EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine May 2019 | Page 29

and 2018, respectively, collectively preventing nearly 7 million tons
of carbon dioxide emissions annually while saving customers tens of
millions of dollars in fuel and operating costs.
Our economic development office, through our PoweringFlorida®
website and team, work across our state to leverage worldwide
relationships to attract new businesses and help existing businesses
expand.
And we have achieved great results since the office’s inception in
2011. In addition to successfully establishing more than 170 businesses
in Florida, we have a robust pipeline of businesses that may locate
here in the future. And overall those companies we supported are in
the process of creating nearly 30,000 jobs.
As we look to differentiate Florida from a global competition
around site location, our office of economic development recognizes
that sustainability and sustainable technologies are becoming an even
bigger economic development driver. As a first step to telling Florida’s
unique story regarding sustainability, we created a one-of-a-kind
inventory of sustainable assets in Florida to attract the sustainably
minded businesses.
Right here in Volusia County, the community has a sustainability
action plan and a manatee protection plan. And there’s room for more.
At the state level, Florida is No. 2 in the nation for the most electric
vehicles owned and also No. 2 in the nation for publicly available
charging stations.
All these assets can help attract businesses worldwide that care
about corporate sustainability to grow in Florida. This issue is also
important to today’s workforce. As we all compete for talent, stressing
sustainable programs to current and future residents is powerful.
And, there is tremendous potential for Volusia County to build
on this momentum and capture investment by companies that care
about sustainability. FPL’s office of economic development is excited
to partner with you to make this happen. From ensuring available
property is listed on PoweringFlorida.com, to participating in events
and marketing efforts, to talking collaboratively about this sector and
how this type of investment might complement Volusia County’s
current corporate environment, FPL stands ready to support your
future economic success.
Crystal Stiles is the Director of Economic
Development for Florida Power & Light Company
(FPL) and has more than a decade-long career in
economic development. Crystal currently serves
as chair for the Florida Economic Development
Council (FEDC), as a board member for the
Florida delegation of the Southeast U.S./Japan
Association (SEUS/Japan) and the Utility Economic
Development Association (UEDA), and serves
as board chair for United Way of Martin County.
Under Crystal’s leadership, FPL was named for the
first time as one of “The Best Utilities in Economic
Development in the Southeast” by Southern Business
& Development Magazine. In 2017, Crystal received
national honors as one of Development Counsellors
International (DCI)’s 40 under 40 in economic
development. Most recently, she was selected to
Leadership Florida’s Cornerstone Class XXXVII
and appointed by Governor Rick Scott to the
Aerospace Alliance.
MAY 2019 | 29 |