tcbusiness.com – Workforce

Ford Motor Company donates equipment to IRSC Automotive Technology Program

Indian River State College (IRSC) Automotive Technology students now have three additional pieces of automotive repair equipment, valued at more than $13,000, on which to train, courtesy of the Ford Motor Company’s Technician Career Program.

Ford dealerships on the Treasure Coast have demonstrated ongoing support of IRSC students, providing around 80 Ford and Lincoln service-training modules for the College’s Automotive Technology program, said Christopher Groh, Southeast Area Coordinator for Ford Technician Career Programs. To recognize the company’s regional partnerships with schools like IRSC, Ford raffled some surplus equipment, and IRSC won the raffle, Groh said.

On Thursday, May 25, Groh delivered a Pro-Cut Brake Lathe, used for shaping uneven brake disks; a Robinair Refrigerant Recycling Machine, used to remove, hold, and replace air conditioning refrigerant while diagnosing the a/c system; and a hand-held battery tester.

Students in the IRSC Automotive Technology take the Environmental Protection Agency’s 609 Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning (MVAC) exam. Once they pass the exam, they receive a federal certification allowing them to work on automotive and other mobile air conditioning systems. The Robinair machine will help them obtain the certification, Groh said. Ford is seeking to add around 6,000 new automotive technicians each year, he said. “There’s a huge need, especially in Florida,” he said.

“We take a lot of pride in our training programs,” said Eduard Tautiva, a Technical Placement Specialist who helps Ford recruit automotive technicians. “We believe in investing in colleges like IRSC because this generation—they are our future technicians. They have to combine the old technology with the new, and prepare the technicians for the real world.”

According to Instructor Brian Woodrow, IRSC graduates around 30 students each year in its Automotive Technology program. “Because they complete so many Ford training modules, the local Ford dealers love our graduates,” Woodrow said. “They show up on the job with a leg up.”

The Automotive Technology program will move to the new Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex on the Massey Campus in Fort Pierce this summer. The state-of-the-art, 60,000-square-foot facility will also house programs in aviation and marine technology; welding; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility will take place later this year. For information about IRSC Workforce Education programs, visit www.irsc.edu.

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Jun. 1, 2023|

BofA report finds 64% of women want menopause-specific benefits

BOA Logo

Bank of America published Break Through the Stigma: Menopause in the Workplace(PDF), a new report revealing half of peri- and post-menopausal women (51%) report menopause has negatively impacted their work life, yet only 14% believe their employers recognize the need for menopause-specific benefits. The under-recognized need for menopause-specific benefits comes as 20% of the workforce is in some phase of menopause transition ¹ and the number of post-menopausal women is expected to reach 1.1 billion by 2025 globally.

“Right now, there are millions of women suffering in silence – trying to simultaneously manage menopause symptoms, stigma and their careers,” said Lorna Sabbia, Head of Retirement & Personal Wealth Solutions at Bank of America. “With this report, we are addressing the issue head-on by bringing awareness to the challenges and identifying actions for employers. Our goal is to help women of all life stages comfortably and confidently bring their best selves to work.”

The report, which surveyed 2,000 female workers and 500 benefit managers on menopause and its impacts in the workplace, uncovered there is room for employers to better support women in this life stage. The report was developed in partnership with the National Menopause Foundation, a foundation committed to providing women with the information and resources they need to thrive during their journey to and through menopause.

Disconnects Between Employers and Female Employees

While 76% of HR benefit managers say they discuss menopause with their employees, only 3% of peri- and post-employees say they have talked about menopause with HR, revealing a significant disconnect between the two groups. In addition, while 71% of employers have a positive perception of their company’s culture toward menopause, only 32% of women employees share that same perspective.

The number one reason employers say they do not offer menopause-specific benefits is that employees have not asked for them. Among employers who say they offer menopause-specific benefits, top benefits include access to menopause health professionals (40%), menopause policies such as time off or flexible work arrangements (38%), and hormone replacement therapy coverage by health insurance plans (38%). However, less than 1-in-3 women are aware of available benefits and only 1-in-10 use them.

When it comes to addressing the impact of menopause on the workplace, employers see the responsibility equally split between employees (49%) and employers (51%). However, female employees see the responsibility to be more on themselves (70% vs. 30%).

Menopause-Specific Benefits Create Better Workplaces

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of women want menopause-specific benefits. In fact, when benefits are offered, 58% of women report they have had a positive impact on their work, mostly by allowing them to bring their best selves to work (40%). Female employees are also likely to feel more comfortable talking about menopause in the workplace when they have access to menopause-specific benefits.

Additional support from employers can impact female employees’ overall perception of the workplace. Employees feel more inclined to recommend their employer as a great place to work when menopause-specific benefits are available (83% vs. 69%), revealing an opportunity for employers.

“Menopause is a normal life stage in women’s lives, yet there is still a need and opportunity for workplaces to enhance their menopause policies and benefits,” said Claire Gill, founder of National Menopause Foundation. “We hope this research will inspire employers to create cultures that reduce stigma and foster better communication.”

Impact of Menopause

Top symptoms peri- and post-menopausal employees report experiencing include impacts to their sleep (45%), mental health/mood (30%), physical health (20%), relationships with family/partner (20%), ability to focus on work (17%), daily activities (15%) and even career progression (9%).

Despite millions of employees experiencing menopause each year, stigmas around the topic persist. The majority of women (60%) consider menopause to be stigmatized, with 58% of peri- and post-menopausal women reporting they don’t feel comfortable discussing their menopausal symptoms at work. Most women (80%) consider the topic to be too personal to discuss, but other concerns include:

32% fear being perceived as old.
28% are embarrassed to talk about their body.
23% do not want peers to treat them differently.
18% fear not being respected by male peers.

More findings, including actionable steps for employers, are available in the Bank of America Break Through the Stigma: Menopause in the Workplace (PDF) report.

Break Through the Stigma: Menopause in the Workplace Methodology

These are the findings of two polls conducted by Ipsos between February 21 and March 8, 2023. The first was conducted among a sample of 500 human resource benefit decision makers from companies that have at least 1,000 employees. No post-hoc weights were applied to the data and findings reflect the opinion of these respondents. The second was conducted among 2,000 women ages 40-65 that are employed full-time at a company with 1,000 or more employees and have had a menstrual cycle. Both surveys were conducted online in English in the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii. Results among human resource benefit decision makers have a credibility interval of plus or minus 5.4 percentage points for all respondents. Results among employed women have a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points for all respondents. Survey content was developed by Ipsos in consultation with the Bank of America team. Bank of America, Merrill, their affiliates, and advisors are not affiliated with Ipsos.

National Menopause Foundation

The National Menopause Foundation (NMF) was founded in 2019 by women and for women to create an informed community where women can learn, exchange information, find support and be inspired as they approach and journey through menopause.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 68 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 56 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Jun. 1, 2023|

House of Hope and Inner Truth build client skills through P.I.E. Lab Project

P.I.E., which stands for Positive Integrated Experiences, is a collaboration between House of Hope and The Inner Truth Project to help women build self-esteem and acquire marketable skills. And it results in good pies.

Clients from The Inner Truth Project, the Treasure Coast’s leader in providing therapeutic services to survivors of sexual trauma, have been working and learning in the kitchen at House of Hope’s Elizabeth Lahti Nutrition Center for several weeks under the direction of House of Hope’s Food Distribution Supervisor Andrew Funcke. Along with learning to make pies, they learned business management, customer service and marketing skills to prepare them for employment, and they graduated from the program with certification in Food Safety.

During the project, House of Hope clients were offered the day’s pies for dessert, but the ultimate goal is to turn pie-making skills into a self-sustaining business that can generate funds for the organizations and the pie-makers themselves.

“We’re so proud of these women,” said Mindi Fetterman, executive director of Inner Truth. “They accepted this challenge to find out how very capable they really are, and they succeeded. The benefits of this program go far beyond what can be measured in the pies they’ve learned to make.”

One of the pie-makers, Summer, talks about the new confidence she’s gained from the program after a very troubled time in her life. “I never made a pie or worked in a group, and I thought I couldn’t do it, but I did. It’s changed my life.”

The culinary class is free to Inner Truth clients thanks to grants awarded House of Hope and The Inner Truth Project, including support from private funders through The Community Foundation of Martin - St. Lucie.

“This project has all of the ingredients for a successful program. As an example of social entrepreneurship, it’s a perfect match with our mission to empower the people we serve to build better futures for themselves and their families,” according to House of Hope CEO Rob Ranieri. “We’ve developed great facilities for food preparation over the years, thanks to generous community donors, and we’re glad to share them with Inner Truth. Plus we all love the pies!”

Future classes will include a broader base of clients from both Inner Truth and House of Hope. Pie sales will eventually help generate revenue to sustain the program and provide a great gift to the community — delicious pies, baked with love.

About House of Hope

Founded in 1984, House of Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers Martin County residents to overcome hunger and hardship. House of Hope touches the lives of more than 7,000 people each month helping with basic needs such as food, clothing, furniture, financial assistance, as well as longer-term case management services that help build life skills for a more self-sufficient future. The organization has service centers in Stuart, Hobe Sound, Indiantown, and Jensen Beach, and Thrift Shops in South Stuart, Hobe Sound and Indiantown. House of Hope’s Enrichment Centers in Stuart and Jensen Beach offer free programs, technology, and workshops designed to enhance life skills, earning potential, health, and overall well-being. House of Hope also operates the Growing Hope Farm in Palm City and several nutrition gardens that provide sustainable sources of fresh produce for clients as well as nutrition education and vocational opportunities to the community. For more information, visit hohmartin.org or call 772-286-4673. Updates and announcements can also be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Hohmartin, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/houseofhopemc/, and Twitter https://twitter.com/hohmartin.

May. 4, 2023|

Hog Technologies announces former VP of Sales to return as President of the company

James P. Crocker, Founder and CEO of HOG Technologies, the leading pavement maintenance and marking removal solution, recently announced the return of Vince Giordano as President of the company:

“I would like to take this opportunity to say how thrilled we are at HOG to have Vince. Vince Giordano recently served as our Vice President of Sales at HOG for four years and made fantastic connections and forward progress both within and outside of the organization. Although he’s been gone for a year now, I feel like he never fully left. As we began to explore the possibility of his return, I felt that the organization would benefit greatly from his leadership at a higher level.

“Vince has a solid grasp on many aspects of HOG, and I know that he will leverage his knowledge and his relationships to effect tremendous results as our President. I will resign as President as of Monday, April 10, 2023, and Vince Giordano will take the reins of leadership.

“As President, Vince will have direct oversight of sales, marketing, operations, customer service, and finance. I will continue in my role as CEO and will also continue my role in leading product development and the field services we offer.

“Vince is a talented communicator, a good organizer, an effective recruiter, a visionary, and a man of action. He motivates others through his own example and his passion for our products and customers. I am confident that everyone will benefit from his capable leadership, whether you are a member of the HOG team or one of our valued customers or vendors.”

About Vince Giordano

Vince Giordano has spent the last twenty-five years as a successful sales leader closing complex sales for large institutions, including Stanford University, Disney, Ochsner Hospital Systems, and large governmental agencies. Most recently, Vince served as Vice President of Business Development for Notes Live. Prior to that, Vince served as Vice President of Global Sales for HOG Technologies. Vince also served as Vice President of Field Sales at NuCO2, where he was recognized with numerous awards, including five straight President Club awards.

Vince earned his Master’s of Business Administration from Quantic School of Business and Technology. He holds many honorable professional certifications, including post-crisis leadership and diversity, equity, & inclusion from the University of South Florida.

Vince is a father of three and holds a black belt in kung fu and a brown belt in jiu-jitsu. He loves God and has a voracious appetite to serve those he works with and for.

Hog Technologies (formerly branded as Waterblasting Technologies) is the leading pavement maintenance and marking removal solution around the world. Hog Technologies is known for the award-winning Stripe Hog Water blasting System along with many other innovations such as the Thermo Hog, Rumble Hog, Epoxy Hog, Grinder Hog, and more. Hog Technologies has vehicles owned in over 57 countries around the world with vehicles operating in over 90 countries.To learn more, visit https://thehog.com/.

Apr. 20, 2023|

Career-boosting PR tips presented at Port St. Lucie Business Women meeting

Leigh Woisard and Port St. Lucie Business Women president Devon Dwyer

No matter how successful they are in their chosen professions, members of the Port St. Lucie Business Women were eager to hear Leigh Woisard present PR Tips For Boosting Your Career at their April meeting held at Tutto Fresco in St. Lucie West.

Woisard says she has a passion for helping women who struggle with confidence and an aversion to self-promotion. “Don’t be like Marie Antoinette!” she says. “When Marie Antoinette, a queen of France known for her luxurious lifestyle, was told by court advisers that her subjects were starving, the response attributed to her was, ‘Let them eat cake,’ a declaration that resulted in a disdain for her.” But, says Woisard, it is now generally believed that the queen never actually said that. “What if Marie Antoinette had taken charge of her career image?”

Woisard emphasizes the importance of managing your career narrative. By taking control of your story, you let people know your value. As a result, there is no confusion about you. To accomplish this requires a degree of self-promotion, which women tend to shy away from. “Women often limit their success by letting their work speak for itself, but then will feel stuck and passed over when they don’t receive a promotion or project assignment,” says Woisard. “You are handicapping your career when you don’t think strategically.”

She asks, “What do you want to be known for? What is the one thing you do better or different from every other person doing a similar job?” Are you a strategy expert, a creative idea generator, a motivational leader, or a relationship builder? Maybe it’s your style and how you approach projects that are differentiating.

Once you identify your professional asset, build your career narrative around it. “Focus on repeatedly telling and selling your one thing,” advises Woisard, because consistency and repetition are key. “Every decision you make at work is an opportunity to showcase your one thing.”

By following her advice, you will help your co-workers and bosses have a clear impression of you. “You want others to think of you when a promotion or project arises. It's a game of association.”

There are numerous ways to promote your one thing, such as social media posts and sharing your expertise as part of a presentation at staff meetings. “Take every opportunity to associate yourself with your one thing so that when others think of you, they automatically think of your one thing quality.”

Generate buzz about yourself. “There is only one thing worse than being talked about . . . and that’s not being talked about,” she points out. Build authentic relationships through networking. Woisard suggests seeking sponsors who are people of influence who share a common interest in your one thing and will say good things about you and your talent. In turn, do something beneficial for these people, such as sharing research, articles or advice related to your one thing.

“Take control of your career narrative, engaging in purposeful self-promotion to build your visibility and tell the story you want to tell,” says Woisard. “Don’t be like Marie Antoinette!”

Woisard has a 30-year career in communications, consulting and public speaking. Most recently she served as senior vice president of corporate public affairs for Cox Communications, the largest privately held cable/broadband company in the United States, prior to moving to the Treasure Coast in December 2022. You can reach her at 404-822-7398.

The Port St. Lucie Business Women is a 42-year-old, 501 (c) (6) non-profit professional organization dedicated to promoting the interests of businesswomen and serving our community effectively. For more information, visit PSLBW.com. Follow their Facebook page for updates about events, programs and community involvement.

Apr. 14, 2023|

Electrical wholesale distributor opens in Palm City

Electrical wholesale distributor City Electric Supply (CES) recently opened in Palm City, Florida, the company’s 116^th location in the state. The vision to open a Palm City branch came about 14 years ago. Regional Manager Mike Bertone, who was a district manager at the time, was set to open the location.

“CES originally wanted to open a location in Palm City back in 2008, but we decided to put the opening of the new branch on pause, said Mike. “I originally wanted to hire Al Fusco to run the branch, who is now the district manager over this location. It’s a full circle moment for several of us to see this branch come to life.”

“I’m looking forward to what CES Palm City is going to accomplish in this area,” said North Palm Beach District Manager Al Fusco. “The location is in a new industrial park that’s filling up with other businesses. We got in at the perfect time.”

Less than 10 miles from the nearest CES location and five miles west from where the original branch was supposed to be, CES Palm City sits in a new 6,500-square-foot building. After finishing the buildout several months ago, the showroom has 1,500 square feet of space for customers to shop.

“Our customers have been calling us prior to stopping by, so I’ve gotten to know several of them pretty well already,” Branch Manager Tina Vargas.

Tina has worked in the area for over two decades with a variety of experience in the industry and previously held several positions at other CES locations.

“I started with CES working in outside sales. And I was fortunate enough to be the branch manager at the Wellington location for a while. Our counter salesman is a former contractor. He’s familiar with the industry, the business end of things, and he’s great with customers,” said Tina. “We’re already seeing that we’re going to have customers who work in various parts of the state, so we’re excited to help them all to the best of our abilities.”

Tina and her team at CES Palm City are looking forward to the excitement that comes with helping their customers each day.

“Working in this industry, there is never a dull moment,” said Tina. “The team is excited to meet and support customers. Regardless of what their needs are, we’re here to service them in any way we can.”

City Electric Supply is a family-owned electrical wholesale distributor headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company was founded in 1951 by Tom Mackie in the United Kingdom and expanded to the United States in 1983. Today, CES employs more than 3,000 people in over 550 branches across the U.S.

Apr. 6, 2023|

Port St. Lucie welcomes innovative human milk processing company

LactaLogics co-founder Glenn Snow (at right) during one of the company’s three human milk processing pilot runs at the TetraPak Pilot Plant in Denton, Texas. The TetraPak technology will be installed in LactaLogics new processing facility in Port St. Lucie.

LactaLogics, a mission-driven company dedicated to bringing more human milk to babies, is opening its headquarters and processing facility in Port St. Lucie.

“Although breast milk is vital to the health of premature infants, most rely on cow’s milk-based formula for nutrition due to the lack of access to human milk. To address this need, LactaLogics plans to collect excess milk from qualified donor moms across the United States and then gently process the milk to meet the unique needs of premature infants,” said LactaLogics co-founder Chelly Snow.

“The goal is to make more human milk available to hospital NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) and parents across the country. Families will finally have better access to human milk-based products, helping to improve the health of newborns while supporting moms who struggle with breastfeeding,” Snow said.

With multiple patents filed, the company has tested and refined its systems and will build its facility at the former Liberty Medical building at 8883 U.S. Highway 1. Significant capital and equipment investments, extensive renovations and upgrades are planned for the 60,000-square-foot building. The company plans to hire an additional 60 full-time workers at 107% of St. Lucie County’s average wage.

“Port St. Lucie is the ideal home for us because it offers critical infrastructure and a desired workforce,” said Snow. “We’re excited to build a high-tech manufacturing facility, bringing more jobs to the Treasure Coast.”

“It’s an excellent project. It’s definitely something that is very different than we are used to seeing. It’s going to serve a great need, not only in our community but probably around the entire country,” said Port St. Lucie Mayor Shannon Martin during the March 27 city council meeting. “It’s very exciting to see development happening on the east side. I think, coupled with what’s going to come forward with our master plan with City Center, it’s going to really boost the entire area.”

“We always talk about local businesses and local citizens having the opportunity to bring their business to Port St. Lucie. The owners of LactaLogics are residents of Councilwoman Morgan’s district,” said Port St. Lucie Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo. “It’s wonderful to know we are going to have a new business utilizing an old space that’s needed to be filled for a while, providing jobs and, more importantly, economic impact to the eastern side of the city.”

“The Economic Development Council has been working with LactaLogics, as Project Gala, for more than a year and we are proud to have the headquarters and processing facilities for a company with such a compelling mission located here in Port St. Lucie,” said Pete Tesch, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. “The opening of LactaLogics also adds to our community’s growing life sciences sector, joining Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center and Florida International University’s Center for Translational Science.”

The incentive package for LactaLogics will include expedited site plan and permitting; ad valorem tax exemptions for tangible personal property only at 100% for the first five years, then at 90%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% for the next five years; mobility and impact fee mitigation and an opportunity for a Job Growth Investment Grant.

About LactaLogics

LactaLogics is on a mission to improve the lives of the world’s smallest, most vulnerable patients. Dedicated to purpose-driven, transparent, and collaborative practices, the company combines innovative technology and holistic donor care to bring more human milk to babies. For more information, visit www.LactaLogics.com.

About the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County

The EDC is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic vitality in St. Lucie County through the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in the community. The EDC works in partnership with local governments and the private sector to advance its goals of creating more and better-paying jobs for residents, broadening the tax base and improving St. Lucie County’s economic quality of life. Contact the EDC at 772.336.6250 or www.youredc.com.

Mar. 30, 2023|

Total Truck Parts breaks ground in PSL

Total Truck Parts executives Marc Karon, Tom Gibson, Leo Cordeiro and Dennis Imbody break ground for the company’s new 47,000-square-foot facility on Glades Cutoff Road in Port St. Lucie.

Officials from Total Truck Parts and local dignitaries broke ground in Port St. Lucie, Florida, for the company’s largest facility.

After an almost two-year-long search, the employee-owned company with six locations in central and South Florida selected a 6-acre site in Midway Business Park to build its third company-owned facility. The 47,000-square-foot building will include a 5,000-square-foot showroom, 16 heavy truck and trailer repair bays, a large area for hydraulic and drive line repair, and extensive warehouse space for parts.

“This new building is necessary to address the significant growth on Florida’s Treasure Coast,” said Total Truck Parts Chairman and President Marc Karon. “It is also key to our multifaceted growth strategy of expanding our shop repair capability with repair bays and shop services, as well as maintaining a deep inventory of parts to better serve our diverse customer base.”

“Our team is most excited about the continued company investment in growth and all the new opportunities that will be available to us with a facility of this size and functionality,” said CEO Leo Cordeiro. Completion of the new facility is anticipated in late 2023.

Founded in 2002, Total Truck Parks has grown to be the largest independently owned commercial truck parts and repair business in the southeastern United States. The company employs a total of 106, of which 14 currently work in the neighboring city of Fort Pierce. The new Port St. Lucie location will have the potential to more than double local employment to 30, with wages at 25% above St. Lucie County’s average wage. Capital investment for the facility is estimated at $6 million plus additional investment for equipment and interior buildout.

“Total Truck Parts chose a fantastic location for their new facility, within a drive of just two miles to Interstate 95, so their customers can be back on the road and back in business quickly,” said Port St. Lucie Council Member David Pickett. “We are also very happy to be able to keep the company’s existing 14 local employees at work within the county and look forward to all the new jobs that will be created at this new facility.”

“It’s always exciting to see a local company grow, and we are very glad to be able to accommodate that growth within St. Lucie County,” said Pete Tesch, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. “Total Truck Parts has been a thriving local employer for decades and the company’s investment in a new state-of-the-art facility here, the largest one in their portfolio, is the most rewarding kind of economic development of all. Richard K. Davis Construction Corp. of Fort Pierce is the general contractor for the project.

About Total Truck Parts

Total Truck Parts is the leading supplier of parts and service for commercial vehicles in Florida and the largest independently owned commercial truck parts and repair business in southeast Florida. Founded in 2002, the award-winning company’s value proposition is based on offering quality parts equivalent to, or superior than, the original equipment parts, along with a broad range of repair services and a deep inventory of parts that give its customers the opportunity to achieve their goals with one supplier. Total Truck Parts has six locations in Florida. Its more than 100 employee-owners have been providing world-class customer service in the Florida market for many years, accruing extensive product knowledge to diagnose problems and provide solutions for today’s complicated vehicles. For more information, visit www.totaltruckparts.net.

About the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County

Mar. 23, 2023|

IRSC hosts discussion on transportation and logistics

The Indian River State College (IRSC) Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex will serve as the backdrop on Wednesday, April 5, for a critical discussion about improving the supply chain through new opportunities in transportation and logistics. The event features remarks from Dr. Timothy Moore, President of Indian River State College; Congressman Brian Mast, Florida’s 21st Congressional District; Chris Thropp, President of Sage Truck Driving Schools; and Bill Solomon, Dean of the IRSC School of Workforce Education.

Among topics for discussion is legislation introduced in January by Congressman Mast that would eliminate age restrictions on truckers. The Ceasing Age-Based (CAB) Trucking Restrictions Act would allow truckers between 18 and 20 years old to transport goods across state lines. Eliminating the age restriction, Mast says, would add to the supply chain workforce, benefitting constituents of the 21st Congressional District.

“Getting more drivers on the road is a key component in addressing the nation’s ongoing supply chain issues,” said Rep. Mast. “I’m grateful to have partners like IRSC and Sage Truck Driving School right here in Florida’s 21st District that can help achieve that goal.”

Attendees will also hear from Veteran and retired Polk County Sheriff Marc Newsom, a Driver Qualification Process Facilitator for Knight Transportation. At Knight, Newsom is accountable for ensuring drivers are DOT-qualified, finalizing the hiring process and providing an orientation to their new position.

Newsom is a graduate of Sage Truck Driving Schools, a comprehensive professional tractor-trailer driver training company working with students and fleets across the country. Sage has offices and classrooms on the Indian River State College Massey Campus. Students enroll in Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training through the IRSC School of Continuing Education.

"For over 30 years, Sage Truck Driving Schools have provided high quality driver training programs to students and fleets across the country. The trucking industry represents a significant element in our nation’s supply chain. As the American Trucking Association puts it, every good in the U.S. has been on a truck at some point in its journey,” said Sage President Chris Thropp. “Our mission is to make sure every student receives personal attention and hands-on training to make them the safest and most knowledgeable drivers they can be. We have been a proud partner with Indian River State College for 16 years, providing a vital career training resource on the Treasure Coast.”

‘Creating New Opportunities—a Path Forward for Improving the Supply Chain and Growing Jobs’ begins at 10:30 a.m. and is expected to conclude at noon. Attendees should park in the lot outside the Tomeu Center (Building C), accessible from S. 30th Street, on the IRSC Massey Campus in Fort Pierce by 10:15 a.m.

“Supply-chain disruptions exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic continue to offer significant and widespread challenges for our nation, and we are delighted to join with Congressman Mast and our partners at Sage Truck Driving Schools to illuminate a path forward,” said Bill Solomon, Dean of the IRSC School of Workforce Education.

For more information about ‘Creating New Opportunities—a Path Forward for Improving the Supply Chain and Growing Jobs’ or to R.S.V.P. for the event, contact Erin Cosentino at[email protected].

Mar. 23, 2023|

FAU Harbor Branch receives $2.8 million gift

Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has received $2.8 million from Builders Initiative to establish a queen conch hatchery in Grand Bahama. This support expands FAU Harbor Branch’s extensive aquaculture and food security program focused on replenishing queen conch populations throughout the Caribbean. It also enables development of a conceptual master plan for a 25-acre innovation hub on Grand Bahama for researchers working to solve issues of island sustainability.

The project is built on a network of collaborations to secure local support and participation. FAU Harbor Branch will partner with the Bahamian community of Grand Bahama on a pilot-scale queen conch aquaculture farm led by Megan Davis, Ph.D., a research professor, FAU Harbor Branch Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement, and the world’s leading expert on queen conch aquaculture with 40 years of research in the field. Prized for its iconic spiral shell and meat, the species is considered the cornerstone of the Bahamian culture and economy. Through partnerships, the project leads envision developing new economic and environmental opportunities for the community, along with helping to replenish queen conch populations.

“We’re extremely grateful to Builders Initiative for their generous support of our queen conch restoration efforts,” said FAU President Stacy Volnick. “FAU Harbor Branch’s work in aquaculture is helping to meet the growing global demand for food, thanks to partners like Builders Initiative who share our belief in sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.”

This summer, the project will begin with a mobile queen conch lab where scientists, with assistance from Bahamian staff and interns, will grow queen conch from their egg stage to juveniles. It will be located at Coral Vita, a commercial coral farm working to restore coral reefs, which will share resources with FAU Harbor Branch.

Blue Action Lab is a key strategic partner, assisting with permits, negotiations, and other collaborator relationships. Other partners include the Bahamas National Trust, the University of The Bahamas, the Perry Institute of Marine Science, and The Nature Conservancy, which will provide expertise on habitat mapping for conch breeding sites in seagrass beds.

“Having a hatchery operating in the community with full participation from the community will be a great way to not only increase knowledge and awareness of the life cycle of the conch, but it will also allow the opportunity to build relationships, technical skills and solutions together,” said Catherine Booker, program coordinator with the Bahamas National Trust.

The project also will provide research internships for students at the University of The Bahamas and ecotourism opportunities.

Similar opportunities would come about through the 25-acre innovation hub. Known as Conservation Cove, it will be located on 25 acres on Grand Bahama, and it is envisioned to include a tropical aquaculture park, an aquarium, research and education hub, co-working spaces, and a hospitality center. FAU’s MetroLAB Design Collaborative, comprising FAU’s School of Architecture and Harbor Branch, will work with Blue Action Lab on the master plan.

The Grand Bahama queen conch hatchery is the fifth such FAU partnership project to restore the queen conch throughout the Caribbean. FAU Harbor Branch has been working on restoration efforts since 2016 and has established other queen conch farms in Puerto Rico, Curacao, and Great Exuma, Bahamas.

“Our FAU Harbor Branch Queen Conch Lab team together with our partners are making strides to fulfill the vision of a conch farm in every Caribbean nation,” said Davis. “There has never been a more important time to help communities grow queen conch for the sake of the species, ecosystem, and the people who depend on the fishery.”

This support from Builders Initiative, the philanthropic team of Builders Vision, is the largest gift from a private funder to FAU Harbor Branch’s queen conch program. Builders Initiative invests and collaborates with people and organizations working toward sustainable solutions in the areas of food and agriculture, climate and energy, oceans, and community.

“Builders Initiative is thrilled to be an anchor funder of Florida Atlantic University’s innovative program to establish conch aquaculture hatchery facilities across the Caribbean,” said Peter Bryant, oceans program director at Builders Initiative. “We’re committed to accelerating restorative aquaculture solutions in The Bahamas, and this project is a cornerstone of our program, one that will restore conch populations in The Bahamas while also providing benefits to local communities.”

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

About Builders Initiative
Builders Initiative is the philanthropic team for Builders Vision, an impact platform dedicated to supporting people and organizations building a more humane and healthy planet through philanthropy, investment, and advocacy. Builders Initiative, through the Builders Initiative Foundation, DAFs, and an impact LLC, invests in and collaborates with non-profits, businesses, and others working toward sustainable solutions to societal and environmental problems across four primary impact areas: Food and Agriculture, Climate and Energy, Oceans, and Community. Learn more at buildersinitiative.org.

Mar. 23, 2023|

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