Quite frankly, Volusia County’s transportation infrastructure is struggling to keep up with growth. With our pristine beaches and rivers, pleasant weather and world-class tourist attractions, Volusia County is an amazing place to live, raise a family, retire and vacation. No wonder we have enjoyed momentous growth over the past few decades. In the last 10 […]Read More
The future of Florida’s tourism industry is bright! The Sunshine State has been the number one choice of destination in the U.S. for domestic and international travelers, and we see that trend continuing. In 2022, we welcomed a record 137.41 million visitors – a year-over-year increase of nearly 16 million visitors. In addition to that […]Read More
I’ve seen many changes to site selection criteria – and many constants – since I began my career as an economic development advisor and attorney in 1995. What hasn’t changed includes labor availability, infrastructure issues, proximity to customers, market risk, tax and regulatory considerations and quality of life concerns. Over the past several years, location […]Read More
In 2021, I was the lead author of a white paper titled “The Demographic Drought,” which started a global conversation about the “Sansdemic,” or without people, problem the U.S. and other developed nations were experiencing. In 2022, the U.S. faced historical labor shortages as a nation flush with cash tried to buy goods and services […]Read More
Welcome to 2023: New Year, New Ideas for Business! If you are like us, then 2023 seems like the first opportunity since 2020 for a full-year “post-pandemic” opportunity for business growth and expansion. For us at TouchPoint, we know that we must build a future based on where we are today, not focused on where […]Read More
There has never been a time in which the demands on coastal resources have been higher than they are today. More than 1,000 people a day make Florida their new home, a trend that did not decline during the COVID-19 crisis and one that does not appear to be changing anytime soon. With a constant […]Read More
What has happened? First, we had the Great Resignation, the economic trend of employees voluntarily resigning from their current employer. Now, based on demographics, the pandemic and a maddening world pace, some are calling our current state of the workforce…the Great Reflection. Like any reflection, seeing who we think we are in a window or […]Read More
Florida certainly is a popular place to move to – growing in population the second-most of any state between the 2010 and 2020 census counts. Only Texas grew by more people than Florida. That population growth in Florida is expected to continue higher growth than in most states. The current estimate from the Bureau of […]Read More
Volusia County is blessed with an abundance and diversity of amazing water resources. Emerald blue springs, world-class beaches, productive coastal bays and lagoons, dozens of freshwater lakes and the unique St. Johns “River of Lakes” are all integral to the beauty and quality of life in our subtropical paradise. As an environmental scientist who was […]Read More
COVID-19 resulted in significant changes in the education landscape, some of which were not previously seen. Education delivery and strategies are being reexamined across the country as a result of this paradigm shift to online and remote learning. Schools across the First Coast Region have responded with creativity and innovation. Despite this, emotional and stress-related […]Read More
