EDC/Chamber Business Navigation Team responds to need for local supplies amid Covid-19
2020 | St. Petersburg, FL – The Greater St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has partnered with the Greater St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Grow Smarter, and the St. Petersburg Greenhouse to develop a platform for local business owners, employees and residents as the community works to safely reopen the local economy. The website, dubbed Source St. Pete, will connect those in need with local vendors that can provide the resources necessary to safely operate, return to the workplace, and enjoy the City’s many amenities.
Source St. Pete was developed in response to the findings of the (EDC-Chamber-Grow Smarter-Greenhouse) partnership’s Business Navigation Team who learned amid the recovery of Covid-19 that there was a lack of connectivity in supporting local businesses in need and also in supporting local suppliers, before considering out-of-market vendors.
“Connecting local companies with the resources they need to be successful is our top priority,” J.P. DuBuque,” President and CEO of the Greater St. Petersburg Area EDC said. “It is critical for us to not only assess the status of local organizations during this unprecedented time, but also to take responsive action to support our local economy.”
The software development firm NIX United is leading the Source St. Pete website build. NIX worked with the EDC to establish a U.S. headquarters in St. Pete in late 2019 and since then has prioritized giving back to the local community.
“We chose for our US headquarters to be in St. Petersburg mainly for its tight knit community and growing tech industry,” Kevin Woodford, Nix’s Director of Strategy & Business Development. “I am very happy that we are able to help the community and fit in so well after our first year here.”
“We are thrilled to have NIX’s support to make Source St. Pete a reality,” DuBuque said. “It is encouraging to see another one of the EDC’s project companies exemplify the community-first values that will benefit us all.”
Suppliers listed on the platform will provide a variety of resources including, but not limited to face masks, face shields, and hand sanitizer. Source St. Pete currently features more than fifty Pinellas-based businesses.
“Our vision is to ensure a consistent supply of quality safety products for our business community, to keep and create jobs on our shores and to create a certain supply chain for sustainable and resilient community,” Chris Steinocher, President and CEO of the Greater St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce said.
SourceStPete.com is scheduled to go live by Friday, July 3. To submit a request to be listed as a supplier, visit SourceStPete.com.
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The St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation is a partner in the Grow Smarter Strategy to create awareness of the business climate in St. Petersburg and to invigorate the growth of jobs in the target sectors of marine and life sciences, data analytics, financial and business services, specialized manufacturing and creative arts and design. For more information, visit StPeteEDC.com or call (727) 767-0209.
The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce®, originally founded in 1899, now serves over 1,300 member businesses and organizations. Continually identifying ways to create and enhance opportunities to do business in St. Petersburg, the Chamber works to improve the local economic climate and to build a thriving business environment. The Chamber represents perspectives of local business in St. Petersburg, providing and fostering leadership on important business and community issues. Information is available at stpete.com.
The Greenhouse is St. Petersburg’s front door to business growth, providing business owners and entrepreneurs with the education, resources, and assistance necessary to thrive in the local economy. Comprised of an expert team from the City of St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, along with a wide network of partners, the Greenhouse is committed to the economic growth and development of St. Petersburg’s economy through comprehensive services for St. Pete’s small business community that include business consulting and mentorship, a professional network, impactful signature programs, workshops, and more. For more, visit https://stpetegreenhouse.com/
Grow Smarter is an economic development strategy that aims to reduce gaps by race and place in St. Petersburg. The initiative brings together 90+ organizations for cross-sector collaboration and resource alignment. For more, visit?https://growsmarterstpete.com.
NIX United is a custom software development and engineering alliance founded in 1994. From our humble beginnings in a garage with just two people, we’ve grown to become one of the world’s leading IT service providers, according to Software Magazine. We’ve completed more than 3,000 innovative, successful projects for clients worldwide and now employ more than 2,000 software engineers across the globe. For more info please visit https://nix-united.com/ or call 727-900-8019.