Two Escambia Businesses Honored As Innovators By Governor

January 22, 2014

Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott  announced the winners of the 2013 Governor’s Innovators in Business Awards during Florida Business Innovators Week. The awards recognize Florida companies in select industries that have influenced the state’s economic growth and diversification over the last year.

“Businesses are able to thrive because we have created an economic climate in Florida that supports job creation. I want to congratulate all of the companies being recognized today for their hard work in creating jobs and helping to create an opportunity economy in Florida that supports jobs for generations to come. Florida families are able to live the American Dream with the help of the successful, innovative companies that call Florida home, and I am proud to recognize some of those companies today,” Scott said.

Winners from Escambia County were:

The Governor’s Innovation in Tourism and Hospitality Award, for Florida companies that best exemplify innovation developed through product or process in the last three years, was presented to the Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum. As part of Florida’s tourism market, in particular the cultural heritage sector, Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum has grown from a volunteer organization to a booming business in a few short years. Through fiscally sound planning, the business experienced continued growth resulting in an increase in visitation from just 8,000 visitors in 2009 to more than 150,000 in 2013.

The Governor’s Business Expansion Award, for Florida companies that expanded their operations in 2012, investing capital and creating jobs, was awarded to Navy Federal Credit Union.  Navy Federal’s largest regional operations center resides in Pensacola and they plan to continue their expansion and migration of personnel from Virginia to Florida. They recently announced a project that will add more than 1,500 jobs in Florida’s Northwest Region over the next five years.

Pictured: The Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

One Response to “Two Escambia Businesses Honored As Innovators By Governor”

  1. Jane on January 23rd, 2014 4:23 pm

    Sort of sad that no big businesses are moving in to boost the economy. A call center and a tourist attraction don’t mean lots of jobs…but we should be grateful for anything these days.