There is a reason that Orlando has been named among the nation's best locations for minority-owned businesses. This young, dynamic community embraces novel ideas,
diverse perspectives and new faces. Look closer! You'll see why forward-thinking companies, visionary entrepreneurs and talented workers from all walks of life come to Orlando to find opportunity and success.

From a nurturing entrepreneurial environment, to a diverse and economically thriving marketplace, to a can't-be-beat quality of life, Orlando has the assets and features that are drawing people of all ethnic backgrounds from all over the globe.

• Recently ranked as the third fastest growing metro area for the African-American and Asian-American populations.
• Ranks third in the nation for African-American net migration; minorities make up one-third of Central Florida's population.
• By 2020, nearly half of the region's residents will be African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American.
• Numerous Orlando-based companies, including Walt Disney World Resorts, Darden Restaurants and Lockheed Martin, are national leaders in providing diversity programs and initiatives.
• Orlando is considered a "Melting Pot", which is defined by the Census as a region with more than one minority group overrepresented and a white population smaller than 67.4% of the population.

Metro Orlando is a region on the move for African-American entrepreneurs and business leaders with more than 11,000 black-owned businesses currently operating here. Many of our most successful businesses are led by African Americans, including:

• Ronald Blocker - superintendent, Orange County Public Schools
• Brian Butler - president and CEO of JCB Construction
• Mark Glover - president and CEO of M & S Enterprises LLC
• Tony Jenkins - market president, Central Florida of Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida
• Robert Johnson -- founder of Black Entertainment Television, acquired Metro Bank in Orlando and renamed it Urban Trust, the first branch of a network that will serve African-American communities nationwide.
• Avido Khahaifa - senior vice president and general manager, Orlando Sentinel Communications
• Derek Lewis - senior vice president and general manager, Pepsi Bottling Corporation
• William Miller, Jr. - president and shareholder - Moore Stephens Lovelace, P.A.
• Clarence Otis -- CEO of Orlando-based Darden Restaurants, the largest casual dining company in the world, a Fortune 500 company and recently named as "one of the best companies for diversity" by Black Enterprise Magazine.
• Ronald Rogers - African-American Chamber of Commerce
• Mark Russell -- managing editor of the Orlando Sentinel.

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The Metro Orlando EDC believes it's important to even further diversify our region. That's why we started the Minority Channel initiative - it's aimed at recruiting minority-owned and led businesses to Metro Orlando. And, that is exactly what we'll be doing this weekend during the Florida Classic Game. This provides the opportunity for the EDC team to spend time with several c-suite executives interested in expansion opportunities. Similar EDC activities target other minority owned and led businesses on an ongoing basis.

The Metro Orlando EDC was recently recognized for our Minority Channel Initiative in the 2009 Beacon Awards which honor Central Florida organizations and leaders who make workforce diversity a priority.

In addition to the Metro Orlando EDC, several organizations assist in enhancing the local environment for minority-owned businesses:

• African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
• Black Business Investment Fund
• Florida Minority Supplier Development Council
• Metropolitan Orlando Urban League
• Minority/Women Business Enterprise Alliance

Orlando, Florida, is one of the fastest growing regions in the country for Hispanics according to the Pew Hispanic Center. And Hispanic Heritage Month - which runs from September 15 to October 15 - is an opportunity to remind us of the contributions Hispanics have made to our community and our nation. Throughout the month, there are several celebrations taking place, including the Orlando Hispanic Film Festival.

In addition, Orlando is opening doors for Hispanic entrepreneurs to realize their dreams. There are a multitude of organizations that directly support the Hispanic community in Central Florida, including both the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund.

Metro Orlando's diversity, combined with our region's reputation as a community that welcomes those from all backgrounds and walks of life, provides a competitive advantage in attracting minority owned and led businesses. Building on the belief that a culturally diverse community makes good business sense, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) established a Minority Channel initiative aimed at encouraging minority owned and led businesses in targeted industries to consider Orlando as the site of choice for relocation or expansion.

The 2009 Beacon Awards, which honor Central Florida organizations and leaders who make workforce diversity a priority, were announced ... and the Metro Orlando EDC's Minority Channel Initiative was a winner! The ceremony was held last week at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club. From the EDC, Carmenza Gonzalez and Beverly Marshall-Luney were there to accept the award from Orlando City Commissioner Daisy Lynum.

The EDC's Minority Channel initiative is aimed at recruiting minority-owned and led businesses to Metro Orlando. And, that is exactly what the EDC was doing over the Labor Day weekend, as the EDC's Ray Gilley and Rodney Hughes participated in the Black Enterprise Pepsi Golf and Tennis Challenge, held here in Orlando at the J.W. Marriott Grande Lakes. This provided the opportunity for the EDC team to spend time with several c-suite executives interested in expansion opportunities. Similar EDC activities target Hispanic-owned and women-owned businesses on an ongoing basis.

Congratulations also to Zoraida Velasco of the EDC's International Business Development Team, who was honored with the "up-and-comer" Beacon Award, and to the following EDC investors who were recognized: Disney Entrepreneur Center; Siemens Energy, Inc.; and Barton Malow Company.

Did you know that one in six companies based in Metro Orlando is owned by a woman? Celebrating the impact of women-owned businesses, as well as the increasing number that are women-led, was the goal of an EDC gathering attended by over 100 of those dynamic female executives on Thursday.

Hosted in conjunction with the Orlando Business Journal, the morning reception honored past and recent recipients of the OBJ's "Women Who Mean Business" awards. It also provided an opportunity to introduce participants to the EDC's Minority Business Channel, an initiative designed to target and attract additional minority and women-owned businesses to Metro Orlando, as well as helping those already located here to grow and succeed.

Highlights of the morning included remarks from Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World, an inspiring executive at the pinnacle of her career, as well as from Rachel Pohl, a nineteen-year-old Hamilton College student studying the status of women in developing countries, who represents the "next generation" of female leaders in our community.

Metro Orlando's demographic diversity leads the nation. This, combined with our region's reputation as a community that welcomes those from all backgrounds and walks of life, provides a competitive advantage in attracting minority and women-led businesses. And that's a smart economic development strategy, as these groups comprise the fastest growing segment of industry today.

For more information on the EDC's Minority Channel, contact Rodney Hughes.

Metro Orlando has a lot to be proud of in our own Darden Restaurants. The Orange County-headquartered company was recently deemed "the most successful restaurant chain in the world" by FastCompany.com and named one of the nation's "best companies for diversity" by Black Enterprise. The operator of Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, Season's 52, Capital Grille, and Longhorn Steakhouse was noted for the leadership that has helped the casual dining chain continue to grow, and hire, despite tough economic times.

The growth of Darden mirrors the growth of Central Florida, which this company has called home since Bill Darden opened the first Red Lobster in 1968. Darden's popular concept was eventually acquired by General Mills; the company was re-named in his honor when it spun off from General Mills in May 1995,at that time becoming a publicly-traded company. The chain has since grown to Fortune 500 status, currently ranked #374 and the only Orlando-headquartered company on that list. Last year, Darden solidified its ties to our region, moving into an all-new, expanded campus on Lake Ellenor Drive in South Orange County.

Though by far the largest, Darden is not the only restaurant chain headquartered here. Sonny's Real Pit BBQ, based in Maitland, operates 137 restaurants in nine states. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, which moved their headquarters to Lake Mary in 2004, operates 132 restaurants in the U.S. and abroad. And the growing Tijuana Flats chain now has locations in Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Indiana, as well as throughout Florida.

The presence of all these great corporate headquarters is good for our economy and good for our community. We are proud that they call Metro Orlando home.

In the last few years, there has been a multitude of recalls of products, foods and medicines. But there are steps in place that are supposed to make sure this doesn't happen, and that the product, whether food or medicine, does what it is supposed to do. One Central Florida company is making this happen for drug manufacturers.

Amaro & Associates, Inc. (dba Comply Shield), a biopharmaceutical technology consulting firm delivers quality assurance testing and validation, quality IT business processes and performance testing to ensure pharmaceutical manufacturing systems function properly through the development of its Total Validation Management (TVM) system.

In a period of stronger pushes toward FDA regulation, this system consolidates multiple processes into one efficient program. The client is then able to create testable requirements, test plans, test scenarios and summary documents, which are not only less confusing but are accurate and complete.

Watch Jorge Amaro, president of Amaro & Associates, explain his company.

According to a recent report from the Pew Hispanic Center, one of the fastest growing regions for Hispanics isn't Miami, New York or Los Angeles... it's Orlando, Fla.

Hispanics currently make up 22 percent of the population in Metro Orlando and that percentage is growing. Between 2000 and 2007, the Hispanic community grew 4 percent in the U.S. while Metro Orlando experienced a 29 percent growth rate. In fact, Orange County, Fla., ranked 17th in the increase of Hispanic residents and Lake County, Fla., ranked 18th among the 25 fastest-growing Hispanic counties in the country during this same time.

This diversity is a competitive advantage when it comes to business and personal choices for relocation. Over 20,000 Hispanic owned businesses have chosen to locate their operations in Metro Orlando and many of the region's top businesses are led by Hispanics. From the personal side, one out of every six residents in Metro Orlando was born outside the United States, the majority of which (about two-thirds) are from Latin America.

The region's diversity was recently recognized by Forbes when they named Orlando as one of "America's newest immigrant capitals" and the #5 spot for immigrants. The reason? Forbes cites plentiful jobs. And while many know Orlando as a tourism destination, the region is also home to a vibrant $13.4 billion technology industry in fields such as photonics and optics, modeling and simulation, digital media and many others.

Orlando's access and proximity to Latin America is another reason the area is considered a top spot for immigrants. And with recent announcements for direct flights from Copa Airlines to/from Panama, Tam Airlines to/from Brazil and JetBlue to/from Colombia, access to Latin America is easier than ever from Orlando. Not only does this make travel more convenient for leisure and business travelers alike, but it also opens opportunities for companies looking to export products and trade with Latin America.

Building on the belief that a culturally diverse community makes good business sense, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) established a Minority Channel initiative aimed at encouraging minority owned and led businesses in targeted industries to consider Orlando as the site of choice for relocation or expansion. For more information on this initiative, contact us.