Tampa Bay EDC takes New York City by Storm on Signature Sales Mission

Earlier this month, a delegation of 18 EDC Investors and team members spent a whirlwind couple of days in New York City to visit key employers and tour top medical and research facilities. We kicked off the trip with an outstanding dinner at Forge, hosted by our Chair, Ron Christaldi of Shumaker. We were also […]
Make it Tampa Bay’s third new web site launches – and it’s the best ever

It’s been nearly eight years since the Make it Tampa Bay web site and campaign launched in September 2017. Since that time, this campaign – the brainchild of Hillsborough County Assistant County Administrator Ron Barton – has received numerous awards and recognition as a best practice in talent attraction initiatives. Thanks to our successful partnership with Visit […]
Guest Column: Tampa Bay EDC Engages in National Conversations on Capital Access Programs

Tony Brown, the EDC’s Vice President of Community Development, participated in two national conversations promoting capital access for underserved areas: (1) Opportunity Zones (QOZ) and (2) the CDFI Fund, US Dept. of Treasury. In each instance, Tony advocated that both programs are needed and reported that Tampa’s small business and low-income communities benefited by attracting […]
Tampa Bay EDC kicks off transformational strategic planning process

Six years ago, the EDC engaged nationally renowned consultancy TIP Strategies to help us shape a new three-year strategic plan. That plan, Opportunity Tampa Bay, positioned our market to capitalize on our formidable and growing talent pool, build upon unique strengths within our target industry sectors, and develop placemaking initiatives that would enhance our competitiveness […]
IEDC’s Leadership Summit Takeaways: What Economic Developers around the country are focused on now

Earlier this week, I joined my peer economic development leaders from across the country to discuss the significant challenges and opportunities we’re facing in our respective regions at the International Economic Development Council’s Leadership Summit. While it would take far more than a column to do justice to these conversations, I’ve cherry-picked three items that […]
Norwalt Automation Group featured on FOX 13

FOX 13 anchor and reporter Lloyd Sowers visited Norwalt Automation Group’s new 28,000-square-foot facility recently to check out its automation machinery that makes everything from labels for EpiPens to stick deodorant. New Jersey-based Norwalt first expanded to Hillsborough County in 2022 and just two years later announced another expansion to a much larger facility and […]
Tampa Bay EDC President and CEO appears on iHeart Radio’s CEO You Should Know podcast

Tampa Bay Economic Development Council President and CEO Craig Richard recently appeared on iHeart Radio’s “CEO You Should Know” podcast with local radio host Ryan Gorman. Craig talked about Tampa’s impressive economic diversity ranking, growing industry sectors, and collaborative spirit within our business community and among our local government leaders. Listen to Craig’s full interview […]
Tampa Bay EDC celebrates 15-year anniversary and 2024 fiscal year accomplishments at Annual Meeting

The “Level Up”-themed meeting celebrated the EDC’s recent wins, awarded Penske as the ‘Community Transformer’ and announced FY2025 executive board members Tampa, Fla. (November 7, 2024) – The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council (EDC) celebrated the close to its 2024 fiscal year with hundreds of business and community leaders during its Level Up Annual Meeting […]
San Francisco business mission showcases Tampa’s considerable advantages

On May 6-8, a group of 11 Tampa Bay EDC Investors led by our chairman, Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano, conducted a whirlwind tour of the San Francisco area. Their purpose? To meet with Northern California-based site selection consultants and gain a deeper understanding of what is prompting them to steer client projects to […]
It’s no accident that Tampa Bay is the 4th hottest job market in the nation

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal published a report naming the Tampa MSA as the 4th hottest job market in the country. Among the reasons cited for this ranking were our region’s significant changes in average wages, dramatic increase in our labor force size and participation, and low unemployment. The exponential growth of higher […]