Stories
Stories

Director’s Message: Entrepreneurship Drives Economic Vitality

April 8, 2021

From driving innovation to promoting social change, entrepreneurship plays a major role in the economy of our city, state, and nation. Entrepreneurship enhances economic growth, creates job opportunities, and enables new markets to be developed through the unique offerings of new goods and services. Great innovators have the ability to change the world for the […]

DataTALKS Explained: Tallahassee-Leon County Graduate Retention

Dan Lucas, Division Coordinator Tallahassee’s universities have a constant flow of incoming students and outgoing graduates. Florida State University and Florida A&M University together account for around 80% of the 65,000 students enrolled in higher education in Leon County. According to data from the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida, about […]

The Intellectual Capital

Drew Dietrich, Deputy Director Tallahassee is known for many things – endless outdoor adventures, Southern Hospitality, unrivaled festivals, and you guessed it, college football. But hiding just beneath the surface is a little known truth – there’s an awful lot of knowledgeable and skilled people walking around. In 2020, Tallahassee ranked as the 17th most […]

MWSBE Spotlight: Kitschy Wearable Art

March 4, 2021

Chrissy Souders is a woman of multiple talents, a seasoned broadcast journalist and innovative founder of Kitschy Wearable Art. Her collaborative spirit and unique eye for new trends made her a natural for Women Wednesdays, a local grassroots initiative to make Tallahassee a #1City4Women. When COVID19 hit, she jumped into action to transform Women Wednesdays’ […]

Re-Entry: A Key Point for Business Innovation

Richard Fetchick, Business Intelligence Manager In an effort to improve the re-entry pipeline for the formerly incarnated, Leon County Government and the Office of Economic Vitality partnered with MIT Sloan School of Management-USA Lab. This study included housing, transportation, counseling, and career opportunities. From the USA Lab Partnership, the importance of connecting re-entering citizens to […]

Big Bend Manufacturers Association Update

Kevin Gehrke, Business Development Manager, Applied Science Happy March everyone!  I am pleased to announce that this first quarter has been very successful for the recently Big Bend Manufacturers Association (BBMA). We have filled our board with the addition of the heads of two successful local manufacturing organizations and a local accounting firm. These members have […]

Director’s Message: Celebrating Women-Owned Businesses

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Office of Economic Vitality (OEV) recognizes the many women-owned businesses here in our community. We celebrate the accomplishments of women and women-owned businesses, and I am excited to share their stories of doing business right here in Tallahassee-Leon County. I love what Barbara Wescott, Founder of Women Wednesdays, […]

AMWAT Moving Owner, MWSBE CAC Vice Chair Gloria Pugh Elected First Woman President of Professional Movers Association of Florida

March 2, 2021

AMWAT Moving Warehousing Storage Owner Gloria Pugh Takes the Helm [Tallahassee, Fla.] – The Professional Movers Association of Florida (PMAF) has recently announced that the association’s Board of Directors unanimously elected Gloria Pugh to serve as President for the 2021-2022 year. This vote marks a historic event for PMAF, as Gloria will be the first […]

MWSBE Spotlight: Business Automation Pros

February 1, 2021

Catering to small and medium-sized businesses, Business Automation Pros specializes in creating secure paperless environments, process automation, and document management by providing a wide array of innovative software options coupled with first-rate consulting services. The company is headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, and serves the entire state of Florida along with Southern Georgia. Document management consulting […]

MWSBE Spotlight: Mega Ace Media, LLC

Mega Ace Media, LLC was formed in July of 2019. Vaughn Wilson, owner and operator of the company, re-started his company after a 10-year term developing the multimedia department of the FAMU Department of Athletics from the ground up. His tenure culminated with the department fully equipped and capable to do ESPN-3 broadcasts in-house. Upon reaching […]

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September 18, 2025

New to exporting or looking to explore the latest exporting best practices? OEV and SelectFlorida have partnered up to provide an event that will help manufacturers and service providers to grow their business across international markets.

September 18, 2025

Leon County and the City of Tallahassee created the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency in accordance with Florida Statutes Section 163.01(7). The Intergovernmental Agency Board of Directors, comprised of the Leon County Board of County Commissioners and the Tallahassee City Commission, provides leadership of the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency and implements the programs and projects of the Office […]