News

Congratulations! Two important members of the Central Florida Partnership’s Management Team have been selected to serve as volunteers on the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Six Pillars Caucus system.  Leslie Hielema, President of Orlando, Inc. will serve as a member of the Innovation & Economic Development Caucus and Shelley Lauten, President of myregion.org, as a member of Infrastructure & Growth Leadership Caucus.

The Florida Chamber Foundation named 135 Floridians to its expanded research and policy development Caucus system designed to garner the input of local and regional subject matter experts. Caucus members are comprised of the State’s “best and brightest” with commitments aligned to one of the “Six Pillars of Florida’s Future Economy.”

Leslie Hielema President of Orlando, Inc.	Shelley Lauten President myregion.org

“Florida is moving toward its next economy, and the Foundation’s new Caucus system will prove to be an invaluable framework to help get us there,” said Jeff Lyash, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation and Executive Vice President of Corporate Development for Progress Energy Florida. “I would like to personally thank the volunteers who have been selected to serve on each Caucus for their time commitment and offering their invaluable expertise towards this great cause.”

“Each Caucus will provide strategic recommendations, corresponding policy options and white papers on opportunities facing the Sunshine State,” said Dr. Dale A. Brill, President of the Florida Chamber Foundation. “These options and recommendations will be shared with the Florida Chamber of Commerce and other partners for further deliberation potentially leading to selection of those policies that become priorities for Florida’s economic agenda.”

Central Floridians who will serve on the Caucus include:

Business Climate & Competitiveness Caucus
Keith Houck- Valencia Community College-Orlando
Bill Taulbee- Lykes Insurance, Inc.-Winter Park

Civic & Governance Systems Caucus
Gary Clark- CPS Investment Advisors-Lakeland
Kathy Till- City of Apopka-Apopka

Infrastructure & Growth Leadership Caucus
Thomas Barry- PBS&J-Orlando
Kristin Beall- Charlie Johnson Builder-Mt Dora
Susan Caswell- Orange County-Orlando
Daniel Dornan- KPMG LLP-Orlando
Shelley Lauten- myregion.org-Orlando
John Lihvarcik- Aqua Utilities Florida-Leesburg
James Meade- Mears Transportation-Orlando
Jamie Poulos- Poulos Brown LLC-Orlando
James Stanfield- Lakeland Electric-Lakeland
Bill Warren- Reedy Creek Improvement District-Lake Buena Vista

Innovation & Economic Development Caucus
Sena Black- Enterprise Florida-Orlando
Rich Bradley- Shopper's Critique International-Longwood
Leslie Hielema- Orlando, Inc.-Orlando
Dwayne McCay- Florida Institute of Technology-Melbourne
David Steele- University of South Florida, Polytechnic-Lakeland
Lynda Weatherman- Economic Development Council of Florida's Space Coast-Orlando

Quality of Life & Quality Places Caucus
David Biemesderfer- Florida Philanthropy Network-Winter Park
Jennifer Coolidge- Museum of Florida Arts-Deland
Margot Knight- United Arts of Central Florida-Maitland
Sara Van Arsdel- Orange County History Center-Orlando

Talent Supply & Education Caucus
Mary Lou Brunell- Florida Center for Nursing-Orlando
Elisha Gonzalez- Valencia Community College-Orlando
Brian Hudson- Avant Healthcare Professionals-Winter Park
Eric Roe- Banner Center for Manufacturing-Winter Haven

As the leading edge of the Florida Chamber enterprise, the Foundation is a problem-solver and research organization, working in partnership with state business leaders to promote a vibrant Florida economy. Last year, the Foundation piloted the Caucus system with the successful operation of the Innovation & Economic Development Caucus. The platform is now being broadened to include a Caucus for each of the Six Pillars. 

The product of years of collaboration and more than a million dollars in research by the Florida Chamber Foundation, the Six Pillars identify the critical factors determining Florida's future: (1) Talent Supply & Education, (2) Innovation & Economic Development, (3) Infrastructure & Growth Leadership, (4) Business Climate & Competitiveness, (5) Civic & Governance Systems and (6) Quality of Life & Quality Places.

As Caucus members, they will also have access to a special collaboration website. The website is designed to foster discussion which will also help formulate the strategic recommendations mentioned above. Participants of the website will be asked to engage in the online discussions through sharing, evaluating, and critiquing of ideas and issues. The planned features of the collaboration website include:

• Forums: Online forum to quickly start discussions with team members to keep all conversations and comments in one central place.
• Profiles: Each user will have a profile page where they can share their contact information, upload a picture of themselves and provide a brief bio.
• File sharing: Share many different file types with team members in a secure environment.
• Search: Powerful search engine looks within text of uploaded files so you can find what you need immediately.

Caucus Members will receive more information on the Caucus system collaboration website, but in the meantime, they will begin gathering research white papers, other academic materials and press clippings pertinent to their areas of expertise to share in the collaboration website when it launches in July.

Contact:  Sara R. Patterson, Director of Program Development, Florida Chamber Foundation, 136 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301, spatterson@FLFoundation.org, Phone: 850.521.1226, Fax: 850.521.1239, www.FLFoundation.org

Orlando, Inc. (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce)
Orlando, Inc. (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce) is one of four lines of business of the Central Florida Partnership and is specifically focused on Regional Entrepreneurship. A “Five-Star Chamber” – the highest level of achievement awarded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – we are positioned to serve the growing needs of businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the Central Florida Region.

Working together with BusinessForce (Public Policy Advocacy), myregion.org (Regional Research & Resolves) and Leadership Orlando (Regional Leadership), the Central Florida Partnership is moving “Ideas to Results.”

For additional information, visit:  www.orlando.org