As Vice President for the Pasco Economic Development Council, John’s primary responsibilities include business recruitment and expansion, project management and development of new program strategies, including; entrepreneurial services, micro lending programs, and business incubators. John is a graduate of The University of South Florida, The University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute and received his professional certification (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council. John has over 19 years of experience in economic development in the Tampa Bay area including: Pasco and Hernando Counties and the Tampa Bay Partnership.

Louis E. Laubscher is Senior Vice President for Enterprise Florida. Among his duties is overseeing programs aimed at helping Florida businesses and entrepreneurs gain access to capital. He serves as President of Florida Development Finance Corporation (FDFC), a state authorized issuer of Industrial Development Bonds and as president of Florida Opportunity Fund, a venture capital fund with over $100 million of committed capital. In addition to capital programs, Louis oversees Enterprise Florida’s Finance and Accounting, Internal Audit, Information Technology, Human Resources, Office Services and Contracts Administration. Louis served as a senior lender and administrative officer in Central Florida banking for over 25 years. Mr. Laubscher holds a BA degree from Principia College and an MBA degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Dina Reider-Hicks serves as Senior Director, Marketing and Policy Development for the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. In this role, Dina is charged with developing and implementing a business marketing strategy and ensuring that the Space Coast’s business climate remains competitive. Prior to joining the EDC, Dina served as Director of Marketing and Communications for the State of Delaware’s Economic Development Office (DEDO), serving under the executive branch of Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and Gov. Jack Markell. In this role, Dina developed and executed the first-ever Delaware Business Marketing Strategy and established results-based benchmarks to ensure all marketing activities delivered a positive return-on-investment. Previously, Dina served as Vice President of Marketing for Delta Development Group, a private sector economic development consulting firm located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Director of Communications and Marketing for the Harrisburg (PA) Regional Chamber and Capital Region Economic Development Corporation. Prior to her work in economic development, Dina spent 13 years in radio broadcasting. As a professional broadcaster, Dina is an accomplished public speaker and has addressed audiences of all sizes. Dina holds a Master of Business Administration degree from DeSales University in Allentown, Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communications from Towson State University in Baltimore. She is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers program and has completed coursework for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management program at the University of Delaware and University of Notre Dame. Dina has previously served on the Board of the Central Pennsylvania Association of Female Executives as well as past-president of the Capital Area Society for Human Resource Management. In 2004, Dina was honored with the prestigious Forty Under 40 award, recognizing excellence in professional and community endeavors. She is also a volunteer, having served numerous organizations including the American Lung Association and the March of Dimes.

In August 2004, Mike was appointed Director of the Pinellas County Economic Development Department. The Department’s mission is to retain existing businesses and encourage their success and expansion; attract new high-quality and diversified employment; improve the business climate; develop partnerships with public agencies, private companies and business associations to support business; and facilitate availability of a qualified workforce. Mike oversees a staff of 14 full-time professionals. Mr. Meidel is a cum laude graduate of Florida State University (1981). He is also a graduate of the Economic Development Institute of the University of Oklahoma (1991) and of the Institute for Organization Management at the University of Georgia (2003). He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Mike has been active in many different aspects of economic development since 1982, including economic and demographic research, development of collateral and promotional materials, business recruitment, community visioning, business assistance, and lobbying for improvements in business regulation and general legislation. He was the Chief of the Computer Services Section of the Florida Department of Commerce when he was recruited by Florida Power Corporation’s Economic Development Department in 1987. He was employed in a series of progressively responsible positions during his 12 years at Florida Power, ultimately serving as the Area Manager for North Pinellas County. His responsibilities with the company included economic development; community development; national accounts and community, civic and governmental relations. In August 1999, Mike was selected to lead the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce as its President and CEO. The Chamber is a non-profit business association of 1700 member businesses whose mission is to enhance the business environment and promote economic growth in the Clearwater area. The Chamber’s scope of work included Governmental Affairs, Economic Development, Business Assistance, and Tourism. Mike serves as Chair-Elect of the Florida Economic Development Council and on the board of directors of the Tampa Bay Partnership and WorkNet Pinellas. He also co-chairs the Marketing Committee of the Florida High Technology Corridor Council. He is a 1998 graduate of Leadership Pinellas.

Before Eileen Rodríguez joined the Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida (SBDC at USF), she was one of its small business clients. Now, as the center’s regional director, she ensures that businesses in the 10-county area receive the same expert assistance offered to her business 19 years ago. Rodríguez joined the SBDC in 1997 as a bilingual Certified Business Analyst providing no-cost, one-on-one consulting and educational workshops in English and Spanish to help small businesses meet their potential. With decades of experience as a business owner, educator and businesswoman, her passion drives her to continue teaching SBDC workshops in addition to her role in leading regional and statewide initiatives. Much of Rodríguez’s work focuses on developing outreach activities within the business community. These activities play a central role in developing partnerships to create a landscape where small businesses can succeed. The SBDC’s technical and educational services for its clients had a direct impact, in 2010 alone, of $31.7 million in sales growth; $5.6 million in capital acquired; and $30.8 million in government contracts awarded. Rodríguez is also active in leadership roles for numerous business development related organizations outside the SBDC. From president to secretary to treasurer or member, she serves the business community through the Florida Minority Supplier’s Development Council, Tampa Bay Organization of Women in International Trade, NASBITE International, Tampa Port Authority Community Investment Committee and the University of South Florida Alumni Association.

Jamil E. Jreisat is professor of public administration and political science, Department of Government and International Affairs, University of South Florida. He earned his MPA and PhD in public administration and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and his BA from the American University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Jreisat is the author of more than one hundred books, chapters in books, articles, and technical reports on issues in public administration, comparative government, ethics, and administrative reform, including: Globalism and Comparative Public Administration (CRC Press 2012); Politics without Process: Administering Development in the Arab World (Reinner 1997); and Public Organization Management (Quorum Books 1997). He consulted for the World Bank, UNDP, GTZ, and the League of Arab States. Dr. Jreisat has been a visiting professor in several universities in the U.S, Europe, and the Middle East. He serves on the editorial boards of several professional publications; is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Asian and African Studies; and is the recipient of many awards, including University of South Florida’s Award for Professional Excellence. For several years, Professor Jreisat has regularly conducted seminars in ethics and public service to public managers and law enforcement personnel.

Mary Jane Stanley is President of Stanley Advisory Associates, a Tampa-based firm specializing in a variety of economic development and downtown development areas including strategic planning, organizational management and restructuring, and business development and retention strategies. MJ is currently under contract to the Florida Institute of Government at the University of South Florida, where she is the Learning and Development Facilitator. MJ also works with Impact Data Source, an Austin based consulting firm that conducts economic and fiscal impact analyses MJ created Stanley Advisory Associates after spending 10 years as the President & CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council. She has over 25 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. MJ has published numerous articles on economic development and the certification process. She is one of only 58 Certified Economic Development professionals in the State of Florida. She is actively involved as a grader and Vice Chair of IEDC’s Education and Certification Committee; and she is a presenter at various professional development courses for IEDC. MJ has a BA from the University of Florida and a MBA in Real Estate Development and Management from Nova Southeastern University. She is a Past Chairman of the Florida Economic Development Council. In 2008, she was named Economic Development Professional of the Year in Florida.

As Director of Economic Development, Rodney is responsible for the development and implementation of Polk County’s overall economic development strategic plan including, the formulation of target industry strategies for marketing of new business recruitment (domestically and internationally) as well as local business expansion/retention and entrepreneurial development. Prior to joining the CFDC, Rodney served as vice president for a 3 state 15 county regional economic development program, a senior economic development representative with a Fortune 250 company, an international business consultant, and an international operations manager for an internet company. Rodney is also an accomplished entrepreneur, having started and sold several different small businesses in Texas and Hawaii. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii and his MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and is also a Certified Economic Developer and a Certified Business Analyst. Rodney is actively involved in local, regional and state economic development organizations, including Enterprise Florida the State’s lead economic development agency, the Florida Economic Development Council and the International Economic Development Council. Additionally, he has held various board positions on numerous economic development programs throughout North Carolina and Florida.

Geri Campos Lopez, Director of Economic Development and Housing for the City of Clearwater, is a Certified Economic Developer with over 15 years of experience spanning the redevelopment, economic development, affordable housing, community development, and neighborhood revitalization markets. Ms. Lopez is responsible for improving and expanding the economic base of the City of Clearwater through business and community development efforts including the recruitment of value-added residential, retail, office, industrial, mixed land use, cultural and tourist-based resort developments as well as the administration of the city’s affordable housing programs. With a staff of 10, Ms. Lopez administers two divisions including incentives for the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency, economic development programs, and affordable housing programs. She received her bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Yale University and her master’s degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Lindsey Ballas Kimball, CEcD is the Director of Business Recruitment for the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. In this role, she works to bring new jobs and capital investment to the community. She has most recently served as Senior Vice President with Infinity Global Solutions, LLC, an economic development and government relations firm. Prior to that, Lindsey was the Business Development Chief with the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission where she directed business recruitment, retention and expansion projects, and downtown development initiatives. For two consecutive years, her Jacksonville business recruitment projects won “Deal of the Year” from the Florida Economic Development Council. Prior to this, Lindsey worked for the Tampa Bay Partnership as its Business Intelligence Officer, the City of St. Petersburg and the Downtown Denver Partnership. Lindsey is a native of Tampa and holds an MBA (2005) and BA (2001) from the University of South Florida, and received her designation as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council in 2008. She holds numerous professional associations, including her current service on the Executive Committee of the Florida Economic Development Council. In 2011, the Northeast Florida Regional Council named her “Outstanding Regional Economic Development Professional.” In 2010, she was named a “Top 20 under 40” in North America by the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network and a “40 under 40” in the Jacksonville region by the Jacksonville Business Journal.