An Outstanding Environment for Business

In addition to being the center of the South Florida region, Greater Fort Lauderdale has developed and maintained an entrepreneurial culture that has grown and matured with the success of its companies.  Greater Fort Lauderdale provided the ingredients that enabled one of its long-time residents to be the only entrepreneur to start three Fortune 1000 companies from scratch.  This same talent pool and business environment continues to contribute to the ongoing success of more than 150 corporate headquarters located in Greater Fort Lauderdale today.

An Outstanding Business Environment

Here are just a few of the reasons Greater Fort Lauderdale provides an outstanding environment for business:

Experienced Corporate C-level Skills

Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to two Fortune 1000 companies including AutoNation, the largest automotive retailer in the U.S., employing an estimated 25,000; and Spherion, the sixth largest North American staffing firm, employing more than 300,000 nationwide.  It is also home to eight additional corporate headquarters with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion.

Deep and Diversified Pool of IT Talent

There are an estimated 566 IT graduates each year in the area, including Miami-Dade.  In addition, the corporate headquarters of Citrix Systems, Inc., the most trusted name in application delivery infrastructure, with $1.4 billion in revenues and more than 4,600 employees in 35 countries, grew from just 18 employees in Greater Fort Lauderdale.  Other IT-related companies with a presence in Greater Fort Lauderdale include, but are not limited to: Research in Motion, a company that manufactures Blackberry PDAs; Foxconn International Holdings, which manufactures computers and electronic parts; and General Dynamics C4 Systems, a leading integrator of secure communication and information systems and technology.  In addition, Cbeyond, an Atlanta-based company that provides voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and data services to small and medium-sized businesses, opened a new regional headquarters in Miramar in 2008.


Institutions of Higher Education

 Nova Southeastern University (NSU)

Nova Southeastern University is the nation's sixth largest independent university, with more than 26,000 students; 110,000 alumni; a sprawling, 300-acre Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus; and a presence in nine countries around the world. Professional schools include business and entrepreneurship, computer and information sciences, education and human services, law, pharmacy and psychology, among others.  NSU is a pioneer in the area of distance education with its first such programs initiated in 1972.  It was the first university in the country to offer graduate programs in an online format, creating the electronic classroom.

Kaplan University (Kaplan)

Kaplan, also headquartered in Greater Fort Lauderdale, is one of the largest for-profit providers of postsecondary education in the U.S.  Kaplan is a national leader in delivering accredited higher education online through innovative and proven technologies.  It offers certificate and degree programs both on campuses and online, in business, criminal justice, fashion design and graphic arts, health care, information technology and paralegal studies.

Broward College

Broward College is Greater Fort Lauderdale's oldest and largest institution of higher learning, serving approximately 60,000 students annually.  Broward College has one of the most diverse student populations in the U.S. with students representing an estimated 150 nations.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU)

FAU is a leading state research university with campus locations in Greater Fort Lauderdale and its flagship campus in nearby Boca Raton.  FAU serves 27,000 students on seven campuses and sites who represent more than 130 countries. Students choose from more than 170 degree programs and faculty researchers utilize more than 40 research centers.

Other Regional Universities

Other higher educational institutions within a 30 mile radius of downtown Fort Lauderdale include, but are not limited to:

Attractive Executive Lifestyle

Moderate year-round weather.

There are typically no days in Greater Fort Lauderdale with an average temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less.

There are only 30 days with an average temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit or more in Greater Fort Lauderdale.


The Boating Center of the United States

Known as the "Venice of America."

More than 300 miles of navigable inland waterways.

An extensive array of waterfront homes.

Arts and Culture

The Broward Center for Performing Arts has two theaters with more than 3,000 seats that have year-round world-renowned performances.

There are an estimated 10,000 artists, 4,100 arts-related businesses and 550 not-for-profit cultural organizations in Greater Fort Lauderdale

Diverse Recreational Activities

Located minutes from the Everglades.

More than 40 lush and easily accessible golf courses.

Other activities include beaches, kayaking, fishing, bird watching, air boat tours and many others.


Favorable Tax Climate

The state of Florida has no personal income tax and was ranked as the 5th best state business tax climate for 2009 in The Tax Foundation's 2009 State Business Tax Climate Index, with only Wyoming, South Dakota, Nevada and Alaska ranking higher. (For a copy of the report, please click here.)

For more information regarding headquarters operations in Greater Fort Lauderdale, please contact the Managing Director, CEO Council of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance at rronne@gflalliance.org or at 954-627-0126.