Member News
Florida Chamber of Commerce member press releases/updates.
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Nov- 2024 -8 November
Port Everglades Tops Its Own Cruise Passenger Record
BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — Port Everglades bested its own cruise passenger record with a preliminary count of 4,010,919 guests embarking and disembarking during Fiscal Year 2024, which ended September 30, 2024. The new record is expected to be short lived, however, as 4.4 million guests are anticipated during FY2025. “We expected to do well with the addition of Disney Cruise Line to our fleet and a mix of short and week-long cruises throughout the summer. As the year…
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7 November
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida invests $10 million to expand Ocala operations; Opens new Sales and Distribution Center
TAMPA, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) officially opened its new Ocala Sales and Distribution Center and celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by associates, local officials, and community partners. The nearly 28,000-square-foot facility, located off Silver Springs Boulevard and NW 52nd Avenue, represents a $10 million investment by Coke Florida, creates a permanent hub for the company’s local operations, and reinforces its commitment to the community. The company’s Ocala operations serve customers throughout the…
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Oct- 2024 -30 October
New UCF-Siemens Energy Pegasus Partnership to Grow Inventive Sustainable Energy Research, Expand Educational Opportunities
The University of Central Florida will expand energy research and workforce development with the help of a longtime partner. Siemens Energy signed on Oct. 28 as the school’s latest Pegasus Partnership, an enhanced agreement UCF has reached with several companies, including Orlando Health, AdventHealth, Nemours Children’s Health and Addition Financial. As a part of the deal, Siemens Energy will provide at least $5 million to help students prepare for careers in the industry and more. The Germany-based company already funded $13…
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30 October
Florida Poly’s New President Debuts on Prestigious Florida 500 List
LAKELAND, Fla. — Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been named to the prestigious Florida 500, an annual list published by Florida Trend magazine recognizing the state’s most influential executives in diverse economic sectors. This acknowledgment marks Stephenson’s debut on the list, following his appointment earlier this year as Florida Poly’s second president. “I am deeply honored to be recognized in the Florida 500 among such outstanding leaders,” Stephenson said. “Throughout my…
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30 October
Port Everglades and Royal Caribbean Group Extend Agreement
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – For 25 years Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) has been homeporting cruise ships at Port Everglades and is on course to continue its partnership following approval of an extension to the company’s Passenger Terminal and Berth User Agreement by the Broward County Board of Commissioners. The approval extends the user agreement through Sept. 30, 2030, and provides the cruise line with a second option term for an additional five years. Port Everglades and Royal…
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30 October
Florida Legislators Present JAXPORT with $23 Million for Container Crane Purchase and Refurbishment
Florida Legislators presented JAXPORT with a $23 million check for crane upgrades during today’s monthly Board of Directors meeting. The funding will be used to purchase a new container crane for the port’s Talleyrand Marine Terminal from Germany-based Liebherr Crane Company, as well as the refurbishment of existing cranes at the port’s terminals. The funding was appropriated by the Florida Legislature during this past legislative session and approved by Governor Ron DeSantis. The crane addition…
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30 October
Port Tampa Bay to Receive $22 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to Improve Supply Chain Efficiencies
Oct 21 2024 – Port Tampa Bay will receive $22 million in grant funding, from the U.S. Department of Transportation to support the expansion of a berth and uplands area at East Port “Omniport”, one of Port Tampa Bay’s newest port complexes. The expansion will create a deep water berth capable of supporting a variety of cargoes. The port’s funding allocation is part of $2.7 billion in grant funding made available through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding…
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30 October
Carnival Cruise Line Expands 2026/27 Cruise Outlook With New Sailings From Galveston and Jacksonville
Carnival Cruise Line guests who sail from Galveston and Jacksonville have even more options to choose from as they plan future fun vacations. The new sailings announced today expand cruise schedules in both homeports through spring 2027 and open new opportunities to sail to popular destinations in Mexico, The Bahamas and the Caribbean. A highlight among the new cruises is an addition to the popular Carnival Journeys program of longer cruises that preludes Carnival Miracle’s 2026 deployment…
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30 October
JAXPORT, Port Tampa Bay Awarded $8.8M for Aggregate Materials Projects
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced $2.6 million in funding toward a JAXPORT project to increase storage and rail access for aggregate materials on port property, and $6.2 million to Port Tampa Bay to construct the Berth 218 aggregate terminal for an additional 500,000 tons of limerock annually. Aggregates—such as gravel, stone, and sand—are materials used in construction and roadway projects and are also a type of cargo that moves through both ports. These investments in…
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17 October
Florida Poly ranks Top 10 in U.S. for career outcomes, No. 1 among public universities
LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University was ranked No. 8 in the nation for top career outcomes for its graduates in WalletHub’s 2025’s Best Universities Ranking, released this week. This recognition placed Florida Poly alongside elite institutions such as the California Institute of Technology, Georgetown University and Duke University. Among public institutions, Florida Poly ranked No.1 in the country. Additionally, WalletHub ranked Florida Poly No. 2 in the state for best cost and financing, and…
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16 October
Sachs Media Celebrates Victory at PRNEWS Platinum Awards, Recognized for Landmark Campaign Defending First Amendment Rights
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sachs Media is proud to announce that it has been recognized for producing the nation’s Top Campaign for Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at the 2024 PRNEWS Platinum Awards in New York City. The high-stakes campaign for the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), “Protecting the First Amendment in the Digital Era,” played a critical role in defending free speech and online safety, culminating in a U.S. Supreme Court decision to block controversial…
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11 October
Availity and Connective Health’s Collaboration Transforms Clinical Data into Actionable Patient Summaries
Jacksonville, FL – 10/02/2024 – Availity®, the nation’s leading real-time information network, is thrilled to announce its strategic collaboration with Connective Health, a company focused on empowering providers through interoperability and analytics. Connective Health is utilizing Availity Fusion™, an automated data transformation engine, to improve the quality of its clinical data and create more precise patient care summaries for primary care and virtual specialty care providers. Connective Health’s cutting-edge interoperability service processes approximately 300,000 medical documents…
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10 October
Woman Who Has Car Stolen and Wrecked Gifted Car from Rita Case
Davie, Florida (October 9, 2024) – To say that Glenda Defas was frightened when a man carjacked her automobile and threatened her with a hammer while her brother, who is disabled and deaf, sat in the car, is an understatement. But she was devastated when the assailant totaled the car after a police chase. She lost her car that she just paid off after seven years. Rita Case, President and CEO of Rick Case Automotive…
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9 October
Eglin Federal Credit Union names Cathie Staton new President/CEO
Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (Oct. 8, 2024) – The board of directors has appointed Cathie Staton as the new President/CEO of Eglin Federal Credit Union effective Oct. 28, 2024. She succeeds Jerry Williams who is retiring after 30 years of service with Eglin FCU, the last 10 years as President/CEO. Under Williams’ leadership assets grew by over $1 billion to nearly $2.9 billion with 124,000 members worldwide. He is well known for his involvement in…
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9 October
Tampa Electric Mobilizes Largest Crew in its History for Hurricane Milton
Tampa, Fla. October 8, 2024 In preparation for Hurricane Milton, Tampa Electric has mobilized more than 5,000 utility workers from as far away as Texas and Minnesota to assist in assessing damage and restoring power once the storm passes. The company anticipates adding more crew members in the coming days, marking the largest deployment TECO has ever organized for hurricane recovery. Hurricane Milton is expected to bring heavy rains, dangerously high winds and significant…
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