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TopSeptember 2012                                                      

Greetings,

Orange County's new school year is fully underway. Our students are making new academic discoveries and developing critical thinking skills. While our teachers are encouraging adventures of the mind, I trust parents are challenging their children to learn beyond the classroom.

I recently spent some time with a group of promising high school students who spent a portion of their summer volunteering with Orange County's Environmental Protection Division and my Summer of Service initiative. I am proud to say that the teachers and students in our school system are top achievers who are dedicated to making our community the best place in the world to live, learn, work and raise a family.

As you read on, you'll learn more about the exciting trade mission I led to Colombia to promote and brand Orange County as the premier U.S. business destination for international trade with companies in Latin America.

As always, I thank you for your continued support and for staying connected with your government.

Sincerely,
Teresa Jacobs
Orange County Mayor

Economic Development

Colombia Trade Mission Brings New International Economic Partner 

I had the pleasure of meeting Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (right).
In August, I led a trade mission to Colombia with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando to brand and promote Central Florida as the premier U.S. business destination for international trade with companies in Colombia.

We were accompanied by representatives from Central Florida's construction, manufacturing, legal and real estate services, aviation and hospitality industries and community partners including the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, the University of Central Florida, Visit Orlando, and Port Canaveral. 

In Bogot�, I hosted a "Doing Business with Central Florida" seminar for an audience of more than 50 Colombian business executives. As a result, El Tiempo Newspaper expressed an interest in developing a partnership to promote trade between Colombia and Central Florida.

I held meetings with several companies interested in entering the U.S. market through Central Florida. These included Empresas P�blicas de Medellin, an energy company,  pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries and one of the largest commercial textile and apparel companies in Colombia. 

I also visited Colombia's White House, the Palacio de Nari�o, and had the honor of meeting President Juan Manuel Santos. The trip concluded with the signing of a sister region agreement with the Governor of the Department of Quind�o, Sandra Paola Hurtado Palacio.   

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Digital Achievement Award

Orange County's Website Receives Prestigious National Award

Orange County Government's redesigned website, www. OCFL.net.
I am thrilled to announce that Orange County Government's redesigned website took first place for best nationwide county web portal in the Center for Digital Government's 2012 Best of the Web and Digital Government Achievement Awards.

Last year, we set out to make Orange County's website more inviting, innovative and engaging for the citizens we serve. It's wonderful to see our Information Systems and Services team effort earn national recognition so soon. 

Along with its redesigned website, Orange County launched OCFL Alert, the nation's first emergency information app.

 

I also encourage you to download OCFL 311, a free app that lets citizens with smart phones photograph, pinpoint and report problems such as potholes, broken traffic signals or cracked sidewalks. More useful apps are currently in development.

 

Now in its 17th year, the Best of the Web awards recognize outstanding government portals and websites based on innovation, functionality and efficiency.

 

The Digital Government Achievement Awards highlight outstanding agency and department websites, innovations and applications. Fifty-six awards in eight categories were given this year. 
Youth Empowerment

Orange County Students Empowered by Leadership and Community Service 

 I enjoyed meeting with members of Orlando YELL (L-R) Akash Nadan, Yhan Colon, Kamil Fadel and Elizabeth Tran.
In August, I met with Orlando Youth Empowerment and Leadership Learning (YELL), a student-run organization whose mission is to make significant contributions in our region through leadership and community service.
 
The students, who attend the International Baccalaureate program at Cypress Creek High School, spent part of their summer volunteering for Orange County's Environmental Protection Division and with my Summer of Service initiative.

As my staff prepares for my next Youth Leadership Conference, I have invited members of Orlando YELL to return to my office and take part in a planning session for this upcoming annual high school program.
 
My Youth Leadership Conference introduces our youth to the opportunities in public service, government and civic functions. Students then recap what they learned during the conference in an online video for a chance to job shadow with me for a day at the Orange County administration center.

I'm excited about my next meeting with Orlando YELL and look forward to my next Youth Leadership Conference.  

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Small Business Growth

Startup Orange County Boosts Business Growth
 
It was my pleasure speaking at Startup Orange County's inaugural Demo Day, a business accelerator program administered by the University of Central Florida (UCF) Venture Lab and sponsored by Orange County Government. The program is focused on fostering the development of early-stage, local technology companies.

The winner of Demo Day was Service Analytics Inc. and their new Mole Shopper and Crowd Shopper mystery mobile shopping applications. Service Analytics assists retailers in obtaining quantitative data about the service they provide to customers. The company beat out two other competing business groups and received $10,000 in funding, along with one year of mentoring and other services from the UCF Incubator.

In all, three different companies presented their ideas to local angel investors, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and dozens of attendees at the August event.

I congratulate Service Analytics for their perseverance and forward-thinking ingenuity.
  
Orlando Science Center

The Orlando Science Center Achieves LEED� Gold Status

The Orlando Science Center is the first nonprofit in Florida to declare LEED� Gold status and the first LEED� Gold building within Orange County's City of Orlando.

The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

This project has transformed the Science Center into a living exhibit that educates visitors about real world applications and the benefits of renewable energy and energy conservation. Tours, demonstrations and information are available for guests to discover the positive impact of sustainable technologies and what that means for the Science Center's operations, the environment, the economy and the consumer.

On behalf of Orange County, I congratulate the Science Center on this momentous achievement. 
 
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News Worth Noting ...


 
  • Star Wars Celebration VI, a four-day event held at the Orange County Convention Center, brought an estimated economic impact of $28 million to our region in August. 
  • It was my pleasure meeting with representatives from our international consuls recently. We discussed strategies intended to strengthen economic and cultural relations between our international partners and Orange County. 
  • Eight Central Florida theme parks made Travel & Leisure magazine's list of most-visited international parks.
  • Orange County's Asian Committee held its first meeting in August. The group is planning an event for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in 2013.
  • Citing Orange County's Convention Center, the City of Orlando was ranked number one in the nation for booked meetings and conventions, according to Cvent Inc., an events management technology firm based in McLean, Virginia.
  • Orange County's tourist tax collections for the hotel collection month of July 2012, were $14,433,300, about 2 percent higher than the month of July 2011.
  • Congratulations to hometown hero and aviation pioneer Col. Joe Kittinger who celebrated the 52nd anniversary of completing the highest jump in the world. In 1960, Col. Kittinger stepped out of a balloon gondola at an altitude of 102,800 feet and set four world records after safely completing the world's longest parachute freefall.
  • The Orange County Property Appraiser's office was recognized with the Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration Award by the International Association of Assessing Officers. 
  • Congratulations to Orange County residents Cheryl Maynard, Darlene Kreidler and Caesar Feliz, who won tickets to Star Wars Celebration VI at the Orange County Convention Center.
  • Rollins College is one of the country's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features Rollins in its new 2013 annual guide.
  • Orange County's City of Orlando is one of the top 10 cities in the U.S. that are getting smarter, according to NewGeography.com.
  • Florida was named number five among states in North America for foreign direct investment by the Financial Times.

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Issue 14

 

              
              



 

   

 
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Mayor Teresa Jacobs
201 South Rosalind Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801


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