The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance hosted its Mid-Year Luncheon, presented by the Broward MPO and FPL on Friday, May 20, 2022 to an audience of more than 600 members and guests at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood.   

Alliance President/CEO Bob Swindell and Alliance Vice Chair, President Gregory A. Haile of Broward College, reported the following results of the Alliance’s ongoing work as the official public/private partnership for economic development in Broward County: $19.9 million in capital investment by Alliance-assisted companies since the start of the Alliance fiscal year that began October 1, 2021 and more than 757 new and retained jobs. 

Companies assisted included: 

• CIG Financial, a company that specializes in the field of auto lending with private, public and independent auto dealers throughout the United States, will be creating 30 jobs in Fort Lauderdale. 

• Funtrition, a manufacturer of gummy vitamin products, will be creating 100 jobs, retaining 42 jobs and making a $9 million capital investment in Miramar. 

• ICON International, a company that provides a bartering service for companies of all sizes and industries, will be adding 100 jobs at its Fort Lauderdale office. 

• Norse Atlantic Airways will be locating its U.S. headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, creating 15 jobs, as it begins direct flights from FLL to Paris, London and Oslo in 2022. 

• Pherros Biosciences, a biotech company that will develop and produce novel drugs and treatments, will be creating 20 jobs and utilizing 25,000 square feet of space in Deerfield Beach. 

• Project Play (formal announcement by the company is forthcoming), a global leader in consumer products including toys, plush, action figures, collectibles and musical instruments, will be creating 150 jobs, retaining 75 jobs and making a $10 million capital investment in Plantation. 

• West Marine, a national brand that operates a chain of boating supply and fishing retail stores, is locating its national headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, creating 225 jobs, making an $800,000 capital investment and utilizing 50,000 square feet of office space. 

Other recent major announcements that have been in the news for Greater Fort Lauderdale include JP Morgan Private Bank, TD Bank and the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. 

“Companies continue to choose Greater Fort Lauderdale’s highly competitive business climate and unbeatable quality of life. The Alliance is proud to share the story of our community as a premier business destination and talent hub,” said Bob Swindell, President & CEO. 

Jeb Bush, Florida’s 43^rd Governor, was the keynote speaker for the event. 

The Alliance presented its annual World Class Faculty Award to Douglas Cumming, J.D., Ph.D., CFA, the DeSantis Distinguished Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship at the Florida Atlantic University College of Business. Cumming created a new course on crowdfunding for undergraduate and graduate students at FAU, which is linked to FAU’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where students work on real cases with companies in Broward and Palm Beach County.  He developed the FAU Crowdfunding Tracker which provides timely updated data on equity crowdfunding campaigns in Florida and states. His research on equity crowdfunding was the first of its kind in the world, and has informed securities regulators, crowdfunding platforms, and associations on the optimal design of equity crowdfunding campaigns and regulations. He has advised securities regulators and policymakers on the regulation of mutual fund fees and government venture capital programs. His research on board gender diversity and securities fraud was one of the main papers cited as influencing NASDAQ’s 2021 board diversity rule. He has regularly served as a consultant and an expert witness on matters involving corporate disclosure, damages, valuation, tax evasion, mutual fund fees, hedge fund disclosures, and venture capital governance. Cumming has published over 200 articles in leading academic journals. VIDEO LINK 

The results of Kaufman Rossin’s 2022 Broward Executive Survey were also shared. Key findings include: nearly 74% of Broward leaders who responded to the survey predict 2022 will be better or much better than 2021 was. Employee retention is the number one issue companies are facing, with other employee issues – recruiting and wages – close behind.The top areas in which companies plan to invest in the coming year is technology, with marketing, salaries and recruitment tied for second place. The full report can be downloaded at GFLAlliance.org/executivesurvey2022.   

Sponsors of the meeting included: presenting sponsors: the Broward MPO and FPL; platinum sponsors: Delta Airlines, FXE – City of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Memorial Healthcare System, Seminole Heritage Services and South Florida Business Journal gold sponsors: City of Hollywood, JetBlue, JM Family Enterprises, Inc., and South Florida Business & Wealth; silver sponsors: AutoNation, Becker, Broward Health, Capital Analytics Associates, Duke Realty,

FLL - Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Hotwire Communications, Starmark and   Verizon. 

It was also announced that the Alliance’s Annual Meeting and dinner will take place October 13, 2022 at the Signature Grand.

###

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance (www.gflalliance.org) is Broward County’s official public/private partnership for economic development.  Its mission is to lead Broward County in building a stronger and more diverse economy by stimulating the creation of new jobs and capital investment while facilitating the growth and retention of businesses in Broward County.   Services offered by the Alliance include assistance with business relocation or expansion and site selection; incentive programs and information; market research; and serving as a liaison for workforce development between CareerSource Broward, educational institutions and the business community.  To learn more, call (954) 524-3113.

 

Show Other Stories