A delegation from Pasco Economic Development, led by President and CEO Bill Cronin, returned to Tokyo in April to persuade more Japanese companies to invest in Florida’s Pasco County, which has access to a skilled workforce of more than 1.5 million and provides the optimum location to reach both the U.S. and Latin American markets.
Founded over 30 years ago, Pasco EDC offers site location assistance, tax incentives and expedited processing of permits for companies interested in operating in Pasco County. The organization has unveiled several build-ready sites with a total area exceeding 725 hectares.
“We’re one of the longest-operating economic development organizations in the state. One of the things that makes our organization unique is our incubator program, which includes soft landing programs for international companies,” Cronin said.
With its stable, pro-business leadership, Florida is ranked fourth in terms of tax climate in the United States. Companies that have moved to the state cite low operating costs and zero personal income tax as the most beneficial perks.
“Another program that is unique to our organization is the Pasco Pipeline, wherein we align workforce and employer needs with the employment workforce training agencies. We communicate with the employers so that we can easily create a program for them,” said Cronin.
Through its on-the-job training grants, as well as primary and post-secondary curricula for various industries, Pasco EDC is able to attract highly qualified workers to the area. It also works closely with many innovators in industry to come up with customized solutions to build a resilient business community.
