Member News
Florida Chamber of Commerce member press releases/updates.
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Aug- 2022 -24 August
Smartphones push consumers to prefer unique, tailored products
Personalized wine lists. Tailored clothing options. Unique experiences just for you. The world is awash in products and services that promise to provide custom experiences to every consumer. And it turns out our smartphones are pushing us to unconsciously prefer just these kinds of customized options. A new study from the University of Florida has discovered that consumers gravitate toward customized, rare or special products when they are engrossed in their phones. The highly private…
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17 August
Beacon College’s “A World of Difference” Picked up by WUCF, Central Florida’s PBS Station
Beacon College, the first accredited baccalaureate institution in the nation for neurodivergent students, and WUCF TV, a PBS member station, have partnered to air the third season of the college’s award-winning television program, “A World of Difference.” Created in 2020, “A World of Difference” examines neurodiversity issues related to learning disabilities experienced from birth to adult years, using compelling storytelling, conversations with experts, viewer Q&As and interviews with successful individuals with learning differences of their…
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16 August
Healthcare Partnership Spotlight: Brandon Harvath, Christian Care Ministry/Medi-Share
Tell us about your company/organization: Christian Care Ministry (CCM) is a non-profit that administers Medi-Share, a Christian community that comes together to share each other’s medical bills. CCM’s mission is “Connecting people to a Christ-centered community wellness experience based on faith, prayer, and personal responsibility.” The Medi-Share program operates on a cost-sharing model, enabling our 400,000 members to share agreed-upon medical expenses with each other. We deliver an innovative and affordable health care funding solution…
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15 August
Meet Marcus Williams: An Orlando 8th Grader Fighting For Our Planet
Marcus Williams, an eighth-grader at Westridge Middle School, is a founding member of Eco Club, a project started in 2016 with the mission of educating students about marine life, agriculture, conservation and the natural world. Since its inception, Eco Club has been partnering with SeaWorld Orlando in various ways including growing more than 1,000 heads of lettuce for our manatee recovery program and maintaining an on-campus apiary to raise honeybees and produce honey for our…
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10 August
Sachs Media Partner and COO Lisa Garcia Named Among Nation’s Top Women in PR for Mentoring
Sachs Media Partner and Chief Operating Officer Lisa Garcia has been named one of the 2022 Top Women in PR nationally by PR News for excellence as a Mentor, reflecting her role as a major contributor to the firm’s success by recruiting and cultivating young professionals. Among her work as a leader at Sachs Media, Florida’s foremost independent communications firm, Garcia spearheads the firm’s recruitment and retention efforts. She was one of just 15 women…
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10 August
Polk State FallFest returns for 36th year, first time since 2019
A seasonal staple will return to Polk State College this fall. The College will hold its annual FallFest on Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Upwards of 100 locals, businesses, and College clubs will set up booths all throughout the Winter Haven Campus with exciting, seasonal, and innovative homemade arts, crafts, and products. After a two-year hiatus related to COVID-19, FallFest will be held for the 36th year. The event is free and…
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10 August
EVP Ryan Cohn Joins Community Foundation of North Florida Board of Directors
The Community Foundation of North Florida (CFNF) announced the appointment of Ryan Cohn, Partner and Executive Vice President of Sachs Media, to its Board of Directors. As a member of the public relations firm’s executive management team, Cohn serves as a senior communications advisor and media strategist for some of the nation’s most-respected companies, nonprofits, and thought leaders, while simultaneously leading its health care and digital media practice groups. CFNF enhances the quality of life in…
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Jul- 2022 -29 July
Half-Ton Pound of Love Returned to Local Waters
After several months of rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando, Gnocchi, an 8-foot manatee has been returned to the waters off Anchorage Park. Originally rescued by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials, Gnocchi was only 620 pounds and severely malnourished. After being transported to our facility in Orlando, our team provided him with proper nourishment and care, helping him reach a healthy weight of 1,000 pounds! As one of only five federally permitted rescue facilities, SeaWorld…
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29 July
Governor DeSantis appoints Polk State President Falconetti to Education Commission of the States
Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Friday Polk State College President Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti’s appointment to the Education Commission of the States alongside Florida Department of Education Senior Chancellor Dr. Henry Mack. Falconetti and Mack will represent Governor DeSantis and Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz as an extension of the state’s education policy team. “I am honored and humbled to be appointed by Governor DeSantis to serve in this national capacity. I am…
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26 July
Small Business Council Spotlight: Jayson Meyer, Synergy Billing
What does your business do? Synergy Billing is one of several companies that I own. The others include Fountainhead Developers and WorkSmartMD. Synergy Billing was founded in 2006 to provide complete revenue cycle management for non-profit Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs.) We have clients across the nation. In 2021, we returned more than $74 million to our clients through our services. What’s your biggest concern as a small business owner? Certainly, finding talent. We have found that “growing our own”…
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22 July
The Lake City Columbia County Chamber of Commerce announces the Gateway City Craft Beer & Wine Festival For Saturday October 22, 2022
LAKE CITY, FL., July 22, 2022 – The Lake City – Columbia County Chamber of Commerce announces the return of the Gateway City Craft Beer & Wine Festival on Saturday October 22, 2022. “With over 600 ticket holders and thousands in attendance, we had a record breaking year in 2021. We look to build on that as we continue to present the premier beer and wine festival in our area,” stated Joey O’Hern, the Chamber…
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19 July
University of Florida surpasses $1 billion in research spending for first time in 2022
University of Florida faculty surpassed $1 billion in research spending for the first time in 2022, developing treatments for diseases, new agricultural products, engineering solutions and countless other advancements. With $1.076 billion in research expenditures, UF joins an exclusive group of about 15 public universities around the country to surpass $1 billion, including the University of Michigan, UCLA and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. UF Vice President for Research David Norton praised the…
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15 July
City Officials Elected to Lead Statewide Committee
ORLANDO, Fla., July 15, 2022 – Local elected and appointed officials from throughout Florida elected two officers yesterday to lead the Florida Municipal Power Agency’s (FMPA) Policy Makers Liaisons Committee. Robert Page of Green Cove Springs was elected as Chair, and James Hilty Sr. of Ocala was elected as Vice Chair for 2022-2023. They will lead the Committee in its mission of fostering communication between public officials and FMPA, their wholesale electricity provider. Page previously…
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13 July
Local Utility Leaders Elected to Lead Statewide Power Agency
ORLANDO, Fla., July 13, 2022 – Managers and public officials from public power utilities throughout Florida elected five officers to lead a statewide wholesale power agency in 2022-2023. Elections for the Florida Municipal Power Agency’s (FMPA) Board of Directors and Executive Committee took place today at a public meeting in Palm Beach, FL. Four Officers Re-Elected for Board of Directors Members of FMPA re-elected Barbara Quiñones, Director of Electric Utilities for Homestead Public Services,…
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13 July
Apply Now for Private School Scholarships
Families seeking more options in their children’s education can apply for the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship through Step Up For Students. Scholarship amounts average about $7,700 and vary by grade and county. Eligibility is based on household income. For example, a family of four with an income up to $111,000 annually may be eligible. Dependent children of members of the United States Armed Forces and Florida law enforcement officers may qualify, regardless of…
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