Business Development 

The Office of Economic Development (OED) Business Development Section is responsible for the attraction and recruitment of businesses in the County’s targeted industries. This responsibility is shared with the County’s private sector partner agency, the Broward Alliance, local municipalities and other economic development organizations. As the countywide public agency for economic development, the OED works closely with municipal development officials to coordinate business development activities such as site selection, fast-tracking development review and permitting processes, addressing public infrastructure issues, and incentives.

Business Development staff coordinates with Workforce One and local educational institutions to package job training programs for companies that are expanding or relocating to Broward County. The section has developed expertise in facilitating customized training designed to prepare local residents for new work challenges in the companies recruited to Broward County, or in existing companies that are expanding here.

Broward County’s three year-old International Business Development Program has been highly recognized in the Florida business development profession as one of the most successful in the State of Florida. This success is evidenced by the number of foreignbased companies which have established regional or hemispheric operations based in Broward County bringing new foreign direct investment and creating high wage employment opportunities for Broward and South Florida residents.

The OED established a corporate services program that provides direct assistance to local companies including those recruited by the OED and its partners. This program keeps the face of County Government close to business and industry. This program has addressed employee re-training needs, infrastructure issues, transportation and transit issues, and has even connected companies to local charities to support local causes that benefit the people of Broward County.

Economic trends suggest continued job growth in Broward County even as the population continues to grow. The overall economy of South Florida is predicted to show healthy growth through 2006 at unprecedented rates. Much of this growth however, will be reflected less in the relocation of large, high profile firms to our region, but rather in the expansion and growth of existing businesses, and the establishment of new small and mid-sized enterprises. The business development strategies contained in this plan are devised to respond to these trends through concerted business retention and expansion activities, robust workforce development and corporate support services, targeted business attraction efforts, and a comprehensive approach to international business development.