WHY ORLANDO?

"In deciding to locate our headquarters and service center in Metro Orlando, we found that the region can easily support corporate and manufacturing operations not only through solid infrastructure and transportation systems, but through a workforce that is young, literate and eager to hold a good job."

— Hector Ponce, EVP
Mitsubishi Power Systems, Inc.

“Bank of New York’s original plan was to have 300 people located in Central Florida. We opened our first office here with two business units three months before the 9/11 tragedy. Two more business units moved here as a direct result of 9/11. Additional units commenced operations here after seeing the success of the others. Now we have a total of nine Orlando business units with about 750 employees, and growing.”

— Joe Brady, vice president/mutual fund accounting group
The Bank of New York

“Orlando is a great business location for SAIC because of the synergies among the military services (our customers), the business community and the University of Central Florida, which all work together to generate success in the high tech domain. What I like best about the region is that here, more than anywhere I have lived there is a sense of community. There are so many great people who are willing to get together and help each other both on a business and on a personal level.”

— Beverly Seay, senior vice president
business unit general manager, SAIC

“There is an immense brain trust in Metro Orlando for the digital media industry that is hard to find anywhere else.”

— Bob Allen, CEO
IDEAS

"Central Florida offers a wide variety of recruitment options for diverse skills sets. We partner with local educational institutions, Workforce Central Florida, local employment council career fairs and other traditional means to attract talent. We have had no major problems filling the several hundred positions we have recruited for over the last few years We found it was critical to ensure that we were offering a competitive compensation and benefits package to attract candidates in this market."

— Holly Faries, quality assurance manager
CuraScript Specialty Distribution

“There is an aggressive and enabling atmosphere in the Metro Orlando area for high-tech companies and new research, which make it an ideal locale for the energy and alternative fuels industry.”

— Dr. Robert Stonerock, Jr.
Clean Power Engineering Company

Over the past 24 years I have been the VP of Human Resources for large employers here in Central Florida. In that time we have recruited thousands of people predominately in the publishing and technology areas. Over the years the concerns of long ago seem to persist as myths long after their demise. Let me address the dominant ones.

— Jim Brescia, vice president, human resources
SunGard HTE, Inc.

“Orlando and Orange County are wonderfully positioned in the global economy. You are one of the world's greatest travel destinations. You have such a young population. You have economic diversity, including all the high tech start-ups. You have a great climate. In short, the Orlando area is extremely well-positioned for this new millennium.”

— John Naisbitt, author
Megatrends

“We applaud the Metro Orlando EDC’s hard work and perseverance, for they have helped create an environment in which we can continue to hire outstanding local talent who can help us make great games. We’ve always loved this area, and now, with the combined support from state government, local business and academic institutions, we can build the infrastructure needed to sustain our rate of growth here. We appreciate the State of Florida and the University of Central Florida’s commitment to videogame development and thank them for their ongoing support of EA in Central Florida.”

— Steven Chiang, vice president and studio general manager
Electronic Arts Tiburon

“The factor for us was our recruiting ability in Orlando. We just felt the opportunity to recruit people was a bit stronger here with such a well-educated work force. Orlando is also a multiethnic, multinational area, which is helpful in recruiting a bilingual staff.”

— Jorge Tovar, director
Adelphia’s National Sales Center

"We have a critical mass of businesses in simulation and related technologies in Metro Orlando and a world-class university that provides a ready population of well-trained employees. We have everything here that a business needs for success."

— Ronald E. Stiles, director
National Center for Simulation

“Orlando is a natural fit for our needs; among other things, it has great weather, things for our students to do while they’re here in training, a cooperative business climate, and land.”

— Mike Barger, chief learning officer
JetBlue Airways

"Metro Orlando offers many strengths to the aviation and aerospace industry — an abundance of land available adjacent to runways for hangars, maintenance, air cargo, and other aviation related facilities; ample supply of power and recycled water capabilities for manufacturing facilities; and a world-class simulation and training cluster. This industry will only continue to grow here."

— Jim Laria, aviation consultant

"Because Photonics is an enabling technology, enhancing most other high tech sectors, as well as growing its own sector, it will continue to see significant steady growth and have a major impact on savings in most industries."

—Dr. James Pearson, director of research and administration
UCF College of Optics and Photonics

”Metro Orlando provides a strong center of support for research and advances in the fields of biotechnology and life science at all levels, from academic to corporate. Some of the world’s most leading-edge work is being conducted here in our research centers by an interdisciplinary community of academics, post-graduates and undergraduates to revolutionize medicine and greatly improve the human condition.”

— Dr. Pappachan E. Kolattukudy, professor and director
UCF Biomolecular Science Center and Chair