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New local group targets job creation

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By MARK HOUSE

Special to the Tribune

Published: November 7, 2009

Updated: 11/07/2009 12:19 am

For 55 years, Hillsborough County and its three cities have benefited from a public-private partnership to generate new jobs and raise the per capita income of residents.

Recessions have come and gone, yet the work of the Committee of One Hundred, formed by a group of business people and public officials under the auspices of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, has continued.

Now, more than ever, we need a strong focus on job creation, and that is the role of the new Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., the "next generation" of the Committee of One Hundred. As a stand-alone entity - still funded by area companies, Hillsborough County and the city of Tampa - the organization will have a laser focus on business retention, recruiting new companies and growing business sectors such as life sciences, advanced manufacturing, international trade and financial services.

The term "economic development" means many things, so let's clarify the role of the organization.

A professional staff assists companies in the site-selection process. Examples include New York-based Depository Trust and Clearing Corp., which set up a major business center here a few years ago. Or Draper Laboratory, which recently christened a research facility near the University of South Florida. And the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, which had outgrown its campus and was considering expansion elsewhere, but continues to grow in Hillsborough.

How do we attract or keep high-paying employers such as these as we find ourselves in aggressive competition with domestic and international markets?

The staff works with real estate, human resources and other corporate executives to tailor solutions to business needs. This might include negotiating incentives or promoting employee pipelines such as the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance, local universities, Hillsborough Community College and the school district. Executives of companies considering the area are taken on tours to highlight the assets of Hillsborough County.

Just as companies sell their products and services, the organization is selling Hillsborough County, Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace to companies offering salaries higher than our current average.

As we launch the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., we thank Hillsborough County, the city and the nearly 100 companies that fund our efforts. We will be pushing even harder to land companies that offer us and the next generation higher-paying jobs that translate to a better quality of life.

Mark House is chairman of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. and managing director of the Florida division of The Beck Group.

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