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 […]
Director’s Message: Magnetic Momentum
Home to cutting-edge research centers, one of the top engineering colleges in the state, and world-class research universities, Tallahassee-Leon County is in a unique position to cultivate a business environment that thrives on the technology and innovation that is researched and developed at these Centers of Excellence. The Office of Economic Vitality is committed to working […]
Shop Local This Holiday Season
Kianna Brown, Marketing Coordinator The busiest shopping season of the year is upon us, and I’m sure if your inbox looks anything like mine, it’s full of big retailers vying for your dollars. Although it may be tempting to just order online from a big-box store or drive over to its numerous locations around town, […]
Data Central and DataTALKS
Daniel Lucas, Division Coordinator Raw data can be difficult to distill into usable, understandable, and consequential information. And, once released, people can sometimes embellish or distort data past its integrity. OEV understands its audience is an eclectic mix of political and economic participants, some local and others external, who may be seeking different implications from […]
Shoppers show up to support local businesses
Micah Cho, WTXL TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With Christmas now a month away, the holiday shopping season is in full swing. Now more than ever, it’s important to shop small because of the pandemic. Socially-distanced shoppers across North Florida and South Georgia flocked to shops hoping to get a head-start on the holiday shopping season. With […]
Opinion: Love Your Local This Holiday Season
Cristina Paredes This year, local, small businesses have been faced with many unprecedented challenges. The impact of COVID-19 on small businesses has been nothing short of devastating as owners have had to innovate and reimagine their operations considerably when COVID-19 hit the community in March. Restaurants, like Jeri’s Midtown Café and Catering with Care, shifted […]
Love Your Local campaign looks to support community businesses for the holidays
Kristian Thomas, ABC27 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Highlighting businesses that have had a tough year with the pandemic is what the Love Your Local campaign aims to do. For many, COVID-19 is still impacting their ability to make money. Some are dealing with a tough reality that they might not make it through the holidays. […]
‘Love Your Local’ push supports Small Business Saturday shopping
TaMaryn Waters, Tallahassee Democrat The Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality (OEV) has three words for residents this year — Love Your Local. Sounds simple, but the sentiment when put into action can plunge desperately needed dollars into Tallahassee’s bruised economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. OEV Director Cristina Paredes said the “Love Your Local” concept is about spreading […]
Gearing Up for Manufacturing Month
Kevin Gehrke This is an exciting time of year for the manufacturing industry. October is designated, nationally, as Manufacturing Month. Here in the Big Bend area, we have an additional reason to celebrate. The Office of Economic Vitality is pleased to announce the launch of the Big Bend Manufacturers Association. In September, the Intergovernmental Agency […]
My Take: Love Your Local
By Cristina Paredes, Director of the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality Tallahassee-Leon County has a special place in my heart. From the award-winning parks and outdoor adventures to the innovation that thrives from our world-class universities and research institutions, there are a lot of incredible and unique qualities that keep our community beating strong. […]