| Happy Holidays from the PCED Team!Warmest wishes for a safe and happy holiday season, from all of us here at Pinellas County Economic Development! Our office will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, but will resume normal operations the following Mondays. |  |
| Suncoast Development: Thank You For Doing Business in Pinellas! |
| Suncoast Development of Pinellas County was recently recognized at a Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners meeting. The underground utility construction company is a registered Small Business Enterprise (SBE)contractor in Pinellas County, and has been awarded contracts to provide sidewalk, drainage, roadway and intersection improvements totaling over $11 million in the last five years. With 28 full time employees and subcontracts work, Suncoast Development provides numerous employment opportunities in Pinellas. Visit Suncoast Development of Pinellas County at https://suncoastdevelopment.net/. Explore ways to grow your business in Pinellas at www.PCED.org. |  |
| PCED welcomes Karisa Rojas-Norton |
 We are delighted to announce the addition of Karisa Rojas-Norton to our team, effective December 6. Karisa joins PCED in the role of Public Relations and Media Manager, which coordinates the County’s economic development marketing efforts, including: website and social media management, public communications, and media relations. During her ten years with the City of Largo, Karisa was responsible for comprehensive economic development marketing activities, including public outreach, social media and website management, and digital communications. She has developed marketing, outreach and messaging strategies for a wide range of economic development efforts and has led communications strategies for numerous public initiatives. She has also coordinated economic development communications during emergency management events. Karisa is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Pinellas and has earned the prestigious CEcD certification through the International Economic Development Council, demonstrating an unmatched standard of excellence in the economic development field. We are thrilled to welcome Karisa to the PCED team and look forward to working with her in our efforts to make Pinellas County the number one choice for business. |
| Virtual Business Bootcamp: Begins Jan. 8 Bootstrap Business School is working with United Way Suncoast to bring its 2-week Bootcamp to low-income and mostly minority aspiring entrepreneurs in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Full scholarships are offered to all students who are accepted into the program. With a focus on both new entrepreneurs and those who have started but need help becoming profitable, Bootstrap Business School’s mission is to not only improve the financial situation of individuals, but also to impact the economy of local communities. Learn more & apply at https://www.bootstrapbschool.org. |
| VetsGoGlobal Offers Export Assistance to Veteran-Owned Businesses |
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| The U.S. Commercial Service helps Veteran-Owned Businesses convert their leadership skills, can-do attitude, cultural awareness and domestic business experience into international sales success. The Vets Go Global (VGG) Team consists of international trade experts who are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and are dedicated to helping fellow veterans succeed at exporting. Learn more about the VetsGoGlobal program at https://www.trade.gov/vetsgoglobal. |
| SBA Announces Call for Nominations for 2022 National Small Business Week AwardsThe National Small Business Week Awards recognize the achievements of SBA-assisted small businesses and the contributions they have made to their communities and our nation’s economy.All nominations should be submitted electronically by 3 p.m. EST on January 11, 2022. The awards will be presented during the NSBW Awards ceremony in the first week of May 2022.To nominate a small business owner in your area or download related forms, criteria, and guidelines, visit sba.gov/nsbw. |
| Coming Soon: MakerSpace Pinellas |
 MakerSpace Pinellas will soon open to all Pinellas makers at 13007 Blecher Rd. in Largo. The community-operated workspace aims to bring together people with common interests, such as computers, machining, technology, science, digital art, or electronic art, to meet, socialize, and collaborate.MakerSpace will offer classes and events for all sorts of projects. Most will be open to anyone. Then for a fee (starting at $50/month), you can join as a member and have 24/7 access to the workshop and tools. Visitors can be charged per class, anywhere from $10; or free to check the club out. Learn more at https://makerspacepinellas.com. |