The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Florida Forest Service, is relocating Florida scrub-jays to increase this threatened species’ populations on public lands.
The goal is to relocate – or “translocate” – birds from a stable population in the Ocala National Forest to areas of restored scrub habitat not yet discovered by Florida scrub-jays.
Earlier this year, FWC research biologists relocated nine Florida scrub-jays from Ocala National Forest to Seminole State Forest, about 20 miles away. The translocated birds established new territories in their new home. Researchers will monitor each population’s progress throughout this year’s breeding season.
The Florida scrub-jay is one of the most imperiled bird species in North America. Most remaining populations are small – with less than 25 breeding pairs – and relatively isolated from each other. Florida scrub-jays are non-migratory and have difficulty dispersing long distances when their available habitat is fragmented.
Translocation is a strategy to improve population sizes, increase connectivity among populations, and preserve genetic diversity of this and other imperiled species. Previous efforts to relocate Florida scrub-jays typically involved small numbers of scrub-jays taken from private lands with a federal incidental take permit. The FWC and its partners hope that the current research project will help clarify when and how biologists can use translocation on public lands.
The partnerships with land managers provide vital assistance with the translocation experiments. U.S. Forest Service and Florida Forest Service staff are championing restoration and management of Florida scrub-jay habitat in central Florida by using prescribed burns. Prescribed burning is necessary to maintain the low and open structure of vegetation in Florida scrub habitat, which is critical to the survival of the Florida scrub-jay.
People can help Florida scrub-jays by supporting habitat management on FWC’s Wildlife Management Areas. Florida’s WMAs conserve nearly 6 million acres of well-managed habitat for scrub-jays and other wildlife. This year is the WMAs’ 75th anniversary, so join us in celebrating events around the state!
Relocation
Gov. Scott Announces Cosentino to Relocate Americas Headquarters from Texas to Florida
Governor Rick Scott today announced Cosentino, a global leader in natural stone, quartz, and recycled surfacing, is relocating its Americas Headquarters from Sugarland, Texas to Coral Gables. The relocation will create 85 new jobs and invest more than $1 million in the local community. Cosentino currently employs 60 Floridians across three distribution locations in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Lauderhill. The company also plans to open a design center in the Miami Design District.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Cosentino will be relocating their Americas Headquarters from Texas to Florida and creating 85 new jobs for our families. This announcement would not be possible without the help of Enterprise Florida and shows the incredibly important role EFI has in out-competing other states like Texas to bring new job opportunities to our state. I am excited to welcome Cosentino to Florida and look forward to their future success.”
Cosentino Group, a family-owned company from Spain, is a worldwide producer and distributer of high-value innovative surfaces for architecture and design. The company currently employs more than 3,700 people worldwide, including 1,200 in the U.S. The new Americas Headquarters will house a management office with finance and sales personnel.
CEO Eduardo Cosentino said, “Miami’s location offers key strategic advantages to continue targeting the Americas. The entrepreneurial and innovative workforce in Miami better positions us to provide new products and designs that are both sustainable and advanced. Our partners at Enterprise Florida and the Miami-Dade Beacon Council helped make this move a reality, and we could not have found a better place to do business.”
This project was made possible through the close partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the City of Coral Gables, CareerSource Florida and local colleges and universities.
Mike Grissom, interim President and CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc., said, “Cosentino is a great company and I am excited to see them bring their Americas headquarters to Miami as well as the 85 jobs that will now be right here in Florida. Our state is an amazing place to live, work and raise a family, and companies like Cosentino recognize this. I am happy to welcome them to Florida and look forward to their continued success.”
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “I am proud that after growing its distribution business in Florida, Cosentino has recognized the value in moving its Americas Headquarters to the Sunshine State. Miami’s unmatched global resources and talented workforce are working to attract companies like Cosentino to our state every day.”
Jaret L. Davis, chair of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, said, “Cosentino is exactly the type of company whose business aligns with Miami-Dade’s focus on innovation. The family-owned company has stayed at the top of its game by developing innovative products that provide significant utility and sustainability without sacrificing design. We’re pleased to welcome them to Miami-Dade and excited about the impact of 85 additional high-wage jobs.”
Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) is a partnership between Florida’s businesses and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for Florida. EFI facilitates job growth through recruitment and retention, international trade and exporting, promotion of sporting events, and capital funding programs to assist small and minority businesses. EFI launched “Florida – The Future is Here” to promote the state as the nation’s premier business destination.
The Miami-Dade Beacon Council is the county’s official economic development partnership. The not-for-profit public-private organization focuses on job creation and economic growth. Since 1985, the organization has assisted more than 1,000 businesses that have created nearly 67,000 direct jobs and added more than $4.3 billion in new capital investments. It accomplishes this by marketing Miami-Dade as a world-class business location, growing local companies and shaping the local economy’s future. For more information, visit www.beaconcouncil.com
About the Cosentino Group
The Cosentino Group is a global, family-owned company that produces and distributes high value innovative surfaces for architecture and design. As a leading company, Cosentino imagines and anticipates together with its customers and partners design solutions that offer value and inspiration to people’ lives. This goal is made possible by pioneering brands that are leaders in their respective segments such as Silestone®, Dekton® and Sensa by Cosentino®. Technologically advanced surfaces, which allow the creation of unique designs for the home and public spaces. The group bases its development on international expansion, an innovative research and development program, respect for the environment and sustainability, and its ongoing corporate commitment to society and the local communities where it operates, education, equality and health & safety. The Cosentino Group currently distributes its products and brands in more than 80 countries, from its headquarters in Almeria (Spain). Currently Cosentino is present in 32 countries, with its own assets in 29 of them. The group has seven factories (six in Almería, Spain, and one in Brazil), one intelligent logistic platform in Spain, and more than 120 commercial and business units throughout the world. More than 90% of Cosentino Group’s financial turnover comes from international markets.
Gov. Scott Announces BlueLine Associates to Relocate to Tampa
Relocation From North Carolina Will Create 150 New Jobs
Governor Rick Scott announced BlueLine Associates (BLA), a professional services firm, will relocate its global headquarters from Cary, North Carolina to Tampa. The relocation will create 150 new jobs and invest more than $2 million in the local community. BlueLine Associates, which currently has offices in Tampa, will move their headquarters including its financial, legal, and human resources groups.
Governor Scott said, “It is great news that BlueLine Associates chose to move their international headquarters to Florida from North Carolina, which will create more than 150 new jobs for Tampa families. We were competing with North Carolina and Louisiana, but ultimately BlueLine Associates chose Florida for their new headquarters. I look forward to BlueLine Associates continued success in our state.”
BlueLine Associates provides consulting, managed services, and staffing solutions to small, mid and large companies in a variety of industries. In 2015 and 2016, BlueLine was recognized on the “Best Places to Work” lists of both Consulting Magazine and the Triangle Business Journal. New jobs are expected to pay an average annual wage of $71,909.
Rocky Silvestri, President of BlueLine, said, “This move gives us access to Florida’s strong talent pool and allows us to continue the strategic expansion of our business. Our company culture is at the core of our business success, our client’s satisfaction, and the happiness of our people. We are excited to bring those guiding principles to Tampa.”
BlueLine Associates joins a growing list of companies that have chosen Hillsborough County for their new corporate and regional headquarters, including North American Roofing Services, Inc., Velocity Resource Group, Fay Servicing, Ashley Furniture Industries’ Ashcomm, Johnson & Johnson, and Cohesion. Florida is already home to nearly 3,000 headquarters offices, and is the 4th largest economy in the U.S. and the 19th largest economy in the world.
The project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Chris Hart IV, President and CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc., said, “Blueline Associates has chosen Florida because it is the best place to do business. The talent and the strong, business-friendly climate in Florida continue to attract growing businesses. Hard-working Floridians are getting jobs that could have gone to other states, but they ended up right here in Florida.”
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “BlueLine Associates’ relocation to the Tampa area is yet another example of a business recognizing the unique opportunities for growth in Florida. Our state boasts a strong and talented workforce, a business-friendly, low tax environment and fewer regulations that enable companies to grow and succeed.”
Stacy White, chairman of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, said, “Hillsborough County offers BlueLine Associates a deep bench of information technology consulting, staffing, and management consulting talent, as well as the amenities that will make it easy for them to recruit exceptional candidates to the area. We thank BlueLine for their investment in our community and look forward to supporting them as they thrive in Hillsborough County.”
Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa, said, “Tampa’s star continues to rise as more companies like BlueLine Associates discover the advantages our city offers as a corporate headquarters home. As millennial talent flocks here and our downtown undergoes an historic and exciting transformation, Tampa is gaining a national reputation as the place to be for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 corporations. We wish BlueLine Associates a prosperous future here.”
Ken Atwater, PhD, chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and president of Hillsborough Community College, said, “Other cities fought hard to have BlueLine Associates relocate to their communities. But those competing metros couldn’t touch Tampa’s pro-business climate, incredible quality of life, and the convenient air access Tampa International Airport affords to BlueLine’s customers across America and in Europe. We’re excited to welcome Rocky and his team and wish them great success in Tampa.”
Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the Careers page of BlueLine Associates’ web site, http://www.blueline-associates.com/services/staffing/job-seekers/,for more information on available positions.
About BlueLine Associates
BlueLine Associates is a process-driven Professional Services firm that transforms business challenges into growth, operational agility, and competitive advantage. Our foundation in process gives us the vision to develop holistic forward thinking strategies across our consulting, managed services, and staffing service lines. We leverage our experience, agility, and partnership model to seamlessly implement and execute solutions to elevate customer experience, increase profits, and propel organizations toward new opportunities.
Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) is a partnership between Florida’s businesses and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for Florida. EFI facilitates job growth through recruitment and retention, international trade and exporting, promotion of sporting events, and capital funding programs to assist small and minority businesses. EFI launched “Florida – The Future is Here” to promote the state as the nation’s premier business destination.
About the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation
The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation is the lead designated economic development agency for Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. A partnership between the public sector and private corporate investors, the EDC works to develop and sustain a thriving local economy through the attraction, retention and expansion of high-wage jobs and capital investment within targeted industry sectors, including Corporate Headquarters, Financial and Shared Services, Life Sciences, Defense and Security, and Manufacturing.
The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation exists because of the generous support of over 100 corporations, Hillsborough County, and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. For more information, visit www.tampaedc.com.
About Hillsborough County, Florida
Hillsborough County is the commercial and industrial heart of Tampa Bay. The fourth largest county in the state of Florida, Hillsborough is home to nearly 1.3 million residents, with thousands more arriving each year. Its strength is drawn from being one of the most advanced economies and having one of the most educated workforces in the state. Hillsborough County and its three municipalities –Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace — offer a competitive business environment and an abundance of regional assets including Port Tampa Bay, Tampa International Airport, and MacDill Air Force Base. County government is focused on creating economic prosperity for residents and businesses throughout the area. To learn more, visit hillsboroughcounty.org.
