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A closer look at Pasco County’s economic growth

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Not many people understand the inner workings of Pasco County’s economy quite like David Engel, director of the county’s Office of Economic Growth.

Engel shared some of those insights as the featured guest speaker during The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce July business breakfast at Golden Corral in Zephyrhills.

Engel’s office serves as the fiduciary and administrator of Penny for Pasco. It is tasked with executing the goals and strategies outlined in the county’s adopted Economic Development Plan and the Pasco County Commission’s adopted Strategic Plan.

In his role, Engel promotes economic development, job creation, and targeted industry recruitment and expansion for the Jobs and Economic Opportunities Trust Fund (Penny for Pasco) program.

David Engel (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Engel also provides oversight to the county’s Jobs and Economic Opportunities Committee.

He brings wide-ranging experience to the role, including more than 16 years of experience as a municipal planning director and transit-oriented development manager.

He also spent 10 years on Wall Street, as a senior research analyst, specializing in public finance, transportation and energy technology systems.

Workforce demographics
Engel’s 30-minute talk — during the July 1 gathering — was replete with details about Pasco’s evolving labor demographics.

In 1990, about 23% of the Pasco’s workforce commuted outside the county, which at that time was essentially a rural and agricultural county, Engel said.

By 2000, the out-of-county workforce commuter figure ballooned to 42%, and now, it’s roughly 46%.

Engel put those facts into perspective: “What that means is there’s 200,000 people that are working in this county, 46% of them get in the car and drive elsewhere, and that’s why, driving over today at 5:50 this morning, I hit traffic on (State Road) 54, if you can believe it, because the Suncoast Parkway’s the main commuter for the Tampa Bay area.”

Despite frustrating traffic pileups, Engel emphasized that the Pasco County Commission is “committed to a balanced lifestyle” incorporating a place for residents to live, work, play, learn and celebrate culture.

Engel is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and holds a master’s in city and regional planning from Rutgers University.

He said through smarter development initiatives, the county is “providing a more inclusive environment so that people that live here can work here, they can send their kids to good schools, (and) there’s options.”

The county, he said, is refocusing its intention to create development that’s aesthetically pleasing and provide more than houses.

“We’re creating communities, not subdivisions,” Engel said.

His office also focuses on job skills training.

He said that the No. 1 question prospective businesses have is: “Where are my people going to live, and how am I going to get to work?”

Pasco’s unemployment rate is below both the state and region’s jobless rate.

He attributes that to the county’s “very sustainable, good economy.”

Engel also touted the benefits offered through programs such as CareerSource and AmSkills. The programs help people to attain skills, which improves their opportunities to land good jobs. And, it helps companies that have a need for trained workers.

Only 4.6% of the jobs in the county are in the manufacturing sector, Engel said.

But, he said, they are high-paying jobs and give young people good opportunities.

Engel also highlighted the increasing need for private employers to find buildings that are ready to house their operations.

When he joined the county three years ago, Engel said, inquiries would come in from companies looking to relocate to the area that would require 10,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet of workable space, within two months.

Satisfying the surging demand was a problem at the time.

“We had no inventory,” he said. “We really didn’t have the infrastructure to deal with the demand in the county.”

To resolve this matter, the county has what’s called Pasco Accelerated Development Sites (PADS) and Pasco Occupant-Ready Structure programs (PORS), funded through Penny for Pasco.

The programs provide “loans to support office and industrial-type development to provide the inventory here to absorb the demand that is coming in the door,” Engel said.

The county now has several hundred thousands of square feet of Class A office space up along the Suncoast Parkway and Northpointe Parkway (called NorthPointe Village), as well as State Road 54, near Ballantrae (called 54 Crossings). Asturia Corporate Center — a flex-industrial space along Lakepointe Parkway, in Odessa, has gone up, too.

There’s also demand for more light-industrial buildings — think spaces with 30-foot ceilings and loading docks — especially throughout East Pasco, the economic development expert said.

“We have so much demand for that. The east side needs it bad,” Engel said.

‘Trophy projects’ abound
The speaker went on to discuss a trio of what he referred to as “trophy projects,” in the county’s pipeline.

He first outlined Overpass Business Park, set on a 100-acre property at Old Pasco Road, that was formerly a county spray field.

The targeted industrial and office development master plan will support about 860,000 square feet, projected to create at least 1,500 new full-time jobs.

Commissioners approved a proposed incentive package to encourage the Rooker Company, based in Atlanta, to create an industrial park on the land.

It was initially made possible through a state grant in the waning days of former Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s administration, Engel said. The grant was to rip out old infrastructure and create a development-ready site.

Work began in February. A ribbon-cutting for the first industrial building is expected next summer.

This is a rendering of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, an urbanized mixed-use development off State Road 54, including a mixture of residential, commercial and general office use.

The project is both ahead of schedule and under budget, Engel happily added.

A second notable project is the build out of the Lacoochee Industrial Area, which spans 90 acres near Bower and Coit roads.

The project area eventually will accommodate approximately 700,000 square feet of industrial/light industrial development to generate up to 1,000 new full-time jobs.

Community Development Block Grant and state appropriations are being combined toward rebuilding and repaving Coit Road, Bower Road and Cummer Road, he said.

Plans are in motion, as well, to construct a rail spur in the industrial area.

A targeted industry is already in place — The Reinforced Earth Company, which is a concrete product supplier that’s been hiring.

“Those are probably the first (new) jobs in Lacoochee in probably three or four decades that have been created,” Engel said.

The revitalization seeks to stimulate a community, in northeast Pasco, that’s been struggling since the sawmill company closed in 1959.

“It’s one of the most impoverished areas in the state of Florida. It’s sad, actually,” Engel said.

“When I first came here, I took a tour of the county. I saw a sign at a church that said, ‘No meals today,’ that’s how poor it is. The churches, because of the demand, had to turn people away for nourishment.

“They’re isolated and stranded, don’t have broadband service, the roads are in bad shape, people are living in actual shacks with metal roofs and vegetation (is) growing on them.”

Meanwhile, the picture is quite different in the Avalon Park Wesley Chapel development, which is located along State Road 54.

The urbanized mixed-use development situated on 215 acres will feature multi-story buildings with residential, commercial and general office uses.

The project calls for 2,695 residential units, 165,000 square feet of Class A office space and 190,400 square feet of commercial development. It is expected to generate 1,065 new full-time jobs, situated in a walkable neighborhood.

The owner-operator of the project is integrating public infrastructure, such as parking decks and roads, to meet the needs of the concentrated area.

Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will offer places to shop and work in its downtown hub that will be connected to its residential neighborhoods by tree-lined streets, walkways and bike paths.

Imagine restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, bars and entertainment, hair and nail salons, as well as activities such as dance, gymnastic and karate studios.

The county offered up $32 million in ad valorem tax rebates to see the project through — with an expectation it will generate about $90 million in tax dollars on the backend.

Engel described Avalon Park as “a great project” creating “a downtown urban development for Wesley Chapel.”

Having a downtown area will help create a sense of place, where the community can gather, Engel observed.

He also noted its close proximity to Zephyrhills, making it convenient for the city’s residents to take advantage of Avalon Park’s offerings, if they choose to do so.

Challenges ahead
Elsewhere, Engel touched on multiple big-picture challenges the county faces in present and future.

One major task, he said, is identifying redevelopment opportunities, chiefly along older commercial corridors such as U.S. 19 and U.S. 301.

The corridors have the necessary infrastructure, but have long been synonymous for blight, graffiti and homelessness, issues that otherwise “really detracts from the hard-working community,” he said.

“That is stigmatizing this county,” said Engel. “You go out to other parts of this (Tampa Bay) area, (people) haven’t been up to Pasco in 20 years, and they’re just talking about U.S. 301 and U.S. 19 and how bad it looks, and they don’t have a clue, and we have to reeducate people using smart redevelopment.”

Another challenge for Engel’s office is finding additional ways to support Pasco’s small businesses — noting 80% of county businesses have fewer than 25 employees.

Penny for Pasco, in its current iteration, is only allowed to address target industries.

So, Engel and one of his staffers are using a small business engagement survey to better understand those business needs and desires.

A data-driven report will be presented to the county board, as Penny for Pasco funds are being authorized, Engel said.

Published July 21, 2021

Forum explores economic security in Pasco County

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The Pasco unit of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County recently hosted a webinar aimed at raising awareness about the “Economic Security in Pasco County during the COVID Outbreak.”

Panelists provided a look into Pasco County’s and the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.’s response to those struggling individuals and businesses — due to COVID-19.

The panelists also discussed ongoing programs aimed at helping people keep a roof over their heads, helping the homeless secure housing; and helping people develop skills to lead to higher-paying jobs.

Chris Conn, voter services chair of the league’s Pasco unit moderated the session, which featured Marcy Esbjerg, director of Pasco County’s community development department; Brian Hoben, community services director in Pasco County; Don Anderson, CEO of the Pasco Homeless Coalition; and Mike Bishop, director of stakeholder engagement at the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

Besides discussing specific programs, the speakers fielded questions. One related to a perception by some that people receiving help might not truly need it, or are duping the system.

Esbjerg responded: “We need to be the voice for people who don’t have a voice. So many of our vulnerable citizens do not have a forum to have a voice.

“Let’s look at what the public narrative is. The public narrative is very quick to share about the people who have gamed the system. The people that are taking PPP (federal paycheck protection program) money, and buying Lamborghinis and yachts; the people that forged Publix memos so that they could get their rent paid — all of those kind of things.

“So, why are we not sharing the real need? The real true need of people? Why don’t they get as much time, if not more?

“The most important thing that we (program administrators) can do is make sure that we deliver our services effectively, efficiently and equitably — and we make sure they’re getting out to the right people, and the people that really need it,” Esbjerg said.

When it comes to ensuring an adequate supply of workforce housing and housing for the homeless, the government needs to intervene and subsidize, Esbjerg said.

It needs to encourage the development of workforce housing, she said. It also needs to help homeless people transition into stable housing.

A community needs a balance in its housing inventory, she said.

“Right now, Pasco County has a high percentage of single-family owner-occupied housing, it’s like 72% to 28% rental housing. That’s not balanced,” she said.

“Rental housing doesn’t just affect low-income people. It affects seniors downsizing. It affects millennials who saw their parents get burned by the housing market and they’re not willing to become new homeowners, at this point,” she said.

“We want a community that takes care of all members of the community,” she said, and that means having housing for those transitioning out of homelessness to market-rate million dollar homes, and everything in between.

Recognizing real need
Bishop observed that there are real needs in the community and they must be recognized.

“Big buildings and equipment are great in business, but that’s not what makes business happen. It’s the people. We need to take care of our people, and understand that people that have challenges need assistance, and that’s a real thing.

“We went through a very rough time. We’re still going through that right now. We’re all together. Divisiveness needs to stop,” he said.

Anderson said exposure to the struggle helps to build empathy.

“I think putting a face on homelessness, or those that are disenfranchised, is the best thing we can do. I think it leads to compassion and understanding,” he said.

Hoben and Esbjerg said the county is administering programs that provide rental assistance, utility assistance, housing rehab and property tax assistance. Details about those programs are available on the county’s website.

In Pasco, Esbjerg said, housing costs are not the problem. Low wages are the big issue, she said.

“There are so many families that are cost-burdened, that are spending more than 30% of their income on housing,” she said.

Efforts are being made to improve that picture, Bishop said. The Pasco EDC and the county work to recruit companies that offer higher wages, he said. Plus, there are training programs, such as AMSkills, that aim to equip workers for better-paying jobs.

Anderson told listeners about the ALICE Report. The acronym stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

These are the people who don’t own property or have other assets, he said. They are working, but have little income.

Their housing requires a large percentage of their income — making them vulnerable to becoming homeless, he said.

“If there’s any silver lining to the COVID pandemic, it’s the monies that are coming down that allow us to address homelessness,” Anderson said.

Right now, Pasco is focused on a Housing Surge.

“The county commissioners, via community development and Marcy and her team, allotted the coalition $3.8 million over two years, to house 225 households in a span of months,” Anderson said.

The downside is the lack of available rental units.

To combat the lack of rental units, Anderson said, “We’ve asked the community, when you see a ‘For Rent’ sign, whether it’s a room, an apartment, a trailer, a house — we want you to take a picture with your cellphone, and we want you to send it to .”

Esbjerg believes the Housing Surge’s success will boost the overall quality of life in Pasco County.

“All too often we connect economic prosperity, or stability, with higher-paying jobs and more money,” she said.

But, she argues that stability of housing is critical to improving the overall quality of life.

When people have a home, she said, “they’re able to engage in the community and shop at the local stores, and things like that.”

Housing 30% of the county’s homeless will have a significant impact, she said.

“I think will be transformative for our community, for the individuals that experience it, and for quality of life as a whole — which will extend to positive economic outcomes for the entire community.

“You’ll be able to see the difference in our community,” Esbjerg predicted.

Need help?
Check these resources:

  • Pasco County: PascoCountyFl.net (Click on specific departments), or call Community Development, 727-834-3450; Community Services, 727-834-3287
  • The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County: PascoHomelessCoalition.org, 727-842-8605
  • Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.: PascoEDC.com, 813-926-0827

Published March 24, 2021

Pasco economy looks to grow and diversify

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From workforce assistance to recruiting new companies to building new office space, the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., has many projects “in the pipeline.”

Bill Cronin, president/CEO of the economic development agency, discussed those plans and more as the featured guest speaker at The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s November breakfast meeting at Seven Springs Golf and Country Club in New Port Richey.

The Pasco EDC’s mission is “to stimulate balanced and diversified economic growth.”

It uses private investments and tax dollars to foster economic development in Pasco County, helping businesses start and grow.

This rendering shows the future campus for TouchPoint Medical Inc., which is under construction near Suncoast Parkway, on State Road 54. (File)

To do that, Cronin said the agency is working to attract a wide range of industries to the county, such as life sciences and medical technology; business and professional services; high technology; logistics; aerospace, aviation and defense; and, advance manufacturing, among others.

A Michigan native, Cronin stressed the county doesn’t want to wind up like his home state that depends too much on the automobile industry, or another state such as South Carolina, which is too reliant on the tobacco, cotton and textiles industries.

“We don’t want to be that community that has to diversify down the road. We want to do it now and prepare so we’ve got jobs for everybody,” Cronin said.

Part of that diversification, Cronin said, is simply just bringing in more businesses and manufacturing companies, in general, to balance the county’s rapid residential growth over the past three decades or so.

The speaker noted that Pasco County is “pretty upside down in residential, as it relates to job creation.”

He also pointed out that it costs the county “a lot more money” to provide residential services — roads, schools, public safety and so forth — compared to meeting public service needs generated by businesses.

Said Cronin: “It behooves us to go after some of this business to lessen that imbalance on property tax and the burden on our taxpayers.”

Cronin also explained how the Pasco EDC is differentiating itself from other economic development groups across the United States, or what he describes as “16,000 competitors out there trying to get those businesses.”

This rendering from Welbilt shows how the expanded facility will look on completion in late 2019.

One strategic move is going after international companies wanting to expand their footprint in the United States, through its SMARTLandings incubator program.

Many of these international ventures may start with only one or two employees, Cronin said, but capturing that loyalty early on could end up paying dividends in the long run — when a company is ready to expand, perhaps, bring in a distribution or manufacturing center.

He noted, it’s an initiative other economic development groups aren’t doing, because “they’re only interested in these big projects that have 100 jobs, 50 jobs and things like that.”

Cronin also mentioned incorporating “North Tampa Bay, Florida” to the agency’s branding and tagline has gone some way in marketing the area to international businesses and corporations.

The economic development leader acknowledged getting some pushback on the branding.

“Yeah, we’re Pasco, but when we travel overseas, and we’re competing and we’re going out into the world, we first have to be included in the conversation, and then we can differentiate. You’ve gotta be in it first, and then you can differentiate after you’re in it, but if you’re not in it, you can’t differentiate,” he said.

Recruiting a company requires much more than offering incentives, Cronin said. It also involves offering workforce assistance programs and job training grants, he said.

He drew attention to an AmSkills (American Manufacturing Skills Initiative) apprenticeship program at New Port Richey’s Marchman Technical College that he said really resonates with German-based companies, which use a similar apprenticeship model for workforce training.

It helps create a comfort level for companies, Cronin said.

In this case, he said, it shows German companies “they’re really thinking like we’re thinking.”

“Sometimes that’s their biggest fear — what’s the employee look like? Is Joe going to look like Hans? What can they expect? When they see this (apprenticeship program), they know we’re trying to do our best to make sure it looks similar to their operation.”

The Pasco EDC also has partnered with CareerSource on a new website, ‘Workforce Connect,’ a one-stop resource that helps match employers and career seekers.

The website maps available training programs and services countywide, and helps align Pasco’s talent supply with industry demand.

Pasco County’s recent addition of several new companies has given the county more credibility in the eyes of other companies looking to make capital investments in an area, Cronin said.

“Now that (companies) see some activity happening, they’re more receptive to it. The market’s starting to respond,” Cronin said.

Moreover, the county’s proximity to Tampa International Airport and luxury housing developments, including Starkey Ranch and Wiregrass Ranch, have become “a really big selling point” to CEOs looking to add or relocate a company’s headquarters, Cronin said.

For decades, Pasco County has had a reputation of being a bedroom community, where people lived, but commuted daily to work in other counties.

Now, Cronin said, “we have CEO-level housing that CEOs can actually live up here, and their staff lives up here, so why get in that rat race and drive every day to Tampa?

“Instead,” Cronin said, “why don’t you move your operation to Pasco.”

Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.’s recent wins:

  • Mettler-Toledo relocates to Lutz and builds $30 million, 267,000-square-foot facility, creating nearly 700 jobs
  • TouchPoint Medical Inc., is building $24 million, 142,000-square-foot global headquarters in Odessa, creating 228 jobs
  • Phillips & Jordan Inc., is building $15 million, 47,432-square-foot regional headquarters near San Antonio, creating 40 jobs
  • Welbilt Inc., is adding 110 jobs and 42,000-square-foot building expansion to its New Port Richey headquarters
  • Bay Tech Industries is investing $1.5 million in new equipment and 12,170-square-foot building expansion in Odessa
  • Brew Bus Brewing Inc., is expanding microbrewery operation to Pasco, purchasing 34,000-square-foot facility in Wesley Chapel, creating 46 jobs

Published November 27, 2019

Zephyrhills economic summit highlights industrial hub

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It may now be famous for its crystal clear water and skydiving but, someday, the City of Zephyrhills also wants to be known for its industrial offerings and high-wage jobs.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit, held earlier this month, focused on the need to maximize both the use of the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and the development potential of adjacent industrial property.

The event, at Zephyrhills City Hall, was presented by the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition (ZEDC) in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit focused on the importance of developing an industrial corridor and cultivating high-wage jobs. Shown here speaking is Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg. (Kevin Weiss)

City officials are developing a 20-year master plan known as the Zephyrhills Industrial Corridor Plan.

The proposed industrial development hub encompasses approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres) of land in the southeast portion of the city, around the Chancey Road corridor and municipal airport.

Roughly a third of the property is within city limits and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in the county.

Within that area is 442 divisible acres of what’s known as the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park, a build-ready site equipped with water, sewer and electric utilities, and accessible to natural gas.

While the corridor is still in preliminary stages, it ultimately will set the city up for long-term growth and economic sustainability, said Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg.

Possible targeted industries could include aerospace, aviation and defense; advanced manufacturing; light manufacturing; electronics and technology; logistics and distribution; life sciences and medical technology; telecom/data hosting centers; research and development; showroom; refrigeration/cold storage and other uses.

Vande Berg explained a built-out industrial corridor will yield more revenues for the city and create a better jobs-to-housing balance. He also noted industrial manufacturing uses less services — police, fire, water, sewer— compared to, say, residential or commercial land use.

All that, he said, will ultimately “raise the bar in quality of life” for Zephyrhills residents, allowing funds to be steered toward downtown redevelopment, recreational amenities and other community uses.

“We want to be economically diverse. We don’t just want to have family residential, we want to have a mix of uses,” Vande Berg said.

“If we bring in industrial, we’re going to be more fiscally solvent, and that ties in with being resilient. If we have the industrial there, we feel like we’re in a better position with the city.”

The city planner expressed confidence the corridor’s utility offerings and centralized proximity to Orlando, Lakeland and Tampa makes it an attractive spot for companies looking to relocate or set up shop.

“We’ve got a great location we feel like,” he said. “We have such an asset out there in the southeast quadrant of the city.”

The entire planning area is generally bound by Melrose Avenue to the north, the CSX Transportation railroad and U.S. 301 to the west, Pattie Road to the south, and Barry Road and the Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area to the east.

Two CSX mainline railroads traverse the area and it is accessible to Port Tampa Bay and the CSX Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center.

The local airport also is undergoing a $5.9 million runway extension and roadway improvements to accommodate larger commercial aircraft, and encourage aviation and industrial development.

Moving forward, Vande Berg said ongoing collaboration is vital between the city, county and state officials to have a coordinated plan on zoning and land use, and “to continue to improve transportation accessibility to this industrial corridor.”

He mentioned a more near-term priority is working with the Florida Department of Transportation to extend State Road 56 east of U.S. 301 to connect to Chancey Road. “Transportation’s huge, like anywhere,” he said.

Aside from transportation and infrastructure boosts to draw companies in, other speakers said the city needs more workforce development programs to develop skilled labor employees and then keep them in the area.

It’s already something holding back existing industrial businesses in the city, said Dr. Randy Stovall, president of the Zephyrhills chamber.

“They can’t find those people they want to hire,” Stovall said. “They want to hire them, but there’s not enough of them, so that is a challenge. We’ve had that (issue) for some time.”

Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.,  said having training programs and a baseline of skilled labor in place is “a huge component” for luring large companies to a particular area.

“We’ve got to have (workforce) inventory,” Ryan said. “We’ve got to have a plan to tell those companies, ‘Look, we want your jobs here, and we have a plan to help you bring those jobs here.’”

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley pointed out that Zephyrhills and the East Pasco area are working to position the area to do just that.

Pasco County Schools plans to build a technical high school by 2022 near the intersection of Curley Road and Kiefer Road in Wesley Chapel that will hold nearly 900 students.

Meanwhile, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) plans to construct a 4,000-square-foot facility for AmSkills to teach manufacturing jobs.

Also, local business owner Kevin Bahr of Bahr’s Propane Gas & A/C is starting a teaching school to train propane service and HVAC technicians.

“The county is working very hard for jobs,” Oakley said. “Our county’s growing. We need jobs, and we need to teach them (the necessary skills).”

Elsewhere during the summit, State Rep. Randy Maggard commended Zephyrhills “for thinking ahead of schedule” in regards to its future and planned industrial hub.

Maggard, a Republican representing District 38, specifically applauded city leaders for this year putting a $2 million septic to sewer project at the top of their state appropriations request list.

The project includes decommissioning existing septic tanks to a residential subdivision and homes along Sixth Avenue and Armstrong Street, with potential for sewer expansion to additional properties in the future.

The project aims to prevent springs from dying because of nitrates from septic tanks.

“At the end of the day, if we don’t have water, none of this matters,” Maggard said. “We can talk about infrastructure, we can talk about a lot of things, but if we can’t provide water, it doesn’t matter at all.”

The elected official also gave this piece of advice for the city going forward: “You need to tell us where you want to go, and we need to help you get there in the long-term planning, funding, whatever it takes for us to be able to do that.”

Other summit speakers included Mohsen Mohammadi, chief operations officer for American Infrastructure Development; David Gwynn, District 7 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT); and Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy.

Published October 23, 2019

Grant encourages careers in advanced manufacturing

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CareerSource Pasco Hernando and AmSkills Manufacturing Training & Apprenticeships have been awarded a $100,000 grant to encourage students to explored a career in advanced manufacturing.

The grant will benefit 16 local students, according to a news release.

It will provide hands-on skills training, exploration of multiple career tracks, tours to local manufacturers, and the opportunity for job placement or paid apprenticeship with a local manufacturing company.

The AmSkills Pre-Apprenticeship Program is designed to replicate a real working environment, to prepare students for real-world careers.

Students clock-in and out, meet attendance goals, participate in team-building exercises and complete hands-on projects in various career tracks. They also have the opportunity to tour local manufacturing companies and experience manufacturing firsthand.

The program also includes soft skills training — including communication, presentations, setting goals and others, the release says.

AmSkills has a “dual-coaching” system, which identifies mentors within participating manufacturing companies and provides a program coach.

The program coach and company mentor work together to help students develop skills needed to launch their career. Students are matched with a manufacturer whose culture and environment is complementary for both participants.

Assessing technical and soft skills prior to placement allows for greater success between the manufacturer and pre-apprentice.

At the end of the 90-day program, the manufacturer, pre-apprentice and program coach map out each students training plan, and the student may officially become an apprentice working for the manufacturer.

The Apprenticeship Program provides students with paid hands-on experiences through on-the-job training with top local manufacturers and trade businesses, which helps students gain greater insight to determine their career goals.

For more information about the program or to register, contact AmSkills at (727) 301-1282, ext. 126, or visit their website at AmSkills.org.

Published May 01, 2019

Incentives add jobs, boost economy

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When Pasco County spends money from its Jobs and Economic Opportunity Trust Fund, it’s getting a healthy return on investment, according to David Engel, manager of the Pasco County Office of Economic Growth.

Engel recently gave the Pasco County Commission an update on the county’s primary incentive programs.

Between 2015 and 2025, the county expects to collect $60 million for its Jobs and Economic Opportunity Trust Fund, through its Penny for Pasco tax revenues. Those projections are based on a 3.5 percent annual increase, Engel said.

So far, the county has spent $22 million of those funds — on a variety of programs aimed at boosting job opportunities and increasing the county’s economy.

Programs include job skills programs and incentives for targeted industries that are investing in Pasco County and expanding the number of jobs in Pasco.

Industries that have received incentives include Touchpoint, Welbilt, Mettler Toledo and others, Engel said.

Job skills programs include AmSkills, the Pasco-Hernando Work Force Board and various programs through Pasco EDC, Engel said.

“For every (incentive) dollar that the board awards, we’ve gotten $10 back in gains to the county,” Engel said.

With the jobs creation incentive, which has been around since 2011, the Pasco County Commission, awards incentives to industries that create high-paying jobs. High-paying jobs are defined as jobs paying at least 115 percent of the median pay in Pasco County,

“This is one of our most highly successful programs. We’ve created almost 1,300 jobs since 2011. For every job we create, it costs the county around $3,800. We’ve look at other JCI programs across the state,” Engel said.

By comparison, the incentives cost $5,000 to $9,000 a job in other counties they looked at, Engel said.

Pasco’s return on investment in this program “is extremely high,” Engel said, noting for every dollar the county has spent, it has received $30 in benefit.

He also noted that the future is looking bright, too.

“Our pipeline is robust and growing,” Engel said.

The master-planned unit developments approved by the board, particularly along the State Road 54 corridor, are beginning to focus on their employment centers, the economic growth manager said.

“So, we have a number of big projects coming in, consisting of hundreds of thousands of square feet of Class A office buildings. Right now, we have three to four Class A office buildings we are processing for incentive awards now. We’ll make recommendations to the board of County Commissioners in the next several months,” he said.

Projected revenue: $59.65 million in the Jobs and Economic Opportunities Trust Fund, over the life of the Penny for Pasco (2015 to 2025), assuming a 3.5 percent annual increase.
Expenditures to date: $21.8 million, includes operating expenses
Encumbrances to date: $34.7 million: Board-approved awards, excludes operating expenses

Published April 24, 2019

TouchPoint Medical’s headquarters to open in 2020

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Construction began last week on TouchPoint Medical Inc.’s global headquarters on South Branch Boulevard in The Preserve, a new residential community off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Parkway.

Brian McNeill, president and CEO of TouchPoint — the parent company of TouchPoint Medical Inc. — offered remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony at TouchPoint Medical’s new global headquarters in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

The 142,000-square-foot facility in Land O’ Lakes is expected to be completed during 2020. The company will bring a total of 228 jobs to Pasco County, including 116 new jobs and other positions transferred from several locations.

The project represents more than $23 million in capital investment in Pasco County, according to officials with Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., the agency that seeks to attract new businesses and strengthen existing ones to bolster the county’s economy.

Officials from TouchPoint Medical and its parent company, elected leaders, TouchPoint employees and members of the community celebrated the groundbreaking on Feb. 6.

It was a blue sky kind of day, with speeches filled with enthusiasm — regarding the promise and potential that the new project represents.

When TouchPoint Medical Inc. began working with Pasco County officials, it discovered it shared many common values, said Pascal Testeil, the company’s president.

Brian McNeill, president and CEO of TouchPoint Inc., the parent company of TouchPoint Medical, told the crowd that as a private company the focus is “on doing what’s right for the long-term of the business. And, we look to create value over a long period of time.

“The investment that we’re making here in Pasco, Florida, is an example of our long-term commitment to our business, to our people, and to the communities in which we work and live,” McNeill said.

“I think this moment clearly demonstrates the power of aligning shared interests of private and public resources to create something new and exciting,” he added.

Pascal Testeil, president of TouchPoint Medical, said the company began looking for a location about a year ago, to enable its growth and expansion.

When it began working with the Pasco Economic Development Council’s staff and Pasco County, “we quickly discovered that we shared common values, such as growth, diversity, passion for creating value for customers and a strong sense of community.

“For all of those reasons, we were convinced that our new home should be here, in Pasco County,” Testeil said. “We want to be a contribution to the local economy,” he added.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells said he was pleased to see such a strong turnout of TouchPoint Medical employees at the groundbreaking ceremony, at the site where the company will have its new global headquarters.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells marveled at TouchPoint’s commitment to its employees, and at the sizable presence of TouchPoint team members at the event.

The commissioner added: “We are very excited to bring more jobs and economic growth to Pasco County. The new jobs coming to the county will range from product development, business services, customer and technical support, as well as manufacturing.”

Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco EDC, said “this land represents a great foundation to do business. It’s a wonderful location in the middle of the fastest-growing market in the United States, the southeast U.S.

“The foundation here is also strengthened by the community leaders and elected officials,” Cronin said.

The economic development leader also pledged a continuing partnership with the company.

Company and local officials fling shovels of sand to mark the groundbreaking for TouchPoint Medical Inc.’s global headquarters. It is expected to create 116 new jobs in Pasco County.

“We thank you for making the decision to move here,” Cronin said. “We are here for the long-run. We want to see you grow and prosper.”

TouchPoint Medical incentives
The Pasco County Commission previously approved $1.7 million in incentives to attract TouchPoint Medical Inc., to Pasco County.

The packages includes:

  • About $464,000 to be paid over eight years in return for providing new jobs
  • Up to $150,000 in payments or credits for permitting fees
  • An estimated $980,000 in property tax rebates over 10 years
  • $100,000 in reimbursable employee training costs

TouchPoint Medical will partner with AmSkills as part of training and recruitment.

AmSkills is an initiative that helps high school students, adults and veterans learn manufacturing job skills.

Published February 13, 2019

Matching up employer needs with workforce supply

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The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., has launched a three-year pilot program aimed at helping employers meet their workforce needs.

While the program, called the Pasco Talent Pipeline, aims to help employers meet their needs for skilled workers — other desired outcomes will be to improve the prospects for job seekers in Pasco County and bolster the county’s economic development potential.

Turner Arbour is the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.’s workforce development manager. He’s heading up a pilot program that aims to align employer needs with workforce supply. (B.C. Manion)

Turner Arbour, Pasco EDC’s workforce development manager, is leading the effort.

His job involves a lot of listening, a fair amount of talking, and quite a bit of observation and data collection.

The initiative also includes the creation of a website that identifies a clear pipeline to different careers and targeted industries in the county.

The website will result from research and from collaboration between all of the stakeholders, Arbour said. He believes it will be a model for other initiatives in not only in Florida, but across the country, too.

Since assuming his responsibilities, Arbour has spent a good bit of time finding out about the array of organizations in Pasco County that are involved in workforce development.

Those entities include such organizations as AmSkills, CareerSource Pasco Hernando, Pasco-Hernando State College, Pasco County Schools, Saint Leo University and Goodwill.

He’s building a foundation of knowledge so he can share information about available resources when he discusses workforce needs with employers.

He plans to meet with representatives —industry by industry.

“I want to get a good mix of large employers, and medium and small employers. Their needs are, I’m sure different, but also, they’ll be facing some of the same challenges,” Arbour said.

“That first year is a lot of visitation,” said Bill Cronin, president/CEO of Pasco EDC.

In some cases, Arbour will help the employer tap into existing resources to help meet his needs. In other cases, he’ll discover where gaps exist.

When then are obstacles, Cronin said: “We’ll have to determine: Is it individual to that company? Is it individual to that location? Is it unique to that industry?

“If it’s a Pasco County issue, then we can work together with the players in Pasco County to provide some type of solution,” Cronin said.

If it’s an industrywide problem, helping to figure out or create a solution can help make Pasco County more attractive to that type of industry, Cronin said.

“We can use that solution to recruit other companies,” he said, noting, in a sense, the county can say: “We get you. We understand you.”

As data is collected, it can be analyzed to see if there’s a systemic problem and efforts can begin to try to find solutions.

For instance, the data might reveal there’s a shortage of workers in one industry that might be addressed by workers in another industry who have appropriate transferable skills, Cronin said.

To help create a full picture of industry needs and successes, Arbour welcomes an invitation to visit any business in Pasco County.

“I think it’s important to see the operation and see what they have going on there,” Arbour said.

Cronin added: “They don’t have to wait until they have a problem to call. It would be great to have their input now. That way we can make sure their information is included.”

The county wants to be sure it has a full picture — including plants and companies that are located here, but have their headquarters elsewhere.

“The last thing we want to do is miss part of that data,” Cronin said.

The economic development agency also wants to offer help that has staying power, Cronin added.

Often, there are resources available, but companies need help navigating those resources.

“There’s a tendency in a lot of these groups. ‘Oh, call so and so.’ And that’s it.

“That doesn’t work for us,” Cronin said.

If your business would like to schedule an appointment with Arbour, reach him at (813) 926-0827, ext. 231, or by email at .

Published February 13, 2019

International business increasing in Pasco

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Pasco County has been making strides in the arena of international trade, and Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey provided a briefing on the topic at a recent North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

In introducing Starkey, Hope Allen, president/CEO of the North Tampa Chamber said: “Kathryn Starkey is a huge advocate of Pasco County.

This rendering shows the future campus for TouchPoint Medical Inc. (File)

“It’s wonderful that Pasco now has a seat at the table, now on the global level, and it’s because of her work and the work of Pasco Economic Development Council, making Pasco part of the conversation.

“She is involved in developing international trade, with a focus on Europe and South America,” Allen said.

Starkey has a pulse on what’s happening locally, and also nationally, on the international trade scene.

She is chair of the International Economic Development Task Force at the National Association of Counties (NACCO). She also was nominated by the White House and NACCO to serve on a committee that looks over trade agreements and makes recommendations. She is among four commissioners who represent the voice of local government, she said.

She’s still undergoing her FBI background check, so at this point, she can participate in calls, but can’t read the information.

Starkey said her introduction to manufacturing came in 2004, when she was on the Pasco County School Board and she made a visit to a training program offered in Okaloosa public schools.

“What they had done was they interviewed their business community, and then they figured out how to start programs in their school system that taught the high school kids how to enter into that workforce when they graduated,” she said.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey

Because of her interest, Starkey traveled to Germany five times — to see for herself and to show others how the Germans do their system of apprenticeship training.

“It was really important to go and see how the world’s premiere training program works.

“If you don’t see it, you can’t understand it. They have the gold standard in manufacturing,” she said.

“What we have done here in Pasco County, Hernando and Pinellas County, is that we’ve set up a training and manufacturing program based on the European model of apprenticeship training,” Starkey added, referring to a program called AmSkills.

“We take high school students and we take students who have graduated, and we take adults who need retraining, and we take them through the process here and we get them very knowledgeable about manufacturing, training and jobs, and then we help them get meaningful jobs here in the community,” she said.

Over time, Pasco County Schools also has established several career academies. It also opened Wendell Krinn Technical High School this year, on the former Ridgewood High campus.

Mettler Toledo opened its 270,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Northpointe Village, off State Road 54.

In partnership with Marchman Technical College, Wendell Krinn provides students access to 14 different technical education programs, including auto collision/repair, biomedical sciences, commercial art, computer systems, cosmetology, culinary arts, cybersecurity, digital cinema, electricity, HVAC, marine service, robotics, and welding.

Pasco’s workforce development is helping to attract international companies, Starkey said.

She also has been involved with Pasco EDC in trade missions to help local companies find foreign markets, and has helped host events to teach local companies how to grow their business in other parts of the world.

Pasco’s outreach efforts, its workforce development and its willingness to offer incentives to attract companies offering high-wage jobs has resulted in international companies setting up shop in the county.

Some of those companies include:

  • TouchPoint Medical Inc., a global supplier of technology-based health care delivery systems, will bring 116 new high-paying jobs to Pasco County. Company officials plan to relocate their headquarters to prime vacant land in Land O’ Lakes. They will build an approximately 125,000-square-foot facility, including a parking lot, on the northwest corner of Suncoast Parkway and State Road 54. The site is part of the South Branch Ranch property. The facility is expected to open in late 2019.
  • Mettler Toledo: Mettler Toledo opened its 270,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Northpointe Village in April. The Swiss-based company is a global supplier of precision scales and services used in research, and the packaging and production of food and pharmaceuticals.
  • TRU Simulation: TRU Simulation + Training celebrated the opening of a $30 million expansion of its Pilot Training Center in Lutz in February 2017. The facility opened in a 15,000-square-foot facility at 1827 Northpointe Parkway, off State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway. TRU Simulation has contracts with companies such as King Air, Boeing and Cessna.

Starkey noted that it’s not enough to get international companies interested in Pasco, it’s also important to treat them well after they arrive, and to continue to form relationships.

Taking a page out of book she read about how the international community developed in North Carolina, Starkey makes it a point to take CEOs of international companies to visit assets around Tampa Bay.

It’s a great way for the CEOs to get to know each other and also for them to develop a deeper understanding of Tampa Bay’s strengths, Starkey said.

“I am trying to take really good care of your CEOs here, and they are spreading the word to their friends back overseas, or to their business friends, that Pasco County is a great place to do business,” Starkey said. “We want them to feel very welcome.”

Revised December 5, 2018

Zephyrhills economic summit puts focus on education

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Fostering educational opportunities in Pasco County was the primary focus of the second annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit.

Doing that begins with beefing up the Pasco County school district’s career and technical education programs, said Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools.

“We need to put our career academies on steroids,” said Browning, one of several guest speakers at the Oct. 24 summit, at the new Zephyrhills City Hall, that brought together local education, business and government stakeholders.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning was one of several guest speakers at the second annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit. The event focused on local educational and career opportunities in Pasco County. (Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

Based on the region’s business profile, Browning said there needs to be greater emphasis on teaching trade skills — such as roofing and carpentry, plumbing, HVAC technicians, electricians and more.

“One of the things that we keep hearing a lot about is the trades. I’m continually amazed of the number of people that stop us and say, ‘I just need young men that can get up there and lay roof,’” Browning said.

To meet those demands, he called for increased state funding and greater collaboration with the Florida Department of Education to create industrial certifications for those fields. The district also needs to ensure opportunities for students, not destined for college, to have a chance to learn trade skills that can translate to high-wage job right out of high school.

Browning put it this way: “What we need to do is have training programs that meet the needs of all of our students, so if you’re going to be a plumber, you be the best plumber you can be.”

Browning also said the school district needs more input from local business leaders on the types of labor needed for the present and future.

“We need to do a better job of communicating, and we need to create a better relationship with our chambers, because the chambers are the ones that are really connecting, letting businesses know what we do and creating dialogues to help build that need,” the superintendent said.

Preparing tomorrow’s workforce
Browning was upbeat about some of the career and technical academies the district presently offers.

Pasco County School’s Career and Technical Education programs were discussed extensively at the second annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit. (Courtesy of Pasco Schools)

He pointed to Zephyrhills High’s aviation academy and Wesley Chapel High’s automotive technology academy, along with academies at other schools ranging from health and finance, to cybersecurity and culinary arts.

“I think we’re on the right path,” Browning said. “We’re working tirelessly trying to make sure our programs are relevant to meet the employment needs of our employers in Pasco County. We’re not perfect, and we’re not where we need to be. We’re still trying to figure out how to address the trades issue.”

Browning also mentioned the district is designing a technical high school in east Pasco that would likely open by 2022.

The district’s only two technical offerings — Marchman Technical College and Wendell Krinn Technical High School (which replaced Ridgewood High this school year) — are located in New Port Richey.

Plans call for the new school to be built on a 125-acre, district-owned tract of land along Fairview Heights and Handcart Road in the Dade City area.

It will help relieve overcrowding at Pasco, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools, Browning said.

“It’s going to be uniquely situated in the right place, right spot, offering technical career education students are clamoring for,” he said.

The technical school is also something the manufacturing industry is pushing for, according to Tom Mudano, AmSkills executive director, another guest speaker at the summit.

Mudano said a tech school based in east Pasco could help lure more manufacturing business to the region, to follow in the footsteps of companies such as Mettler Toledo and TouchPoint Medical, which he said have already brought a combined 700 jobs to the county.

“We truly believe that we need a facility on this side of Pasco County,” Mudano said. “If you’re looking at bringing jobs here, having a workforce is important.”

Mudano pointed out Tampa Bay has the most number of manufacturers in the state. And, he said that many of those companies have expressed a great need for additional skilled and semi-skilled workers.

“A lot of people don’t even realize that there’s a lot of (manufacturing) opportunities out there,” he said.

Mudano also assured that those types of trade jobs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

He cited information from the National Association of Manufacturers that projects there will be about 3.4 million jobs over the next 10 years, yet only 1.1 million of them will get filled.

The summit also featured a lengthy presentation from state Sen. Tom Lee, a Republican from Thonotosassa. Much of his talk centered on the state’s education system and the strides made during the last several years.

He pointed to the advent of charter schools and various opportunity scholarship programs as key reasons for boosting the state’s public education system on the whole.

“Everybody is more on their game today than they were 20 years ago. We have a rising graduation rate, better testing scores,” said Lee, who represents parts of Hillsborough, Pasco, and Polk counties in District 20.

He added: “We have created some competition for the public education system, and the public education system has responded well.”

Meanwhile, Lee suggested that going forward, the state legislature should “back off some of the micromanagement” of county school districts. He said school boards should instead have more control over district budgets and educational programs to “best meet the needs of the individual student populations of the schools.”

Lee also advocated for creating “fair competition” and “leveling the playing field” between public schools and alternative charter schools.

One way to do that, he said, includes loosening up some of strict building requirements of new public schools, called State Requirements for Educational Facilities (SREF), that cost school districts exponentially more than their charter school counterparts. He asked: “Why is it costing public education system 20 percent more to build a public school than it is a charter school?”

Other speakers at the summit included Dr. Keiva Wiley, Pasco County Schools director of Career and Technical Education; Angie Stone, Zephyrhills High School principal; Dr. Stanley Giannet, of Pasco-Hernando State College; Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley; Maria Reza, Career Source Pasco/Hernando business services consultant; Seta Ruiz, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills director of clinical services; and, Dr. Randy Stovall, Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce president.

The Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition presented the summit, in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Published November 7, 2018