By Laura Dibella
Executive Director, Nassau County Economic Development Board
October 9, 2015 11:42 a.m.
I get asked often what exactly it is that I do as an economic developer, and after a year, my answer has evolved to something rather simple — I compete.
Of the many facets of economic development all involve one key element and that is competition. The NCEDB competes for industry, we compete for quality workforce, we compete for better education, we compete for investment dollars and we compete for the attention and support of the elected officials, as well as, our community at large. The sheer thought of being tested to this degree day in and day out is pretty daunting when explained to some but not to me – I love it and I welcome it. Competition makes you better, it makes you rise above to levels you never thought possible, and every day I wake up supercharged, ready for action and excited for the day’s challenges.
Admittedly, it is a lot more fun to compete when you know that the product you’re marketing is truly special and offers tremendous benefits. Nassau County is both. It also has some amazing assets that I am certain will take years for me to fully realize and uncover.
For starters, we have the rich history of Amelia Island and the City of Fernandina Beach and the stories of the industrial legends that walked the streets and shaped their dreams at the Florida House Inn and the Palace Saloon. We have an authentic Main Street America alongside a historic Victorian seaport village – our true working waterfront, involving a natural deep water port and two pulp mills that rescued the community from the Great Depression and now, over 75 years later, remain among our largest and strongest employers in the county. So much so that in June, Rayonier Advanced Materials announced that it entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Borregaard, a Norwegian company, to form a joint venture for the manufacturing, marketing and sale of natural lignin-based products. This is an internationally competitive deal with 30-70 jobs and an estimated capital investment of $110 million at stake.
In what is now Yulee, we have the “ghost” town of Crandall which was once a thriving mid-1700s community. Where the town once stood overlooking the St. Mary’s River are the most breathtaking bluffs that soar to almost 80 feet above sea level. Surrounding Crandall are the 24,000 acres that make up the East Nassau Community Planning Area, our new soon to be named city, and quite possibly the most outstanding acreage this region could ever ask for from a residential, commercial and industrial standpoint, boasting over six miles of Interstate 95 frontage and six miles of both rail and riverfront frontage – where else in Florida can you find such a mix of developable property? We have many irons in the fire at this development and with every passing day the inquiries get that much more exciting. Expect an announcement or two in the coming year as we transform the landscape of the I-95 and A1A corridor.
Remarkable countryside is the hallmark of the Westside, its history rooted in the rail industry and what will no doubt be the path to its future. Our true diamond in the rough, we have such a valuable resource in the Crawford Diamond dual rail industrial site, a property that is so rare, only a handful of states in the entire country can boast about having such an asset. Once fully developed, the Crawford Diamond industrial site will transform the economic landscape of the entire county and region and make Nassau County a very serious contender as the Southeast competes for industry. It is here that our largest deal in the county resides, a nationally competitive manufacturing opportunity that stands to bring over 200 jobs and an estimated $270 million in capital investment – and that is just for the first phase.
One would think that I was talking about several different counties when you take the above in full context, and the opportunities detailed inspire me each and every day. I feel fortunate to not only sell this county, but also to call it my home. I thank you for your support as it has made this past year more than I could have ever imagined, and for embracing and welcoming me to what is, in my mind, the greatest and most competitive county in Florida.
Game on.
As I’ve said before, We are fortunate to have Laura DiBella as Director of Nassau County Economic Development Board. She has the Motivation and Passion to lead our County’s Development in to the 21st Century. Without a doubt, Nassau County is on the verge of incredible, expansion both in Population, and It’s Economy. We have an opportunity, to build an economy that will satisfy the needs of our Working middle class, Banks, Builders, Investors, and the folks who choose our Community as a Haven, after a life time of hard Work. The’re all Stakeholders in this County. As Ms. DiBella, points out “we have a lot to offer, you can’t find in many places”. I would suggest Caution be used in selecting the types of Business’s we invite into our Community. We have that option, at the moment. Look around, a good example of unchecked growth would be Orlando. Anybody here, want to live in Orlando? I’m just saying, chose who you invite in, and think about all the stakeholders.
Steve,
Great points. As Ms. Dibella points out, Nassau County represents a highly diverse economic and geographical/infrastructure environment. I have always wondered why Brunswick/Glynn County has been so successful in acquiring professional call-center operations like Express Scripts and eBay Enterprises. Of course Ms. Dibella wasn’t on the job then but hopefully those are the types of businesses that can be attracted to the Island.
We just found out today what a major corporation (WestRock) – a product of recent corporate merger benefiting it’s shareholders and executives, can do to a locality. It’s not just about competition. It’s about thoughtful and selective competition. Do it right and take the time to do it right – we have the resources, talent, and location. Drive the focus of competition. Don’t let the magic words “competition”, at any price, drive our future.
Yes, thoughts and prayers to all those workers and their families that were affected by the WestRock layoffs. RockTenn made some huge capital investments in the plant over the last couple of years so hopefully these layoffs will be short term. Of course, reductions of employment of this magnitude have a ripple effect through the entire economy as well.
I found this article long on rhetoric but short on specific accomplishments after one year. It would have been helpful to learn about the role that Laura Dibella played in Borregaard forming a joint with Rayonier.
I agree with Medardo. Where is the beef? I keep waiting for these “big deals” that she talks about to come to fruition. This article is more about Ms. DiBella than the results of her first year at the NCEDB. As a former pr professional, I wrote year-end op ed pieces for a variety of clients. This one sounds impressive but lacks substance.
I too agree that it would be nice to see her accomplishments. We hear from her often about her “competing for funds” and the “big deals” she’s fighting for and that we “should be careful” about how we go about things….well, where are those, where do they stand and what has she finalized about those, if anything? She states that she fights for Nassau county, well, the last time I checked, Fernandina Beach is in Nassau county….why then do we have so many empty large buildings and store fronts? I do understand that certain things take time but personally, and it seems many others, have not seen any results. It is important to go about these things in an organized way and that some funding takes time and that we must be certain that we look at all avenues of implementation that can be bring us some amazing businesses, but I would like to believe that we should see some results by now on something.
One of the hardest things about an economic developers job is the ability to report to their investors and other stakeholders, specifically us taxpayers who feel entitled to know, the details of pending projects as they often remain under wraps for a variety of reasons. In reading this article, I’m impressed at the level of details in the three pending projects NCEDB is working on. Its not often that we as taxpayers see those kinds of details on economic development. Keep up the great work, Laura and the rest of the team! Im equally as excited about seeing what comes of East Nassau!