1. EDC OF FLORIDA’S SPACE COAST: The Space Coast Comeback
Presented by:
LYNDA WEATHERMAN
President & CEO
EDC of Florida’s Space Coast

2. Brevard’s Economy on the Downturn

3. U.S. Real GDP Growth Rate year over year % change in GDP 2007-2018
The national recession is officially over. Did anyone get the memo? The National Bureau of Economic Research (panel that determines the timing of recessions) concluded late September that the recession ended in June 2009 (lasting 18 months).
However, many Americans still feel like they're in a recession – and are behaving as such.
Look at the trend following the return to positive GDP growth – this is NOT what is expected following a recession (normally you get above-average growth). Consumers are NOT currently buying into the recovery and the GDP numbers reflect that.
Real Gross Domestic Product: Percent Change From Quarter One Year Ago
Source: US Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis

4. Monthly Unemployment Rate (U.S., Florida, Brevard – 2000-2019)
Feb 2019:
Brevard: 3.5%
Florida: 3.4%
US: 4.1%
Current numbers Feb 2019:
Brevard: 3.5%
Florida: 3.4%
US: 4.1%
Recessions:
Mar 2001-Nov2001
Dec 2007-Jun 2009
Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunities

5. What Did the EDC Do?
Identified early alternatives to Shuttle (Orion/CEV)
Public Relations Strategy – Earned Media
Educating State Leaders
Effective talent attraction efforts with local companies, increasing job retention
Aggressive outreach to targeted industries

6. Space Coast’s Come Back
Zoom Zoom Video

7. Space Coast Economic Transition Nationally Highlighted

8. Washington Post - ‘The Comeback Coast’
“What we didn’t anticipate was that [the shuttle retirement] would coincide with the
recession — the deepest, longest recession,” said Lynda Weatherman…
“What we didn’t anticipate was that [the shuttle retirement] would coincide with the
recession — the deepest, longest recession,” said Lynda Weatherman…

9. National Rankings in Workforce and Quality of Life#1
Highest share of high-tech/STEM jobs in Florida - Wall Street, 2019
Highest median annual wage for STEM workers in the U.S. - WalletHub 2018
Melbourne is best place to live near the beach in the U.S. - U.S. News & World Report, 2019
Satellite Beach ranks safest community in Florida - National Council for Home Safety and Security 2018
Palm Bay, best city for millennial job seekers in Florida - Nerdwallet, 2015
Best quality of life out of the 100 MSAs in the U.S. - WalletHub 2018
Brevard’s purchasing power ranked in Florida - SmartAsset, 2017
Best places to live in Florida - U.S. News & World Report 2018 #2 #5
WORKFORCE
#1 – Highest share of high-tech/STEM jobs in Florida, and #12 in the U.S., 24/7 Wall Street, 2019
#2 – Highest median annual wage for STEM workers out of the 100 most populated MSAs in the U.S., WalletHub 2018
EDUCATION
#1 – Eastern Florida State College voted best Community Colleges for Workforce Training in Florida, Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
#8 – Edgewood Jr/Sr High School among top high schools in Florida, U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Rankings, 2018
#7 – Florida Institute of Technology ranked top 10 in Florida’s, Forbes America’s Top Colleges, 2015
#5 – Westshore Junior/Senior High School among top high schools in Florida, U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Rankings, 2018
#10 – University of Central Florida top 10 in Florida’s, Forbes America’s Top Colleges, 2015
#11 – Brevard Schools ranked among top districts in Florida and received an A grade, Florida Department of Education, 2017
FIT – One of the top tier National Universities, 5th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report, 2016
FIT – One of the Top 50 Most Entrepreneurial Universities, Forbes Startup Schools: America's Most Entrepreneurial Universities, 2015
QUALITY OF LIFE
#1 – Melbourne named best place to live near the beach in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report, 2019
#1 – Satellite Beach ranks safest community in Florida, National Council for Home Safety and Security 2018
Top 50 – Melbourne, FL among best medium size cities to live in, U.S. News, 2016
#2 – Palm Bay, best city for millennial job seekers in Florida, Nerdwallet, 2015
#5 – Best quality of life out of the 100 most populated MSAs in the U.S., WalletHub 2018
#5 – Brevard’s purchasing power ranked among the best in Florida, SmartAsset, 2017
#5 – Best places to live in Florida, and #49 in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report 2018
#7 –Top 2016 ENERGY STAR mid-size cities for buildings that earned ENERGY STAR certification in 2015, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), 2016
ECONOMIC VITALITY
#1 – Highest industry diversity index in Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, 2018
#1 – Highest advanced industry share of total employment in Florida, and #6 the U.S., The Brookings Institution, 2016
#1 – Melbourne voted Best Tech Hub in Florida, Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
#1 – Most concentrated high-tech economy in Florida, and #10 in the U.S., Milken Institute, 2019
#2 – Florida Space Coast voted best aerospace location in Florida, Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
#4 – Melbourne ranked in Top Small Cities to Start a Business in Florida, Nerdwallet, 2015
#7 – Port Canaveral among top waterborne total cargo value in Florida, Florida Business Journals, 2016

10. National Rankings in Economic Vitality#1
Highest industry diversity index in Florida - University, 2018
Melbourne voted Best Tech Hub in Florida - Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
Most concentrated high-tech economy in Florida - Milken Institute, 2019
Space Coast voted best aerospace location in Florida - Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
Melbourne ranked in Top Small Cities to Start a Business in Florida - Nerdwallet, 2015 #2 #4
WORKFORCE
#1 – Highest share of high-tech/STEM jobs in Florida, and #12 in the U.S., 24/7 Wall Street, 2019
#2 – Highest median annual wage for STEM workers out of the 100 most populated MSAs in the U.S., WalletHub 2018
EDUCATION
#1 – Eastern Florida State College voted best Community Colleges for Workforce Training in Florida, Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
#8 – Edgewood Jr/Sr High School among top high schools in Florida, U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Rankings, 2018
#7 – Florida Institute of Technology ranked top 10 in Florida’s, Forbes America’s Top Colleges, 2015
#5 – Westshore Junior/Senior High School among top high schools in Florida, U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Rankings, 2018
#10 – University of Central Florida top 10 in Florida’s, Forbes America’s Top Colleges, 2015
#11 – Brevard Schools ranked among top districts in Florida and received an A grade, Florida Department of Education, 2017
FIT – One of the top tier National Universities, 5th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report, 2016
FIT – One of the Top 50 Most Entrepreneurial Universities, Forbes Startup Schools: America's Most Entrepreneurial Universities, 2015
QUALITY OF LIFE
#1 – Melbourne named best place to live near the beach in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report, 2019
#1 – Satellite Beach ranks safest community in Florida, National Council for Home Safety and Security 2018
Top 50 – Melbourne, FL among best medium size cities to live in, U.S. News, 2016
#2 – Palm Bay, best city for millennial job seekers in Florida, Nerdwallet, 2015
#5 – Best quality of life out of the 100 most populated MSAs in the U.S., WalletHub 2018
#5 – Brevard’s purchasing power ranked among the best in Florida, SmartAsset, 2017
#5 – Best places to live in Florida, and #49 in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report 2018
#7 –Top 2016 ENERGY STAR mid-size cities for buildings that earned ENERGY STAR certification in 2015, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), 2016
ECONOMIC VITALITY
#1 – Highest industry diversity index in Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, 2018
#1 – Highest advanced industry share of total employment in Florida, and #6 the U.S., The Brookings Institution, 2016
#1 – Melbourne voted Best Tech Hub in Florida, Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
#1 – Most concentrated high-tech economy in Florida, and #10 in the U.S., Milken Institute, 2019
#2 – Florida Space Coast voted best aerospace location in Florida, Southern Business & Development Magazine, 2015
#4 – Melbourne ranked in Top Small Cities to Start a Business in Florida, Nerdwallet, 2015
#7 – Port Canaveral among top waterborne total cargo value in Florida, Florida Business Journals, 2016

11. Challenges Workforce Infrastructure Talent Attraction and Recruitment
Quality of Life

12. THANK YOU SpaceCoastEDC.org
Presented by: LYNDA WEATHERMAN President & CEO EDC of Florida’s Space Coast
SpaceCoastEDC.org