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Our guest this week is Kevin Sheilley, President & CEO of the Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership (CEP) in Florida as we continue with our Chamber of the Year Finalist Series.
Around 2011-2012, the Chamber and Economic Development went through a merger. At the time, it provided an opportunity for the Chamber to do some soul searching and figure out what their role should be in the community. This soul searching led to some of the great programs and successes which propelled the CEP to become a finalist for 2019 Chamber of the Year!
As I visited with Kevin, he showcased how Ocala is the horse capital of the world. The equine industry brings in around $2.6 billion to the local economy. With such a large horse industry in Ocala, the CEP decided to have dedicated staff to promote their Equine Engagement Initiative. Through collecting data, they have found that an equine tourist spends on average approximately $3,000 daily on things that are not horse related. In 2021, Ocala will see the opening of a brand new, $400 million World Equestrian Center which will host many of the equine related events in the area.
The other program that Kevin highlighted was their NEXTworks Talent Initiative. This program provides a skills based education to high school students through a partnership with the school district and the local colleges (Marion Technical College and The College of Central Florida). The goal of this program is to focus on the 3 E’s, Employment, Enlist, & Enroll. By the time a student graduates high school they should be ready to take their next step through one of these 3 options.
Kevin shares great advice during our interview. He mentions that we should BBQ our sacred cows and think outside of the box. He also talks about the importance of viewing Chamber members as partners who are looking for a return on their investment.
If you would like to connect with Kevin Sheilley, you can find him on Facebook or you can visit ocalacep.com.
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