Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet are honoring the Florida Chamber of Commerce with a resolution celebrating its 100th anniversary of securing Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber was officially created on April 29, 1916 in an effort to save Florida’s business community – and the agriculture industry specifically – from an invasive cattle tick that threatened the livelihood of the state’s leading economic engine.
“One hundred years ago, the biggest threat facing Florida’s economy was a parasite — the cattle tick,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “While the threats to Florida’s economy have changed, the Florida Chamber’s mission to secure our state’s future, create jobs and create economic opportunities remain the same.”
In the 100 years since the Florida Chamber was created:
- Florida’s population has grown from just over 900,000 in 1916 to more than 20 million,
- Over the past year, 1 in 12 jobs created in the U.S. were created in Florida, and
- Florida would be the 18th largest economy in the world if Florida were a country.
Throughout the Florida Chamber’s 100 year history, its number one goal has been to encourage a business friendly climate that allows job creators to do what they do best – create private-sector jobs and contribute to Florida’s economy. In the last 100 years, the Florida Chamber has led efforts to:
- Strengthen Florida’s agriculture industry,
- Embrace and protect Florida’s military and defense industry,
- Foster Florida’s unique quality of life,
- Advance innovation during the space age,
- Promote education as the key to unlocking a stronger economy, and
- Strengthen Florida’s infrastructure.
Yet, Florida’s story is just beginning and the Florida Chamber’s leadership is just getting started. While agriculture, tourism and construction continue to serve as the foundation of Florida’s economy, our increasingly global economy is setting the stage for a more diversified economy through life sciences and biotech, energy, international trade, advanced manufacturing and space technologies.
By 2030, Florida is expected to be home to more than six million new residents. Nearly five million new drivers will commute on our roads, and cars will drive themselves. More than 150,000 million visitors will travel our roads, and many on high speed trains. And Florida will need to create and fill nearly two million new jobs.
And just as it did over the last century, the Florida Chamber and our members and partners will continue to focus on making Florida America’s best hope.
