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Economic yearbook 2010
Northeast Fla. Yearbook 2010
Downtown, Cecil Field and Mayport hold the key to success.
Putnam County
Putnam, overdependent on service-related industries, has one of the highest unemployment rates in the region. The good news: Two major redevelopment efforts — the St. Johns riverfront and the 100 block of downtown Palatka — are moving forward despite the downturn.
Person to Watch
» Dana Jones, who has worked for the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce for 23 years, was named president in January following the retirement of Wes Larson, chamber president for 25 years. Jones is focused on programs to help businesses ramp up to prerecession levels or transform for the new economy.
Baker County
Baker County at the state border still relies on jobs in Jacksonville, but business leaders recently removed a major roadblock to new industry. Leaders pooled their resources, petitioned DOT, and last year landed a long-sought variance to allow additional traffic on I-10 without costly mitigation fees. The variance makes Baker’s two new industrial parks far more attractive to warehouse, distribution and related industry. Development officials hope to draw some of the business created by Jaxport’s expansion.
Person to Watch
» Thomas F. Jones, Southeast Regional Development Partner for Jackson-Shaw, is responsible for the Jacksonville Tradeport project, but he is also a key player in Jackson-Shaw’s efforts to build “edge cities” in places like Baker and Clay counties. The company’s DRIs “might assist these counties toward independence from Jacksonville,” Jones says.
