Congressman Posey Hosts Entrepreneur Summit

     The Osceola County Economic Development Department coordinated with Congressman Bill Posey in hosting a successful entrepreneur summit in Osceola County on April 27. The event at Workforce Central Florida in Kissimmee showcased six local entrepreneurs to the public and potential investors.
     The event drew a large crowd of interested business leaders, local experts and members of the public.

     “The entrepreneurial spirit is alive in Central Florida,” said Congressman Posey. “This was a great experience and I very much enjoyed the opportunity to listen to the presentations and talk with local business leaders about getting our local economy moving. I would like to thank everyone who helped pull this forum together, for their dedication to our community and their drive to help local businesses and job seekers succeed.”

      “Osceola County is glad to be part of an event that helps identify and nurture entrepreneurs in our community,” said Osceola County Commissioner Frank Attkisson. “This forum is a great way to jump start entrepreneurship – and ultimately help small businesses that will create jobs for Osceola County residents.”

     “In these tough economic times, it is vital that agencies work together to create an environment that allows small businesses to flourish,” said Maria Toumazos, Osceola County Economic Development Administrator. “There’s no doubt that connections made at today’s event will spark new partnerships and employment opportunities for Osceola County entrepreneurs.”
   A VIP luncheon at Valencia Community College was held with the help of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council and other partners.
    More pictures from the Summit here.
      “This Summit gives a wonderful opportunity for leaders, business professionals and entrepreneurs to enhance the economic development of Osceola County,” said Jackie Colon of (NALEO) National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
      Entrepreneur’s making presentations included: BIOWOMAN LLC, A natural based beauty product company with FDA-approved products and strong user feedback; Blast Family Sports Multi-plex, full-service multi-sport all-in-one, affordable family entertainment complex; Cinematika, a technology-based entertainment company focused on emerging digital delivery systems; Green World Products LLC, presenting a product called “DE-OIL-IT” which breaks down petroleum waste in the form of grease, fuel, oil and carbon by separating the hydrocarbon chains; TRUE-SAFE Technologies Inc., presenting a product which safeguards against electrical fires; and MemoreePlus, a company specializing in digital memory cards.
      Speakers and resource agencies for the event included: Florida Venture Forum, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, Ken Shipley with the Osceola Small Business Development Center, Florida Business Expo LLC, Rock Your Business, Inc., Central Florida Disability Chamber, Osceola County Adult Learning Center, Virtual Options, Black Business Investment Fund, Disney Entrepreneurship Center, Hispanic Business Initiative Fund, Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, St. Cloud Greater Osceola Chamber of Commerce, the Heart of Florida United Way and Florida Economic Gardening Institute - GrowFL Program.
         This morning’s summit was in coordination with: Workforce Central Florida, Osceola County Economic Development Department, Valencia Community College, City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, UCF Business Incubator Program, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida and SCORE.