Florida Chamber

This #MemorialDay, we honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our nation and recognize those who continue to serve and protect the freedoms we cherish every day. Their service reminds us that free enterprise isn’t free.

Florida’s manufacturing industry is driving innovation in communities across our state, and we want to make sure every county is represented in the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Florida competition in partnership with @FLACommerce. So far, manufacturers from 22 Florida counties have already submitted nominations, but there’s still time for more communities to join before the May 31 deadline. Know a product made in your county that deserves the spotlight? Nominate it today and help showcase the innovation, talent, jobs, and economic impact happening right here in Florida: coolestthingmadeinflorida.com/nominate-a-pro… Will your county be represented? #CoolestThingMadeInFlorida #MadeInFlorida #FloridaManufacturing #Manufacturing #Innovation #FloridaBusiness

Florida’s future competitiveness depends on more than economic growth — it also depends on the mental wellbeing of our workforce, families, veterans, first responders, and future generations. This morning’s mainstage fireside chat brought together The Honorable Sam Garrison, Speaker-Designate of the Florida House of Representatives, and Andy Keller, PhD, President, Chief Executive Officer of Policy The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, for a conversation centered on the future of mental health policy in Florida and the continued momentum behind Florida’s goal of becoming a top 5 state for wellbeing by 2030. Moderated by Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Foundation, the discussion focused on the importance of business leadership, policy, research, and cross-sector collaboration in advancing long-term mental and behavioral health outcomes across the state. "If Florida's going to be number one in the country, we've all got to work together in partnership." - Mark Wilson #FLLeadershipConference26

The 2026 Florida Chamber Leadership Conference on Safety, Health + Sustainability is officially underway at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Orlando. Today and tomorrow, leaders from across Florida’s business, healthcare, safety, sustainability, and public policy communities are coming together for important conversations around workforce wellbeing, workplace safety, resilience, mental health, and the future of Florida’s economy. Thank you to John Trevathan, Vice President of Corporate Services at @_GuideWell and Chair of the Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet on Safety, Health and Sustainability, for officially welcoming attendees to this year’s conference and helping set the tone for the next two days. Looking forward to the conversations ahead and the leaders helping move Florida forward. #FLLeadershipConference26

As Florida’s energy demand continues to grow, investments focused on grid reliability, system modernization, and lowering long-term customer costs remain important to the state’s economic future. @DukeEnergy announced it has applied for DOE loans that could help create significant customer savings through lower financing costs tied to critical energy investments. Learn more: news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-…

Unsurprisingly, @JBPritzker's math isn’t mathing here. Starting the tale of the tape: Miami has a lower effective property tax rate than Chicago (1.68% vs. 1.9%), a lower gas tax ($0.39 per gallon vs. 66.4 cents per gallon), a lower combined sales tax (7% vs. 10.25%), and a lower corporate income tax (5.5% vs. 9.5%). Oh yeah, and there’s no personal income tax here, and on March 1, the low in Chicago was 26 degrees vs. 68 in Miami. In fairness, Chicago does have good hot dogs, though.

Full @JBPritzker interview from our latest ON THE ROAD here — youtu.be/NS-3Mrg7xsY?si…

🚨 Tomorrow: Rapid Response Hiring Event will be held in Hollywood, FL to support displaced #SpiritAirlines employees. Thank you to @FLACommerce, @CareerSourceFL, and @CareerSourceBD for bringing Florida’s business community together to connect talent to new opportunities. ⏰ 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM 🔗 careersourcebroward.com/SPIRITAIRLINES

FloridaCommerce Announces Additional Rapid Response Event in Partnership with CareerSource Broward for Displaced Spirit Airlines Employees. READ MORE >> bit.ly/42OyZFu

The Florida Chamber of Commerce congratulates Board of Trustee member Sam Verghese, Chief Operating Officer and Acting Deputy Superintendent of @FLVS, on being named Best Leader of a K–12 School/District in the 2025 EdTech Chronicle Best in Education Awards. This well-earned recognition reflects Sam’s commitment to empowering teams, investing in professional growth, and fostering a culture where innovation and student success thrive. Florida is proud to be home to leaders who are shaping the future of education. 👏 #FloridaLeaders #EducationInnovation #EdTech #Leadership #FloridaChamber

Florida’s future workforce starts with today’s students. At the @FADSS conference, our Foundation’s VP of Talent Development for the Future of Work, Corrie Melton & Statewide Director of the Florida Prosperity Initiative, Heather Cogar, shared how we can cut childhood poverty in half by 2030 and strengthen Florida’s talent pipeline for generations to come. Learn more about our Florida Prosperity Initiative and the Future of Work Florida Initiative: flchamber.com. #FloridaChamber #FloridaChamberFoundation #Florida2030 #FloridaProsperityInitiative #FutureofWorkFlorida

Do you manufacture the coolest thing in Florida? ⚙️ Nominations are officially OPEN for the second annual Coolest Thing Made in Florida competition! In partnership with @FLACommerce, this is your chance to showcase the innovation, craftsmanship, and impact of Florida’s manufacturing industry.  From advanced manufacturing to everyday products, we want to see what you’re making. 🎥 Check out the announcement video featuring @MarkWilsonFL, President & CEO at the @FLChamber and Jason Mahon, Chief Manufacturing Officer & Deputy Secretary of Economic Development at FloridaCommerce. Know a company that should be nominated? Tag them or share this post to help us spread the word. Submit your nomination before May 31 and be part of celebrating Florida-made excellence. Learn more and enter here: coolestthingmadeinflorida.com #CoolestThingMadeinFlorida #MadeInFlorida #FLManufacturing

Behind the scenes as we get ready… 📷 @FLChamber President & CEO Mark Wilson and @FLACommerce Chief Manufacturing Officer & Deputy Secretary of Economic Development @JasonMahon1 wrapping up filming as we prepare to launch the 2nd annual Coolest Thing Made in Florida—in partnership with FloridaCommerce. This statewide competition is all about celebrating the innovation, craftsmanship, and economic impact of products made right here in Florida—and this year, we’re aiming for participation from all 67 counties. From aerospace and aviation to ag tech, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and more—if it’s made in Florida, we want to see it. As part of the Florida Chamber’s Florida 2030 Blueprint, this effort supports our goal of making Florida a Top 5 state for manufacturing jobs by 2030. Nominations open on Monday, April 13. - Nominate your product - Encourage companies in your network to apply - Tag a Florida manufacturer that should be recognized Don’t miss your chance to be part of this year’s competition and help us showcase the very best of Florida manufacturing. Sign up for updates: #signup" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">coolestthingmadeinflorida.com/#signup Let’s show the world what’s made in #Florida! #CoolestThingMadeInFlorida #MadeInFlorida #ManufacturingFL #Florida2030 #FloridaBusiness

Ready to Serve Your Community? Don’t Miss Out — Register Today! The Florida Institute for Political Leadership is hosting its next Campaign School & Community Leadership Training over the next two days. This free, non-partisan virtual training seminar is your chance to gain the tools, confidence, and connections to run for office or step into a leadership role in your community. - April 7 & 8, 2026 - 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. (EDT) - Virtual | Free to attend - Register now. Spots are limited: FIPL.org/register Whether you’re thinking about running for office, joining a campaign, or strengthening your community leadership skills, this training is for you! - Open to all Florida residents - Attend one session or both - Learn from experienced political leaders, campaign veterans, and policy experts Special thanks to our incredible co-hosts St. Johns County Chamber, Greater Palm Bay Chamber, Ormond Beach Chamber, Seminole County Chamber, Space Coast Chamber, and Winter Haven Chamber for helping make this opportunity possible!

Business leaders from across Miami Dade and Monroe counties came together yesterday at @StThomasUniv for a focused discussion on the priorities shaping our region and Florida’s future. Hosted by Florida Chamber Board of Director and Regional Chair, Miami-Dade/Monroe Region David Armstrong @STUPrez , President of St. Thomas University, the meeting featured special guest speakers Juan Carlos Liscano, Vice President, Miami Hub at American Airlines, a Florida Chamber Board of Governors member, and Dr. Jose L. Dotres @SuptDotres , Superintendent of Miami Dade County Public Schools. Juan shared insights on the continued growth of Miami as a global hub and the role of aviation in driving economic opportunity, while Dr. Dotres highlighted the importance of education and workforce alignment to prepare the next generation for in demand careers. Attendees also heard regional economic insights from Mark Wilson @MarkWilsonFL , President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and a legislative end of session recap from Frank Walker, Executive Vice President of Government & Political Relations, providing important context on what recent policy developments mean for Florida’s business community. Together, the discussion reinforced the importance of aligning business, education, and policy to support workforce growth, economic opportunity, and long-term competitiveness across South Florida. These are the types of conversations that move Florida forward, bringing leaders together to share perspectives, address challenges, and help shape what comes next. If you are interested in being part of these conversations, we welcome the opportunity to connect. 🔗 Learn more about membership and upcoming opportunities: flchamber.com/joinus/

ICYMI: The latest March 2026 Florida By the Numbers, featuring the latest trends from Florida Chamber Foundation Senior Research Economist Sheridan Morby, is now available. Florida’s economy continues to show strength, with new data pointing to a shift from rapid growth to a more stable, sustainable pace. Key highlights: • Florida remains a national leader in net migration • More than 10 million jobs statewide, with continued job creation strength • Housing trends signaling stabilization after rapid growth • Inflation at 2.4 percent, with interest rates holding steady Explore the full update and see how these trends are shaping Florida’s path to a top 10 global economy by 2030: flchamber.com/btn #FloridaChamber #FloridaChamberFoundation #Florida2030

Florida’s economic momentum is getting national attention. In a recent segment, @GovRonDeSantis joined Sean Hannity to discuss Florida’s growth, highlighting the Florida Chamber and Mark Wilson's recent interview on wealth migration. A strong economy starts with a long-term focus on jobs, workforce, and competitiveness. Read more: bit.ly/4dKLVmr

This week, Governor Ron DeSantis began reviewing the first batch of legislation from the 2026 Legislative Session, receiving 11 of the 237 bills passed before session adjourned. The measures include: • HB 697 – Pharmacy benefit manager regulations • SB 290 – Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services agency package • HB 399 – Chamber-backed bill with updates to land use and development regulations 🌱 On Thursday, the Governor signed two bills focused on coastal resiliency: • SB 302 – Supporting nature-based solutions to strengthen coastal resilience • HB 1417 – The Department of Environmental Protection agency package, promoting public-private partnerships and increased investment to protect against extreme weather, flooding, and coastal erosion ⏳ The Governor has until April 2 to act on the remaining bills currently on his desk, with more legislation expected in rolling 15-day windows. ➡️ Lawmakers will return to Tallahassee after Easter to finalize the state budget and hold a special session on congressional redistricting the week of April 20. 🔗 Learn more about how Florida’s business community is advancing smart, long-term infrastructure solutions. Explore the work of the Florida Chamber Infrastructure Coalition and see how they’re helping shape Florida’s future: flchamber.com/infrastructure…