDestin is in the heart of all of the action and provides every luxurious amenity under the sun.

At a Glance ▪▪ PRIVATE BEACH ▪▪ BALLROOM UP TO 100 GUESTS ▪▪ RESTAURANT AND BAR SERVICES ▪▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪▪ CONDOMINIUM RENTALS

“Our own beautiful beach, attractive ballroom, relaxing pool deck and spacious condominium units ensure that your wedding experience will be worry-free and memorable. Have your breath taken away with your wedding day view of the Gulf, and your sun kissed by glowing Northwest Florida sunshine.”

- Joyce Serina, Director of Sales PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESORTQUEST

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(888) 412-6408 // NWFLWeddings.com

the coast

TOPS’L BEACH & RACQUET RESORT MANAGED BY RESORTQUEST Tranquil. Full-Service. Alluring. // Destin

“The staff was amazing and answered any question we had throughout the entire process. They were more than willing to help us with everything and anything we needed. We received countless compliments from guests on how beautiful the reception was and how amazing the food tasted and the variety of options.

At a Glance ▪▪ RESORT AMENITIES ▪▪ 52 PRIVATE ACRES ▪▪ FINE AND CASUAL DINING ▪▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪▪ SAUNA AND SPA SERVICE ▪▪ PRIVATE HOMES, CONDO AND VILLA RENTALS

“It was the perfect location, off the beaten path yet still very central to conveniences and city attractions.

I definitely recommend Tops’l to everyone because our day was absolutely stress-free and without a doubt one of the most amazing nights of our lives.” - Sage Niktin, Navarre, Florida PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESORTQUEST

(888) 412-6408 // NWFLWeddings.com

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G E T H I T C H E D I N T H E C A P I TA L C I T Y

S AY I D O D O W N T O W N . C O M

PHOTO BY TERRI SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

from coast to city to country Equal parts eclectic and electric, Northwest Florida’s cityscapes offer an interesting mix of industrial, rustic, classic and contemporary options. Polished and conveniently positioned, these city-centric venues speak to a wide variety of couples all looking for the same thing — their perfect place.

the city

A Roaring Twenties Rendezvous Brides Take a Page from the Past with 1920s-Themed Weddings

By Rebecca Padgett

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MI AMORE FOTO

MI AMORE FOTO

ELIZABETH DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY

Glistening gold drips from the art deco decor. Champagne towers overflow and flasks of moonshine are slyly passed. Women in beaded, jewel-tone dresses dance to a live jazz band with men in their dashing tuxedos. The party is in full swing, but all eyes are on the bride — not Jay Gatsby.

Since the release of the lavishly revamped “Great Gatsby” in 2013, couples have written favorable endings to Jay and Daisy’s story with their own 1920s themed weddings. The extravagance and luxury of the period have moved from the pages of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s greatest work to wedding venues nationwide. Northwest Florida may be far removed from the hustle and bustle that characterized New York City in the Roaring ’20s, but high glamour can still be achieved here.

When wedding planners look past the region’s unmatched blend of beautiful beaches and wildlife and think “big city,” they’re likely to be drawn to Tallahassee. The capital city is booming with urban enhancements but retains much of its past.

“If you walk around downtown Tallahassee, it is like a movie set recreating the 1920s with brick buildings, wrap around balconies, gas lamps, magnolias and live oaks,” said Jay Revell, executive director of Tallahassee Downtown.

“Your entire wedding weekend could revolve around the ’20s theme in downtown,” he continued. “The groomsmen could gather and smoke cigars on the balcony at the Governor’s Club, then be fitted for tuxes at Nic’s Toggery. A bridal brunch could take place at one of the many historic homes or The Double Tree. The ceremony could occur at the

ALENA BAKUTIS PHOTOGRAPHY

BLACK & HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

chain of parks under the sparkling lights hung from live oaks and then the couple could ride off in a vintage car down the brick streets.”

The Edison restaurant, formerly the city’s electric and light plant, occupies a building constructed in 1921. The magnificent brick structure no longer provides power to the city, but instead provides residents with captivating ambience and innovative cuisine.

“The building lends itself to the Roaring ’20s theme with its brass and copper fixtures, the mirrors, the lighting, the exposed brick and the speakeasy-style bar with Prohibition-inspired cocktails,” said Melinda McDaniel, director of special events at The Edison. “If you choose the ’20s theme, we are equipped to bring you the elegance and carefree spirit of that time period.”

A venue brimming with history yearns to be filled with sparkling gold accents, peacock feathers, steamer trunks, vintage chairs and couches, cutglass decanters and antique books.

And one must, of course, dress the part. For the bride, a vintage lace dress or beaded drop waist gown accompanied by pinned curls and pearls.

Her flappers — otherwise known as bridesmaids — would look ravishing in jewel-tone dresses. Satin headbands adorned with feathers or long strands of pearls make for vintage accessories. As for the gentlemen, they’d look rather dapper in tuxedos, bowties and slicked back hair — and don’t forget the personalized flasks concealed in their pockets.

Remember that alcohol is a luxury and a self-indulgent secret. Libations might include champagne towers, bathtub gin and under-the-table moonshine. Guests might nosh on hors d'oeuvres served on gold platters or be seated for more formal fare.

“For a 1920s-themed menu, I envision extravaNothing says gance,” said John Minas, The Edison’s executive chef. romance quite “Oysters Rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, flat iron steak like a touch of vintage glamour. If with Delmonico potatoes, lobster tails with butter you have an Oldsauce, mussels, clams and caviar. Old-school French Hollywood kind of love, this style desserts were popular, and a flambéing meringue could be an ideal would be a fun touch.” choice.

Whether you are looking to go all out, as a true Gatsby would, or just add a touch of beloved vintage to your big day, this classic look has staying power.

As Fitzgerald once said, “I love her, and that’s the beginning and end of everything.”

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the city

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FSU ALUMNI CENTER Stately. Brilliant. Fitting. // Tallahassee

“I was not the girl who grew up planning her dream wedding. I really knew nothing about what I wanted for a wedding until we got engaged. Since we met in Tallahassee during an FSU Homecoming weekend, we agreed it would only be fitting that we look into getting married in the home of our alma mater. When we found out that we could get married at the Florida State University Alumni Center, we couldn’t wait to see the venue and find out what they had to offer.

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES ▪▪ DECORATING SERVICES

“The team there made sure we felt special, like we were the only bride and groom that ever mattered.

The venue really catered to our vision of our perfect wedding. From the food stations, to the setup of the room creating a warm and intimate setting for our family and friends to enjoy the night under the café lights, the entire night was exactly what we had hoped for.” - Jill Bellack Lavoie, Plantation, Florida PHOTOS BY KAY MEYER

(850) 644-2737 // AndrewsCatering.com 1030 W. Tennessee St., Tallahassee, FL 32304

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the city

THE EDISON

Industrial. Illuminated. Delicious. // Tallahassee “At The Edison, the beauty is in the details, and our team is dedicated to ensuring every detail of your wedding day is absolutely perfect. It’s hard not to fall in love with the historic brick building or the stunning view overlooking the rolling hills and gorgeous waterfall at Cascades Park.” - Eddie Kring, Director of Sales and Catering

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES ▪ ADJACENT TO CASCADES PARK ▪ CONVENIENT DOWNTOWN LOCATION

“It’s an honor to channel my deep-rooted passion for fine cuisine into creating the perfect menu for a couple’s special day. I promise, our internationally inspired cuisine offers both the variety and quality that will have wedding guests raving for years to come.” - John Minas, Executive Chef

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE EDISON

(850) 792-6319 // EdisonTally.com 470 Suwannee St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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the city

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON TALLAHASSEE DOWNTOWN Metropolitan. All-Encompassing. Electric. // Tallahassee

“Planning a dream wedding can be an intense process, but our wedding experience with Four Points by Sheraton was nothing less than amazing! With thorough planning, the Four Points wedding staff was able to pull off a flawless execution of our wedding reception and provided personable customer service to not only Josh and me, but to our guests. They provided expert advice on innovative ideas and unique touches that would help the event stand out while matching our unique style. With the help of Kendyl, the catering sales manager, and her team, Josh and I truly had a memorable wedding reception. I fully recommend the Four Points by Sheraton to any bride looking for a wonderful, personable, hassle-free venue to have their wedding reception.” - Anabelle Nearhoof, San Juan, Puerto Rico PHOTOS BY J&J WEDDINGS

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪▪ ACCOMMODATIONS ▪▪ HONEYMOON OPTIONS ▪▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES

(850) 422-0071 // FourPointsTallahasseeDowntown.com 316 W. Tennessee St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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the city As easy as…

1

THE VESSEL Selecting the container for the welcome bag (or box, tote, carton, basket, mug, etc.) is almost as important as what’s placed inside. Before splurging on that gorgeous handwoven basket at the farmers market down the road, remember that the expense won’t stop there — you’ll also have to fill it 50-plus times.

“It goes along a continuum from something real simple to large gift baskets,” said Pam Bauer, an established hotelier and current sales consultant at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Downtown Tallahassee.

Traditional gift bags — possibly printed or stamped with the couples’ monogram — are the most common. Local craft supply stores or online retailers (here’s looking at you, Etsy) may hold different options for brides who are thinking outside the bag.

Wowing with the Welcome Bag A How-to for Adding a Personal Touch

By Chay D. Baxley // Photos by Lawrence Davidson Illustration by Rebecca Taylor It used to be that welcome bags were reserved strictly for destination weddings — a tube of sunscreen, some cheap sunglasses and a sweet note from the bride and groom to get guests feeling festive. Today though, welcome bags have been completely reimagined.

And why not? As the first point of contact with out-of-town guests, these tiny gifts are often seen as gestures of goodwill and an honest-to-goodness “thank you” to loved ones who have traveled from near and far to witness the blessed event.

“It’s very common,” said Briana Hudson, the front desk supervisor at Four Points by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown, “but at the same time no one really expects it. Being able to watch it all happen, that element of surprise is just really cool.”

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2

THE SWAG “Most people do snacks and drinks,” explained Jeri C. Madden, catering and events sales manager and colleague of Bauer’s at the DoubleTree. “I always suggest a pack of gum or mints to go along with it. Just something for them to carry in their pocket.”

Highlighting the couple’s favorite treats, or the local flavor, is always encouraged.

In Northwest Florida, that could mean including something as delicious as locally sourced tupelo honey or a coveted “Fear the Spear” T-shirt. Beyond the fun and funky, gifts of a practical nature are always appreciated: Water, trail mix, maps of the area, brochures from the best museums and outdoor activities, and nearby restaurant menus make for great additions.

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THE PRESENTATION Simplicity is crucial not only for the creator of the gift’s sanity, but also for the distributor. Try to conceptualize something that will travel well and still look clean and crisp by the time the concierge smilingly hands it to the wedding guests at checkin. Another tip: Don’t get too caught up in personalizing each welcome bag.

Uniformity is encouraged so that Aunt Lou from the bride’s camp doesn’t receive a note for Uncle John on the groom’s side.

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TALLAHASSEE DOWNTOWN Dynamic. Lively. Classic. // Tallahassee

“All my life I dreamed of a wedding reception in a gorgeous ballroom. When I saw the beautiful chandeliers hanging outside of the DoubleTree by Hilton, I knew I had found the place! The ceremony was at the First Presbyterian Church across the street, which welcomed us with open arms. I had a dream team of amazing vendors that helped me pull everything together.

At a Glance ▪ DESTINATION WEDDINGS ▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES ▪ RESORT STAYS

“The beauty of downtown on a Sunday evening made the perfect backdrop for the most important and beautiful day of my life. [Eric and I] are the luckiest people I know to have found each other — and to have made the most perfect wedding day together in Downtown Tallahassee.” - Tracy Godin, Tallahassee, Florida

PHOTOS BY ALICIA OSBORNE

SayIDoDowntown.com // TallahasseeDowntown.com 106 E. Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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the city

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TALLAHASSEE DOWNTOWN Dynamic. Lively. Classic. // Tallahassee

“Jay and I love the charm and character of Downtown Tallahassee. From the beautiful old buildings to the pretty parks and the funky street art, Tallahassee’s downtown had everything we wanted and more for our wedding day. We settled on the Governor’s Club for our reception because it is so classic and beautiful — it’s a Tallahassee institution. Laura Kalinoski, who manages all events at the Governor’s Club and the rest of the team made us, our family and guests feel at home. They were attentive, accommodating and provided top-notch service. The whole wedding was a blast, but my favorite part was saying our vows. I married my dream guy and best friend.” - Sarah Revell, Tallahassee, Florida

PHOTOS BY WEDDING BELLES PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪ DESTINATION WEDDINGS ▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES ▪ RESORT STAYS

SayIDoDowntown.com // TallahasseeDowntown.com 106 E. Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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ELIZABETH DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY

the city

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KYLENE AND RYAN STUDIOS

WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

DEDE EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY

ELIZABETH DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY

HOTEL DUVAL | Autograph Collection Iconic. Distinguished. Contemporary. // Tallahassee

“As a member of Marriott’s exclusive Autograph Collection, Hotel Duval is ‘Exactly Like Nothing Else.’ We strive to create the delightfully unexpected through our one-of-a-kind, curated wedding services.

“We specialize in boutique wedding experiences that are more intimate and personal. We can create the perfect ceremony, reception, rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, bachelor and bachelorette party or going away brunch all while hosting your friends and family in our deluxe accommodations and preparing for a luxurious honeymoon stay in one of our well-appointed suites. From eclectic to chic, from artsy to luxurious, our hotel caters to each couple. Brides are drawn to the originality, rich character and uncommon details that Hotel Duval can provide.” - Pam Monnier, Director of Catering & Events PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY, DEDE EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY, KYLENE AND RYAN STUDIOS AND WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUES ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪▪ CATERING ▪▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ RESTAURANT - SHULA’S 347 GRILL

(850) 224-6000 // HotelDuval.com 415 N Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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making it happen

SOCIAL CATERING & EVENTS Delectable. Ingenious. Neighborly. // Tallahassee

At a Glance ▪▪ CREATIVE CATERING ▪▪ MOBILE CRAFT BARTENDING

“Our goal at Social Catering & Events is to redefine expectations when it comes to the food and drink on your big day. We know our brides and grooms want the same culinary and cocktail creativity they have come to expect at their favorite restaurant or bar, and we are here to create an experience as unique as each client we work with.” - Angela Walker, Managing Partner, Operations & Culinary PHOTOS BY WILD LIGHT FILMS

THE GATHERING

Hospitable. Genial. Intentional. // Tallahassee “The Gathering is truly a one-of-a-kind space that seamlessly blends an urban, industrial design with the deep-rooted principles of Southern hospitality. Where else can you find a beautifully styled indoor space with a private outdoor patio, views of Doak Campbell Stadium, outstanding service and access to the best nightlife after your event, all in the heart of downtown Tallahassee? It’s such a special place, and we can’t wait to share it with our brides and grooms.” - Amanda Morrison, Director of Sales PHOTOS BY WILD LIGHT FILMS

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(850) 228-6817 // info@socialcateringandevents.com SocialCateringAndEvents.com

At a Glance ▪▪ CEREMONY AND RECEPTION VENUE ▪▪ REHEARSAL DINNER VENUE ▪▪ SEATED EVENTS UP TO 150 GUESTS ▪▪ COCKTAIL RECEPTION UP TO 300 GUESTS

(850) 228-6817 // info@gatheringtallahassee.com GatheringTallahassee.com

HOTELDUVAL.COM WEDDINGSBYDUVAL.COM 415 N. Monroe St. · Tallahassee 850.224.6000

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The SouthWood House

BEST GOLF COURSE

AN EXTRAORDINARY SETTING FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY! Offering expansive amenities without sacrificing intimacy. We would love to share with you how our facilities, caring attitude and attention to detail align with your dreams.

3750 Grove Park Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32311 • 850.942. GOLF (4653) • southwoodgolf.com

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PHOTO BY HOLLY GARDNER

from coast to city to country Nothing says romance like the rolling hills and ancient oaks of Northwest Florida.

Dreaming of a cozy barn ceremony? We’ve got you covered. A night of dancing under the stars? Not a problem.

Whatever your preference, the understated elegance of a classic country setting will let your unique story shine.

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the country

Flower Decoder

Figuring Out Florals Is Easier when you Have a Look in Mind

By Rebecca Padgett

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LAVENDER Take a whiff of the lavender in your bouquet to instantly relieve your wedding day jitters.

The soothing tone and scent do well as sprigs present throughout a spray or as stalks wrapped in a ribbon.

Roses might be red and violets are certainly blue, but the modern bride doesn’t seem to notice. Ditching traditional approaches in favor of ideas that are whimsical and surprising, she’s inspired by the stunning pictures of brides who have gone before her. Darin Jones, owner of Tallahassee-based Designs by Darin, has seen the Internet-inspiration trend catch on.

“Most brides already have a look in mind and will bring photos or Pinterest-inspiration boards to our consultation,” says Jones. “It’s my job to find the flowers that fit their budget while also achieving the look the bride wants to create.”

WHITE ANEMONE The white anemone is likely the mysterious white flower with midnight blue center that you have pinned relentlessly on your wedding board. “These are seasonal flowers generally available from late December to June,” Jones explains.

SUCCULENTS Succulents add a modern and eclectic touch next to timeless flowers. Plus, they make for an excellent keepsake as they can be planted after the wedding.

PHOTO BY ALENA BAKUTIS PHOTOGRAPHY (LAVENDER) AND MI AMORE FOTO (SUCCULENTS)

HYDRANGEA Hydrangeas are small flowers that make a large impact.

“The blue and white hydrangeas are budget friendly and go a long way in an arrangement,” Jones advises.

EUCALYPTUS Colorful bulbs and blooms need a bit of greenery interspersed.

“Seeded eucalyptus is very popular for its gray appearance and aromatic smell,” says Jones.

BERRIES AND FRUITS Blackberries, figs, small citrus, plums, hypercium berries, privet berries and holly berries are just some examples of fruits that can be used for adornment. We won’t tell if you decide to nibble on your bouquet. Edible arrangements, indeed.

RANUNCULUS With the appearance of spiraled crepe paper, ranunculus are dainty and delicate. “My personal favorite are the Japanese variety as they have enormous blooms,” offers Jones.

PEONIES Peonies are the new roses. They are large in size and add elegance to bouquets and centerpieces. Beware though, they can definitely be a budget-buster.

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PHOTO BY MARI DARR~WELCH

making it happen In Northwest Florida, we know who’s who. From planners to paper products, our affiliates have made a name for themselves across the region. Always ahead of the next big trends, these service providers can make any planning process a breeze, giving the bride and groom time to focus on what’s really important — each other.

making it happen

A successful wedding hashtag involves more

than chance

By Anjelica MacGregor

Technology and romance don’t always go hand in hand. So it’s understandable when some brides impose a strict ban on phones at their weddings. But for most couples tying the knot these days, the more “Likes” they get on social media, the better. With the wedding hashtag trend gaining serious momentum, recent studies have shown that more than half of weddings incorporate the fun digital sharing practice.

Interested in trying it out yourself? Bryan Honhart, co-owner of Black & Hue Photography, recently took over Wedding Wire’s Instagram account for a day and picked up a few valuable tricks of his own.

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INCLUDE YOUR NAMES

The most basic and important step — incorporate both names. Maybe the last name of the bride and the first name of the groom make the hashtag. In any event, pick something that speaks to both parties. Think about the cute collaborated nicknames invented by friends. Or, if no collaboration exists, just make something up such as #EmmaHeartsNick INCORPORATE THE WEDDING DATE

A huge success for celebrities has been the incorporation of the year they married. If the wedding takes place in 2016, include both last names with the year. The hashtag needs to get to

the point. “I try to avoid long hashtags because you don’t want to have three paragraphs worth of little hashtags,” advises Honhart.

CHOOSE A PUN

“Couples always turn last names into some sort of pun for a wedding,” Honhart notes. If both parties have long last names, the best option is to choose a fun or catchy phrase that speaks to the personalities of both parties. Rhymes and synonyms usually help.

CAPITALIZE EACH SEPARATE IDEA

Capitalizing each component of your hashtag makes its less confusing for guests. Since no

spaces or punctuation marks can be used in a hashtag, the phrase will be easier to absorb and much less prone to typos. Of course, all lowercase or a combination of the two will work just as well for sharing purposes.

“Five years down the road you can just type in your hashtag from your wedding,” says Honhart, “and you will find random shots that you missed that you didn’t even know were happening.”

ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE HASHTAG

Once both parties have decided on the hashtag, enter it into the search bar on your chosen social media platform. If a surplus of wedding photos appears with the same hashtag, think about changing a letter, number or entire word. The best hashtags are the ones not in circulation at all. After all, the purpose of a successful hashtag is a clean slate where all photos are compiled neatly.

MARKET THE HASHTAG

If you plan ahead, you can place the hashtag on the “save-the-date” invitation and wedding website. In addition, most couples create signage to place around the wedding venue that emphasizes the hashtag. According to Honhart, a DIY photo booth area is the perfect place to showcase the hashtag. “They’ll set out a Polaroid camera, a bunch of props, fake mustaches, hats and sombreros, just the craziest things you’ve ever seen. Usually they’ll have a sign with the Instagram logo alongside their hashtag. I recommend having it out at cocktail hour when everyone’s finally relaxed and on their phones, and they can do some candid stuff there with the hashtag.”

LOOK BACK AND ‘LIKE’

Hashtagable moments happen all throughout the wedding planning process. From the engagement party to the day-after brunch, it’s so much fun to keep track of your favorite memories through perfectly customized hashtags.

BLACK & HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

The greatest gift of the wedding hashtag is preserving moments the bride and groom were busy enjoying. Hashtags capture the day through the eyes of family and friends. Photos from the hashtag will inspire reminiscing for years to come. Just don’t forget about what’s really important: Your wedding is about your marriage more than anything. Enjoy the day.

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TIM WHEELER, TREW MEDIA, INC

making it happen

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JOSH MCLAWHORN

JOSH MCLAWHORN

JOSH MCLAWHORN ANNA KINCHEN

ANDREW’S CATERING

Calculated. Celebrated. Flavorful. // Tallahassee “For my wedding, I combined the beautiful outdoors of Apalachicola with a formal, sit-down dinner inside the Robert Lindsley Studio Gallery. The ceremony was beautiful, but the filet and salmon dinner was really where we started celebrating. After that, a night filled with champagne and dancing left everyone smiling. It also helped to hear over and over again that the food we had was the best many had ever had at a wedding.

Andrew’s Catering provided an abundance of information in a timely manner, and they thought of things I never would have. For example, they had the idea to provide hors d’oeuvres to the bridal party during pictures so they wouldn’t miss out on the great food. They also provided an extensive catering list with more options than I knew what to do with. The team at Andrew’s did everything, from the moment we booked them to the end of the best day of my life.” - Lauren Hampton Farmer, Lynn Haven, Florida PHOTOS BY JOSH MCLAWHORN AND ANNA KINCHEN

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪▪ RESTAURANT SERVICES ▪▪ DECORATING SERVICES

(850) 644-2767 // AndrewsCatering.com 1030 W. Tennessee St., Tallahassee, Fl 32304

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making it happen

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JOHN GANDY EVENTS

Trendsetting. Imaginative. Polished. // Tallahassee “When anyone asks me what I couldn't have lived without during our wedding planning process, John Gandy is my answer. Hands down.

At a Glance ▪ COORDINATION ▪ DESIGN & DÉCOR INSTALLATION ▪ FURNITURE & DÉCOR RENTALS ▪ PRODUCTION

“After seeing his amazing warehouse and all of the decor he had, I knew my day could look just as I had always imagined. His expertise, inventory and personality made him such a pleasure to work with. You don't have to worry about a single thing beyond simply showing up and being the bride. We had amazing spring weather, we were surrounded by all of our closest family and friends who traveled near and far and it was the perfect start to William and my new life together.” - Lauren Bevis, Tallahassee, Florida

PHOTOS BY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 570-5999 // JohnGandyEvents@comcast.net JohnGandyEvents.com 3463 Garber Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32303

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making it happen

JOHN GANDY EVENTS Personal. Creative. Unmatched. // Tallahassee

“I chose John Gandy because the services and resources he has are unmatched. John Gandy and his team made me feel like an absolute princess and made sure every detail was handled. He allowed my family and I to truly enjoy the entire process and day. He took the time to get to know Corbett and I personally and that allowed him to customize our wedding to our personalities.

“My favorite part of my wedding was definitely when I was at the altar saying my vows. Although there were nearly 500 people in the church I felt in that moment it was only Corbett and I. My favorite part of my reception was walking in and seeing all of my ideas and dreams come to life. It was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Drinking, eating and dancing with all of your favorite people in the world — life doesn’t get much better than that.” - Sara Noel Proctor, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY TERRI SMITH

At a Glance ▪ COORDINATION ▪ DESIGN & DÉCOR INSTALLATION ▪ FURNITURE & DÉCOR RENTALS ▪ PRODUCTION

(850) 570-5999 // JohnGandyEvents@comcast.net JohnGandyEvents.com 3463 Garber Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32303

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making it happen

Meet the Wedding Planner

A Yearlong Wedding Timeline to Organize Your Dream Wedding

By Anjelica MacGregor

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Piecing together an immaculate wedding takes a lot of planning. To help a vision come to life, here is a wedding timeline that answers all of your pre-bridal questions. Use this plan to help customize that dream wedding of yours.

12+ MONTHS BEFORE

Discuss and settle on a budget. □ Pick a season of the wedding. Being flexible on exact dates will give you a larger selection of venues. □ Research locations for the venue and start touring. □ Have an engagement party!

And yes, it’s OK to create a registry beforehand. □ Book the venue. □

10 MONTHS BEFORE Determine wedding style.

Shop for and order your gown. □ If not provided by the venue, start looking for catering companies that will incorporate the wedding theme. □ Research and book wedding vendors, including the videographer, photographer and reception band or D.J. □ Hire an officiant. □ Take engagement photographs. □ Select the bridal party. □ Consider researching a wedding insurance policy to protect all deposits. □ □

8

Make a wedding website.

Go to the gown fitting with the maid of honor. □ Order bridesmaid dresses and flower girl attire. □ Research and order wedding rings. □ Start researching honeymoon options. □ Block off hotel rooms for guests. □ Collect names and addresses for the guest list. □ □

6 MONTHS BEFORE

Book the honeymoon.

Send save-the-dates.

Renew or get passports if the honeymoon is abroad. □ Research ideas for wedding favors. □ Reserve rental equipment: tables, tents, chairs, linens, decorations, etc. □ Reserve transportation services. □ Update wedding website. □ Order the cake. □ Hire a calligrapher for wedding invitations. □ □ □

4 MONTHS BEFORE

Rent the groomsmen formal attire. □ Plan the rehearsal dinner. □ Ensure vendors are aware of plans. □ Finalize hair and makeup options. □ Finalize guest list and send invitations to calligrapher. □ Order wedding favors. □ Purchase wedding accessories: baskets, candles, ring pillows, linens. □ Finalize menu. □

AMY RILEY PHOTOGRAPHY

MONTHS BEFORE

2

MONTHS BEFORE

6

WEEKS BEFORE

□ □

2

Mail wedding invitations.

Start writing vows.

Enjoy a full-on spa day.

Enhance that inner glow with a tan plus a mani-pedi. □ Package bridesmaid and groomsmen’s gifts. □ Reconfirm all final components with all vendors. □

Apply for marriage license.

Get everything printed.

Finalize wedding song.

Have the final gown fitting and the dress pressed. □ Create the wedding program for guests. □ □ □ □

4 WEEKS BEFORE

Have the bridal shower and bachelorette party. □ Confirm honeymoon and travel arrangements □ Call guests who have not sent their RSVP. □

2

DAYS BEFORE

DAY BEFORE Attend the rehearsal dinner. □ Hand out bridal gifts. □ Ensure all final balances for the reception are paid. □ Provide vendors and the wedding team with an emergency contact number. □ Give the marriage license to your officiant. □

DAY OF WEEKS BEFORE

□

Breathe, get married and look forward to a beautiful life together.

Finalize wedding-day schedule and share the schedule with everyone. □ Go over music with the D.J. or band. □ Send the must-get shot lists to the photographer and determine timing for portraits. □ Attend all pre-wedding beauty appointments — think waxings, haircut, hair coloring, facials, etc. □ Confirm final headcount. □ Pack for the wedding night and honeymoon. □ Finalize seating arrangement. □

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XXXXXXXXXX

making it happen

FISHER’S FLOWERS AND EVENTS Personalized. Vibrant. Inventive. // Santa Rosa Beach

“Fisher’s Flowers’ versatility was especially important to us since we had three big events to plan: an Indian ceremony and reception, a rehearsal dinner/beach bonfire and a traditional Western ceremony and reception.

At a Glance ▪▪ FLORAL SERVICES ▪▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪▪ EVENT DESIGN

“Grove with Fisher’s is an extremely kind, creative, down-to-earth and hardworking designer. She’s not simply a florist — she works to understand the personalities of the bride and groom, plus their families, to make sure the event’s design feels unique and true to them. Fisher’s understood the combination we wanted — warm, festive and elegant. Guests loved the dance floor, the beautiful beach and the joyful spirit. More than a year later, our friends continue to rave about how wonderful each of our events was.”

- Meera Rennicke, New York, New York PHOTOS BY HARDY KLAHOLD

(850) 622-0056 // FishersFlowersAndEvents.com 416 S. County Hwy. 393, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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making it happen NO WORRIES VACATION RENTALS Imagine stepping out the doors of your stunning vacation rental home onto a white sugar sand beach with breathtaking views of emerald waters. Now, imagine your wedding ceremony occurring at the same location. No Worries Vacation Rentals makes dreams a reality by specializing in rentals for honeymoons and wedding venues alike.

Their exquisite properties span along the most pristine beaches in the country ­­­­— Mexico Beach, WindMark Beach, Cape San Blas and 30A. So … what are you waiting for?

V E N U E & H O N E Y M O O N R E N TA L S

(850) 229-6344 NoWorriesVacationRentals.com 101 Good Morning St. Port St. Joe, FL 32456

PURE & COUTURE Everyone deserves proper pampering on their wedding day. Whether it’s a fresh color and intricate updo for the bride or a bit of good grooming for the fellows, Pure & Couture specializes in wedding and event services. Brides-to-be will literally blush over the makeup services provided, including eyelash extensions, waxing and organic sunless tanning. Both salon and on-location services are offered to meet all the needs of your special day.

B E A U T Y & S PA

(850) 424-3935 PureAndCouture.com 36150 Emerald Coast Pkwy.

Destin, FL 32541

BRIDAL HAIR & MAKEUP BY ANNE Whether you are a beach babe bride seeking a sun-kissed glow and softly swept waves or a classic lady in search of the perfect updo and red lips, Bridal Hair & Makeup By Anne will professionally accomplish your perfect wedding style. All along the Emerald Coast, the team offers on-site hair and makeup artistry for bridal parties.

B E A U T Y & S PA

(904) 966-9663 HairDesignsByAnne@yahoo.com Instagram: @hairbyannecochran

DESTIN WEDDING LINENS Destin Wedding Linens offers full-service linen rentals in an exceptional selection of colors, styles, fabrics and sizes. From tablecloths, runners, skirting and napkins to chair covers and accessories, they have the perfect solution for making your wedding unforgettable. Whether it’s an intimate rehearsal dinner or a grand reception, guests will appreciate the style that your linens bring. Tables and chairs dressed in the finest of linens will add a touch of decadence to your most cherished day.

L I N E N R E N TA L S

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NORTHWESTFLORIDAWEDDINGS.NET

(850) 598-7464 thena@destinweddinglinens.com DestinWeddingLinens.com

RUSSELL RAINEY, DMD Weddings are filled with excitement, love and beauty; whether you are the bride, groom or another member of the wedding party, everyone wants to look their best on this very special day! You’ve heard the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Come wedding day, it may as well be worth a million. Make sure your smile is at its best with Invisalign treatment from the skilled professionals at Dr. Rainey’s office in Tallahassee. This treatment uses clear, removable aligners that will easily integrate into your timeline to prepare for your celebration. Come see what makes us the dental experience you’ve been looking for!

COSMETIC DENTISTRY

(850) 222-2446 DrRainey.com 221 E 7th Ave Tallahassee, FL 32303

GT ENTERTAINMENT GT Entertainment is the most awarded DJ company in Northwest Florida.

With a goal to make sure each client has the “best day ever,” this mobile DJ is as professional as he is fun. “We understand that your wedding plans started long before you got engaged,” laughed the owner himself, Greg Tish.

“We take tremendous pride in making sure your day is everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

DJ & EMCEEING SERVICES

TallahasseeDJ.com info@tallahasseedj.com

COTON COLORS Conveniently positioned in Tallahassee’s Market District, and with simple online registry access, Coton Colors is the perfect stop for celebrating blushing brides. Find a little happy in every moment of your wedding with Coton Colors — from the “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” asks and gifts for favorite future mother-in-laws, to favors for every guest.

BRIDAL GIF TS & REGISTRY

(877) 801-1292 Coton-Colors.com Multiple locations and online

A BRIDE’S RIDE Roll away on your big day in style with a luxurious, vintage car from A Bride’s Ride. Their 1953 Packard Convertible is a timeless favorite with its beautiful ivory exterior and rich burgundy interior. New Mr. and Mrs. will look effortlessly refined cruising in or posing with this classic car. Rent a piece of history for moments that will serve as memories for years to come.

V I N TA G E C A R R E N TA L S

(850) 581-3370 abridesride@gmail.com ABridesRide.com

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BLACK & HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

HILLY FIELDS FLORIST Fresh. Meaningful. Radiant. // Tallahassee

“I first learned of Hilly Fields Florist because they designed the bouquet for my sister’s wedding. It was so gorgeous and unique, I knew they would do a great job for my wedding as well.”

“The women at Hilly Fields were always accommodating and available. I felt like they really cared about making our wedding beautiful. And you can’t beat their level of experience. They had worked with my venue before and knew exactly what I needed, like where to place floral arrangements so that they got maximum exposure. Even though I had spent so much time going over how I wanted it to look, it was more beautiful than I could have imagined!” - Kathryn Barker Sumner, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY BLACK AND HUE PHOTOGRAPHY AND ALICIA OSBORNE PHOTOGRAPHY

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ALICIA OSBORNE

ALICIA OSBORNE

ALICIA OSBORNE

BLACK & HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

making it happen

At a Glance ▪▪ FLORAL SERVICES ▪▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪▪ GIFT BASKETS ▪▪ FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS ▪▪ GIFT SHOP

(850) 656-2118 // HillyFieldsFlorist.com 2475 Apalachee Parkway, Suite 108 Tallahassee, FL 32301

HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA Kissed by the warm salty breezes of the Gulf, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa is the perfect choice for the couple in search of a timeless beach ceremony and an overall experience highlighted by unprecedented customer service on the beautiful Emerald Coast. Wedding guests will adore this spot for its understated glamour, convivial atmosphere and gorgeous amenities. This resort can deliver it all, from pre-wedding rituals to postnuptial relaxation.

RESORT & VENUE

(850) 267-9500 HiltonSandestinBeach.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

SERENITY BY THE SEA SPA Be sure to include a visit to Serenity by the sea Spa when planning your wedding weekend activities. The full-service spa at Hilton Sandestin Beach is the perfect place to relax away those pre-wedding jitters with a menu of massage, facial and body treatments. And a recent expansion to the Image Center allows the entire wedding party to enjoy a spa-style bridesmaid’s lunch as well as beautifying together with hair services, manicures and pedicures.

B E A U T Y & S PA

(850) 622-9595 SerenitybytheseaSpa.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

THE COASTAL BALLROOM The newest addition to the event spaces at Hilton Sandestin Beach is the Coastal Ballroom, completed in spring 2015. The 7,500-square-foot space, which can be divided into three smaller sections, features an open-ceiling concept — it’s black with “clouds” that can give the appearance of a romantic starry night during your wedding festivities. The resort has 60,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor venues, so you’re sure to find the perfect spot for your ceremony, reception and other wedding gatherings.

VENUE

(850) 267-9500 HiltonSandestinBeach.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS AND SEAFOOD When only the best will do, treat your guests to an event at Seagar’s, the only AAA-Four Diamond-rated steakhouse on the Emerald Coast. Private rooms are available for groups of all sizes, making the New York-style steakhouse perfect for everything from small family gatherings to elegant rehearsal dinners. Chef Dan Vargo will create a menu to suit your style, featuring Prime beef and fresh-from-the-Gulf seafood. Seagar’s also features the largest wine list on the coast, with more than 600 labels to choose from.

R E S TA U R A N T & C AT E R I N G

(850) 622-1500 Seagars.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

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making it happen HBB PHOTOGRAPHY

SANDESTIN GOLF AND BEACH RESORT Make memories to cherish for a lifetime at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

Offering the largest selection of luxurious venues on Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, Sandestin is the perfect backdrop for your special day.

From sugary white sand beaches and lush green lawns, to elegant stately ballrooms and serene bayfront terraces, Sandestin can make your perfect wedding a dream come true.

RESORT & VENUE

(866) 748-7863 Sandestin.com/flwed 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy.

Destin, FL 32550

TOM & THE CATS Tom & the Cats are wedding reception legends that get the party going. With catchy dance music and a guaranteed night to remember, no matter the theme of your wedding Tom & the Cats has the music to match. A 2015 Best of Tallahassee winner for Best Local Band, their smooth vocals and dynamic instrumentals captivate guests — leaving them no choice but to make their way to the dance floor. The bands motto says it all, “It ain’t nothing but a party, baby!”

M U S I C & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

(850) 566-3018 TomAndTheCats.net richardbevis@embarqmail.com

GULF COAST FACIAL PLASTICS & ENT CENTER For a face of perfection on your wedding day, plan ahead for a glowing appearance. The offices of Gulf Coast Facial Plastics provide Botox and numerous injectable options that offer volume where it’s needed and smoothness where you want it. Chemical Peels (both light and deep) can give your skin the youthful glow you desire. And remember – it’s always best to plan ahead! Contact our RN Aesthetician, Donna Rizzuto.

BEAUTY BOOTCAMP

(850) 784-7722 Opt. 1, Ext. 3 GulfCoastFacialPlastics.com 200 Doctors Dr. Panama City, FL 32405

GULF COAST FACIAL PLASTICS & ENT CENTER Not happy with your profile? Dr. Daniel Daube, Double Board Certified and Fellowship Trained Facial Plastics and ENT physician, provides computerassisted consultations allowing potential patients to consider nose contouring as well as chin, cheek or lip implants. Surgery for prominent ears may also be a consideration. Have concerns? Bring a list and let Dr. Daube at Gulf Coast Facial Plastics & ENT Center address all your needs.

SURGICAL OPTIONS

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(850) 784-7722 GulfCoastFacialPlastics.com 200 Doctors Dr. Panama City, FL 32405

BELLAGIO NAIL & DAY SPA Escape stress into a world of total comfort, relaxation and rejuvenation. Treat yourself to a luxurious experience, pick the perfect polish for your tips and toes and indulge in refreshments from the spa’s fully stocked bar. Our friendly and professional staff will pamper and perfect all of your beauty needs. Kick off the bachelorette party or bridal shower with our private room complete with music, drinks and complete relaxation.

(850) 912-4488 BellagioDaySpaPensacola.com 5010 Bayou Blvd., Suite 103 Pensacola, FL 32503

B E A U T Y & S PA

MY FAVORITE THINGS When your guests first see the invitation to the most special day of your life, you can be certain that they will give it more than a passing glance. Be sure to choose an invitation that reflects your taste and style. Let My Favorite Things be your personal stationer. Their trained consultants can assist with all your etiquette questions while helping to create an invitation that will perfectly set the mood and tone of your wedding.

S TAT I O N E R Y & R E G I S T R Y

(850) 681-2824 ShopMFT.com 1410 Market St., C3 Tallahassee, FL 32312

Photo Credit : Sarah Stephens Photography

#WedAtLast

Flowers | Design | Decor Custom Events That Make A Statement & Reflect YOUR Style!

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making it happen HEARTH & SOUL Hearth & Soul is a gathering place reminiscent of the home where you are invited to relax and refresh while discovering beautiful things for you and your registry. Unique, curated items will entice your senses, enhance your style and every room of your home from the family room and kitchen to the bed and bath to his and her closets. Designed to delight and simplify your life, Hearth & Soul embraces all the things that make a house a home to make it much more than a store. Explore women’s and men’s apparel, gifts, kitchen, entertaining and home accessories.

REGISTRY AND GIF TS

(850) 894-SOUL HearthAndSoul.com 1410 Market St. – D1 Tallahassee, FL 32312

SOUTHWOOD GOLF CLUB Whether it’s a round of golf during the bachelor party or a relaxing afternoon for the father of the bride, SouthWood Golf Club offers guests an experience to remember. Renowned for its architecture, this upscale greenway is nestled among the rolling hills and ancient oak trees of Tallahassee. SouthWood provides an enjoyable yet challenging experience for golfers of all levels — making it an appreciated addition to any wedding weekend.

GOLF CLUB

(850) 942-4653 SouthWoodGolf.com 3750 Grove Park Dr. Tallahassee, FL 32311

ARTISTIC CONFECTIONS Make your wedding day even sweeter with a luxury, custom wedding cake from Artistic Confections. As members of the Tallahassee Association of Wedding Professionals and WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice winners, Artistic Confections provides top-notch service, premium ingredients, personalized memories and (most importantly) delicious flavor. From cupcakes to cookies to your beautiful wedding cake, they’ll orchestrate raw ingredients to compose a mouthwatering symphony of flavors.

WEDDING CAKES & B A K E R Y

(850) 577-3000 TallahasseeCakes.com 1712 Thomasville Road Tallahassee, FL 32303

ELLEBELLE PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN ElleBelle Photography specializes in capturing candid moments during life’s most special occasions. From the first minutes of a blissful engagement to the most meaningful day of your life as a couple, ElleBelle will highlight your love story with beautifully customized pictures. With eight years of trusted experience and six professionally trained and fully equipped photographers, ElleBelle ensures a lifetime archive of your photos and top-notch service when you tie the knot.

P H O T O G R A P H Y, D E S I G N & E V E N T S

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(850) 228-5435 ElleBelle.pics 2957 Capital Park Dr., Suite 5 Tallahassee, FL 32301

Bridal Registry · Personalized Stationery · Home Accessories and Gifts

850-681-2824 · 800-983-2266 · ShopMFT.com 1410 Market Street , C3 · Tallahassee, Florida

Brian Barnard’s 2731 Capital Circle NE, Tallahassee | 850.386.8689 1501 E. Jackson St., Thomasville | 229.226.7438

barnardsflooring-america.com

GULF COAST FACIAL PLASTICS & ENT CENTER facial plastic and reconstructive surgery

glowing skin younger appearance full lips medical spa services available Daniel Daube Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.

gulfcoastfacialplastics.com • 888.784.3223 • 850.784.7722 Two Hundred Doctors Drive, Panama City • NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2016

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honeymoon destinations The wedding planning process wouldn’t be as delicious without a sweet honeymoon to look forward to. After the big day, couples deserve a chance to unwind and unplug from the rest of the world. The bride and groom who choose to honeymoon in Northwest Florida can expect nothing less than exquisite views, endless attractions and total relaxation.

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RESORTQUEST BY WYNDHAM VACATION RENTALS | NWFL HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS Relaxing. Paradise. Unforgettable. // Multiple Locations. Endless Possibilities.

At a Glance ▪▪ HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS ▪▪ HOME RENTALS ▪▪ CONDOMINIUM RENTALS

Couples who choose to honeymoon in Northwest Florida will be met with breathtaking views and exhilarating activities unlike anywhere else on Earth. From the natural simplicity of Perdido Key, to the historic and artful activities at Pensacola Beach, to the hidden gem of Navarre Beach and the attractions and nightlife of Destin, Panama City and Fort Walton beaches – Northwest Florida has a honeymoon destination ideal for every couple. The best part, though?

ResortQuest offers professionally managed vacation rental homes and condominiums in all of these dreamy destinations.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESORTQUEST

(866) 508-1512 NWFLHoneymoons.com

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Start your ever after with the unique style and expertise this day truly deserves.

Relax at our poolside bar, savor delicious flavors at Juicy Blue bistro and sleep soundly in one of our luxurious, Four Comfort Beds.

-Free parking -Free Wi-Fi -Fitness Center

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Have you been dreaming of a beach wedding with sugar-white sand and emerald green water as your backdrop? ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation RentalsÂŽ is here to turn that dream into a reality! From private beach homes to luxurious Gulf-front condos, we provide beautiful accommodations, plus a variety of event space along Northwest Florida beaches. We even have partnerships with experienced wedding planners to make planning your special day stress-free. What are you waiting for? Call us or visit our website today to book the wedding of your dreams on our Emerald Coast!

Call or visit us online for more information! (888) 412-6408 \ NWFLWeddings.com

#FollowUsToTheBeach 2013, 2014 & 2015 Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST-38182. Washington Seller of Travel Reg. No. 603118961. Wyndham Vacation Rentals and related marks are registered trademarks and/or service marks in the United States and internationally. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. 14 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054 Š2016 Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America, LLC.

Santa Rosa County

AN 850 BUSINESS MAGAZINE SPECIAL REPORT

2016 BUSINESS JOURNAL

OVERVIEW • TOURISM • EDUCATION • DEMOGRAPHICS

Table of Contents

11 4

7

O verview A talented

workforce, a strong school district and a high quality of life are key ingredients in Santa Rosa’s plan for future economic development success.

7 Tourism PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Steve Bornhoft EDITOR Linda Kleindienst SENIOR STAFF WRITER Jason Dehart

SALES & MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT/ CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck

AD SERVICES COORDINATORS Lisa Sostre, Tracy Mulligan

STAFF WRITER Shelby Bouck CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lawrence Davidson PRODUCTION MANAGER Daniel Vitter ART DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut ADVERTISING DESIGNER Jillian Fry

Education Santa Rosa claims one of the best school districts in Florida and has a high graduation rate. Career academies emphasize “real life” learning.

14

Demographics An overview of Santa Rosa’s population, its major employers and industrial park offerings for businesses looking to relocate.

DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rebecca Padgett PROOFREADER Melinda Lanigan

11

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bess Grasswick, Darla Harrison, Lori Magee, Rhonda Murray, Will Patrick, Dan Parker, Linda Powell, Paula Sconiers, Alice Watts, Brianna Webb MARKETING AND EVENTS ASSISTANT Mackenzie Ligas

On the Cover: From learning to working to enjoying a good quality of life, Santa Rosa County provides a variety of options. rowlandpublishing.com | 850BusinessMagazine.com

2 / 2016 S A N TA ROS A C OU NT Y BUS I NE S S JO U R NAL

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AND SANTA ROSA COUNTY

COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AND SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Tourism is a big economic driver for the area and the numbers keep going higher.

Visitors have wide variety of experiences to choose from.

Beach Dreams

Are Our Business.

Maria Dudley ResortQuest Real Estate

Ron Carnes Navarre Beach Area GM

Liz Horton Business Development

With 25 years of ResortQuest experience, Maria’s sales team of 4 is deeply engrained in the Navarre community.

After 20 years of ResortQuest experience, Ron’s support team of 13 make it their mission to treat guests and owners as family.

A resident of Navarre for more than 20 years, Liz attributes her success to a dedicated local ResortQuest team with the global backing of Wyndham.

Nearly four decades on the Emerald Coast and our love affair with beach vacations and the dream of home ownership is thriving!

Our team is passionate, enthusiastic and devoted to helping create lifelong memories for you and your family. Because of our team, staying with ResortQuest at one of our private beach homes, condominiums or full service resorts is an experience as unique as the sugar-white sand or a visit to the longest pier in the Gulf of Mexico! Arrive for a memorable vacation and leave as family!

Interested in owning your own gulf front condo on Navarre Beach?

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Looking for exceptional property management?

JoinRQ.com (844) 330-1921

For the best way to stay on Navarre Beach StayInNavarreBeach.com (844) 330-1923

#FollowUsToTheBeach

2013, 2014 & 2015

Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST-38182. Washington Seller of Travel Reg. No. 603118961. Wyndham Vacation Rentals and related marks are registered trademarks and/or service marks in the United States and internationally. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. 14 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054 ©2016 Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America, LLC.

2016 SANTA ROSA COUN T Y BUSIN ESS J O U RNAL / 3

Overview

Vision for Success

Santa Rosa County is touting its talented workforce, good schools

by LINDA KLEINDIENST

A

ppRiver started out as a two-man operation in April 2002 in the town of Gulf Breeze. Co-founders Michael Murdoch and Joel Smith shared a vision for their company and a love for the area’s natural beauty and quality of life.

The region’s pro-business environment was another plus.

Today, the company has 242 employees, with 221 working in the Gulf Breeze location. It has offices in Atlanta; Austin; Lupfig, Switzerland; and Barcelona, Spain.

Perhaps most importantly, the average salary paid to employees working in the Santa Rosa location is double the prevailing local average wage and nearly two times the state’s average wage.

“The short history of AppRiver can be summed up as a sales call that led to a friendship that became a partnership that becomes one of the fastest growing and most successful email and Web security companies in America,” says Murdoch, CEO and president. “AppRiver, which began quite literally as two guys and a spam filter, now serves more than 47,000 corporate companies (and 8.5 million mailboxes) around the world.”

4 / 2016 S A N TA ROS A C OU NT Y BUS I NE S S JO U R NAL

Santa Rosa’s top economic drivers are currently tourism, military and agriculture.

AppRiver is an example of the type of company community leaders want to see more of. Especially with one of the country’s highest concentrations of retired military living within its borders and one of the best school districts in the state, not to mention available and affordable space, they feel the area is ripe for economic development.

“The talent you have will dictate your level of success,” says Santa Rosa County Commissioner Rob Williamson. “One of the strong suits Santa Rosa has is its workforce and talent. We have talent and space. We need to do a better job of selling ourselves. You’ve got to have the right leadership in place. And people finally have a light bulb going off.”

Growth From Navarre Beach on the Gulf to Milton, Pace and Jay further north, Santa Rosa’s growth spurt is evident. As the population grows, more apartments and subdivisions are sprouting up — 7 percent growth in new residential and commercial building permits in 2015 over the previous year — and new companies are moving in. The county is being courted by suppliers for AirBus, which has a new facility in Mobile, and there is growing interest in the county’s seven industrial parks.

“We are growing leaps and bounds,” affirms Shannon Ogletree, director of Santa Rosa County Economic Development. “Our sweet spot in terms of attracting people is that we have one of the best school districts in the state and one of the lowest crime rates in the state. That’s a good mixture.”

Nestled between Escambia County on the west and Okaloosa on the east, Santa Rosa has a workforce that is about 75,000 strong, but a majority of them commute to

Escambia or Okaloosa to work.

“Truthfully, we’re exporting people,” Ogletree says. “We want them to stay closer to home and we’re starting to have success in telling that story.”

The county boasts about 34,000 military retirees — people who have skill sets that companies, especially in the area of technology, are looking for. Many are in their 40s and 50s, looking to start a second career. That could be a major plus for AirBus suppliers.

Meanwhile, some of those who once left Northwest Florida for better job opportunities are beginning to return home.

“We’re finding younger generations who went off to college are coming back, mostly for opportunities in Escambia and Okaloosa.

New business coming in strengthens their ability to come back home,” says Shon Owens, president of Owens Custom Homes and a member of the Jay Town Council.

“Many people live in Santa Rosa and work outside because of the quality of life. You can live on the north end of the county and have 20 acres of horse pasture, yet within 45 minutes you can be on the beach.”

The population boom has helped local businesses involved in construction and led to a growing retail sector, says Donna Tucker, executive director of the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce.

“You can’t get a painter right now. They are slammed. Flooring people, carpet people, concrete people, everyone is busy,” she says.

“And the retail sector is exploding, especially when you start looking at restaurants. We’re getting Cactus Flower, Tin Cow, Five Guys — some of the more trendy Pensacola restaurants.”

A new 40,000-square-foot Publix is coming to Pace and bringing its own strip mall. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Panera Bread are also on the way.

“What’s interesting is that for a long time you could drive from Navarre to Gulf Breeze and it was just vacant lots. Now you can’t find a vacant lot,” says Tucker. “Now from Milton to Pace the same thing is happening — we’re seeing a lot of commercial property going up for sale and residential being rezoned for commercial.”

COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Future Focus

launched the Florida First Sites program in 2013. The purpose of the first regional site certification program in the state is to develop project-ready industrial sites.

Each site undergoes a rigorous screening process developed by McCallum Sweeney Consulting, which offers an objective, third-party analysis to ensure the sites are ready for development. The program ensures that preliminary work has been completed, taking the majority of the risk out of the site selection process.

So far, Santa Rosa has had three sites certified — more than any county in the region.

All are in Milton and close to Interstate 10. The sites are: Jeff Ates Road Industrial Park, with 132.4 developable acres; Vic’s

Ogletree is focusing his economic development efforts on manufacturing companies with a connection to aviation and aerospace.

“I’m trying to hit areas like San Diego and Seattle with high concentrations of aviation companies,” he says. “I tell them if they are looking to set up an east coast location, consider us.”

Last year, Aerosync Support Inc., a leader in helicopter repairs, modifications and upgrades, set up shop at the Santa Rosa Industrial Park in Milton. Aerosync purchased the former West Coast Metal Roofing building and is making a capital investment of over $1.75 million in the facility. With the anticipated creation of 25 jobs at an average rate of $60,000, the company qualified for a performance-based incentive program aimed at increasing highskilled, high-wage jobs in Florida.

In making the announcement, Greg Bartlett, president of Aerosync, said many factors brought the company to Santa Rosa County. “There is a large aerospace market in both commercial and military sectors that is in need of the services we offer. Milton and the Santa Rosa Industrial Park is a great location for us with room to expand as future demands increase.

We are very excited about Industrial park being here and look forward tenants like Trinity DNA Solutions to employing many talented (opposite page), folks in this area.”

Gulf Cable (this Williamson said there page, upper photo) and Fabbro has been considerable Marine Group interest in the I-10 indus(lower) have trial park, explaining brought hundreds of jobs to the area. “we’re at the edge of the bullseye” for Mobile’s Airbus plant — within easy traveling distance, via I-10, for a supplier to the manufacturing giant.

An ally in the county’s economic development efforts is Gulf Power, which

of Navarre, with 186 acres; and Northwest Florida Industrial Park @ I-10, with 88 acres.

Besides the state programs aimed at enticing new businesses to locate in Florida and existing businesses to expand, Santa Rosa also has a program that can reduce the price of county-owned land in an effort to attract companies.

Williamson believes that the town of Milton also offers a great opportunity for Santa Rosa to attract more millennials and entrepreneurs because of its scenic location on the Blackwater River.

“We need to push for a new urbanism.

You have to have a vision, and Santa Rosa has lacked a consistent shared vision,” he says.

2016 SAN TA ROSA COUNT Y BUSINES S J O U RNAL / 5

COMMERCIAL real estate

• Leasing & Sales • Property Management

• Investment Sales • Build to Suit

Neal & Company, LLC is a full-service commercial real estate firm specializing in the success of their valued clients. Since 2008 they have facilitated the sale and leasing of retail, office, land, multi-tenant and warehouse buildings, as well as analyzing investment properties and asset management. Each agent’s experience and marketing insight results in the

Donald C. Neal, CCIM, SIOR Broker/Partner (850) 287-0871 Neal@NealCommercial.com

8 5 0

Edward Cronley Sales Associate/Partner (850) 776-0531 Cronley@NealCommercial.com

structure of commercial real estate transactions that serve clients’ business operational needs and increase their net worth. Top-producing agents with over 60 years of commercial real estate experience have helped Neal & Company to develop long-term and trusted relationships with their clients. Their focus is on earning each client’s trust, not just completing a transaction.

Paul Salter, CCIM Broker Associate (850) 232-5371 Salter@NealCommercial.com

Edie Mason Sales Associate (850) 221-3686 Edie@NealCommercial.com

Rachel Roberts Property Manager/Sales Associate (850) 346-2266 Rachel@NealCommercial.com

444-9994 NealCommercial.com 105 East Garden Street, Pensacola

6 / 2016 S A N TA ROS A C OU N T Y BUS I NE S S JO U R NAL

Tourism

A Cornucopia of Adventures

COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

Tourists can go from one extreme to another, from a beachfront condo to ‘glamping’ in a timeless state forest by LINDA KLEINDIENST

T

ourism is one of the top three economic drivers in Santa Rosa County. And it’s booming. The numbers don’t lie.

Tourist bed-tax collections are growing in the double digits. In the last fiscal year, which ended in September 2015, tax collections had grown by 23 percent over the previous year — for a total of $2,175,353.

And the current fiscal year is on track to do as well or better.

“It’s growing extremely fast,” says Julie Morgan, who is Santa Rosa’s tourist-development director. She speculates that one of the reasons for the recent growth is the decision after her arrival on Tourists and the job a year ago to reach out residents alike to the Atlanta travel market. can enjoy a day “We tapped into that, and it’s at the beach or kayaking on a proven to have paid off.” pristine river, And tourism means jobs. all in easy drivWhile the numbers have likely ing distance. grown since, a 2012 study by the University of West Florida’s Haas Center revealed that tourism at that time was responsible for more than 1,400 jobs and had a more than $113 million economic impact on the county.

While the majority of visitors come from Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Louisiana, the county has also expanded its summer tourism marketing to Arkansas and the Carolinas.

Unlike its neighboring Gulf-front counties, Santa Rosa doesn’t currently sport any beachfront hotels. The last one blew over when Hurricane Ivan mercilessly lashed Northwest Florida’s coast as a Category 3 storm in 2004. It was the strongest hurricane to hit the region in more than 100 years. But there’s a new hotel — a Marriott Springhill Suites — going up in the same location, and construction should be done by the end of this year or in early 2017.

TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX COLLECTIONS FISCAL YEAR TOTALS 2015-2016 October $142,138 November $79,679

2014-2015 $2,175,353 2013-2014 $1,766,401

2012-2013 $1,333,322 2011-2012 $1,190,476

2016 SANTA ROSA COUN T Y BUSIN ESS J O U RNAL / 7

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Camping under the stars, away from the city lights, is one of many offerings for vacationers.

COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

SOLUTIONS

For those in the business of attracting tourists, the county has established a grant program that supports events which focus on increasing out-of-market awareness of Santa Rosa County, particularly during the shoulder (spring and fall) seasons, with the goal of increasing lodging room occupancy in the county. Allowable expenses can include promotion, marketing, program expenses, paid advertising, production and technical expenses, site fees, rentals, insurance, rights and sanction fees.

The majority of tourists who come to Santa Rosa rent beachfront condos that give them access to one of the most pristine — and quiet — sections of beach in the state.

“Our beach is protected forevermore … we’re bookended on east and west by a nature preserve. To the west is Gulf Islands National Seashore, an undisturbed beach,” says County Commissioner Rob Williamson, who represents Navarre Beach.

“You can go While the beach is an undisputed from one lure — in fact, the beach wedding extreme to the business is on a definite upswing other in this — there is also a growing interest county, such in ecotourism-related activities and as from living agritourism. The county’s artificial in a beachfront reefs draw scuba divers and visitors condo to interested in marine sciences. Coldglamping.” water Gardens in Milton brings in — Julie Morgan, tourists who want to know more Santa Rosa’s touristabout organic gardening, even development director providing private tours and the opportunity to go “glamping,” a little more glamorous way to sleep outdoors but not on the ground.

There’s also an opportunity to go ziplining over the timeless Blackwater River State Forest with Adventures Unlimited. Or visitors can canoe, kayak or tube down — and camp along — Coldwater River Creek.

“You can go from one extreme to the other in this county, such as from living in a beachfront condo to glamping,” Morgan said. “You can make your vacation what you want, especially if you are an outdoor person. And our shoulder seasons have really grown in the last couple of years.”

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Education

Preparing a Workforce

Santa Rosa students start learning key skills in the early grades by LINDA KLEINDIENST

COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

A

Williamson. “We are one of the state’s besttalented workforce is essential when performing school districts with one of the trying to attract new business to a highest graduation rates.” region. To provide that, Santa Rosa At Pace High School, the academy’s focus County’s public schools, among the best in is teaching the basics of how to become an the state of Florida, start preparing their entrepreneur, including accounting, niche students early to get jobs in the region’s marketing, protection of patents and tradetargeted industries. And that’s giving marks. economic development efforts a big shot in Students even get lessons in how to find the arm. investors.

Elementary school students are learning “It’s crazy the interest the kids have in critical thinking skills. From middle school starting their own business. It’s gotten a through high school, students have access to lot of buzz in the community,” says Charlin a variety of special training opportunities Knight, director of workforce education for that range from biotech and aerospace to the school system, which has received an “A” entrepreneurship, advanced manufacturing grade from the state for 11 years running. and the culinary arts, each one the focus of Knight is responsible for the district’s 47 one of the career academies scattered around the county. And eighth-graders can pursue a certification in Microsoft programs, which demonstrates they have the knowledge of a variety of programs, including Word and PowerPoint, that will help them be successful in a later career.

Santa Rosa’s career academies align with nationally recognized industry certifications, which help make students more competitive in college or the workplace following graduation. And studies show that career-academy students perform better in high school and are more likely to continue into postsecondary Santa Rosa education.

County’s school district has “One of the top predictors earned an ‘A’ of the workforce talent you grade from can provide — including what the state for 11 years running. skill sets your population can bring to the table to attract site selectors and CEOs looking at your area — is the graduation rate,” says Santa Rosa County Commissioner Rob

secondary and 15 postsecondary programs (at the technical center) that prepare students for jobs.

“We had to cap the entrepreneurship program because so many were interested,” Knight says. “We had 28 students involved and 20 ideas that developed. Now we’re trying to find money for those businesses.”

At Jay High School, students can enroll in the cybersecurity academy, which is only a year old. There is an academy focusing on agribusiness at Central School in Milton and a digital design program at Milton High School, where students are using a 3D printer to print their designs.

Some of the career academies are a direct response to the worker needs expressed by local businesses. There are currently 2,800 students enrolled in the academies. In 2015, 524 seniors graduated with nationally recognized industry certifications in a range of fields.

In another effort to better prepare students to enter the workforce, the district has a program dubbed STEAM, which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

“STEAM represents a paradigm shift from traditional education philosophy, based on standardized test scores, to a

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modern ideal which focuses on valuing the learning process as much as the results,” according to Deron Cameron, who was principal at the first STEAM-certified school and now works on curriculum. “In essence, we dare our students to be wrong, to try multiple ideas, listen to alternate opinions and create a knowledge base that is applicable to real life as opposed to simply an exam.”

Knight calls the STEAM effort an “incredible partnership” that has helped the school district teach students 21st-century skills, including an emphasis on critical thinking.

“There’s a lot of value in introducing artistic and creative skills,” she says. “We have the program in all 20 elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. When I go to the schools, I am absolutely amazed. I’ve seen elementary school students in the early grades working on gravity and energy projects, kids working together in teams to put together their own circuit boards so they could get a propeller to spin or a light to come on. They were programming robots in one classroom.

They work in teams, with each “In essence, team having a leader and each we dare our member having a role and the students to be teacher facilitating.” wrong, to try Ask the teachers what they multiple ideas, think of it and they say it is more listen to alternate than gratifying to see students opinions enjoying their studies. and create a “The lightbulb has seemed knowledge base to brighten, showing students that is applicable they can be anything. Science to real life as and computer programming is opposed to viewed as fun now, as they beg simply an exam.” to ‘code,’ ” says Kristi Martin, a — Deron Cameron, fifth-grade teacher at Berryhill principal at the first STEAMElementary. certified school Joy Bunning, a secondgrade teacher at Holly Navarre Primary, is amazed at how her class has responded, saying, “I have watched them grow from shy, reserved students into confident, independent learners ready to take on any challenge!”

Jen Netro, another teacher at Holley Navarre Primary, said she has watched her students grow into problemsolvers and self-learners, always asking questions to further their thinking.

“One of my students is very active and struggles with focusing on a task at hand. At the beginning of the year this student came in needing a Progress Monitoring Plan based on last year’s scores,” Netro says. “After implementing the STEAM model into my classroom, it was obvious to me this child had such an in-depth thought process. It allowed me to assess his content knowledge in a setting that was more comfortable for him. He is now in the final testing stages for the gifted program. I’ve never participated in a conference where a parent was signing off on a PMP and permission to test for gifted. It has certainly opened my eyes.”

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Commercial 850.565.0658 Residential 2016 SANTA ROSA COUN T Y BUSIN ESS J O U RNAL / 13

Demographics

INDUSTRIAL PARKS ESCAMBIA

SANTA ROSA

OKALOOSA

Jay Industrial Park

EDUCATION SANTA ROSA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT — “A” grade (11 consecutive years)

Whiting Aviation Park

10 Santa Rosa Industrial

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE (2014–2015 school year) — 83.2% (Florida graduation rate — 77.8%)

Gulf Coast Rail Industrial NWF Industrial Park @ I-10

Pace Industrial Area

10

Milton Northwood Park

Source: Florida Department of Education

POPULATION

Pensacola

Destin Gulf Breeze

2014 (ESTIMATED) — 163,422 % CHANGE SINCE 2010 — +8% AGE 18 TO 64 — 62.9% AGE 65 AND OVER — 14.5% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR HIGHER — 89.4% BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER (age 25 and over) — 25.9% MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME — $57,700 COST OF LIVING — 2.3 percent lower than the U.S. average Source: U.S. Census Bureau

RANKINGS Santa Rosa’s quality of life is ranked the 8th best out of Florida’s 67 counties by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (Milton and Gulf Breeze are considered among the healthiest cities to live in the state.) The same survey ranked it No. 5 for social and economic factors, including the county’s high graduation rate, income equality, lower unemployment and lower child poverty and crime rates.

SANTA ROSA INDUSTRIAL PARK Santa Rosa Industrial Park offers quality, affordable land — and lots of it — but also fertile ground for business, with rail access and located only a mile from Interstate 10.

JAY INDUSTRIAL PARK Jay Industrial Park is the perfect setting for businesses desiring a less hectic urban environment. Be as globally connected as you want, with plenty of room for expansion.

GULF COAST RAIL PARK The Gulf Coast Rail Park is a 200-acre site with a considerable logistical infrastructure strategically located on U.S. Highway 90 near Interstate 10. Transportation links give access to the top Southern markets in the United States, all within an 8-hour drive.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA INDUSTRIAL PARK @ I10 Begin with two acres or 40. Northwest Florida Industrial Park @ I10 is located off of Interstate 10 and adjacent to commercial property,

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providing the option of making products here and selling them next door — without needing to rezone.

NORTHWOOD PARK The land (50 acres or more) are preserved for one client, two at most. This means lots of land to build and grow. This park is located one mile from Interstate 10, and is an ideal location for large plants, warehouses, factories or a combination.

PACE INDUSTRIAL AREA This industrial area is part of one of the fastest growing communities in Northwest Florida, located strategically between Pensacola and Milton, home to a talented, diverse workforce for a developing company.

WHITING AVIATION PARK Nestled in the cradle of aviation amid top-notch industry leaders, this is the county’s newest park and a dream location for aviation and other booming businesses because of its access to a 6,000-linear-foot runway.

EMPLOYMENT

Public Organizations (# employees) STATE GOVERNMENT 1,282 SANTA ROSA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 2,750 FEDERAL MILITARY 1,336 SANTA ROSA COUNTY GOVERNMENT 949 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 751 Source: Santa Rosa Economic Development Office

COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY AND MILITARY.COM

UNDER AGE 18 YEARS — 22.6%

EMPLOYMENT

Major Private Employers (September 2015) PRIVATE COMPANIES

INDUSTRY

# EMPLOYEES

Retail

1,285

Baptist Health Care

Health Services

543

Santa Rosa Medical

Health Services

400

Blackwater Correctional

Private State Prison

400

Grocery

380

Financial Services

340

Internet/Cable

300

Goldring Gulf Distributing

Warehouse/ Distribution

240

AppRiver, LLC

Internet Security

220

Ambulance Service

160

Wal-Mart Stores

Publix Navy Federal Mediacom

Lifeguard Ambulance

850 MAGAZINE

works for us “I feel it really captures the pulse of the regional, national and international marketplace.”

DUSTIN FROST Auxiliary Service Coordinator, TCC Conference and Events Dept.

850 Magazine advertiser since 2010

MILITARY Home to Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Santa Rosa County is in the middle of one of the most active air traffic zones in the world, a tri-county area including Escambia and Okaloosa that is home to major military aviation installations and growing commercial operations. The area’s proximity to militaryrelated IT research, development and testing has created an emerging cluster of IT and aerospace companies.

Florida’s military and defense-related industries are critical to Florida’s economy. The $52 billion industry is the state’s third top economic sector behind tourism and agriculture; it tops the list in Santa Rosa County.

The mission of NAS Whiting Field is to provide support for the training of Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and international student aviators. The base is host to Training Wing Five, which provides 100 percent of all Navy, Marine and Coast Guard helicopter training and 60 percent of all primary flight training. They account for 10.1 percent of all Navy and Marine Corps flight hours worldwide and train 1,534 student pilots annually.

Source: Santa Rosa Economic Development Office

Tallahassee Community College‘s Conference and Events Department made the decision to advertise with 850 Magazine because they felt the community was mostly unaware that TCC offered conference and events services. They could not think of a more effective way to get the word out than by advertising with a publication that is so respected, has ideal distribution numbers and whose readers are the exact people they are trying to reach. The partnership between 850 Magazine and TCC Conference and Events Department has been ideal for promotion.

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2016 SANTA ROSA COUN T Y BUSIN ESS J O U RNAL / 15

We’re for your aviation-related project

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Industrial sites that are ready to develop with due diligence completed to minimize risk and accelerate speed to market

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DO YOU KNOW AN OUTSTANDING WOMAN BUSINESS LEADER?

850 BUSINESS MAGAZINE’S 2015

PINNACLEAWARDS AWARDS PINNACLE HONORING OUTSTANDING WOMEN HONORING THETHE OUTSTANDING WOMEN BUSINESS OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA BUSINESSLEADERS LEADERS OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA

850 — The Business Magazine of Northwest Florida is looking for your help in recognizing women in our region who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills in their businesses and communities.*

PINNACLE AWARDS

Nominations are now open at 850businessmagazine.com HONORING THE OUTSTANDING WOMEN

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HONORING THE OUTSTANDING WOMEN Ten women will be selected toBUSINESS receiveLEADERS OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA the 2016 Pinnacle Award — women of character and integrity, our leaders, mentors and community servants. These honorees will be profiled in the 2016 October/November issue of 850 Magazine.

*Nominees must be a private sector business owner, CEO, primary manager or top executive in their companies.

Nominees must have: 1) demonstrated professional excellence and outstanding leadership in her business or profession; 2) actively participated in civic and/or business-related organizations; 3) served as a mentor to others.

Nominations must be received by June 15, 2016.

PRESENTED BY

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For additional sponsorship opportunities, contact Leigha Inman at linman@rowlandpublishing.com 147

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DEAL ESTATE Just Sold

HARRY BELL/PENFED REALTY

Location Tailor Made for Crafts Store

By Rebecca Padgett

A shopping center with well-established stores in a high traffic area proved well suited — with a little bit of help — to a Hobby Lobby store. The popular craft supply store is properly excited about its new location.

The Shore Shopping Center was acquired, redeveloped and retenanted in 2006 and was home to anchors including Target and Winn-Dixie. The developer was in the process of courting additional retailers prior to the onset of the recession in 2008.

With a prime location attracting high traffic counts of 54,000 vehicles per day, the shopping center was sure eventually to be filled.

Broker Harry Bell sold the Hobby Lobby site to a private investor for $1.1 million and represented the buyer in bringing about a build-to-suit project.

“We were faced with challenges initially with the development of Hobby Lobby because the site limited the prototype size,” Bell said. “The city was a big help overcoming those challenges by working with the new ownership to find a solution that would satisfy all parties involved.”

In the end, the sale was successful and the building was consistent with the framework of Hobby Lobby stores. It has proven to be a significant addition to the trade area as well as the community. The store is easily spotted and shopped thanks to being in a core retail area consisting of shopping, dining and entertainment. Crafty community members rejoice. n

Quick Look Address: 875 Harbor Blvd., Destin Square Feet: 55,000 Sold Price: $8,000,000 Contact: Harry Bell, Broker Associate, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty (850) 240-0527 harry.bell@penfedrealty.com

DEAL ESTATE

Cultivating Sophistication 30Avenue opens doors to exceptional quality and services It is impossible to miss freshly flourishing 30Avenue with its 16 acres of majestic palms, manicured lawns and crisp white stucco buildings, all elements of an effort to provide an exquisite shopping experience.

30Avenue is a master-planned retail and office development that anchors the east end of Scenic Corridor Highway 30A and fronts U.S. Highway 98. Painstaking effort was taken in selecting the shops, entertainment

By Rebecca Padgett

venues and offices that reside here. Current tenants include Barbacoa Mexican Grill, 30A Olive Oil, Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty, Cuvee 30A, Otium Yoga, Shimmering Seas and V. Lala Galleries, to name a few.

Listings are available in sizes that range from 1,100 to 20,000 square feet and are appropriate to executive office, retail and restaurant spaces. The third phase of development is in the works and the final phases are

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KERRI PARKER/CORR GROUP

Square Feet: Ranging from 1,100–20,000

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Just Listed

Contact: Kerri Parker, Director of Marketing and Leasing, Corr Group (850) 231-1127 kparker@corrgroupus.com

on the drawing board. Two additional buildto-suit opportunities are available.

Strategically choosing tenants that complement one another is important to the 30Avenue community. Targeted customers spoke to a desire for a more customized and local experience as opposed to big-name chains. The result is a focus on boutiques, personalized services and fresh, health-conscious food options.

“It is hard to believe our first merchant has not been open one year, yet we now have four completely diverse restaurant offerings, a thriving yoga studio, bustling executive offices, a cutting-edge art gallery, unique boutiques and the honor of welcoming successful local businesses that have decided to relocate to 30Avenue,” said Kerri Parker, director of marketing and leasing for Corr Group, the development company responsible for 30Avenue.

30Avenue takes pride in offering first-rate services and luxurious goods to the discerning clientele of 30A. n

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CAPITAL CORRIDOR

Gadsden, Jefferson + Leon Counties

Betting A on the Future Poker room has already been a boost to Gretna’s economy, but residents want more

By Rochelle Koff

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t the Mary Soul Food Cafe on Gretna’s Main Street, La Tasha Murray was dishing out homecooked fare, including oxtail, collard greens, cornbread and peach cobbler, topped off with a tall glass of sweet tea.

The cozy cafe, which opened in July, is a rare new business in the tiny city of 1,550, a poor rural community that’s easily missed as motorists zoom by on Interstate 10.

That needs to change, said Murray, whose sister owns the cafe. She’s betting

on gaming as an economic boost in a county where the median income is $30,500 and 29 percent of the 48,000 residents live below the poverty line.

“I can’t wait till there are slots,” Murray said. “I know it will make a big difference. If slots can be in South Florida, why not here?”

It’s a question echoed by other Gretna residents and local officials, who envision a first-class gaming facility with a hotel, restaurants, stores, equestrian center and even a bowling alley on the sprawling acres off Exit

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CREEK ENTERTAINMENT GRETNA

TO RACE OR NOT TO RACE? Creek Entertainment Gretna opened with a poker room and barrel racing — the latter putting them at odds with some in the horse industry who expected the facility to offer Quarter Horse races.

Pari-mutuel racing has since been put on hold, although there are occasional barrel races.

174 on I-10, a site about 3 miles from the downtown cafe.

For now, Creek Entertainment Gretna offers a modest 21,300-square-foot facility with a spacious poker room that can accommodate about two dozen tables and simulcast racing; a second room with plenty of seating for eating or watching more screens; lots of TVs; a bar where you can order snacks and sandwiches as well as drinks; and a meeting room. Outside there’s a rustic setup for controversial rodeo-style barrel racing and parimutuel “flag-drop” racing.

The building, open since December 2011,

is considered a temporary structure until Gretna can gain approval for slots, with the development of a multimillion-dollar casino complex to follow.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about gaming,” said Gretna Mayor James Payne. “It’s about giving individuals a better quality of life. When kids graduate, there’s nothing for them to do in Gretna, so we lose a lot of our residents.”

Longtime residents are also struggling, he said.

“I was born and raised in Gretna, and I’ve seen a lot of people lose their jobs,” Payne said. “Many were state employees. There are people who desperately want to work.”

The creation of 850 to 1,000 jobs providing health insurance is one of the benefits expected if the casino complex gets off the ground.

The hope is that with easy highway access, a North Florida casino could attract travelers, truck drivers and tourists who might otherwise spend their money in Alabama, Mississippi and other states with gaming.

City officials said the current poker room is primarily attracting people from surrounding areas, though some residents said they have checked it out.

“I think it’s a nice place,” said Oliver Hale, 60, who was having lunch at the Mary Soul Food Cafe. Like Murray, he’s in favor of building a casino. “The city needs the jobs.”

Gretna City Manager Antonio Jefferson considers gaming a “catalyst” for growth and employment in the region.

“We want to take people off the welfare rolls and put them on the payroll,” Jefferson said.

That dream has been percolating since 2008, when Gretna developed a more aggressive economic policy. The city annexed property south of I-10, set up an industrial park and invested in infrastructure.

The land by the I-10 interchange “was our engine,” Jefferson said. “Development was not going to occur in historic Gretna.”

So when Gretna and Gadsden officials heard that Jefferson County was opposing plans for a possible gaming site in 2008, they seized the opportunity to bring a facility to Gretna.

“We didn’t go into this blindly,” Jefferson said. “We practiced due diligence.”

The city began a partnership with Equestrian Land Holdings and PCI Gaming Authority, the gambling arm of Alabamabased Poarch Creek Indians, a federally recognized tribe that owns a 1-acre parcel of land in northwestern Escambia County. PCI Gaming runs three casinos in central and southern Alabama as well as the Mobile and Pensacola Greyhound Parks.

PCI Gaming, which operates as a corporation, became the majority (70 percent) owner in the Gretna gaming venture.

“They never came here with the intention of operating as a tribal nation,” Jefferson said. “They had the understanding there would be tax implications and community investment.”

But no one expected quite the number of complicated legal battles, which have gone

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all the way to the Florida Supreme Court, that have plagued the project since the opening of Creek Entertainment Gretna nearly five years ago.

In order to move forward, the city needs an approval from the state of Florida to recognize a referendum on slots that Gadsden County’s voters passed by 62 percent in January 2012.

“We get a resolution to one challenge and a new one pops up,” said attorney Marc Dunbar, one of the founding partners of Equestrian Land Holdings with David Romanik, a developer, horseman and former lawyer for Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino in Hallandale Beach.

The Poarch Creek Indians have already invested about $20 million in Gretna, said Dunbar, who is a lobbyist for Gulfstream, which has no affiliation with Gretna gaming.

That investment has already helped the region in many ways, according to public officials: ▪ Creek Entertainment Gretna is the third highest real-estate taxpayer in Gadsden County.

▪ The city receives 10 percent of the 25 percent tax on poker revenue, which amounted to $1.8 million in 2015. The amount can change yearly, based on the number of players and amount played.

▪ The project provides $160,000 a year for the city’s police department, which has enabled Gretna to use the money for two officer positions and some law enforcement equipment.

▪ The city’s gaming partners provided $235,000 as part of a $4 million infrastructure project to connect a gap in water and sewer service in the interchange area, which presented an “immediate opportunity to make the land more valuable.

Property values have increased in land parcels near the facility,” Jefferson said. “The land was $10,000 an acre with no water or sewer” when the tribe first purchased property. “The last sale of large acreage to the tribe was $29,000 an acre,” he said.

Now land owners in the area are “expecting $30,000 to $50,000 an acre.”

▪ The facility currently employs about 50 or 60 people from Gadsden and nearby counties.

“We want to be a good member of the community,” said Jay Dorris, president and CEO of PCI Gaming. He said that Creek Entertainment Gretna is “operating at a loss” at this point.

Whether gaming can become a more powerful economic engine depends

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DEALING A HEALTHY TAX HAND The Gretna poker room provided the city with $1.8 million in tax revenue in 2015. The county hopes to eventually offer slots in a modern casino.

largely on what happens in the courts and the Legislature.

Creek Entertainment Gretna has committed to a quarter-of-a-billion-dollar investment within 24 months to build a top-notch gaming resort once slots are allowed. The project is permitted and “shovel ready,” Jefferson said.

“Even if you’re not a supporter of gaming and think it’s the worst, you can’t deny that a quarter of a billion dollars in a rural community would be transformative,” said City Attorney Harold Knowles. “It would be the largest single investment in the history of Gadsden County.”

Once slots are approved, the tribe plans to tear down the current building and build a casino with Class II gaming machines; a proposed 250-bed, $170 million hotel; restaurants, retail and other amenities.

“If Creek Entertainment received a license for its proposed 2,000 slot machines, the estimated revenue would be $100 million per year,” said Jefferson, calling it a conservative estimate. “So that is about $3 million per year for the city.”

In the meantime, the city is still looking for ways to address a host of needs that include “lowering health disparity” and investing in businesses, like a major grocery store.

“We’re a food desert,” Knowles said.

While skeptics may question whether gaming can change life for most residents, officials call it the region’s best shot at the moment.

The community is “revved up,” Knowles said. “They want to know: If not Gretna, why?

If not now, when?”

There are no easy answers to a project that has sparked a wide range of emotional, economic and legal issues statewide.

City officials passionately protest that Gadsden, a predominantly African-American county, has been shut out of gambling ventures in Florida, particularly when the county is part of a Florida initiative to help struggling rural communities.

“The state has to get out of the business of picking winners and losers,” Knowles said.

While Gretna is still hoping to be a winner in the fight for slots, the project has been at odds with the horsing industry, which had expected the gaming venture would bring traditional quarter-horse racing to the area, and benefit horse-related businesses such as local breeders, veterinarians and hay and feed stores.

That aspect hasn’t yet materialized. City officials said plans still call for a world-class equestrian center at the site after slots are approved, but opponents are skeptical, partly because the tribe started out with barrel racing, a far cheaper, less risky attraction than a racing operation, which would have required a huge investment before the first horse left the gate.

Facilities are required to have two years of consecutive racing before holding a referendum to see if residents want a gaming facility.

In the fall of 2011, the state’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering approved a license for Gretna Racing to run the pari-mutuel barrel match races, even though the department had never before licensed that type of parimutuel attraction.

In a barrel race, contestants zigzag one at a

time around three barrels in a clover-leaf pattern. At Gretna, two barrel races took place at the same time in separate enclosures, appearing like a traditional matchup.

The attraction was a boon to barrel racers such as Wendy Monroe.

“It was really awesome,” said Monroe, a Marianna resident who competed in barrel racing at Gretna, as well as pro-level events across the country. “The crowds were really into it and enjoyed it.”

But horsemen protested that the rodeo-style attraction was “phony” horse racing, with damaging implications for the horse industry.

The Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association Inc. and the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association sued the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering to stop barrel racing, and an administrative judge ruled that state regulators had made an error in issuing the permit.

Gretna still presents occasional barrel racing, but it’s no longer a pari-mutuel event. Instead, the facility now offers “flag-drop” races, with two quarter horses sprinting side by side for at least 100 yards, which the racing industry still finds objectionable.

“We’re very supportive of legitimate horse racing, but we do oppose any attempt to use a scheme that mimics horse racing in order to facilitate getting card rooms or simulcasting elements,” said Bill White, president of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

Smith said cutting back on live racing is “detrimental” to the horse industry in Florida, which has a $5.2 billion impact on the state’s economy, not including money spent at off-site hotels, restaurants and other businesses during equestrian events.

White is concerned that many Florida pari-mutuels, including horse and dog tracks and jai alai, are pushing for decoupling, which would remove the requirement that racetracks with gaming operations must offer live racing, he said.

Decoupling would have a “devastating impact” on breeders and others in the equestrian world, said Ron Smith, president of the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association.

Casinos also enable gaming sites to offer bigger purses to horse owners, which in turn, brings better competitors and more business to the state.

True quarter-horse racing in North Florida would be an economic boon to residents, Smith said.

The city’s economic plan calls for an agricultural pavilion and coliseum venue to be constructed on a 20-acre site donated by the tribe, with a variety of equestrian activities and racing, Jefferson said.

While Gretna is still looking at slots as an economic engine, the region is also exploring other prospects that could drive advancement, projects such as becoming a regional water and sewer provider and attracting businesses that would benefit from Gretna’s transportation corridor, said Beth Kirkland, head of the Gadsden County Economic Development Council.

“The gaming piece is the center piece of our economic development,” Knowles said, “but it is not the only piece.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CREEK ENTERTAINMENT GRETNA

“WE WANT TO BE A GOOD MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.” JAY DORRIS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF PCI GAMING

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BAY CORRIDOR

Panama City, Panama City Beach + Bay County

The El Governor A Mexico Beach landmark that thrived during the Recession and Gulf oil spill By Lazaro Aleman

F

ive stories high and composed of 103 rooms with balconies that overlook the Gulf, the landmark El Governor Motel in Mexico Beach stands out, its white rectangular shape visible from almost anywhere on the crescent beach. Indeed, from its erection in 1989 until recently, the El Governor was Mexico Beach’s only structure that could boast the city’s maximum allowable height. Add its beachfront location, adjacent 21-room annex, pioneer status in the community, and same-family ownership since 1976, and the El Governor gains singular distinction in the small Bay County community.

At the El Governor’s helm are Kathy Sloan and Wylie Petty. Sloan, the daughter of original owners Dorothy and Don Baxter, is president of Baxter’s Realty Inc., which owns the motel and its sister RV park across U.S. Highway 98. She and husband David also own and operate the Marianna-based Baxter’s Asphalt and Concrete Company, which her late father started in the 1960s.

When it comes to the El Governor’s management, Sloan, unlike her father, takes a more hands-off approach, to a degree.

“Anytime there’s real money spent, I’m involved,” says Sloan, whose primary focus is the asphalt company.

Petty, the motel’s manager for 18 of the 21 years he has worked for the Baxter family, handles the day-to-day business and is the El Governor’s public face and goodwill ambassador in the community.

“My job is whatever it takes to make the place run smoothly,” says Petty, who started out in maintenance. “If I have to, I’ll clean rooms, fold laundry or work the gift shop.”

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In 2015, the El Governor had one of its best years.

“We did over a quarter-million dollars of revenue that we hadn’t anticipated,” Sloan says. “Which is wonderful, because it gives us more money to put back into the motel and keep it in shape for people to enjoy.”

The only better year, Petty says, was 2007, right before the Great Recession.

Counterintuitively, 2010 also was a good year, despite the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf.

“It sounds weird to say, but the oil spill actually helped us,” Petty says.

“We didn’t have oil on our beaches, and people who still wanted to take vacations came to the beaches that were the farthest out of the oil zone, which happened to be Mexico Beach. Some of those people had never ventured this far before, but now they return regularly.”

The El Governor, it seems, is immune to economic adversity.

“Back when gas prices were crazy, we actually saw an increase in business, because people who maybe couldn’t afford to go across the country could afford to come here,” Sloan says. “So the economy has never really hurt us so far.”

Although the El Governor draws guests from around the country, including many snowbirds, its mainstay is young families with children and retirees, most residing within a day’s drive of the town. Largely dependent on repeat customers as well as mail-outs and wordof-mouth for its advertisement, the El Governor’s staff strives to create a homey atmosphere for its clients.

“If you stay with us three or four times, you become family,” says Petty, who typically greets guests with a hearty

850businessmagazine.com

‘Welcome home.’ “We may not know everybody’s name, but we know your face. And we know your spirit generally.

We know if you’re a nice person or not.”

Their biggest challenge, the two say, is finding qualified help, especially housekeepers, who make up the majority of the El Governor’s 30 to 35 employees.

Although this sector tends to have a high turnover rate given the seasonal nature of the work, the El Governor bucks the trend.

“We pay 40 hours a week even during the off-season so that we have good, dependable workers come summertime when we need them,” Petty says.

The outcome is stability.

“At least 75 percent of our staff has been with us a minimum of five years,” Sloan says. “And most have been with us much longer. That’s good for them, good for us and good for our guests, who enjoy seeing the same people.”

Whatever the reason — whether an improving economy or Mexico Beach’s growing reputation as a destination point — bookings are up.

“More and more people are coming and telling others about it,” Sloan says.

“It’s reached the point that it’s sometimes hard to get a room, especially during the prime time.”

Don Baxter would be pleased. When he purchased the original 1950s-era Governor Motel, now the annex, and determined to build the high-rise, the idea was radical enough that it engendered no small amount of opposition.

Described as a man of vision and indefatigable spirit, Baxter battled for years to get the project approved, and then had to borrow heavily to get the building constructed.

Photos by MICHAEL BOOINI

BEST YEAR EVER Owner Kathy Sloan and Wylie Petty, motel manager for 18 years, work to create the homey environment that guests in record numbers enjoyed in 2015.

“He was the kind of person who, when he believed in something, he didn’t back off,” Sloan says.

His one failure — his inability to convince the city forefathers to forgo the fivestory restriction — Sloan now views favorably, given that it helped preserve Mexico Beach’s open ocean views and small community flavor.

Baxter did, however, have the foresight to construct a seawall to mitigate against storm surges.

“He knew that at some point the city fathers wouldn’t allow it,” Sloan says. “So he built a seawall across both properties.”

The seawall allowed him to build right on the beachfront — something that later setback requirements prevented.

The seawall notwithstanding, 1995’s Hurricane Opal caused more than $1 million worth of damage to it and the motel, and Baxter, who died in early 1997, spent the last year of his life restoring the facility.

“I thank the Lord he was able to do it, because I don’t know that David and I could have at that point since this business and the rock mine got dropped on our laps,” Sloan says.

Thankful also are the countless visitors who otherwise might not have been able to enjoy a stay in Mexico Beach but for Baxter’s vision and determination. n

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I-10 CORRIDOR

Northern Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa + Walton Counties and Holmes, Washington, Calhoun, Jackson +

Big Strides How bigfoot moving services’ owner transformed a passion into a business By Laura Bradley

W

hen he was a child, Mickey Minnis became fascinated by the legend of Bigfoot. Movies and shows from the 1970s sparked a curiosity in him, already an outdoorsy youngster, and ever since, Minnis says, “Bigfoot’s always been that mystery out there in the woods.”

As he grew older, Minnis turned an interest into a hobby, going on expeditions in search of the mysterious beast and joining the Bigfoot Research Organization (BFRO) as an investigator in 2012. But on top of that, Minnis has also managed to transform his passion into a lucrative, if unlikely enterprise — a moving company.

Headquartered in Crestview, Bigfoot Moving Services sprang up from a combination of happy accident and pure inspiration. Minnis first got into the moving business around the year 2000 — in a foray that was meant to be a fill-in job. He’d previously been managing gyms and was simply biding his time until he found another.

“What ended up being a temporary job became a long-term job, and about nine, 10 years later, there I was still working in the moving industry,” Minnis said. “And I thought, I can do this myself.”

He founded Bigfoot Moving Services in February 2013.

Minnis’ entry into the moving business might have been largely a divine coincidence, but his branding decisions came intuitively through pure inspiration.

“It was, for me, just something that was in my heart,” Minnis said.

“Sitting up late nights, and even the start of the business was something for me that was a personal venture. Starting your own business is always a risk, but I wanted to jump in and get my feet wet for a while.”

As he brainstormed possible branding and marketing, Bigfoot imagery quickly came to mind “in the wee hours of the morning.”

As a BFRO investigator, Minnis works within the 850 area, following up on reports and any odd goings-on that could hint that Bigfoot’s been by. His first expedition was in 2011 in Liberty County’s Torreya State Park, although over the past 12 years he’s also gone on personal expeditions in other parts of the country, including California and Oregon. Minnis’ first and only encounter so far occurred on that first BFRO expedition: “It was a cold night. I woke up around 3 a.m., and I was in a solo tent,” Minnis recalled. “We were camping there, and I heard what sounded to me almost like ape-like screams that lasted for about 15 minutes. That was a very interesting encounter, to say the least. I

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kind of sat there and laughed to myself, and said, ‘I don’t know what this is, and I can’t prove it.’ But that is something that’s stuck with me for a while.”

So, as he contemplated possible branding for his new business, Minnis said the inspiration was quick and clear. He drew up the design himself, and sent it to his sign guy to put together. The logo is instantly recognizable — a big, bold Bigfoot taking the classic stride. Minnis said he also comes up with the verbal marketing material himself. For instance, the bumper stickers, which include catchy, wordplay-driven slogans such as “I Believe in Bigfoot (Moving Services).”

Minnis’ wife, Tracy, who is also the bookkeeper for Bigfoot Moving, an author, a licensed aesthetician and a personal trainer, supports his interest wholeheartedly. Like Minnis, she loves the outdoors and hiking.

“Believe it or not,” Mickey Minnis said, “as much as I pursue this, and hope to have an encounter, she’s actually had two encounters and she doesn’t even look for them, which is ironic, but that’s usually the way it works.”

This Bigfoot-driven branding has already paid off big time, Minnis said, as it’s both instantly recognizable and a great conversation starter.

“Whether people believe or not is not our issue,” he said. “You can’t miss a truck or a logo coming down the road with a giant Bigfoot on the side of it.” Minnis said he’s gotten a ton of business simply from people who saw his truck.

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MERGING BUSINESS Although Minnis’ business is AND HOBBY Mickey and not concerned with converting Tracy Minnis pose with one of their company’s people into believers, the conmoving trucks. A believer versation often comes up when in the Bigfoot legend, he turned to some creative people ask where the name marketing, saying “people comes from. He said he enjoys can’t miss” a truck with a giant Bigfoot logo. sparking curiosity within people, but the biggest triumph is always getting the job done right — and, of course, hearing that the branding is working. Obviously, Minnis has worked with countless people who don’t believe in Bigfoot, “but they’ve told me that the logo and the wording is genius. And I’ve always appreciated that more than what their belief is about (Bigfoot).”

Photos by JENNIFER G. PHOTOGRAPHY

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WHO WILL BE NEXT? PHOTO: JACOB STUCKEY

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BUSINESS NEWS

CAPITAL LOCAL HAPPENINGS

» Brian Ballard, CEO of Ballard

Partners, and Kathryn Ballard, a Florida State University alumna and member of the FSU Board of Trustees, have given Florida State University a downtown Tallahassee building valued at $1.1 million to serve as the home of The Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship and The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship. The three-story, 19,000-square-foot building is the former Guaranty National Bank, located at 111 S. Monroe St.

» The Tallahassee Community

College Foundation has named TCC’s Veteran Success Center the Richard W. and Karen B. Moore Veteran Success Center in honor of TCC trustee Karen Moore and her husband, Richard.

» Envision Credit Union (Envision)

has merged with Chattahoocheebased FOCUS Credit Union.

» Unhoused Humanity was named this year’s winner of the InNOLEvation® Challenge Business Model Competition by The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship. Founded by Ramon Aleman, a psychology and marketing major, and Daren McCurdy, a graduate student studying international affairs, the business solves the problem of homeless individuals who do not have the necessary funds to pay for their initial security and housing deposits for a new rental property.

NEW BEGINNINGS

PHOTOS BY PROVIDED BY PROFILED INDIVIDUALS

» Ben Pingree has been named director of Planning, Land Management and Community Enhancement (PLACE), a joint Leon County/City of Tallahassee department, to coordinate the work of Blueprint 2000 and the Planning Department. Pingree has nearly 20 years of management, public policy, large-scale capital project implementation and economic development experience.

» Former Circuit

SHEFFIELD

Court Judge Frank E. Sheffield has joined the Tallahassee office of Broad and Cassel as of

counsel in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group.

» Michael Pen-

ney has been named senior vice president and commercial banker for Tallahassee State PENNEY Bank, a division of Synovus Bank. He will be located in the North Monroe Street office.

» Tallahassee

Community College has named Sheri Rowland as its new vice presiROWLAND dent for Student Affairs. She comes to the college from Middle Georgia State University, where she has served in multiple roles since 2012, including vice president for enrollment management.

» Pamela Cothran

Marsh, the former United States attorney for the Northern District of Florida, has joined MARSH Berger Singerman as partner. She will help with investigations, corporate compliance and criminal defense, as well as advise the firm’s restructuring practice.

» Tallahassee public affairs

consultant Keyna Cory has been added to the 22-person board of directors for the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. Cory is president of Public Affairs Consultants Inc.

» Kevin Cox, a

member of the Litigation Section in the Tallahassee office of Holland and Knight, has COX been elected to partnership in the firm.

» Kimberly Galban-Countryman

has been named executive director at Lighthouse of the Big Bend, a nonprofit organization that offers services to the vision impaired.

» Jack Rose has

joined Thomas Howell Ferguson and will serve as the firm’s controller, working from the Tallahassee office.

ROSE

SOUNDBYTES

» Carrie Patrick has been promoted from account manager to director of advocacy for CoreMessage Inc., a public relations and grassroots advocacy firm.

» Recent promotions in the Tallahassee office of James Moore, certified public accountants and consultants, include: Nadia Batey and Jeremy Smith, certified public accountants, to senior manager; Benjamin Clark and Curtis Leonard to staff accountant. » Blu Halo has hired Andrew Donato as its general manager and Tyler McMahan as its executive chef.

LOCAL HONORS

» Florida State University’s online programs are among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Best Online Programs. The College of Education’s online graduate program continues to rank at No. 3. The non-MBA graduate program moved to No. 4, up from No. 26 last year. The online MBA program rose to No. 44 from its previous ranking of No. 62. » Tallahassee attorney James V. Cook has been recognized with the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono COOK Service Award for his work on behalf of poor and indigent clients. In his pro bono work with dependency cases and troubled teenagers, Cook’s legal help is sought by guardians ad litem, the state’s Department of Children and Families, Florida State University’s Public Interest Law Center, attorneys for other parties, judges and families of children in need.

» Michelle Ubben, partner and chief operating officer of Sachs Media Group, was recently named one of the Top Women in PR nationally by PR News, a leading industry publication. » Laura Johnson, CEO and founder of Coton Colors, was recently honored by Gov. Rick Scott with the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award. The company employs 45 workers.

» Ajax Building Corporation has been awarded Project of the Year from the Associated Builders and Contractors of North Florida for work on the Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center. » In recognition of its efforts to create a healthy, high-performing work environment, Moore Communications Group received the American Psychological Association’s 2016 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award. It is one of only six employers from across North America to receive the award this year. » Christina Neuhauser, director of Administrative Services at Salter>Mitchell, is NEUHAUSER now dual-certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources from the HR Certification Institute and as a Senior Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resource Management. » The Society for Simulation in Healthcare has conferred accreditation through 2020 for the Tallahassee Community College Simulation Center at the Ghazvini Center for Healthcare Education. » Brad Mitchell and Kevin Drake of Aegis Business Technologies of Tallahassee, have earned their certificate for Datto’s Certified Advanced Technician Training.

APPOINTED

BY GOV. SCOTT

» Frank Allman Jr., 55, of Quincy, an assistant state attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit Court since 1997, to the Second Judicial Circuit Court. » James “Jim” Bax and Donna Poole, both of Tallahassee, to the Public Employees Relations Commission. Bax, 79, owner of Bax Enterprises LLC, previously served as director of the Florida Office of Economic Opportunity and as secretary of the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. Poole, 60, currently serves as a commissioner and previously served as its chair. » Aaron Boyette, 40, of Tallahassee, president of PSBI,

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SOUNDBYTES

to the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

» Dr. Christopher King, 59, of

Tallahassee, an optometrist with MyEyeDr., Optometry of Florida, LLC, to the Board of Optometry.

» Cindy Moore, 56, of Tal-

lahassee, a senior educational program director at the Florida Department of Education, to the Florida Rehabilitation Council.

» Jesse Panuccio and Jason

Unger, both of Tallahassee, to the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. Panuccio, 35, is the former executive director for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and the former general counsel for the Governor’s Office. Unger, 47, is the Tallahassee managing partner of GrayRobinson, P.A.

» Fran Poppell, 75, of Tallahas-

see, a retired wedding director and bridal consultant, to the Board of Cosmetology.

» Allen Winsor, 39, of Tallahassee, former Solicitor General in the Office of the Florida Attorney General, to the First District Court of Appeal.

LOCAL HAPPENINGS

» Fort Walton Beach Medical

Center has embarked on more than $32 million of expansion and renovations, including a 9,500-square-foot expansion of the emergency room and a three-story garage at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center location and a new full-service 9,300-square-foot emergency room in Destin on U.S. 98.

» Two new airlines have begun

service at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach (VPS) airport. New Orleans-owned and based GLO is offering flights to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Little Rock’s Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. Allegiant is offering new airline service from St. Louis and Cincinnati. Flights begin May 20 from Cincinnati and on June 2 from St. Louis.

» Covenant Care has publicly launched a new brand

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» Century 21 Real Estate LLC

has expanded its U.S. presence with the affiliation of Blue Marlin Realty Group, a luxury brokerage headquartered in Destin. Led by co-owners Johnathan Hughes and Jerry Sullivan, Blue Marlin Realty Group will now operate as CENTURY 21 Blue Marlin.

» Independent brokerage Beach

Properties of Florida, which serves South Walton communities along Scenic Highway 30A and nearby Destin and Panama City Beach, has joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, part of the HSF Affiliates LLC family of real estate brokerage franchise networks, and will operate as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida.

of Science and Engineering in his honor, making it the university’s first named college.

» Joel R. “Rick” Duke has been named founding director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the UWF College of Business.

In July 2015, the university announced the formation of the Center for Entrepreneurship through a $1 million gift commitment from Rishy and Quint Studer.

NEW BEGINNINGS

» John Cottle assumed the role of managing shareholder of Becker & Poliakoff’s Fort Walton Beach office in January following the retirement of Raymond F. Newman. » Emmanuel Sheppard and Condon is expanding its Pensacola practice with the opening of a new office in Destin. Van P. Geeker will lead the firm’s Estate, Trust, Probate and Tax Law services at that location. Also joining the new Destin office are Scot Copeland and Galen Novotny.

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launched J. Howard Properties in Miramar Beach. The brokerage will focus on residential sales, commercial sales and leasing, as well as onsite sales of new multi-structure condominium and single-home communities.

» Warren Averett LLC, Certified

Public Accountants and Advisors, has expanded its Daily Money Management Division to the Pensacola office. Dee Dee Ward will lead the new division.

» Cantonment-based Kingline Equipment has acquired a New Holland dealership in Dothan, Alabama, adding a fourth location to its regional tractor and construction equipment chain.

» The University of West

Florida received the largest gift from a living donor in its history in January when longtime supporter Harold E. “Hal” Marcus allocated $5 million to the College of Science and Engineering. The college will be named the Hal Marcus College

850businessmagazine.com

» Barry Stanley has joined Destinbased First Florida Bank as the senior vice president/director of secondary market lending. » Shaun Lee Foster has been promoted to assistant vice president and branch manager at Hancock Bank’s location in Niceville. » Eric M. Shoemaker, D.O.,

board certified in Sports Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, is the newest addition to the medical staff at Pain Consultants of West Florida.

Diana Polizo, P.A., has joined the staff as a physician assistant.

» Dawn E. Stuntz has been

named partner of Destin-based Matthews & Jones, LLP. She leads the firm’s real estate division team.

» Dr. William Gross has joined

the White-Wilson ENT Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. Recently voted Top Physician, Nashville Region, by Castle Connolly, he has relocated to the Emerald Coast.

LOCAL HONORS

» Pensacola

» Broker Jennifer Howard has

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and logo. Formerly known as Covenant Hospice and Covenant Alzheimer’s Services, Covenant Care’s new logo is the promise knot. In addition to its existing end-of-life care and Alzheimer’s caregiver support groups, Covenant Care will also provide inpatient palliative care, homebased and outpatient palliative care, memory care and private duty in-home nursing services in many areas.

GEEKER

COPELAND NOVOTNY

» Lee Bell, CPA, has been elected president of Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund. Bell been with the firm since 2001, leading the Tampa office. Other promotions include: Laura Harris, CPA, to manager in the Financial Institutions Consulting Services Department; Gabe Shibly, CPA, and Josh Strickland, CPA, to manager in the Audit & Assurance Department; Margaret Vining, CPA, to senior manager in the Audit & Assurance Department; Mary Kerchner, CPA, and Christina Maslen, CPA, to manager in the Tax & Accounting Services Department.

» Ashley Vannoy has joined First Partners Bank as vice president, Commercial Banking, taking responVANNOY sibility for business lending and consumer mortgages in the 30A community.

attorney Jason A. Waddell has been recognized with the Florida Bar President’s WADDELL Pro Bono Service Award for his work on behalf of poor and indigent clients. Working with Legal Services of North Florida and the Council on Aging of Northwest Florida, Waddell led the development of a program on advanced directives. Through two free CLE courses, lawyers and paralegals received documents and guidance as well as a refresher on durable power of attorney.

» Simona Faroni, co-owner of Fort Walton Beach-based G.S. Gelato & Dessert, received FARONI the 2016 Enterprising Women of the Year award from Enterprising Women magazine. This award is widely considered one of the most prestigious recognition programs for women business owners.

PHOTOS BY PROVIDED BY PROFILED INDIVIDUALS

BUSINESS NEWS

» SunQuest Cruises

client reviews have earned the SOLARIS yacht the Knot Best of Weddings Award for the seventh consecutive year and the 2016 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award.

» Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf

Resort & Spa has made Cvent’s list of the 100 most popular resorts in the U.S., according to meeting and event booking activity in the Cvent Supplier Network.

APPOINTED

BY GOV. SCOTT

» Britt Landrum III, 46, of Gulf

Breeze, president of Landrum Human Resources, to the Board of Employee Leasing Companies.

BAY LOCAL HAPPENINGS

» Osaka Japanese Hibachi

Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, owned

by Destin residents Michael and

Annie Chou, has officially opened its third Northwest Florida location at Pier Park on Panama City Beach. Chou’s other restaurants are in Tallahassee and Destin.

» Lance Allison has left his post

as president and CEO of the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce to become director of Business Development for Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing Inc. in Paducah, Kentucky.

» Electric Cart Company, which

opened its first store in Santa Rosa Beach in 2009, has opened a second location in Panama City Beach. It is owned by the father/ son team of Tom and Jon Waldrop.

LOCAL HONORS

» NewsChannel 7’s Paris Janos

was honored with the President’s Award at the annual Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce awards dinner. Other award winners include: Richard Holt,

HYPE (Young Professional) Member of the Year; Shannon Richmond, Jean L. Schaffer Ambassador of the Year; Rhett Miller, 2015 Business Excellence Award; Lori Allen, Humanitarian of the Year; Mayor Gayle Oberst, Chairman’s Award; Doug Gilmore, Pioneer of the Year.

APPOINTED

BY GOV. SCOTT

» Richard Williams, 69, of Panama City, an optician with Sam’s Vision Center, to the Board of Opticianry.

FORGOTTEN COAST APPOINTED

BY GOV. SCOTT

» William “Brian” Cathey, 38, of Port St. Joe, a general contractor and president of Cathey Construction and Development, to the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

» Guerry Magidson, James “Matt” Terry and Jessica Rish, all of Port St. Joe, to the Port St. Joe Port Authority. Magidson, 61, owner of Comprehensive Corporate Strategies and GPM Financial LLC, is president of the Gulf County Chamber of Commerce and previously served as the chair of the Gulf County Economic Development Coalition. Terry, 35, is owner of Appraisal Group of North Florida and a member of the Gulf County Economic Development Coalition. Rish, 39, is a partner with Gulf Coast Real Estate Group and JS Gulf Consulting LLC.

I-10 LOCAL HONORS

» WestPoint Home, a textile manufacturer in Chipley, was recently recognized with a Business Ambassador Award by Gov. Rick Scott. WestPoint Home currently employs more than 275 workers.

Compiled by Linda Kleindienst

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The Last Word

Last April, we ran a story about economic development organizations in the 850 region. We focused on the big four — Bay, Escambia, Leon and Okaloosa — to see what the money spent on economic development was doing to bring more jobs to those communities.

Perhaps the most important thing we learned about all EDOs, big and small, is that every county interprets job creation in its own way, that there is often little or no accountability and in some cases there is no transparency in the process, even when taxpayer dollars are being spent.

Over the past year, knowing that in just a few years an estimated $90.7 million provided by a local penny sales tax will become available to spend on economic development in Leon County, county and city leaders decided to take the bull by the horns and change how business is done.

The Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, established under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce although it was an independent organization, was dissolved in a bruising public and private battle with the Chamber. In February, the city and county commissions, sitting as the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency (responsible for distributing Blueprint sales tax dollars) agreed to establish themselves as the new EDO as proposed by County Administrator Vince Long and City Manager Rick Fernandez.

While the way it was done was far from pretty — and those intimately involved in the discussion prior to a decision will know what I’m talking about — the end result could in the long run be good for Tallahassee, Leon County and surrounding areas.

Now the region’s economic development efforts will be spearheaded by the Office of Economic Vitality, which will operate under a joint city-county Planning, Land Management and Community Enhancement agency headed by Ben Pingree.

Long has promised transparency, accountability and independent financial review of the work done by this new economic development arm of county and municipal government. On the day the city and county commissioners voted to establish themselves as the new EDO, Long said the county needed to “develop a strategic plan with clear goals, something we’ve never had” and promised to dedicate more resources to economic development than the county has ever had.

For those who want to see a more focused economic development effort in the county, this is good news. And providing the resources needed — not just to attract new business but to help existing businesses that want to expand — is critical. Vision First Advisors, whose president and CEO is former Florida Secretary of Commerce Gray Swope, has been hired to help develop the county’s long-term strategic plan.

Now it’s up to elected city and county officials to make sure the taxpaying public gets what it is paying for — and that the process is transparent. Leon County’s taxpayers deserve that.

LINDA KLEINDIENST, EDITOR lkleindienst@rowlandpublishing.com

AN APOLOGY We would like to offer an apology to Bill Wein, president of IMS Expert Services, and his family for any upset caused by our publication of a photo of Bill and his father, Mike, in the February/March 2016 issue of 850. The photo appeared in the Escambia Business Journal along with a story about Escambia County businesses that made Inc. magazine’s 2015 list of the nation’s 5,000 fastest growing private firms. To illustrate that story, we used a photo that appeared on the June/July 2012 cover of 850 Magazine. Mike Wein passed away in late 2012. We regret the error.

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