7/31/2019 Leaders in Northeast Florida Recognized by Florida Economic Development Council

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LEADERS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND JAXUSA PARTNERSHIP RECOGNIZED BYFLORIDA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

7/12/2012: The Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC) honored Innovate Northeast Florida co-chair Elaine Johnson, Putnam County Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Economic DevelopmentAlex McCoy, CEcD, and JAXUSA Partnership, a

division of the JAX Chamber, at its recent stateconference.

Johnson was presented with the 2012 Volunteer of theYear Award for the Northeast Florida region for hercontributions to economic development andaccomplishments as co-chair of the Innovate NortheastFlorida project, an economic development initiative ofthe Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC) andJAXUSA Partnership.

Johnson and Jacksonville attorney Bob Rhodes servedas co-chairs of Innovate Northeast Florida,www.innovatenortheastflorida.com, a strategic plan toidentify the target industries and sub-clusters that willstimulate future economic growth and create anaction plan for growing those industries in the region.Johnson is a principal at Navigy, a wholly ownedsubsidiary of Florida Blue.

Alex McCoy was awarded the inaugural 2012 Young Professional of the Year for his leadership ineconomic development as a young professional. Working with contracted staff from the Florida Instituteof Government at Florida State University, McCoy iscreating an economic development community leadershiptraining program. He earned the CEcD designation from theInternational Economic Development Council (IEDC), whichrecognizes qualified and dedicated practitioners in theeconomic development field.

In the Florida economic development community,volunteers and young professionals play a critical role, saidFEDC President and CEO Amy Evancho. We applaudElaine and Alex for their outstanding contributions toadvancing economic development practices and policies inthe Northeast Florida region. The FEDC also honoredJAXUSA Partnership with its Excellence in InternationalBusiness award. JAXUSAs international program wasrecognized for the growth it has achieved in the past several years. Currently, there are 23 countriesrepresented by businesses in the region. During the past five years, international companies added morethan 2,200 jobs and brought more than $330 million in capital investment.

The number of international companies in the Jacksonville region has grown tremendously. JAXUSA is aleader in terms of attracting international business to its region and the state of Florida, said FredrikEliasson, the JAXUSA Partnership International Committee chair and executive vice president and chieffinancial officer at CSX Corporation.

It is through the regions leadership, community collaboration and leveraging of resources that NortheastFlorida is able to grow high-skill, high-wage jobs. Elaine and Alex are very deserving of these awards,and we appreciate their dedication, commitment and contributions to support efforts to accelerate jobgrowth and economic development for the benefit of the region, said Jerry Mallot, president of JAXUSAPartnership.

(L

R) Bruce Ferguson , CEO of WorkSource, CathyChambers of JAX USA Partnership, Elaine Johnson, Jerry

Mallot of JAX USA Partnership.

(L-R) Lindsay Kimble, Alex McCoy, Amy Evancho

http://www.innovatenortheastflorida.com/http://www.innovatenortheastflorida.com/http://www.innovatenortheastflorida.com/