January-March 2016 Bay Biz

| 3

We Mean Business.

CareerSource Gulf Coast is a powerful network of workforce professionals helping employers of all

sizes recruit, hire, train, and keep the best and brightest employees. We can help you identify top

talent in your industry, access local and state labor market data, screen candidates, host recruiting

events, and train your workforce. And, our services are free of charge!

Strategic solutions that work for you

Connect today with ourworkforce professionals

careersourcegc.com850.872.4340

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment

via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

B AY B I Z | J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 1 6 3

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16

8

Departments8 POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE Guide to 2016 Elections

16 EDUCATION The Use of Technology in Education is Benefiting Students

18 ECONOMIC PROFILE

24 WORKFORCE CONNECTION

26 BIZ LIST

32 BYP MEMBERS TO KNOW

34 CHAMBER EVENTS CALENDAR

36 NEW MEMBERS

37 MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES

38 OUT & ABOUT

Features10 COVER STORY The Economic Impact of SweetBay

14 FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION AWARD WINNERS

20 RECENT POLL ANALYSIS FROM FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

29 ANNUAL DINNER & AWARDS CEREMONY 2016

10

We Mean Business.

CareerSource Gulf Coast is a powerful network of workforce professionals helping employers of all

sizes recruit, hire, train, and keep the best and brightest employees. We can help you identify top

talent in your industry, access local and state labor market data, screen candidates, host recruiting

events, and train your workforce. And, our services are free of charge!

Strategic solutions that work for you

careersourcegc.com850.872.4340

| 5

1138879★Alcohol Offenses

★D.U.I. Offenses★Drug Offenses★Assault and Battery★ Traffic Offenses

BUSINESS TRIP

||

||

PEFCU.org

Find out what educators

already know...We’re a great

place to bank!

If you live or work in the greater Bay, Holmes, Washington or Jackson County area, YOU can join us!

Member NCUA

PUBLISHERCarol Roberts

EXECUTIVE EDITORBrittany Cole

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSCarol RobertsBrittany Cole

Brandi DeRuiterHeather Weekley

Kim Bodine

LAYOUT & DESIGNSean Brosnan

GORGEOUS - strategic branding + designgetgorgeo.us | 850-888-8GRG

COVERSweetBay Development at Old Panama City-Bay County

International Airport Site

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSDesiree Gardner Photography, Brittany Cole, Embry Riddle

Aeronautical University, and SweetBay

BAY BIZ MAGAZINEc/o Bay County Chamber of Commerce

235 W. 5th StreetPanama City, FL 32401

[email protected]

Online: www.panamacity.orgfacebook.com/baychamberfltwitter.com/baychamberfl

The Bay Biz is published quarterly by the Bay County Chamberof Commerce, 235 W. 5th Street, Panama City, FL 32401

850.785.5206

POSTMASTER send address changes to: Bay County Chamber, 235 W. 5th Street, Panama City, FL 32401 or

email [email protected].

The Bay Biz welcomes story ideas from itsreaders. Email to [email protected]. Torequest additional copies, contact 850-785-5206.


TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

BUSINESS TRIP

TRAVIS ALLEN

PANAMA CITY

TAMPA

3.15.2016

B 12

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WITH NONSTOP SERVICE TO:

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and connections to the rest of the world.

6 B AY B I Z | J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 1 6 B AY B I Z | J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 1 6 7

Are you believing it’s 2016? Where on earth did 2015 go? The last quarter of the year made my head spin. We were busy with our transition from one year to the next, while still trying to finish addressing our 2015 plan. In the mix, Governor Scott visited our community three times during the month of November pushing his economic develop-ment agenda. I was honored to join him on a several occasions to support those items in his package, and spoke at one of his news conferences held at Merrick Industries. The Tannehill Family and their team graciously hosted the Governor at their plant. In addition, Glen McDonald hosted him at Applied Research Associates (ARA), where we were able to have a great one-on-one conversation. Two very important items in his package to our manufacturers and business community are the elimination of sales tax on the purchase of manufacturing equipment and the elimination of sales tax on commercial leases. Both of these items were included in our 2016 Legislative Agenda. Bay Coun-ty and the State of Florida are at a competitive disadvantage to recruit new business and industry, as most other states do not have either.

Speaking of our Legislative Agenda, we (staff and representa-tives from our Governmental Affairs Committee) travelled to Tallahassee in November to deliver our agenda to our elected officials and agencies. We appreciate our subject matter experts taking time away from their busy schedules to join us on the trip. With session beginning in January, it was extremely im-portant we get ahead of the game with an early trip. Of course that meant that everything had to be expedited i.e., surveying of members; prioritizing; drafting/writing of position papers; approval on three different levels; plans and appointments. It worked perfectly, and now we are in a monitoring mode and prepared to deal with any other issue that may arise unexpect-edly. We thank Representatives Trumbull and Drake; Senator Gaetz; Department of Transportation, FWC and DEP for taking time from their busy schedules to hear our concerns. To see our agenda, visit our website at panamacity.org.

I think it’s important we celebrate one of our major accom-plishments for 2015, and that is the membership goal we set for ourselves. We started the year with 898 corporate members. A goal to reach 950 was set in the business plan. We are happy to announce that at the December Board of Directors meeting, we approved the 953rd member for the organization. Hats off to our many volunteers, our VP of Membership Development, Ta-mara Barnes and our Membership Account Executive, Stephane Balch, for pounding the pavement and achieving this goal. The difficult part of reaching this goal is to net that actual number. As most know, we have members come and go. Some do not renew for one reason or another. Thank you to our new mem-bers, and all others, for supporting this great organization and its efforts to grow our community.

If you missed the December First Friday, we were honored to have Santa (David Powell) emcee the event, and of course Mrs. Claus (yours truly) was in tow. It was a blast with the Girls Inc. choir caroling through the audience and serving hot chocolate. A special thank you goes to Niki Kelly, Executive Director, for organizing this for us. Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center was our sponsor and we thank Carlton Ulmer for his continued sup-port.

We have hit the ground running in 2016. Please see our lead-ership line up in this issue and get to know your Board of Di-rectors. As you have probably already seen, our theme for this year is “come grow with us”. You’ll be seeing more and more throughout the year on all of our publications, membership plaques, ebiz, website, FB and more. I can’t mention this theme without saying, these are not just “catalog kids”; these are our children from Bay County, and we thank the parents for allow-ing us to include their children in this worthwhile campaign.

Carol RobertsPresident/CEO

6 | B AY B I Z | J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 1 6 7

8 B AY B I Z | J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 1 6

by: Brandi DeRuiter, VP of Governmental Affairs

Guide to 2016 Elections

2016 is a big year for elections. Several elections are held during a presidential election year and we want to keep you informed of offices to be filled and important election dates. This guide lists voter registration deadlines, early voting dates, Election Day dates and times, and offices up for election.

Registration Deadline

Early Voting Dates

Election Day

Municipal Super Tuesday Election

March 21, 2016

April 19, 2016


Early Voting Dates

Election Day

Presidential Preference Primary Election*

February 16, 2016

March 5-12, 2016

March 15, 2016

Office up for Election:President of the United States of America

Offices up for Election:CallawayMayor, Commissioner Ward 3, and Commissioner Ward 4

Mexico BeachCouncil Member Group 4 and Council Member Group 5

Panama City BeachMayor, Council Member Ward 2,

and Council Member Ward 4

SpringfieldCommissioner Ward 1 and

Commissioner Ward 2

* Only Democrats and Republicans can vote in this election

March 5-12, 20167:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

April 11-15, 20168:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.


Offices up for Election:FederalPresident and Vice President of the United States of America, US Representatives (All Districts), and US Senator

StateState Attorney, Public Defender, State Senator, State Rep. District 5, State Rep. District 6

LocalCircuit Court Group 1, 2, 5, & 8, Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, Sheriff,

Property Appraiser, Tax Collector,Superintendent of Schools, Supervisor

of Elections County Commission Dists. 1, 3 & 5, School Board Member Dists. 1 & 4, Beach Mosquito Control Sts. 1, 2,

& 3, and County Judge Group 3

Municipal Runoff Election (if necessary)


Early Voting Dates

Election Day

April 18, 2016

To Be Determined

May 17, 2016


Early Voting Dates

Election Day

Primary Election

August 1, 2016

August 20-27, 2016

August 30, 2016





of Elections County Commission Dists. 1, 3 & 5, School Board Member Dists. 1

& 4, Beach Mosquito Control Sts. 1, 2, & 3, and County Judge Group 3

General Election


Early Voting Dates

Election Day

October 11, 2016

Oct 29 - Nov 5, 2016

November 8, 2016 Register To Vote

Mark Andersen, Supervisor of Elections Office:830 W. 11th St, Panama City, FL Phone: (850) 784-6100 | Fax: (850) 784-6141Email: [email protected]: 8am - 5pm (Mon - Fri)

Voter Registration Forms also available at:Supervisor of Elections website www.bayvotes.org, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and Libraries, Colleges, and City Halls located within Bay County

WHAT DO I NEED?You are not required to bring your voter information card to the polling place or early voting site. Take a valid form of Florida identification bearing your signa-ture, as well as a picture to the polling place since the law re-quires both signature and photo identification in order to vote.

Approved Forms of Identification:1. Florida driver's license2. Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles3. United States Passport4. Debit or Credit Card5. Military identification6. Student identification7. Retirement Center identification8. Neighborhood Association identification

If you do not bring these materials to the polling place, you will be required to vote the provisional process.

WHERE DO I VOTE?During Early Voting, you may vote at ANY early voting site conveniently located throughout Bay County to help expedite and alleviate long lines on Election Day.

Dates and times will vary from election to election. Visit http://www.bayvotes.org/Election-Info/Early-Voting-Sites to find an early voting site near you.

NOTE: FOR A MUNICIPAL ELECTION, YOUR DESIGNATED POLLING LOCATION MAY VARY FROM YOUR ‘NORMAL’ POLL-ING LOCATION.

On Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling lo-cation. Polls will be open from 7 am to 7 pm. Call the Bay County Supervisor of Elections office at 850-784-6100 to find out your polling location or visit http://www.bayvotes.org/Election-Info/Election-History-Sample-Ballots.






of Elections County Commission Dists. 1, 3 & 5, School Board Member Dists. 1 & 4, Beach Mosquito Control Sts. 1, 2,

& 3, and County Judge Group 3

Municipal Runoff Election (if necessary)


Early Voting Dates

Election Day

April 18, 2016

To Be Determined

May 17, 2016


Early Voting Dates

Election Day

Primary Election

August 1, 2016

August 20-27, 2016

August 30, 2016





of Elections County Commission Dists. 1, 3 & 5, School Board Member Dists. 1

& 4, Beach Mosquito Control Sts. 1, 2, & 3, and County Judge Group 3

General Election


Early Voting Dates

Election Day

October 11, 2016

Oct 29 - Nov 5, 2016

November 8, 2016 Register To Vote

Mark Andersen, Supervisor of Elections Office:830 W. 11th St, Panama City, FL Phone: (850) 784-6100 | Fax: (850) 784-6141Email: [email protected]: 8am - 5pm (Mon - Fri)

Voter Registration Forms also available at:Supervisor of Elections website www.bayvotes.org, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and Libraries, Colleges, and City Halls located within Bay County

WHAT DO I NEED?You are not required to bring your voter information card to the polling place or early voting site. Take a valid form of Florida identification bearing your signa-ture, as well as a picture to the polling place since the law re-quires both signature and photo identification in order to vote.

Approved Forms of Identification:1. Florida driver's license2. Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles3. United States Passport4. Debit or Credit Card5. Military identification6. Student identification7. Retirement Center identification8. Neighborhood Association identification

If you do not bring these materials to the polling place, you will be required to vote the provisional process.

WHERE DO I VOTE?During Early Voting, you may vote at ANY early voting site conveniently located throughout Bay County to help expedite and alleviate long lines on Election Day.

Dates and times will vary from election to election. Visit http://www.bayvotes.org/Election-Info/Early-Voting-Sites to find an early voting site near you.

NOTE: FOR A MUNICIPAL ELECTION, YOUR DESIGNATED POLLING LOCATION MAY VARY FROM YOUR ‘NORMAL’ POLL-ING LOCATION.

On Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling lo-cation. Polls will be open from 7 am to 7 pm. Call the Bay County Supervisor of Elections office at 850-784-6100 to find out your polling location or visit http://www.bayvotes.org/Election-Info/Election-History-Sample-Ballots.

10 B AY B I Z | J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 1 6 | 11


The former Panama City-Bay County International Airport moved in 2010, but even before its closure, the St. AndrewBay Land Company in Panama City began planning SweetBay,Panama City’s first master-planned community, on the 700-acre site. SweetBay is envisioned to be a walkable and bike friendly new home community at the water’s edge withrestaurants, retail and recreation.


The property was previously owned by the J.B. Atkinson, Jr. family and used as a private airfield. In 1932, they donat-ed the land to the Panama City Chamber of Commerce for use as a community airfield. The land was named Atkinson Field after its generous owners. Later, in the late 1930s, it was expanded into an airport by adding a small passenger terminal and two intersecting runways, and renamed Fan-nin Field. The airport was renamed again in the late 1940s as the Panama City Bay County Airport, and later earned the designation of “international airport.” After undergoing a major redevelopment in 1995, the airport was relocated in 2010. In 2012, the land was sold to the St. Andrew Bay Land Company for $52 million.

The SweetBay plan, the result of four years of planning and input from hundreds of local residents, calls for the devel-opment of a series of neighborhoods woven together by trails and waterways.

The community is being designed around four foundational pillars: walkability, preservation of the bayfront, honoring the local history and traditions, and promoting wellness through outdoor living.

“The scale of the community offers plenty of opportuni-ties for positive economic impact for the area,” said Jacob Fish, director of development for the St. Andrew Bay Land Company. “Thousands of jobs will be created during the construction and development phases, but that is just the beginning. Bringing new homeowners into the Panama City market area will benefit the entire business community. And the new commercial spaces that will open up in the commu-nity will have a positive effect community-wide,” said Fish.

Plans call for up to 3,200 housing units and up to 700,000 square feet of commercial space to be built over the next 20 years.The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimat-ed in 2014 that building an average single-family home gen-erates 2.97 jobs, measured in full-time equivalents (enough work to keep one worker employed for a year). A substan-tial share of this is employment for construction workers. But also included is employment in firms that manufacture building products, transport and sell products, and provide

professional services to homebuilders and buyers, such as architects and real estate agents.

Homebuilding also has a positive effect on government revenue. The national impacts of building an average sin-gle-family home include $74,354 in federal taxes and $36,603 in state and local fees and taxes, according to the NAHB study.

Regarding the potential economic impact, Fish said, “While it’s difficult to project the number of jobs created than over the life of such a sizeable project, we anticipate more 400 jobs to be created in the first phase of residential develop-ment alone. We believe SweetBay has tremendous potential to not only create jobs for local residents, but also for those who want to relocate to this wonderful part of Florida.”

Academy Park is the first phase of the community, and at its heart is the neighborhood’s charter school, University Academy. Set on land made available by the St. Andrew Bay Land Co. University Academy is a free, public K-6 char-ter school which opened on the Florida State University Panama City campus in 2012 and relocated to its permanent

home in the renovated airport terminal building in 2014. The school is leading the district in math and reading scores and is adding middle school grades each year through grade 8. Residents of SweetBay receive priority access for charter school attendance.

The success of the school has increased interest in the com-munity and has caught the attention of people relocating to the area. Education is a primary consideration for fam-ilies contemplating relocation when they are moving to a new city and access to a top-rated school within walking distance of home is a valuable incentive to move to the area.

Academy Park is anticipated to have 260 single-family homes upon completion. These homes are expected to range from $260,000 and up. The signature floorplans are designed to accommodate a wide range of residents including first-time homeowners, and young families through mature buy-ers and those looking to downsize. Over the last few years Bay County has seen a rise in both tourism and permanent residents relocating to the area. The variety in size, style, and price of the housing in SweetBay is designed to provide housing options for this residential influx.

“It is rare to find a 700-acre developable parcel within Pan-ama City. The beauty of the bay and natural landscape make it a great place for this type of masterfully planned community,” says Holly Pituch, marketing coordinator for St. Andrew Bay Land. “A primary goal is to provide access

Groundbreaking for SweetBay


to the waterfront and the surrounding preserve. To create an environment where people have a sense of community, where residents can walk to school, stores, parks and restau-rants or bike around the neighborhood for recreation,” she explained.

Principals from California-based HomeFed Corporation, the parent company of St. Andrew Bay Land, also planned the renowned beach community of Rosemary Beach in Walton County, a luxury resort town with many seasonal home-owners. SweetBay, however, is designed primarily for year-round residents.

The waterfront community on the former airport site allows for plenty of room for growth as the neighborhoods take shape during the 20-year projected build-out. Construction for Academy Park began in 2015, and the first homes will be available for purchase in spring of 2016. Homes will reflect coastal traditional and craftsman styles of architecture. The first phase also includes five community parks; several with playground equipment, space for picnicking and outdoor events and others will be designated as open green space. A community pool is also planned in the first neighborhood.

Preserving the natural beauty of the land and surround-ing water is a primary focus in the community’s design, say the developers. Seventy-three acres have already been preserved through a conservation easement encompassing much of approximately 5 miles of bay frontage. “A great deal of consideration and thought has gone into this plan-ning process,” Pituch says. “It’s about delivering a healthy community and the quality of life that comes with it.”

While a community of this scale will take years to complete, its impact on the surrounding area is already being felt. The addition of University Academy has created an amazing new resource for Panama City, and has provided new jobs and opportunities for Bay County residents.

The Welcome Center is well under construction and will serve as the community’s first information hub. The Grand Opening is planned for spring of 2016

“By providing housing, jobs, opportunities for business ex-pansion and bayside recreation for the entire Panama City community, SweetBay looks forward to becoming an active player in Panama City’s economic life,” added Fish.


On October 29th, the Bay County Chamber of Com-merce and Tyndall Federal Credit Union held the 5th Annual First Responders Appreciation Luncheon. Local Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Dispatch per-sonnel were honored at FSU Panama City. Officer Mike Edwards, Co-Founder of Humanizing the Badge, a group created to increase support of law enforce-ment and build bridges within the communities they serve, was the Keynote speaker for the event. Officer Edwards spoke on the challenges of being a First Re-sponder, and how Bay County should be proud to be home to these brave men and women.

Awards were given in the categories of Line of Duty, Multidisciplinary, and Community Service. Congratu-lations to Lieutenant Alan Strobel and Corporal Lu-ther Burnam, who took home the Line of Duty award.

Matt Lopez with Lieutenant Alan Strobel and Corporal Luther Burnam, Lineof Duty Award Recipients, and 2015 Chairman Mike Sears


On October 29th, the Bay County Chamber of Com-merce and Tyndall Federal Credit Union held the 5th Annual First Responders Appreciation Luncheon. Local Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Dispatch per-sonnel were honored at FSU Panama City. Officer Mike Edwards, Co-Founder of Humanizing the Badge, a group created to increase support of law enforce-ment and build bridges within the communities they serve, was the Keynote speaker for the event. Officer Edwards spoke on the challenges of being a First Re-sponder, and how Bay County should be proud to be home to these brave men and women.

Awards were given in the categories of Line of Duty, Multidisciplinary, and Community Service. Congratu-lations to Lieutenant Alan Strobel and Corporal Lu-ther Burnam, who took home the Line of Duty award.

Matt Lopez with Lieutenant Alan Strobel and Corporal Luther Burnam, Lineof Duty Award Recipients, and 2015 Chairman Mike Sears


School Resource Officer Tom Hedges, re-ceived the Multidisciplinary award. Pan-ama City Beach Firefighter Captain Terry Parris was honored with the Community Service Award.

Congratulations to all the First Responders who were nominated for the awards by their departments or family members. A special appreciation video was shown produced by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and WMBB-TV. The video fea-tures local officials and First Responders. To view the project, visit PanamaCity.org. Thank you to Perry & Young for your spon-sorship of this piece.

A challenge coin was placed at the seat of everyone in attendance, and boxes were sent to each department in Bay County to thank First Responders for their service. The donation of coins was made possible by Gulf Coast State College and Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center.

Special thanks to our sponsors:Presenting Sponsor: Tyndall Federal Credit Union; Keynote Speaker Sponsor: Bay Medical Sacred Heart; Lasik For Heroes Sponsor: The Eye Center of North Florida; Award Sponsor: Emerald Coast Hospice; Coin Sponsors: Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center and Gulf Coast State College and Video Sponsor: Perry and Young and WMBB. Gold Sponsor: Superior Residences.

Officer Tom Hedges, Multidisciplinary award Recipient Captain Terry Parris, Community Service Award Recipient

The LASIK for Local Heroes contest was announced at the event and sponsored by the Eye Center of North Florida. Iden-tical twin brothers Lawrence and Douglas Smith were honored with free eye surgery. Lawrence is a Lieutenant with Bay Coun-ty EMS and Douglas is a Sergeant with the Bay County Sheriff’s office. Both have served the community as First Responders for almost 20 years.


A surge in communication technology has enhanced the con-tinuing education experience. The use of this new technolo-

gy has created an innovative and revolutionary means of bringing the classroom experience right into a student’s living room and the accessibility of these tools are readily available right at their fingertips. The fusion of education and technology has evolved into an indispensable way of delivering quality education.

Both community colleges and universities are implementing the same technology to meet the demanding world of working adults.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University- Worldwide, Tyndall AFB campus, not only offers degrees in cutting edge fields, but they also offer them in cutting edge modalities. For example, EagleVi-sion utilizes webcam based systems of learning where the pro-fessor is teaching live from a classroom environment at any brick and motar location or remotely anywhere with a network connec-tion. The student can interact with his or her professor by asking questions or by participating in group discussions. Students are

able to get the face-to-face interaction typically associated with traditional classroom settings without actually being face-to-face with their professor.

With EagleVision, professors are able to app share their home computer screen to work a complicated math equation or show a video that better explains the lesson. This education platform provides the best solution for working adults that want a class-room feel but on their schedule. The key to staying on track with education is flexibility. Embry-Riddle students can choose to take his/her course in this modality one night a week from their home computer being taught live by a professor.

Other local colleges boast web and blended classes that can fit any schedule. With the growing demand on working adults this can be the only modality suitable for such a busy lifestyle.

“Students at Gulf Coast State College take online courses for a variety of reasons, including work or family commitments. We use a variety of software programs to enhance the e-learning ex-

The Use of Technology inEducation is Benefiting Studentsby: Heather Weekley, Assistant Campus DirectorEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University


perience for our students using a Learning Management Sys-tem. Professors are able to conduct their classes through live video conferences promoting student interaction and group dis-cussions. In addition, students can easily collaborate on projects they are working on, chat, send files and upload presentations. The use of software helps to eliminate the isolation some feel when taking online classes by engaging in real-time with their professors and peers,” Dr. Arifa Garman, Director of E-Learn-ing.

Florida State University Panama City offers its students a unique way to stay connected. The myFSU Mobile App is a free phone application that delivers campus maps, Blackboard mobile, cal-endars, and more directly to the users hands. Also available is myFSUVLab. According to fsu.edu “myFSUVLab is a way to log on to FSU’s 24/7 virtual computer lab to access campus software from anywhere.” Staying connected in the fast paced, working world is important to a student’s ability to succeed.

Troy University conducts its online learning through Black-Board. BlackBoard is an online platform where students seek-ing their degree online can conduct their day to day classwork. A typical class is heavily influenced by classroom discussion boards. This is where students conduct daily assignments and “homework” where they discuss and debate topics amongst their classmates. The discussion boards are a way for students to fully explore a topic and defend any argument they may make about a particular subject.

Many professors incorporate a hybrid blend into their classes, where a student will have various topics covered through a vid-eo link. Because every TROY professor must be a full-time fac-ulty member to conduct a class, many of the professors teach in

a traditional classroom setting, and will video their lectures for their online students to witness.

“Online learning is definitely a convenience. I actually spend more time communicating with my peers in an online class-room than I did in a traditional class. Online classes, from my personal experience, and from family and friends experiences, are the PERFECT alternative for higher education for the full time working adult who spends their day grinding at work and has a family at home. Going to spend 2-3 hours a week in a classroom after work is just not an option for me at this point in my life.” --- Matthew Wright (TROY Undergraduate 2012, Cur-rent MPA student with TROY).

With all the convenience and choices available from online learning tools, the dream of pursuing a college degree and fu-ture career can finally come to fruition.


perience for our students using a Learning Management Sys-tem. Professors are able to conduct their classes through live video conferences promoting student interaction and group dis-cussions. In addition, students can easily collaborate on projects they are working on, chat, send files and upload presentations. The use of software helps to eliminate the isolation some feel when taking online classes by engaging in real-time with their professors and peers,” Dr. Arifa Garman, Director of E-Learn-ing.

Florida State University Panama City offers its students a unique way to stay connected. The myFSU Mobile App is a free phone application that delivers campus maps, Blackboard mobile, cal-endars, and more directly to the users hands. Also available is myFSUVLab. According to fsu.edu “myFSUVLab is a way to log on to FSU’s 24/7 virtual computer lab to access campus software from anywhere.” Staying connected in the fast paced, working world is important to a student’s ability to succeed.

Troy University conducts its online learning through Black-Board. BlackBoard is an online platform where students seek-ing their degree online can conduct their day to day classwork. A typical class is heavily influenced by classroom discussion boards. This is where students conduct daily assignments and “homework” where they discuss and debate topics amongst their classmates. The discussion boards are a way for students to fully explore a topic and defend any argument they may make about a particular subject.

Many professors incorporate a hybrid blend into their classes, where a student will have various topics covered through a vid-eo link. Because every TROY professor must be a full-time fac-ulty member to conduct a class, many of the professors teach in

a traditional classroom setting, and will video their lectures for their online students to witness.

“Online learning is definitely a convenience. I actually spend more time communicating with my peers in an online class-room than I did in a traditional class. Online classes, from my personal experience, and from family and friends experiences, are the PERFECT alternative for higher education for the full time working adult who spends their day grinding at work and has a family at home. Going to spend 2-3 hours a week in a classroom after work is just not an option for me at this point in my life.” --- Matthew Wright (TROY Undergraduate 2012, Cur-rent MPA student with TROY).

With all the convenience and choices available from online learning tools, the dream of pursuing a college degree and fu-ture career can finally come to fruition.


LABOR FORCE EMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED RATE

SEPT 15

OCT 15

NOV 15

86,319

84,314

82,873

91,226

87,249

85,847

81,981

80,129

78,643

86,009

82,054

80,490

4,338

4,185

4,230

5,218

5,195

5,357

5.0%

5.0%

5.1%

5.7%

6.0%

6.2%

REALTOR SALES MEDIAN PRICE REALTOR SALES MEDIAN PRICE

SEPT 15

OCT 15

NOV 15

SEPT 14

OCT 14

NOV 14

254

288

252

248

215

225

$177,750

$178,000

$181,000

$165,000

$194,250

$150,000

23,651

23,574

22,147

21,742

20,792

21,894

$199,900

$199,990

$198,995

$180,000

$180,000

$177,000

SEPT 15

OCT 15

NOV 15

SEPT 14

OCT 14

NOV 14

103

107

110

138

138

128

$195,500

$192,500

$196,500

$181,000

$176,000

$182,500

9,277

9,348

9,294

8,900

8,622

9,377

$150,000

$152,076

$150,000

$136,000

$142,700

$139,900

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

SEPT 15

OCT 15

NOV 15

SEPT 14

OCT 14

NOV 14

37

28

27

48

31

18

1

1

0

4

1

2

GROSS SALES TAXABLE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS

SEPT 15

OCT 15

NOV 15

SEPT 14

OCT 14

NOV 14

$727,593,540

$586,335,772

$604,320,643

$659,843,189

$548,455,559

$552,023,768

$438,602,802

$321,940,227

$303,148,707

$409,405,057

$318,712,244

$272,201,075

$26,370,045

$19,442,732

$18,476,931

$24,981,751

$19,022,226

$16,902,139

current labor statistics for Bay County

real estate salesEXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

CONDO - TOWNHOME SALES

Bay County building permits

Bay County sales tax collections

INSIGHTS:Bay EDA Updateby: Becca Hardin, President

Happy New Year! We are reflect-ing on 2015 and looking forward to the promise that 2016 has to offer. We crunched the numbers and last year was a success! There were over 7,696 visits to BayEDA.com, a 30 percent increase over the previous year’s Web site traf-fic. We submitted over 34 formal proposals to companies and site selection consultants. We had ex-posure to 1,000 corporate deci-sion makers which resulted in a 50 percent increase in EDA generat-ed prospect leads. More than 300 requests for information were satisfied from our office.

That’s just a sample from our 2015 Annual Report. These results tell us that the recipe is right. In order to achieve the success that we all want for Bay County, we have to keep cooking. For 2016, our strat-egy is to continue to build upon the momentum that has been created and improve and refine our program of work. One of our program initiatives last year was to redesign our website, BayEDA.com. In our industry, an organiza-tion’s digital presence is critically important. Site selectors often tell us that they will eliminate a community from a corporate location search, based on their website alone.

Also, did you know that you can search for available commercial and industrial properties in our sites and buildings database or that you can download commu-nity demographics and statis-tics through our interactive tool? Please visit BayEDA.com to learn more. Call us at 850-215-9965.

SEPT 14

OCT 14

NOV 14


INSIGHTS:Bay EDA Update

Demographic Snapshot

Bay County Population: 178,324Median Age: 40Labor Force: 90,424Average Wage: $33,251

Households: 67,561Household Income: $47,461Per Capita Income: $24,498

PANAMA CITY BEACH MEXICO BEACH PANAMA CITY

AUG 15

AUG 14

% CHANGE

SEPT 15

SEPT 14

% CHANGE

$1,745,766

$1,871,812

-6.73%

$1,323,654

$1,045,971

26.55%

$49,692

$53,853

-7.73%

$55,331

$37,627

47.05%

Bay County bed tax collections

October - December 2015

TOTAL PASSENGERS COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS

SEPT 15

OCT 15

NOV 15

SEPT 14

OCT 14

NOV 14

74,677

78,887

61,478

65,704

70,631

54,994

1,241

1,286

1,144

1,020

1,117

926

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport passenger traffic

OCT 15

OCT 14

% CHANGE

$1,043,959

$968,831

7.75%

$34,987

$27,784

25.92%

National, state & local unemployment rate (Jan 1990 to July 2013)

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

Florida

US

Bay County

$118,071

-

-

$95,908

-

-

$94,571

-

-


A recent Florida Chamber of Commerce poll reveals voters in our region believe Florida is heading in the right direction. 59 percent of voters polled in our area believe Florida is moving in the right direction, versus 24 percent who believe the state is heading in the wrong direction. Statewide, voters share our views, but by a lesser 44 percent-to-34 percent margin. Simply put, our region feels more positive about the future of our state. Pensacola shares our sunny view, where voters responded by a whopping 67 precent-to-19 percent margin, the highest in the state.

IS FLORIDA HEADING IN THE RIGHT OR WRONG DIRECTION?(STATEWIDE, RIGHT: 44, WRONG: 34)

Jacksonville

Gainesville

Tallahassee

Panama City

Pensacola

Orlando/Daytona

Tampa/St. Pete

Ft. Meyers/Naples

Broward

Palm Beach

Miami-Dade

56:25

60:20

26:42

59:24

67:19

40:36

48:32

65:25

25:51

45:31

23:47

STATEWIDE 44:34

The Florida Chamber Political Institute poll was conducted January 4 – 7, 2016 by Cherry Communications. The poll inter-

viewed 711 frequent voters via both land and cell lines.The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent.


The Florida Chamber poll also asked voters what issue they were most concerned about. Statewide, voters said jobs/economy was the most important issue (19 percent), followed by education (15 percent) and healthcare (9 percent). The below chart shows 18 percent of

the respondents in our media market agreed that “jobs” is a top issue. Also tied for first at 18 percent is “immigration,” which could be a reflection of the national conversation surround-

ing the 2016 presidential election. As a reminder, the Florida PresidentialPreference Primary will be held on March 15, 2016.

Jacksonville

Gainesville

Tallahassee

Panama City

Pensacola

Orlando/Daytona

Tampa/St. Pete

Ft. Meyers/Naples

Broward

Palm Beach

Miami-Dade

19

13

26

18

26

21

19

20

23

7

21

1

13

11

6

4

12

8

2

11

13

12

14

20

11

6

11

19

17

12

16

13

14

Immigration 7%Gun Control 7%

State Budget 7%Senior Issues 7%

Gun Control 11%

Immigration 18%

Immigration 15%; Property Taxes 7%;Terrorism/ISIS 7%


Immigration 7%

Immigration 14%


Environment 9%

Immigration 6%

JOBS HC ED OTHER

TOP THREE VOTER CONCERNS(STATEWIDE, JOBS: 19, EDUCATION: 15, HEALTHCARE: 9)

It’s beautiful outside. Perfect for a bayfront morning run, or a poolside brunch and mimosas with friends. Maybe some sweet tea on the porch with

neighbors at sunset—sounds like the perfect way to end the day. Welcome to the SweetBay life.

SweetBay is a new master-planned community at the water’s edge in Panama City, Florida. A place to get in touch with nature and

neighbors. There are pathways, waterways, parks and pools to connect the community as well as an award-winning free public

charter school, University Academy. Down the line, a future shopping district is planned to serve as the heart of the community.

The best part? Everything is just a short walk from your front door.

Our bayfront village is intelligently designed to foster a mindful, healthy, and relaxed lifestyle full of natural beauty and wellness.

Won’t you join us?Register online to get all the news and information about new homes in SweetBay. www.sweetbayfl.com

Bay Medical Sacred Heart Named Best Value Hospital

Best Value in Floridafor Quality & Cost

Bay Medical Sacred Heart has been named a Florida Top 10 Best Value Hospital. The Best Value rankings evaluate cost in addition to key quality measures such as mortality

rates, readmission rates and patient satisfaction. Even with good health insurance coverage, these rates can

greatly impact your co-pays, so it is important to look at overall value. For more information and pricing on local

facilities visit www.baymedical.org. These figures were taken from floridahealthfinder.gov.

615 N. Bonita AvenuePanama City, FL 32401(850) 769-1511www.baymedical.org

Bay County Hospital Price Comparisons 2014

FloridaHealthFinder.gov reports hospital price ranges (low to high) for the most common diagnoses and procedures charged at all hospitals in Florida.

The prices below are rounded to the nearest thousand (K).

Procedure Bay Med FL AverageHeart Cath $27K - $40K $36K - $71K

Heart Attack $23K - $40K $27K - $65K

Heart Bypass $91K - $141K $136K - $268K

Heart Failure $14K - $32K $20K - $49K

Stroke $19K - $40K $27K - $65K

Pneumonia $16K - $34K $21K - $51K

Hip Replacement $43K - $55K $57K - $97K

Hysterectomy $23K - $34K $27K - $65K

Lower Is Better!

It’s beautiful outside. Perfect for a bayfront morning run, or a poolside brunch and mimosas with friends. Maybe some sweet tea on the porch with

neighbors at sunset—sounds like the perfect way to end the day. Welcome to the SweetBay life.

SweetBay is a new master-planned community at the water’s edge in Panama City, Florida. A place to get in touch with nature and

neighbors. There are pathways, waterways, parks and pools to connect the community as well as an award-winning free public

charter school, University Academy. Down the line, a future shopping district is planned to serve as the heart of the community.

The best part? Everything is just a short walk from your front door.

Our bayfront village is intelligently designed to foster a mindful, healthy, and relaxed lifestyle full of natural beauty and wellness.

Won’t you join us?Register online to get all the news and information about new homes in SweetBay. www.sweetbayfl.com

A new-home communityin Panama City, Florida

OPE

NING THIS SUMMER

Best Value in Floridafor Quality & Cost

Florida Top 10 Best Value Hospital.

www.baymedical.org.

Bay County Hospital Price Comparisons 2014

$27K - $40K

$23K - $40K

$91K - $141K

$14K - $32K

$19K - $40K

$16K - $34K

$43K - $55K

$23K - $34K


If you’re looking for employment, we have the solution in Bay, Gulf and

Franklin Counties. CareerSource Gulf Coast is one of 24 regional boards in Florida working toward a clear goal: Finding the best employment matches for job seekers and employers. At the Panama City CareerSource Job Center on Highway 231, we offer job seekers comprehensive employment services to obtain or advance their careers. The Job Center is operated through a partnership with the Career-Source Gulf Coast Board, Gulf Coast State College, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Career-

Source Florida. All of the exceptional services in our job cen-ters are offered at no charge to employers or job seekers. We not only have the skills and technology to assist job seekers in every way, we have staff that are caring and focused on helping them achieve success. We work to make your job search effective and efficient. Don’t know where to start? • Come in and let one of our staff assist you by

registering in the Employ Florida Marketplace.

• Attend one of our weekly classes on resume

building.

• Like us on Facebook to see daily job postings.

Attending one of our regular hiring events is a great way to gain employment, and with that in mind, Friday, Feb. 5, marks the date of the 29th Annual Bay County Job Fair at Haney Technical Center. CareerSource Gulf Coast will be one of several partners participating and sponsoring the event. This annual event offers benefits for both employers and job seekers, and speaks to the heart of what we do - match skilled job seekers with area em-ployers seeking local workforce talent. The hours for the Bay County Job Fair are 9 a.m. to Noon with an 8 a.m. opening for veterans and transitioning service members only, as we extend our priority of service to those who have served.

Mark your calendar now and get ready. Let us help you be “interview ready” – from a well-polished resume to interview preparation, we can help you be confident and prepared as you come to the event. Please sign up for our Resume Building Class on Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m.

Stop in, call us, or visit our website. Search Ca-reerSource Gulf Coast on Facebook. No mat-ter how you choose to connect, we’ll be here to serve you. The Panama City Job Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and you can reach us via email at [email protected] or by phone at 850-872-4340, ext. 100. To learn more about the Bay County Job Fair, visit BayCountyJobFair.com.

Bay County Job Fair is Around the Corner – and So Are We!by: Kim Bodine, Executive Director, CareerSource Gulf Coast

24 |

G U I D EHome Buyer

4 THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR A NEW HOME BUYER

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

8 5 0 . 77 0 . 7 0 47Property Taxes - After purchasing a new home you will be responsible for paying property taxes every year. You can bundle these taxes into your monthly mortgage payment but be prepared to budget for a higher monthly payment.

Utility Bills - Monthly utility bills may be new to you if you were renting before. Be prepared to pay for the basics such as electric, water, and cable as well as sewer, trash pick-up, landscaping and HOA fees if they apply.

Home Insurance - It is important to insure your newly purchased asset and your belongings inside by purchasing homeowners insurance. Additional coverages such as flood should be considered if you live near water.

Ongoing Maintenance - If you purchase a new home, maintenance issues should not arise for a couple of years. For older homes it is imperative to have cash funds available for emergencies such as a broken water heater, appliances, or a new roof.

HOME • AUTO

HEALTH • LIFE • BUSINESS

| 27

If you are a member of the Bay County Chamber and would like to submit your business news to be published, email a press release, logo or photo to [email protected]

The Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Board of DirectorTerm Expires Dec 2016Ryan DavisMidSouth Bank

Chris MooreGeneral Dynamics Information Technology

Jackie RinkeriHeart Media

Sandy SimsGulf Power Company

Carlton UlmerGulf Coast Regional Medical Center

Ray WalkerAT&T

Board of DirectorTerm Expires Dec 2017Lisa BarnesEastern Shipbuilding Group

Will CramerBill Cramer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC

Jimmy PatronisCaptain Anderson’s Restaurant

Ed PhelanMaritech Machine

Waylon Thompson Manuel & Thompson P.A.

Stephanie WhiteBay County Association of REALTORS

Board of DirectorTerm Expires Dec 2018Garrett AndersonAnderson Construction Company

Ross ClemonsThe Clemons Company

Andrew RowellGAC Contractors

Joe SorciFlorida Architects

Bryan Taylor United Way of NWF

Greg WilsonState Attorney’s Office

Board of DirectorOne Year Chair AppointmentJohn MeyerReliantSouth Construction Group

Katherine NaumannTrane

Chase PatelSage Development Group

OfficersChairman of the BoardRobert CarrollMcNeil Carroll Engineering Inc.

Chairman ElectClaire ShermanLamar Advertising Co.

Vice-ChairmanWayne LindseySonny’s BBQ

TreasurerDoug MooreAmeris Bank

Past Chairman / Military Affairs CommitteeMichael SearsMerrill Lynch

CommunicationsWill CramerBill Cramer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC

Robert Carroll

Claire Sherman

Wayne Lindsey

Doug Moore

Michael Sears

Will Cramer

The Bay County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce its 2016 Officers and Directors.


State Attorney of the 14thJudicial Circuit Glenn Hess

State Attorney of the 14th Judi-cial Circuit Glenn Hess has been named the Florida Prosecuting At-torneys Association (FPAA) Presi-dent for 2015-2016. He has served the organization previously as Trea-surer, Secretary and Vice-President.

Bay Medical Sacred Heart

Bay Medical Sacred Heart welcomes Linda K. Fox, MD, as the newest mem-ber of the Board of Trustees, the group responsible for overseeing the opera-tions of the hospital. Dr. Fox has been on staff at Bay Medical Sacred Heart since 2003, and has served in several leadership positions including Chief of Medicine, Chief of Staff, Co-Chief of the Emergency Department, and chair-man of the Credentials Committee.

Joe Ketterer, MHA, has been named Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart

Health System’s new Vice President of Physician Practice Management. Joe has 10 years of experience in health-care administration in operations and financial management in the hospital and clinic setting. He comes to us from Community Health Systems (CHS), where he was physician practice ad-ministrator in Sebastian, Fla. There he had oversight of multiple clinics in a variety of specialties. Prior to that, he held the same position with CHS in Bullhead City, Ariz. Joe holds a mas-ter’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Florida and ob-tained his bachelor’s degree from UF in business administration.

Southern Orthopedic SpecialistsThe physicians of Southern Orthope-dic Specialists are pleased to welcome their newest associate, Dr. Ethan L. Kellum, to Panama City. Dr. Kellum earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Freed-Hardeman Uni-versity in Henderson, Tennessee. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine in Mem-phis. In 2013, Dr. Kellum completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the Medical College of Georgia. In 2014 he completed a fellowship in sports med-icine at New England Baptist Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital in Bos-ton, Massachusetts where he served as assistant team physician for the NBA’s Boston Celtics, and for both Harvard and Tufts’ University Athletics.

Burg Management Group

Associa, the industry leader in commu-nity management, is proud to announce its newest partnership with Burg Man-agement Company, Inc. based in Pana-ma City Beach. The company has been managing associations for more than three decades and has remained a lead-ing management company in the Pana-ma City market since its inception.

The Write PlacePat Sabiston, owner of The Write Place, a Bay County marketing and

PR firm, was recently named an award winner in the 2015 WRITER’S DIGEST Magazine Writing Competition. WRIT-ER’S DIGEST is the foremost trade pub-lication for writers and editors. Sabis-ton’s essay -- “The New Legend of the Sand Dollar” – was recognized by this prestigious publication.

Tutor DoctorAlison Parker and Lacey Frank, former elementary school teachers, purchased

a tutoring franchise when they noticed a great need in Bay County. Tutor Doc-


tor of the Emerald Coast opened in 2015 with five tutors. They now serve over 100 families with over 50 tutors. They were recently awarded the Tutor Doctor Rookies of the Year Award at the Tutor Doctor Worldwide Confer-ence in San Diego, California.

Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center

Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center announces that it has been recognized as a 2014 Top Performer on Key Qual-ity Measures® by The Joint Commis-sion, the leading accreditor of health-care organizations in the United States.

Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center was recognized as part of The Joint Commission’s 2015 annual report “America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety,” for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, stroke and perinatal care. Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center is one of only 1,043 hospitals out of more than 3,300 eligible hospitals in the United States to achieve the 2014 Top Performer distinc-tion.

Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center also has been recognized for its dedica-tion to patient safety by being awarded an A grade in the Fall 2015 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hos-pitals protect patients from preventable medical errors, injuries and infections within the hospital. This A grade is one of the most meaningful honors a hos-pital can achieve, and one of the most valuable indicators for patients looking for a safe place to receive care. The Hos-pital Safety Score is the gold standard rating for patient safety, compiled un-der the guidance of the nation’s leading patient safety experts and administered by The Leapfrog Group, a national, nonprofit hospital safety watchdog.

Sonitrol CorporationThis year marks the 20th anniversa-ry of Sonitrol of Bay County. Since April of 1995, Sonitrol of Bay County

has been providing leading security technology solutions and top quality

personnel performance to its surround-ing areas. This independent franchise, licensed by Sonitrol Corporation, was launched in April 1995. Assembling top talent from across the state, Sonitrol of Bay County proved in its first year to be the most rapid launch of a Sonitrol franchise in the company’s history.

Warren Averett, LLC

Warren Averett, LLC, Certified Public Accountants and Advisors, continues to expand its Southeast presence with the upcoming merger of Panama City, Florida based firm Jinks & Moody, PA. This addition brings the Warren Averett firm to more than 800 team members, serving clients through 14 offices across Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The merger, effective Jan. 1, 2016, offers clients expanded reach and resources, service solutions and a strengthened depth of expertise, with the same lev-el of personal client service. Jinks & Moody, PA focuses their practice on providing tax, accounting services, compilations, reviews and consulting services to individuals and business cli-ents. The Firm was founded by partner Russell Jinks in 1996. “We have enjoyed a great working re-lationship with the Jinks & Moody firm for many years,” says Jody Henderson, CPA, Warren Averett Fort Walton Beach Member. “This was a natural fit, as it expands our capabilities and resources, and opens up more opportunity for our clients and employees.”

Northwest Florida BeachesInternational AirportNorthwest Florida Beaches Interna-tional Airport has launched a new website. Why a new website? About

50% of our website visitors use their mobile devices to view the site. From 2014 to 2015, visits from mobile phone

users increased 54%. This is the single most important factor in the redesign as we’re moving from a “mobile ver-sion” of the website to a mobile respon-sive website. The new website is going to make for a much better user experi-ence for a lot of people.

What you can do on this website:TRACK FLIGHTS: The Flight Tracker on the website displays identical in-formation to the airport screens. This makes for a seamless information ex-perience for passengers. LEARN: The Where We Fly page has been totally redesigned to emphasize the nonstop routes. It’s a more visual layout with tourist hotspots and air carriers so that site visitors can get a better sense of all nonstop options are available. FIND INFORMATION YOU NEED: The website now places an emphasis on high-traffic pages such as Parking, Tax-is and Rental Cars, and Airlines. These pages are now located on the homep-age and easily accessible to passengers on-the-go.

Have a submissionfor the Biz List?

Please contact Brittany Coleat 850-215-3755.


Have a submissionfor the Biz List?

Shining a spotlight on the past year’s accomplishments, the Bay County Chamber of Commerce celebrated its Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Friday, January 22, 2016, at the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort.

Chairman of the Board for 2015, Michael Sears with Merrill Lynch passed the gavel to 2016 Chairman, Robert Carroll of McNeil Carroll Engineer-ing. Sears term as chairman included many successes for the Chamber such as: growing the membership to over 950 members; supporting the Local Preference Ordinance; the implementation of the Panama City Bed Tax; the Junior Leadership Bay class bringing back drivers education to schools; leadership roles in Alignment Bay County and many successful events including hosting Governor Rick Scott as the keynote speaker at the Industry Appreciation Awards Breakfast.

The awards portion of the program began with Sears, who presented a beautiful bronze eagle to 2015 Military Affairs Committee Chairman, Larry Carroll of Coldwell Banker/Carroll Realty. Mr. Carroll was extreme-ly involved with both Tyndall AFB and Naval Support Activity, serving as a liaison between the military and civilian community.

Each year the Chamber recognizes an outstanding member with its Mem-ber of the Year award. Derwin White, Vice President/Partner of GAC Contractors, was announced as the 2015 recipient. Being involved in the Chamber since the early 90s, Mr. White is truly committed to the Chamber and the growth and development of Bay County and our region. He and

his company (a member of the Bay County Chamber since 1959) are ex-cellent corporate citizens that know it is their responsibility to support the community of which has allowed them to grow.

The last award of the night and the Chamber’s most prestigious is the Lau-ren Merriam Memorial Award, the Chamber’s highest honor. Elizabeth Walters (who was the 2009 recipient of the award), presented the 2015 award to her father, Leon Walters, who was chosen for this award for his commitment to the community’s wellbeing, as exemplified by involvement in civic, charitable and/or endeavors contributing to the betterment of Bay County and the benefit of its citizens. Recipients of the award are selected by the previous award winners.

Wrapping up the evening, 2016 Chairman, Robert Carroll gave his vision for the organization over the next year. Carroll touched on the aggressive priorities for 2016 including the continued efforts to monitor issues affect-ing the Gulf Training Range; the involvement in the implementation of Alignment Bay County; pursuing infrastructure funding sources; support-ing concept of an indoor events facility; continuing the support of widening Hwy 390 with elected officials and identifying opportunities to support lo-cal existing industry. Carroll ended the evening inviting attendees to come and grow with the Chamber as signified in its 2016 theme, “Come grow with us”. The campaign is being utilized not only to grow the organization, but to also invite businesses to our great community.

PLATINUM SPONSORS:Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, Harrison Sale McCloy Attorneys At Law, Klever Media Works, and Merrill Lynch

GOLD SPONSORS:Barron and Redding, P.A., Early Education and Care, FSU Panama City, Gulf Coast State College, HealthSouth,Manuel & Thompson, P.A., NAI Talcor, Northstar Church, SweetBay and WestRock.


Bay Medical Sacred Heart Employed Physicians October 2015

Gregory England, MD

Coastal Cardiovascular Surgeons 801 E. 6th St., Suite 309 Panama City (850) 785-9559 www.coastalcvsurgeons.com

Reed Finney, MD


Lynn Seto, MD


Rebecca Hysong, MD

Bayside Surgical Associates 801 E. 6th St., Suite 602 Panama City (850) 913-6960

Rodney Morris, MD

Rodney Morris, MD 801 E. 6th St., Suite 302 Panama City (850) 763-6224

Michael Slavens, MD


Glenn Summers, MD


www.bmshfamilymedicine.com

Stephen Armistead, MD Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine2420 Jenks Ave., Suite 5 Panama City (850) 770-3220

Jennifer Follwell, DO Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine2101 Northside Dr., Suite 702 Panama City (850) 770-3210

Roger J. Gamad, MD Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine 3232 E. 15th St. Panama City, FL 32405 (850) 769-1533

Jennifer D’Souza Handy, DO Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine 3232 E. 15th St. Panama City (850) 769-1533

Christy Johnson, ARNP Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine2420 Jenks Ave., Suite 5 Panama City (850) 770-3220

Cardiothoracic Surgeons

General Surgeons

Primary Care

-over-

Maria Parris, DO Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine2421 Thomas Drive Panama City Beach (850) 770-3240

Ketan Patel, MD Internal Medicine BMSH Family Medicine 2507 Harrison Ave., Suite 200 Panama City (850) 770-3280

Joshua Reams, MD Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine 23040 Panama City Beach Pkwy. Panama City Beach (850) 770-3230

Brian Shaheen, MD Family Medicine BMSH Family Medicine 2421 Thomas Drive Panama City Beach (850) 770-3240

Cyril DeSilva, MD

Cyril DeSilva, MD 801 E. 6th St., Suite 604 Panama City(850) 770-3030 www.ccdesilva.com

Shawn Brooking, DNP, CNM MidwifeCoastal Ob/Gyn 25 Doctors Drive Panama City(850) 785-0515 www.coastalobgynpc.com

Noreen Burke, ARNP Coastal Ob/Gyn 25 Doctors Drive Panama City(850) 785-0515 www.coastalobgynpc.com

Deborah Edgeworth, MD Coastal Ob/Gyn 25 Doctors Drive Panama City(850) 785-0515 www.coastalobgynpc.com

Yolanda Jones, MD Coastal Ob/Gyn 25 Doctors Drive Panama City(850) 785-0515 www.coastalobgynpc.com

Greg Morrow, MD Coastal Ob/Gyn 25 Doctors Drive Panama City(850) 785-0515 www.coastalobgynpc.com

Orthopedic Locum Tenens Bay Orthopedics 2943 Highway 77 Panama City(850) 914-7060

Neurosurgery

OB/GYN

Orthopedics





Cyril DeSilva, MD








Neurosurgery

OB/GYN

Orthopedics


Gregory England, MD


Reed Finney, MD


Lynn Seto, MD


Rebecca Hysong, MD


Rodney Morris, MD


Michael Slavens, MD


Glenn Summers, MD









General Surgeons

Primary Care

-over-

Bay Medical Sacred Heart has primary care physicians at the beach and in town to meet your healthcare needs.

Call our Physician Referral Line at (850) 747-6100.

bmshfamilymedicine.com


Gregory England, MD


Reed Finney, MD


Lynn Seto, MD


Rebecca Hysong, MD


Rodney Morris, MD


Michael Slavens, MD


Glenn Summers, MD









General Surgeons

Primary Care

-over-

Jennifer D’Souza Handy, DOFamily Medicine489 N. Tyndall Pkwy.Panama City(850) 770-3290

Katen Patel, MDInternal Medicine2507 Harrison Ave., Suite 200(850) 770-3280

Stephen Armistead, MDFamily Medicine2420 Jenks Ave., Suite 5Panama City(850) 770-3220

Maria Parris, DOFamily Medicine2101 Northside Drive, Suite 702Panama City(850) 770-3210

Brian Shaheen, MDFamily Medicine2421 Thomas DrivePanama City Beach(850) 770-3240

Christy Johnson, ARNPFamily Medicine2101 Northside Drive, Suite 702Panama City(850) 770-3210

Joshua Reams, MDFamily Medicine23040 Panama City Beach Pkwy.Panama City Beach(850) 770-3230





Cyril DeSilva, MD








Neurosurgery

OB/GYN

Orthopedics





Cyril DeSilva, MD








Neurosurgery

OB/GYN

Orthopedics

Family Medicine at Six Convenient Locations

The Baby Boomers are hitting the winter market!

Our March/Spring edition theme highlightsRetirement/Relocation options

birdsGulf Coast

Snow

Snowbirds or Part-time Locals?

10 Years of Publishing

Advertising deadline: Feb. 10.

20,000 copies distributedin more than 300

highly targeted locations!

Reach this valuable market while

they are here in the region through

our print edition and year-round

through our digital channels.


• KBB’s2015“Best Buy Award”• MotorTrend’s“Talk of The Town Award”• U.S.News&WorldReport2014“Best Cars For The Money”

Five Decades.....Three Generations.....One Tradition!2251 W. 23rd Street - Panama City, FL 32405

850-250-4737 - BillCramerGM.com

Raffle to support Taunton Family Children’s HomeTo RSVP, email [email protected]

GRAND OPENINGBeachy Beach Real Estate & Brian Baber invites you to a Grand OpeningTues, Feb 2, 2016 at 1198 Eisenhower Circle in College Point

Real Estate Agents & Brokers4:00pm-5:30pm

All Community Members5:30pm-6:30pm


Desiree Gardner, professional photographer and Best Of Bay 2015 win-ner, is excited to be entering her fourth year of business. In an exceed-ingly competitive and challenging industry, she feels at home. She grew up with a camera in her hand, shooting with her first 35mm (film) Nikon by age 14. Weddings and family photography are her main business, but she is also passionate about nature photography. Her 9,000+ Instagram followers are a testament to that (@desireegardnerphotography).

Last December, to promote nature conservation, Gardner went on a self-supported 116-mile river expedition with two professional paddle boarders. Her images from that trip have been featured by many compa-nies, blogs, in print, and one shot was recently nominated for SUP photo of the year, where she took second place. In 2015, her wedding photogra-phy took her from Miami Beach to NYC. As much as she loves to travel, she loves that her business’ roots are here in Bay County. Even after grow-ing up on a tropical island (Florida Keys native), she thinks PCB beaches are hard to beat. When she is not with clients, she’s usually at the beach shooting a sunset. Check out her work at www.desireegardner.com.

Desiree Gardner

Pete Bailey has a love for the salt air and the emerald green waters in Florida’s Panhandle. Growing up in Pensacola, Bailey moved to Bay County in June 2015. He is an honors graduate from UWF with B.S.B.A. Bailey works at Gulf Power where he leads their residential marketing efforts. He has worked in the electric utility industry for the past 18 years and is a Certified Energy Manager with a passion for consulting work with respect to energy management and effi-ciency. He has extensive experience helping residential, commer-cial, and industrial customers with their energy needs. He enjoys helping customers find creative solutions to their energy needs.

Bailey is a past Leadership Bay Chairman for the Bay County Cham-ber, Bay Young Professionals member, Chairman for Transformers, and Board of Directors for Bay Builders Industries Association. He is married to Ashley and they have two boys, Michael Glen and Landon. Bailey can be found coaching Landon’s baseball team, cheering for Michael Glen’s basketball team, fishing in the Gulf, or spending quality time with his family throughout Bay County.

Pete Bailey

Many young professionals are enthusiastic about area business and community opportunities and are ready to get involved as new leaders. Bay Young Professionals (BYP) was formed by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce to specifically address the needs of this age group to enrich our community by uniting, developing and retaining our future leaders.

If you are interested in becoming part of the Bay Young Professionals (BYP) group, contact Elizabeth Smith at850-215-3761 or [email protected].

Photos by: Desiree Gardner Photography

NOW SERVICING PANAMA CITY!

423.677.8022Jim Cash, [email protected]

850.457.8494Darrell Jensen, General Manager

[email protected]

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For a complete and up to date list of all Chamber activities, includingcommittee meetings,visit our website at www.PanamaCity.org

NOTE: Dates, times and locations subject to change. For sponsorshipinformation, please contact: [email protected] or call850-215-3761

Feb2nd Bay Business Connection MeetingFishale Taphouse(7715 Front Beach Road)Time:11:30 a.m.

Bay Young Professionals SocialFishale Taphouse(7715 Front Beach Road)Time:5:00 to 7:00 p.m.Sponsored by:Fishale Taphouse

3rd Governmental AffairsMeetingChamber Boardroom(235 West 5th Street)Time:8:15 a.m.

Bay Business Connection MeetingSonny’s Real Pit BBQ(2240 Highway 77)Time:11:30 a.m.

4th First Friday*FSU Panama City HolleyAcademic Center(4750 Collegiate Drive)Networking:7:15 a.m. / Program 8:00 a.m.Sponsored by:Ameris Bank and Gulf Coast Children Advocacy Center

11th Bay Business Connection MeetingFerrucci’s Ristorante(301 Harrison Avenue)Time:11:30 a.m.

Public Relations Committee MeetingChamber Boardroom(235 West 5th Street)Time:4:00 p.m.

18th Board of Directors MeetingChamber Boardroom(235 West 5th Street)Time:11:00 a.m.

Mar1st Bay Business Connection MeetingFishale Taphouse(7715 Front Beach Road)Time:11:30 a.m.

4th First Friday*FSU Panama City HolleyAcademic Center(4750 Collegiate Drive)Networking:7:15 a.m. / Program 8:00 a.m.Sponsored by:Sonny’s Real Pit BBQ

15th Bay Business Connection MeetingFishale Taphouse(7715 Front Beach Road)Time:11:30 a.m.

31st Board of Director’s BlockParty & Bed RacesBay County Chamber of Commerce(235 West 5th Street)Time:5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

EYE CARE FOR EVERY STAGE OF LIFE

HEALTHY EYES. HEALTHY LIVING.


EYE CARE FOR EVERY STAGE OF LIFE

HEALTHY EYES. HEALTHY LIVING.


30A Olive Oil Company12805 US Hwy. 98East Inlet Beach, FL 32413(850) 909-0099

Abbey Nails1812 S. Hwy 77, Ste.109Lynn Haven,FL 32444(850) 248-5683

Adventure Club Learning Center2405 E. BaldwinPanama City, FL 32405(850) 522-0171

American Legion Post 392535 Oak Ave.Panama City, FL 32401(850) 305-2856

Beach Boys Shuttle Taxi & Limo7940 Front Beach Rd., #333Pamana City Beach, FL 32407(850) 236-6234

Beach Jeeps1312 Thomas Dr.Panama City Beach, FL 32408(850) 819-9966

Callaway Country Florist & Gifts6823 Hwy 22Panama City, FL 32404(850) 785-7400

Coastal Sun Realty19715 PCB Parkway, Ste 200Panama City Beach, FL 32413(850) 249-2050

Rowan & Associates1002 W. 23rd St., Ste 330Panama City, FL 32405(850) 215-4155

Dinah’s Coastal Furniture & Boutique22200 PCB ParkwayPanama City Beach, FL 32413(850) 238-8999

Dr. Phillip Nunnery, MD1936 Jenks Ave.Panama City, FL 32405(850) 763-5959

dsi Associates4750 Collegiate Dr.Panama City, FL 32405(630) 734-3333

Eagle Car & Truck Sales211 E. 15th St.Panama City, FL 32405(850) 818-0216

Earthwise Pet Supply632 W. 23rd St.Panama City, FL 32405(850) 640-2173

Elite School of CosmetologyW. 15th St.Panama City, FL 32401(850) 481-1220

Escape Manor, LLC430 Harrison Ave.Panama City, FL 32401(850) 209-8112

First Step Child Development105 W. 11th St.Lynn Haven, FL 32444(850) 265-6904

Florida Coastal Closing & Escrow1002 W. 23rd St., Ste. 330Panama City, FL 32405(850) 215-4155

Focus on Behavior445 Grace Ave.Panama City, FL 32401(850) 818-0095

Foot Glove PerformanceFootwear4750 Collegiate Dr.Panama City, FL 32405(850) 960-0477

Great Florida Insurance3000 Hwy 77, Ste. BLynn Haven, FL 32444(850) 784-1688

Gulf Coast Utility Contractors13938 Hwy 77Panama City, FL 32409(850) 265-9166

Half Hitch Tackle2206 Thomas Dr.Panama City Beach, FL 32408(850) 234-2621

Liberty National LifeInsurance523 Jenks Ave.Panama City, FL 32401(334) 406-4674

Mamita’s Italian Pizzeria2808 W. 23rd St.Panama City, FL 32405(850) 480-0420

Martial Arts Training Center/Kicks Plus241-A N. Tyndall PkwPanama City, FL 32404(850) 770-5425

Melanie Resch Photography208 Johnson Bayou Dr.Panama City Beach, FL 32407(850) 896-5572

Panhandle Real Estate, Inc.2611 C W. 23rd St.Panama City, FL 32405(850) 522-8955

Patriot Security Services1325 Harrison Ave.Panama City, FL 32401(850) 890-4965

PC Community Development Council1000 Beck Ave. Panama City, FL 32401(850) 532-0408

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen #119822711 Hwy. 231Panama City, FL 32405(850) 257-5465

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen #25551302 W. Hwy. 98Panama City, FL 32401(850) 785-8845

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen#26241501 Ohio Ave.Lynn Haven, FL 32444(850) 265-4450

Premium Outdoor Advertising3001 S. Hwy. 77Lynn Haven, FL 32444(850) 890-0989

Prentice Thomas & Associates425 E. Hollywod Blvd., Ste DMary Esther, FL 32569(820) 243-5992

Rodeway Inn4111 W. Hwy. 98Panama City, FL 32401(850) 784-1777

Snowbirds Gulf Coast1160 Great Oaks Ct.Gulf Breeze, FL 32563(850) 291-1266

Step Ahead Cosmetology School3400 A Hwy. 77Lynn Haven, FL 32444(850) 265-0115

Storter Childs Printing Co.1540 NE Waldo Rd.Gainesville, FL 32641(352) 376-2658

Sunniland Roofing Supply317 Griffin Blvd.Panama City Beach, FL 32413(850) 392-7395

Treasure Trunk Mall3101-A Hwy 77Lynn Haven, FL 32444(850) 896-4107

Tyndall Diner232 S. Tyndall ParkwayPanama City, FL 32404(850) 481-8874

Vortex Geospatial LLC7017 Hugh Dr.Callaway, FL 32404(850) 849-9296

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5 YearsAllstate Insurance - Baytown AgencyAmeris BankBay County Alzheimers AllianceCabin Creek Food Services, IncColeman American AlliedEC Sleep SolutionsGulf Coast Addiction Medicine, LLCLifeguard Ambulance ServiceMarine MaxPeters & ScoonStanley Peacock P.A.Super CutsValley Crest

10 YearsAbsolute Business SolutionsBalfour Beatty CommunitiesGulf Crest CondominiumsHSG AccountingOceaneering Umbilical SolutionsPanama City Living MagazinePremium Clean CareSheltairUniversal Engineering Sciences

15 YearsDisability Resource CenterLandever EstatesLife Management Center of NW FLMilitary Media, Inc.St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club

20 YearsAmerican Care SourceFirst CommunicationsGulf Coast Electric Cooperative, Inc.Nations Real EstatePanama City MallPanama Country ClubRoyal American Management, Inc.Trane

25 YearsSegers, Sowell, Stewart, Johnson & Brill

30 YearsCentury 21-Commander Realty, Inc.Chemical Addictions Recovery Effort, Inc.

35 YearsBerg Steel Pipe Corp.Moonspinner Condo AssocShumaker Construction Company, Inc.

40 YearsGulf Coast State CollegeMid-South Lumber CompanyThe Storage Inn

55 YearsHutt Insurance Agency

65 YearsAT&TAnderson Columbia Company, Inc.Brown & Brown InsuranceBuffalo Rock Company/Pepsi ColaGulf Power CompanyH. G. Harders & Son, Inc.Tarpon Dock Air Conditioning

Commercial and Residential PropertyValuations

D O N A L D G I L E SM A I , S R A

Cert. Gen. RZ356

122 E 4th St Panama City, Fl, 32401

Phone: 850-769-6593 Fax: 850-872-9160

[email protected]

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City, ST ZIP Code Phone: 555.555.0125

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1. Outgoing Board Members, Pam Kidwell, JeremyBennett, and Aaron Rich Recognized at First Fridaywith 2015 Chairman Mike Sears2. Bay District School Students Learning aboutOpportunities in Bay County at 2015 Career Connections3. Board of Directors Members Will Cramer and JimmyPatronis with Mr. and Mrs. Claus4. 2015 Committee Chairs honored at DecemberFirst Friday5. Military Affairs Committee Passing of the Gavel from2015 Chairman Larry Carroll, to 2016 Chairman Mike Sears6. Governmental Affairs Committee deliveringLegislative Agenda to leaders in Tallahassee

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Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or in all GEICO companies. See geico.com for more details. GEICO and Affiliates. Washington DC 20076. GEICO Gecko image © 1999-2015. © 2015 GEICO.

ƒ¬Ωœ∑ø∂̊

ßJennifer Koppel

850-785-05381314 N. Tyndall Pkwy | Panama City

(Between Transmitter Rd. and Super Wal-Mart)

Just ask us.

235 W. 5TH STREETPANAMA CIT Y, FL 32401

Expert Craftsmanship

Quality Products

Stellar Customer Service

www.samueltaylorhomes.com

19715 Panama City Beach Parkway #2 Panama City Beach, Fl. 32413.

Documents

January-March 2016 Bay Biz