It is no secret that Daytona Beach and Volusia County have international recognition and business relationships as you look at just two icons in our region, International Sports Corporation and Ladies Professional Golf Association. With participants in each of these organizations from all over the world generating international media coverage, it’s a natural that our area is recognized and is ripe for foreign investment and attraction.

This issue of Evolve is full of resources and examples of positioning our area as a global hot spot. One might think that to go global you need to have innovative technology or must manufacture a product. We do have several successful stories representing these efforts and are also pleased to provide a great example, in this issue, of how DME has a global presence through sports training and development. All of this helps us to enhance our international image.

The strength of our University system is a key player in attracting global companies to our area as well as in preparing businesses to conduct international commerce. It is very important to utilize professional services that are well studied in international trade practices. The Chamber certainly plays a vital role in connecting companies and individuals to experts in the legal, financial, and human resources fields as well as to providers of consultation and educational services.

We have worked closely with Embry-Riddle’s MicaPlex, UCF’s incubator and the certificate training programs offered by Daytona State College to leverage resources and help businesses achieve success. The work the institutions are doing to provide support for innovation and training is attracting interest from all over the world.

We all know that the world is getting smaller every day with advances in technology and the ease of conducting business across the internet and through virtual meetings. Your potential customers and investors can easily communicate with you and learn about and support your business any time of the day or night. By virtue of having a website, you are already in the global business.

We hope the stories of successful local companies and the resources in this issue of EVOLVE will inspire you to grow your business while keeping in mind the rapidly changing demographics and the diverse needs and expectations of today’s marketplace.

Randy Dye Chairman Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM Fiat

Nancy P. Keefer CCE President & CEO Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce