April 2014 Luncheon & Meeting: Opportunity Naples

John Cox

President and CEO

of the

Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce

Opportunity Naples Competitive Assessment includes the compilation of survey results that all LWVCC members were invited to take in January to assist the efforts of Opportunity Naples to gather opinions about where we live and how we want Greater Naples to evolve.

The assessment portrays Collier County as divided by geography, financial abilities and philosophy. There is coastal and inland Collier; wealthy and struggling Collier; and those residents who believe that aggressive economic development is essential and those who are convinced that it will destroy our quality of life. The report points out that  “efforts to preserve the quality of life ...  have resulted in other trends that negatively impact the community’s ability to diversify its economy, sustain a competitive workforce, seed and grow an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and foster a business climate conducive to targeted growth and investment.”

 “If Greater Naples is to continue to evolve as both a lifestyle destination and a thriving, diverse economic region, a balance must be struck between the desire to preserve the qualities that draw residents and visitors and the strategies and tactics that will enhance the ability of local economic developers and other professionals to retain, expand, attract, and grow quality jobs in Collier County. In fact, the synergy between these two missions can ultimately be profound and complimentary.”

John Cox, President and CEO of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, will discuss these divides and explain what Opportunity Naples, a joint business/government effort, plans to accomplish in the next three years.

Come and hear what is being proposed and seek answers to your questions about these complex and, sometimes, emotional issues.