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Newsletter
Finnish American Chamber of Commerce, Florida
Issue 24
Volume 7
April 2015
  


 

 Florida's economy is growing stronger and more diverse. While tourism is still important, the state is more diversified than before the recession, according to a report from Wells Fargo. "I'm more optimistic about Florida today than any time since the 1980s. We have a more promising stream of growing industries and businesses that have grown up in Florida. The strength we see today is far more durable," said Mark Vitner, senior economist for Wells Fargo.

Architectural and engineering services are employing 9.3 percent more than a year ago. Technology is becoming increasingly important and the steady population growth creates higher demands on housing and services.  Delighted to bring you many positive news from Florida on this newsletter.


 

We welcome all new comers to our vibrant business network!


 

At your service,

 

Lena Hartikainen

FACC-FL President
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FACC events

MIXER EVENT for FACC and LANTANA CHAMBER of COMMERCE Members 

We are looking for more ways to help you meet other business people - we have partnered with the Lantana Chamber to have a joint mixer in Lake Worth.
An opportunity to introduce your business to local businesses. 


Date: April 22, 2015
Time: 7pm
717 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth, FL

Cost: FREE, appetizers included. Cash bar.

Bring lots of business cards! RSVP here by April 20th.


STRATEGIES TO OPTIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME
Solving the Social Security Puzzle in 2015

Confused about Social Security? There are 567 separate ways to claim a Social Security benefit. You can't ask Social Security to listen them all, so what's the right choice?
Please come and bring those you care about, and let them decide for themselves. 

Speaker: Esa Jokela ChFC, CLU business-piggy-bank.jpg
Date: April 28th
Time: 6 pm
Place: Suomi-Talo,  301 W Central Blvd, Lantana, FL 33462
Cost: FREE

Event sponsored by SECURITY FIRST FINANCIAL, Inc.

Introducing New Member

  
Lantana Fitness is a family owned neighborhood health club, where all are welcome to get in shape, lose
weight and improve their health and happiness.  We feature all the equipment you need, from cardio to resistance training, free weights and functional and balance training.  Our certified personal trainers are the best educated and most experienced in the area, and we are the only fitness center in South Florida with a registered dietitian on staff.  

There are over 30 group exercises classes per week, including yoga, spinning, Zumba and seniors'' classes, and all classes are free with your membership.

 

Our membership prices are quite reasonable, and for our out-of-town guests we offer daily, weekly and monthly memberships.


 

Come see why we call Lantana Fitness "The Club for Every Body"! 

 

Members are hiring!

  Wyncode Academy , a booth camp style coding school , is expanding it's program to Ft. Lauderdale's FATvillage district within the inspirational General Provision co-working space and are hiring a full-time Campus Director to manage operations for this new location.  Apply online here. 

News from Florida

 

 South Florida entrepreneurs optimistic about economy

Nearly 88 percent of business owners in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties predict heftier profits, and 75 percent plan to increase full-time hiring over the next six months, according to a new survey from the Entrepreneurs' Organization. South Florida entrepreneurs are more optimistic than most, the survey found. Worldwide, 78 percent of entrepreneurs expect higher net profits and 65 percent plan to hire more employees in the next six months. More here.

 

 81percent of South Florida IT leaders predict 'very strong' hiring 

As the economy strengthens and more opportunities arise for IT talent, employer concerns peak, according to surveys released today by Protech. The Boca Raton Fla.-based IT staffing firm surveyed South Florida IT leaders and found 69% of employers are concerned about losing talent, up from 63% last year.  Full story here.

 

 Multi-billion dollar mall, theme park proposed in Miami-Dade

Edmonton, Canada-based company that owns the largest mall in North America has set its sights on Miami-Dade County with plans for a massive multi-billion dollar project that would include a theme park, mall and entertainment venues. Read full story here.

 Florida Lawmakers Try To Revamp Film Incentives For Economic Development
According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, there are more than 4,000 established businesses in the state's film and entertainment industry that employed more than 22,000 workers. Wages in film also exceed the state average, and film industry officials think that's justification enough to keep state funding going. More here.

 Emirates Airline has announced that it is to commence a daily service to Orlando, Florida 
From September 1, the new route will be served by a US-built Boeing 777-200LR with eight First Class suites, 42 Business Class lie-flat beds and 216 Economy Class seats. Emirates customers can also connect seamlessly onto many destinations in the US, the Caribbean and South America through the airline's codeshare partner JetBlue's regional hub in Orlando, which serves 24 cities including San Juan in Puerto Rico, Bogota, Colombia and Nassau, The Bahamas. Full story here. 
 
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/26/3960951/um-researchers-make-small-but.html#storylink=cp
   

 News from Finland
 

smiling-business-woman.jpg

 Shark Punch creates a matchmaker for gamers 

Finnish startup Shark Punch wants to disrupt the game industry by creating the "Netflix for games". Investors agree that such service is in demand: the company raised over a million euros in a funding round led by London Venture Partners. Due to the investment, the number of Shark Punch staff will nearly double. Read more here.

 

 Finland leads Europe in cloud service take-up

According to a December 2014 Eurostat study, Finland has the highest take-up of cloud services in Europe and other Nordic countries are close behind. The Eurostat survey - conducted with 150,000 companies in 28 countries - found 51% of Finnish companies uses cloud services, over double the EU average of 19%. Read full story here. 

 

 Spineless politicians anger Finnish premier as debts mount

While many other European Union countries have started to implement important structural reforms after being hit hard by the debt crisis, Finland is "a year or two behind," European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday. Full article here. 

 

 ABB wins $60 million repeat Azipod order

ABB, a global leader in power and automation technology, has been awarded a contract worth $60 million to deliver Azipod® propulsion and power systems to two Norwegian Cruise Line vessels. Read full story here. 

 

 Gaming industry superstar, Supercell continuing its success

Finnish mobile game development company Supercell reported that its revenues more than doubled last year to 1.5 billion euros. According to Supercell's official accounts, company revenues shot up to 1.5 billion euros with profit before tax at 515 million euros.  Supercell's reported revenues in 2013 totalled 519 million euros. Read full story here.

 

 Unemployment passes 10 percent mark 

According to Statistics Finland's Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in February was 268,000, which was 27,000 higher than a year earlier. Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Ministry of Employment and the Economy show that there are growing numbers of long-term unemployed and job-seekers over the age of 50. Read full article here. 

 


Upcoming events 

2015 International Days

April 7, 2015

Tallahassee, Florida

Join the Florida Chamber and Florida's international business community for a two-day event to hear from the top international trade and industry experts on how we can work together to implement recommendations found in the Florida Chamber Foundation's Trade & Logistics Study 2.0. Together we can help Florida become the number one hub for global trade. CLICK HERE for additional information. 

 

World Strategic Forum  
April 13-14 , 2015
              Biltmore Hotel, Coral Cables                
The World Strategic Forum is presented by the International Economic Forum of the Americas to address the major governance challenges of the new world economic order, focusing on the central role of the Americas in the global economy. 
Phenomenal world class speakers and global leaders gather at these events to discuss the future.  

Read more on the event website or on the FACC blog about the previous event from April 2014.

2015 International Town Hall
May 8, 2015
St. Petersburg, Florida

The Tampa Bay Export Alliance presents the 2015 International Town Hall. This event kicks off World Trade Month with an in-depth look at the people and programs driving international business growth in Tampa Bay. In addition to keynote presentations, the event will feature panels, fireside chats and expo as well as extensive time for Q&A, discussion among participants, and networking opportunities.  Don't miss the chance to be part of the conversation at this exciting and interactive signature event. Enter promotional code: THEDC to receive $10 off of your registration.


2015 International Trade Certificate Program
May 28- June 18, 2015
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

The Florida SBDC Fort Lauderdale will be offering its 2015 International Trade Certificate Program every Tuesday and Thursday starting on May 28th and ending on June 18th. The program will consist of seven sessions from 4:30pm- 8:30pm each evening including dinner. If you own a successful business and want to explore potential international markets or an exporter looking to enhance your knowledge, then this program is right for you. This program is accredited by National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE). Attendees will receive a certificate from the SBDC upon completion of the training. In addition, this program prepares attendees to become Certified Business Global Professionals (CGBP). Contact Parbatee Chang at parbatee.chang@floridasbdc.org for more information.


 

We hope you find this newsletter useful and we love to get feedback and suggestions how we can make it better. We also have many volunteer opportunities within the chamber so let us know how you want to be involved.

 

Sincerely,

 

Lena Hartikainen
Finnish American Chamber of Commerce