Fall Leadership Summit

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa
October 29, 2009

» View 2009 Summit Photos

The Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, Walton County Economic Development Alliance, and Beaches of South Walton Tourist Development Council hosted its annual Fall Leadership Summit in partnership with Crestview Area Chamber, Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce, Bay County Chamber of Commerce, Bay County Economic Development Alliance, Panama City Beach TDC/CVB, Coastal Vision 3000/THE Beach, Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, Florida’s Great Northwest, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development, Okaloosa County Economic Development Council, Navarre Chamber of Commerce, Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development, and the BIA of Okaloosa-Walton Counties, Inc. October 29, 2009 at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa.

The event brought together business and community leaders from Northwest Florida for a day of presentations by Economic Development and Tourism Industry experts. The purpose of the event was to stimulate thinking and help local businesses grow the regional economy.

Download 2009 Summit Materials:

Defense Support Initiative - Sam Burkett (PowerPoint Presentation)
Air Armament Center - Col. Bunch (PowerPoint Presentation)
EDC Presentation - Larry Sassano (PowerPoint Presentation)
Dwindling Offshore Sand Resources in Florida and the Impacts of Oil and Gas - Thomas Campbell, PE, and Quin Robertson, Ph.D. (PowerPoint Presentation)
Florida and the KC-45 Tanker - Northrup Grumman (PDF Format)
KC-X: A 50-Year Decision - Northrup Grumman (PowerPoint Presentation)

2009 Event Theme:

"Identifying Growth Strategies in a Difficult Economic Environment." Expert presentations will focus on strategies and tactics that will position the regional economy for strong growth as the economy begins to recover.

• 7:30 a.m. - Registration

• 8:00 a.m. - Welcome: Bill Arnett, WCEDA Executive Director

Invocation: Mel Ponder, THE Beach/Coastal Vision 3000

Pledge of Allegiance: Meg Peltier, Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce

• 8:15 a.m. - Jerry Ray, The St. Joe Company's Senior Vice President for External Affairs, will provide an overview of the economic development opportunities and challenges we face in Northwest Florida. Ray's opening presentation will help set the agenda and objectives for the conference, while encouraging participants to "think outside the box" as we work to identify growth strategies in the difficult economic environment we face.

Introduction: Janet Watermeier, Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Regional Economic Development Roundtable

• 8:45 a.m. - Economic Development Update: The Walton, Bay, Okaloosa, & Escambia County Economic Development directors provide a brief update on economic development and initiatives in their counties. A brief discussion and Q&A session follows. (40 minutes)

Introduction: Beth Oltman, Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce

Facilitator: Al Wenstrand, Florida’s Great Northwest

Speakers: Economic Development: Bill Arnett, Walton County Economic Development Alliance, Janet Watermeier, Bay County Economic Development Alliance, Charles Wood, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development, and Larry Sassano, Okaloosa County Economic Development Council.

Regional Transportation Updates

• 9:25 a.m. - Secretary Kopelousos will provide a Transportation update for Northwest Florida from air, sea, rail to roads. She will discuss the upcoming session and what can be expected for our region including opportunities and challenges (30 minutes)

Introduction: Tracey Terry, Navarre Chamber of Commerce

Speakers: Stephanie Kopelousos, Secretary of Florida Department of Transportation

• 10:00 a.m. – Regional Infrastructure Update: Representatives of the Northwest Florida Regional Airport, the new Northwest Florida- Panama City International Airport, Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport will provide brief updates on the region's airports. (45 minutes)

Introduction: Alan Baggett, (BIA) Business & Industry Association

Speakers: Randy Curtis, Northwest Florida - Panama City International Airport, Greg Donovan, Northwest Florida Regional Airport, Melinda Crawford, Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport

• 10:45 a.m. - Break

BRAC & Military Growth

• 11:00 a.m. - BRAC, Eglin Air Force Base Update: Representatives from Eglin Air Force Base will provide brief updates on the impact and status of BRAC, F-35 and other missions that impact the region. (45 minutes)

Introduction: Ted Corcoran, Greater Ft. Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce

Speakers: Colonel Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., Eglin Air Force Base, LTC Gary Bloomberg, 7th Special Forces Integration Team Eglin, Sam Burkett, DSI Chair, Tom Neubauer, Bay Defense Alliance, and Jeff Fanto, BRAC Growth Project Coordinator

Regional Opportunities in Aviation and Aerospace

• NOON – Working Lunch - Northrop Grumman, America's 2nd largest defense company and leader in global security, supplies quality defense products including B-2 bombers, DDG-51 AEGIS destroyers, E-2 Hawkeye early warning aircraft, and Global Hawk unmanned aircraft. The Northrop Grumman KC-45 tanker continues the company’s long history of providing the best capability and value for our men and women in uniform. The KC-45 program creates 48,000 jobs across 230 U.S. suppliers, with 1,600 of those jobs created in Florida, and expands a Southern aerospace corridor that has provided high-tech aircraft, spacecraft, missiles and munitions for several generations. (1 hour)

Introduction: Seth Hammett, Alabama Speaker of the House, PowerSouth Energy

Speaker: Mitchell B. Waldman, Vice President, Business Development, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Sector

Regional Challenges Facing Tourism

• 1:15 p.m. - Dwindling Offshore Sand Resources in Florida - How Might Oil and Gas Exploration and Supply Lines Further Limit Remaining Sand Sources. (1 hour)

Introduction: Evon Emerson, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

Speaker: Quin Robertson, Ph.D., Coastal Planning & Engineering, Inc. of Boca Raton

Regional Opportunities in EcoTourism

• 2:15 p.m. - A national ecotourism expert discusses regional opportunities to build a thriving ecotourism industry in Northwest Florida. The presentation will focus on the importance of the "green" movement in sustainable tourism and its potential to attract a new group of environmentally conscious visitors. (45 minutes)

Introduction: Wayne Harris, Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce

Speaker: René Welti, Green Tourism Marketing Specialists, ECHO Encounters, America Live, Inc.