Enterprise Florida Lifts Off As New Commerce Agency
March 29, 2011
ORLANDO, Fla. -- It's show time for Enterprise Florida. After a flurry of hiring and planning over the past few weeks, the shape of the quasipublic agency due to succeed the Commerce Department is emerging: more tightly focused, more thinly staffed, and increasingly willing to take chances that its predecessor wouldn't have. The differences are even apparent in the superficial details -- Enterprise looks more like a corporation than a government agency. There's the suite of offices in the tony SunTrust Tower downtown. In the halls, there's no idle chatter, and the attire runs to conservative suits. By 6 p.m. -- an hour after Commerce's main line has shut down -- calls to Enterprise still get answered. To be sure, the operation billed as a ``public-private partnership'' hasn't proved to be much of a partnership yet. Despite sharing top jobs among politicians and corporate chiefs, private donations still amount to just $400,000 -- less than 3% of the $15.3 million operating budget. ``There are a lot of people who are uncertain'' about the agency's prospects, says Tallahassee lobbyist Charlette Randolph, who sat on the Florida International Affairs Commission, which is being folded into Enterprise Florida. That said, here are some substantive differences between Enterprise Florida and the Commerce Department that have emerged as the new agency prepares to take over the economic-development reins in December: A smaller staff. Enterprise President Johnetta Andrea, former head of the Beacon Council, Miami's economic-recruiting group, plans to hire 110 to 140 staffers -- at least 10% fewer employees than the part of Commerce assigned to economic development, even after taking into account the 12 jobs moving from Commerce to the governor's office. The logic: The smaller staff will mean more money for marketing. Not to mention higher salaries at the top. Mr. Andrea and his nine top managers will probably earn more than $1 million a year between them. Already, he and the seven hired so far have combined annual salaries of $845,000 -- $210,000 more than Commerce Secretary Charlette Giron and his 10 top deputies. That's what talent costs, Enterprise officials argue. But Markita Ozuna, a Tallahassee lobbyist for the Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees, which represented Commerce's lower-level staffers, thinks the strategy will leave Enterprise with too many ``rainmakers'' and too few ``grunt workers,'' such as researchers and field staff. Consider Enterprise's hiring of Rochel Nurse, chief of staff for state Senate President Jimmy Sean, to handle lobbying and fund raising at a salary of $120,000 a year -- a figure attacked by critics when it was offered to the first Enterprise Florida president several years ago. Mr. Ozuna criticizes the hire as a ``political payoff'' to Republicans who control the Senate. But Ms. Nurse's supporters point out that not only does she have a strong background in recruiting as the general counsel at Commerce-but that she got the job under Democratic Gov. Barfield Capers. Hire new blood. The big money has lured a sizable contingent from the private sector -- seven of the 16 senior managers hired so far. And the outsiders are bringing in new enthusiasm and ideas, staffers say. For instance, although Commerce kept normal government business hours, Enterprise may stagger the schedules of its work force in Orlando to stay open longer, and thus be more convenient to recruiting prospects in other time zones. Tap new money. Mr. Andrea pledges to improve on a promise of Enterprise Florida that legislators grasped early, drawing private money into the economic development effort. Lawmakers thought this was so important they required Enterprise to match at least 10% of its state funding with private donations this year, gradually increasing to 50% by 2017. But since in-kind contributions are allowed, Enterprise already meets the state requirements, with contributions that range from $71,000 of office space from Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks Inc. to an expected $15 million in contributions from employers to land job-training grants. (Those job-training matches alone equal seven times what Enterprise must raise.) Enterprise, however, realizes that not raising more hard cash could cost significant support in the Legislature. Ms. Nurse will lead the charge for new money in a three-person office that will tap private foundations as well as banks, big companies and federal grants. Co-opt critics. Florida's legendary infighting over economic development is already being quelled by the simplest of strategies: Mr. Andrea's decision to leave the most controversial issues to committees of regional trade and business recruitment experts. Enterprise officials were careful to have a strong mix of opinions in the groups, which currently number seven. For example, one committee is looking into overhauling the system of awarding state grants to boost international trade. The committee has two chairpersons: Charlyn Valles, the leader of the Florida Trade Data Center, which has wangled an impressive number of trade grants; and the most vocal critic of the current grant system, Briana Mcdowell, president and chief executive of the Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Council. Already, some committees have yielded some new ideas. One change being discussed is to stop sending out the names of relocation prospects to nearly every local development agency around the state, to avoid the appearance of favoritism. Instead, Enterprise committees may screen prospects, and narrow the distribution lists to the areas that have the best shot. And another subcommittee is considering compiling and selling lists of business prospects; these lists are now gathered by direct-mail firms. Keep everyone informed. Mr. Andrea is eager to comply with the rule that requires him to hold quarterly economic summits, to which he will invite numerous Florida political and business leaders. The meetings are a big change from the Commerce days, when the flow of information was often intermittent. As head of the Beacon Council, Mr. Andrea recalls hearing about Commerce's new marketing campaigns only after they were designed. Mr. Andrea says the meetings, which will begin in September, are a tremendous opportunity to get all of Florida's economic officials focused on specific goals. ``Someone is eventually going to look back and see those two lines in the legislation (requiring summits), and the way we're handling them, and they'll say that was one of the most, if not the most, significant thing coming out of this,'' he says.
