Message from the CEO: Moving Business Forward
I hope you enjoyed a safe and happy Memorial Day and took the time to reflect on the true meaning of this special day. The brave men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country deserve our time, respect, and deep gratitude. Freedom is not free and it is because of them that we were able to enjoy the day, free to celebrate it with our family and friends however we wished. I thought I would share the following quote which I believe captures the essence of the day and why we recognize those fallen patriots:
“Our flag doesn’t fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”–Unknown.
Governor DeSantis has announced that Florida teachers and principals will receive $1,000 bonuses. He asked the legislature to approve this measure as a direct result of their dedication and sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, 174,000 first responders, which includes law enforcement, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and firefighters, will also receive a $1,000 one-time bonus in appreciation for their service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state will use funds received through the American Rescue Plan to fund these bonuses.
The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office has released the June 1 estimates of taxable values. County-wide taxable property values have increased 5.05% from 2020 to 2021. They are based upon market conditions as of January 1, 2021, and provide assistance as taxing authorities develop their budgets. These values are only estimates and are subject to change. The City of Boca Raton came in with the highest 2021 Estimated Tax Value at $26.8 billion, followed by Palm Beach at $21.4 billion. The total for the entire county was $153 billion.
The Batmasian Family Foundation created The Small Business Grant Program to support local businesses and entrepreneurs in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. A total of $100,000 was given to fifteen deserving small businesses who suffered through, but survived the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The top grant was issued in the amount of $20,000 and the second and third place recipients received $10,000 each. The remaining receipts received $5,000 each. In addition to the financial grant, each recipient receives professional coaching and resources to help their business grow and thrive.
I had the privilege to sit on a panel of judges with local business leaders to review and select the finalists. These small businesses demonstrated perseverance and resilience during challenging times. It was very gratifying to be part of a program that provided them financial and professional support. I thank Jim and Marta Batmasian for their generosity and for supporting these businesses for continued success. This year’s top three recipients were: Invictus Barber Shop, Salutations of Delray and K&E Travel Agency. Click here for more information and to see the remaining grant recipients. Congratulations to all those who received grants!
Boca Helping Hands (BHH) celebrated the opening of their much-needed food storage space last week. Since the COVID-19 crisis, BHH has seen a doubling in the demand for its food programs, with more than 4,000 new families now signed up to receive pantry bags. With the completion of this new warehouse, BHH will have the capacity to feed an additional 27,000 clients over the next five-to-ten years – doubling the potential number of people who can receive help in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis.
The date of the 2021 Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl has been announced – Saturday, December 18. The eighth annual bowl game will be played at FAU Stadium on the campus of Florida Atlantic University with a kick-off time at 11:00 AM. Airing on ESPN, there will be no other FBS bowl games being played during that time frame. The game will also be carried nationally on ESPN Radio and locally on ESPN 106.3. For additional information, visit RoofclaimBocaRatonBowl.com.
Looking for a quick way to find an event, register for an event, and receive pop-up notifications of important Chamber, County, City of Boca Raton, and City of Boynton Beach information? Download the Boca Chamber App – found on the App Store and Google Play Store. Keep your Chamber at the tip of your fingers! You can also stay up to date on all Chamber activity by visiting us at bocachamber.com.
We continue to provide you with valuable virtual and in-person experiences. Most virtual programs are recorded and available for you to access on the Boca Chamber’s YouTube Channel. Hit the subscribe button to find out when new content is posted on our channel.Below is a list of our upcoming virtual and in-person experiences:
6/1 – 12:00 p.m. Virtual International Business Alliance Roundtable
Topic: Considerations to Successfully Break Into a New MarketSpeaker: Arminda Figueroa, Founder & CEO, Latin2Latin Marketing & CommunicationsClick here to register
6/4 – 7:00 a.m. 51st Annual Golf ClassicBoca Raton Resort & Club501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, FLClick here to register
6/8 – 8:30 a.m. Virtual Free Workshop
Topic: From How? To Wow!Speaker: Greta Schulz, President & CEO, Schulz Business Sellutions
6/9 – 12:00 p.m. In-Person Boynton Beach Lunch & Learn
Sponsor: iThink Financial
Topic: Chick-fil-A Your Business! Learn How to Use the Famous Chick-fil-A Customer Service Model in Your Business
Speaker: Justin Mize, Franchise Owner, Chick-fil-A, Boynton Beach Boulevard East and Boynton Beach Boulevard West
Intracoastal Park Clubhouse
2240 North Federal HighwayBoynton Beach, FL 33435
6/10 – 7:45 a.m. In-Person Membership Breakfast
Sponsor: Office Depot, Inc.
Topic: Pivoting Through the Pandemic to Service Small Business
Speaker: Kevin Moffitt, Executive Vice President & Chief Retail Officer, Office Depot, Inc.Marriott at Boca Center
5150 Town Center CircleBoca Raton, FL
6/10 – 11:30 a.m. Virtual Government Affairs Committee
Topic: State of the City
Speaker: Scott Singer, Mayor, City of Boca Raton
6/10 – 5:30 p.m. In-Person Exclusive Trustee Legislative Reception
Boca Raton Innovation Campus – Lakeside Patio
500 T-Rex AvenueBoca Raton, FL
6/11 – 8:30 a.m. Virtual PRIME Event
Sponsor: Allegiance Home Health
Topic: Senior Living’s Economic Impact on Florida’s Economy
Speaker: Donna Addy, Community Relations Manager, Vi at Lakeside Village
Today marks the official start of hurricane season and runs through November 30th. There is still time to take advantage of the state’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday which will end on Sunday, June 6th. Click here for a full list of qualifying items. Now is also the time businesses should revisit or create their hurricane preparedness plan. Click here for a sample preparedness guide from FPL.
Tourism is continuing to make a comeback in South Florida and Palm Beach County. County tourism leaders are encouraged by the meetings and conventions market and indicate that they have more groups scheduled between now and September than during the same period pre-pandemic in 2019. Additionally, a third of hotel guests are coming for meetings or conventions. This is placing Palm Beach County as one of the top meeting destinations in the state. Great news for the hospitality industry and our local economy!
Together, we continue to Move Business Forward in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and South Palm Beach County, making our region the best place to Live, Work, Learn and Play.
Moving Business Forward,
Troy M. McLellan, CCE, FCCP
President & CEO
Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce
#movingbocaforward
#movingboyntonforward
#movingdelrayforward
1800 N Dixie Hwy | Boca Raton, FL 33432 p: 561.395.4433 | f: 561.392.3780
