I was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and went north across the bridge to college in Tampa, at the University of South Florida. That is the farthest north I have ever lived. I have traveled enough to know I am blessed. I vividly remember a grey winter business trip I took to New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Over that week I never saw the sun. While the plane was making its approach to the airport in Tampa, which is less than thirty minutes from our facility, the sun was sparkling off the water. That was when it hit me, this really is a great place to live.
The following article, with a beautiful picture of the downtown St. Petersburg area, speaks to the business climate here which is also attractive. If you have interest, I hope you enjoy the article:
"Over the past few decades, St. Petersburg’s median age has dropped from more than 50 to 42—one of the lowest on the west coast of Florida. Florida’s fourth-largest city, with a population of 250,000, St. Petersburg is described as having all the charm of a small town, but with the amenities of a large city. Illustrating its demographic evolution, St. Petersburg now hosts an international Grand Prix, a rock ‘n’ roll marathon, and triathlons. Yes, shuffleboard is still played, but, on Friday nights, it’s often accompanied by live music. “This isn’t your grandmother’s St. Petersburg anymore,” Mayor Bill Foster says.
Surrounded by 260 miles of shoreline, as you’d expect from a peninsular city jutting out into Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the city is ecologically inclined; it has been a Tree City for over 26 years, and, in 2007, it earned the first Green City accreditation in the state. Besides its environmental bent, the city works closely with the county school board to support its schools through programs such as Mayors, Mentors and More—an initiative that’s raised more than $10 million for college scholarships for kids at risk and attracted mentors and corporate partners for every one of its 46 public schools. On the higher-education front, St. Petersburg is served by three colleges in the local vicinity—the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Eckerd College, and St. Petersburg College.
With more than 1,000 events a year, encompassing gallery and museum openings, and home to such sports teams as Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, it’s evidently a comfortable place to live, but what kind of climate does it offer for businesses?"
Continue reading the full article here.
J. Robert Saron
President
Bovie Medical Corporation
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