May 2024 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC Many of you reading this had the pleasure of knowing Dr. David Goetsch, Emeritus Vice President, Northwest Florida State College, noted author of more than 70 books and proud United States Marine Corps veteran. Among his many accomplishments (and I do mean many), Dr. Goetsch co-founded both One Okaloosa EDC and the Technology Coast Manufacturing & Engineering Network (TeCMEN) in the late 80s. He served as Chairman of the EDC twice and was
Educate the Educators Plus One Program Provides Okaloosa County Students and Teachers with Opportunities to Explore Local Businesses
On Friday, April 5, a group of fifteen students and teachers from middle and high schools in north Okaloosa County were given a behind-the-scenes tour of several local businesses. This tour was part of the Educate the Educator Plus One program, which was organized by the Okaloosa County School District, One Okaloosa EDC, TecMEN, and Career Source of Okaloosa and Walton Counties. The program aims to provide students and educators with knowledge about the local labor market and job opportunities, and
Okaloosa County’s Shoal River Ranch Gigasite recognized with prestigious ‘Select Site’ distinction by CSX Railroad
Okaloosa County’s Shoal River Ranch Gigasite has joined an elite group of locations across the country as a “Select Site” at the Bronze Level by CSX Railroad, the leading supplier of freight transportation in North America. Shoal River Ranch is one of 19 sites nationwide that received “Select Site” status which positions the County to attract significant economic development. “We are excited to receive this distinction and are proud of the work One Okaloosa EDC has done to achieve this national
January 2024 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC We sincerely hope that each of you are experiencing a healthy and prosperous New Year thus far, and hopefully your New Year’s Resolutions are all still intact! While I won’t comment on the status of my ill-fated Resolutions (exercise – really?), I am happy to share that the One Okaloosa team picked up right where we left off in 2023. In fact, the first three weeks of the New Year have brought forth a diverse and gratifying workload. From
November 2023 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC I hope that each and every one of you had a festive and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday! For the team here at One Okaloosa EDC, Thanksgiving offered a much needed break. Fall tends to be one of our busiest seasons, and this year has certainly been no exception. Along with working projects, hosting prospect site visits, advocating for our vital military missions, participating in multiple marketing events, and conducting “thank you” visits to the
October 2023 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC Welcome to Fall! After the scorching hot summer that we experienced, the (slightly) cooler temperatures are, quite literally, a breath of fresh air. Fall not only brings cooler weather, lighter traffic, fewer crowds and, my personal favorite, FOOTBALL – it also brings a change of leadership at One Okaloosa as our new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. We cannot say enough about what a pleasure it has been to serve under Jillian McQueen, Hilton Garden
July 2023 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC What a month it has been for economic development in Okaloosa County! First, on June 21, Boeing held a ribbon cutting for its new 20,000 SF F-18/A landing gear maintenance and repair facility in the Fort Walton Beach Commerce and Technology Park. For those keeping track, this is Boeing’s third facility in Okaloosa County, and our workforce’s continued ability to meet the exacting standards of a company like Boeing are particularly noteworthy.
May 2023 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC As I reflect on the past couple of months here at One Okaloosa EDC, the old Willie Nelson standard “On the Road Again” comes to mind. Spring is always a busy season for our external marketing efforts, and this spring has certainly been no different in that regard. A prospecting trip to California at the end of March was followed by a trip to Atlanta in April for MRO Americas. Organized by Aviation Week magazine, MRO Americas is three day expo
March 2023 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC Whew! What a fantastic – and incredibly busy – month it has been so far! The annual FPL Northwest Florida Economic Symposium at Sandestin got things kicked off, and the pace certainly hasn’t slowed since then. In the past two weeks alone, One Okaloosa’s Business Leadership Council (BLC), Defense Support Initiatives (DSI) committee, TeCMEN committee and Tri-County Community Partnership Initiative (TCPI) committee all held productive meetings.
January 2023 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC Is it just me, or do the holidays already seem like a distant memory? We sincerely hope that 2023 is off to a fine start for each of you. As busy as 2022 was for the One Okaloosa EDC team, 2023 is shaping up to be even busier. Along with continuing to work an incredible pipeline of active investment opportunities, our organization has added some new talent to our small but mighty team. Specifically, John Ferrandini was selected as our new
November 2022 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC Is it just me, or does time seem to speed up this time of year? It is truly hard to believe that Thanksgiving is now less than a week out and - in the blink of an eye - Hanukkah, Christmas and a brand new year will be squarely upon us. Of course, like many organizations, our “new year” actually began on Oct. 1, as we transitioned to FY 2023 – which many of you helped us celebrate at a festive reception held at the Hilton Garden Inn on Oct.
