Building business with a passion

Dell Hyland is a perfect example of those who build a business based on a passion for something, as reported in my 1A business story today.

The U.S. Marine veteran and 17-year veteran of the security industry is proposing a multi-use training facility for fire, police, emergency rescue and private security agencies.

Hyland is still working on building his startup, Wide World Security, in the region. And, while the proposed training center that could cost upwards of $150 million is a major undertaking, Hyland is determined.

"It was always my intent to grow with the community, to provide a better service of security and make it a safer place to live and raise a family," said Hyland, a 10-year resident of Lakewood Ranch.

After the Marines, Hyland's security career has involved event staff for concerts, executive protection and celebrity protection. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and after participating in the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, Hyland felt compelled to turn his passion into something bigger.

Wide World Security is Hyland's vision for what he hopes will improve security nationwide. And it's a vision that could bring 100 jobs to this area.

Cold snaps make for scarce, costly produce

On a grocery run after work Tuesday evening, I circled the produce section several times looking for strawberries, thinking I was not looking carefully enough. Another customer, too, wondered where the red berries were and asked the produce clerk: "No more strawberries?"

The clerk politely informed us that strawberries -- what there are of them -- have been selling out by early afternoon during these recent winter weeks. As the Bradenton Herald reports Saturday with news partner Miami Herald, the cold snap is causing some vegetables and fruit to be more costly these days.

Though strawberries weren't hit as hard as other Florida crops, other crops were not as fortunate. Florida tomatoes were among some of the hardest hit in Florida. Many growers lost all of their tomato crop and prices for tomatoes increased about 25 to 40 percent across the board.

"As soon as (farmers) knew they were going to lose those crops, tomato prices shot up," said George Caldwell, director of purchasing at Global Organics Specialty Source, a Manatee County-based organic supply company.

Flashing red light means hot job news

Pierce Manufacturing in Bradenton
will create 150 jobs this year.
(File photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie)

 The red message light lit up on my phone shortly after 10 a.m. today as I finished an interview.

I dialed into my voicemail and there was a message from Eric Basinger. The executive director of the Manatee Economic Development Council wanted to give me a heads-up on a news release his staff was writing up.

He didn't give any further information, but I figured a big announcement about jobs was on its way.

Indeed there was. The Bradenton-based Pierce Manufacturing will be hiring an estimated 150 people this year as its operations will be expanded to build ambulances.

The local business currently builds fire trucks, and its parent company Oshkosh Corp. is moving Medtech Ambulances to Bradenton. It's also moving Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles to its Clearwater plant Frontline Communications, which makes mobile command vehicles. That move will create 50 jobs in Pinellas County.

While the150 jobs doesn't come close to the 18,267 people who are out of work in Manatee County, it's a substantial gain for the area.

Oshkosh, a Fortune 350 company, has manufacturing operations in 11 states and Australia, Belgium, Canada and France, and chose Bradenton among all those options to move the majority. And those 150 jobs coming to Bradenton will combine for an annual payroll of $5.8 million in the first year.

That's $5.8 million that can be injected back into the region's economy.

"Overall, it's a major statement on any community when a Fortune 500 or 350 company says we've got all these business units around the world and we're choosing to move it to your community," Basinger said.

-- Grace Gagliano

Tis the season (and year) to shop

The cash registers are ringing loudly around Manatee County with last-minute shoppers. If you finished up your shopping last weekend like I did, you may have thought "What bad economy?" as parking lots and store aisles were packed. I've talked with many local retailers this holiday season who say they are pleased with sales this year.

The Florida Retail Federation and the National Retail Federation expect holiday sales will be up 3 to 4 percent this year. But as I looked at how retailers have fared all year for tomorrow's retail industry report, I found they've been doing quite well in 2010.

Year-to-date sales tax collections through November for Manatee County total $226 million, up from $204.5 million over the same period in 2009, according to the Florida Department of Revenue. Click here for comparable tax collection data starting in 2003.


Retailers expect the spending momentum to carry over to 2011 as they believe the extension of the Bush-era tax cuts and a possible reduction in debit card transaction fees will put more money in consumers' pockets.

Economic series reports on jobs, Port Manatee

The Bradenton Herald's economic report continues today with a look at employment and a grim look at just how slow recovery will be in terms of getting people back to work. A highlight: state economists say Florida's unemployment rate, currently 12 percent, won't fall below 6 percent until 2019 or 2020.

Port Manatee will be a piece to Manatee County's economic recovery. On Thursday, the Bradenton Herald series will take a look at what's in store for Port Manate in the year ahead.

Port officials say 2011 will focus on infrastructure improvements and new marketing initiatives. Those priorities are a part of Port Manatee's bigger plan to capture more cargo that will be routed through the Panama Canal when its expansion is completed in 2014.

Update: Here's a link to the full story.

Tourism industry focuses on new strategies

The Bradenton Herald  launched a year-end series this week in which we take a look at how various industries in Manatee County fared and what's on the horizon for 2011. We started with an overall report on the local economy and its recovery.

Today, I took a look at tourism in this report. The industry saw the ramifications of one of the biggest oil spills in U.S. history, but the latest statistics show the area has come out without significant losses. The story also looks at what the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport have planned to drive more travelers to the area.

We'll collect this two-week series here at Bradenton.com/economy and include updates and your comments.

Jobs Act creates larger loans

Small business owners in need of capital may want to look into the recent increases the U.S. Small Business Administration implemented for its loan programs.

The Small Business Jobs Act, signed by President Obama in September, allowed the SBA to implement higher maximum loan sizes for several of its lending programs. Here are a look at the changes:

— The 7(a) and 504 loans permanently increase to $5 million, from $2 million. Manufacturers and energy-related projects can access up to $5.5 million. The 7(a) program are primarily used by small businesses to fund large startup expenses such as machinery and equipment. The 504 program helps business finance real estate and equipment needs.

— Microloan limits permanently increase to $50,000 from $35,000. These loans are primarily for funding larger entrepreneurs' startup costs and assisting business owners in underseved communities.

— Export Express loans increase to $500,000, from $250,000.

— SBA Express loans increase to $1 million, from $350,000 for one year.