Spotlight On: George Recktenwald, County Manager, Volusia County
July 2024 — In an interview with Invest:, George Recktenwald, county manager of Volusia County, talked about balancing residential and industrial development as the population grows, why Volusia County has become a hub for various industries, and the partnerships in place to expand manufacturing, defense, and space-related industries.
How would you describe the business and economic landscape in Volusia County, and what industries are driving growth?
We are evolving rapidly. Volusia County is in the northeast quadrant of the Orlando metro area. It is the size of Rhode Island, so it is fairly large. The climate is heavily business-focused, with a council that prioritizes business expansion. We are expanding in areas like manufacturing and defense contracting. Recently, Boeing announced a partnership with Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, bringing in 400 engineers. The community and private sector invested over $50 million into a new building on the campus. Defense contractors like Spartan Electronics are already established here, contributing significantly to our economy.
Space-related industries are also significant. We are part of the supply chain for the space sector, and our location at the crossroads of I-95 and I-4 makes us a key distribution hub. We are finishing a 3-million-square-foot Amazon distribution center, one of the largest, adding to the two existing Amazon centers in the county. Other distributors are also establishing significant operations here.
Volusia County is also an insurance hub. Daytona Beach is home to Brown and Brown Insurance, the sixth largest insurance company in the world, which has consolidated operations in a new corporate headquarters downtown. Foundation Risk, another rapidly rising company, is also based here.
In healthcare, we have five hospitals, including Advent Health and a Level One Trauma Center with Halifax, tied to the University of Florida. This gives us a strong healthcare business environment.
Historically, our economy was tourism-based. Daytona is known for the Daytona 500, the Super Bowl of racing, and other major events like Bike Week and Jeep Beach, which draw hundreds of thousands of visitors. This influx of visitors often leads to some choosing to settle here, attracted by our diverse towns like Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, and DeLand.
Agriculture also remains a significant industry. We have a large equestrian presence, ornamental fern growing in Pearson and cattle farming. Our agricultural diversity employs many people and adds to the county’s economic resilience.
Volusia County’s infrastructure supports this growth with two interstates and major railroads, making distribution efficient. We also have a strong educational sector with Stetson University, Embry-Riddle, Daytona State College, and a portion of the University of Central Florida, which has one of the largest engineering programs. Embry-Riddle, in particular, has produced nine astronauts.
How is the county attracting new industries, jobs, and companies to promote economic development?
The county has an economic development division attached to our airport. Our main recruiting tool is Team Volusia, a public-private partnership funded about 52% by private companies and 48% by government entities, including the county and its 16 cities. Around 100 businesses are involved.
Team Volusia’s main job is recruitment, and they operate worldwide. They have spent significant time in Europe and recently engaged with a Japanese contingent. This approach provides flexibility, allowing private funds to support international recruitment efforts.
We also have the CEO Business Alliance, comprising top business leaders in the county. Members like NASCAR, ICI Homes, Brown and Brown, and other major companies contribute around $100,000 each in investment. This alliance assists with recruiting, networking, and securing investors in growing and established industries considering relocation to Volusia County. Their involvement is crucial in showing prospective businesses the benefits of our community.
What are some significant partnerships and collaborative initiatives in place with local governments, businesses, and community organizations?
Key partners for us include Daytona State College and Embry Riddle University, which offer both four-year and two-year programs. They tailor programs to industry needs, especially in the manufacturing sector. The school board is always a partner as well. Real estate development organizations also play a part in helping with the location of these organizations. We have farsighted landowners and businesspeople developing industrial parks in both the Daytona Beach area and the New Smyrna Beach area. This ensures a smooth transition for companies coming in.
We have pad-ready projects at our airport. Recently, we secured over $5 million in state grants to make a large section of our airport pad-ready. This is part of our effort to position ourselves so that industries needing direct airport access have plenty of pad-ready places to develop. The county owns and runs the airport, and I have seen firsthand how our ability to pull things together quickly makes a difference. When there is a need, we can quickly assemble a team of decision-makers from various departments to put together a proposal and complete projects promptly. This capability is crucial because we understand that time is money for businesses. We aim to facilitate quick investments, whether for new builds or rehabilitations. Florida is relatively new, so we often build from the ground up rather than converting existing factories.
[fusion_images order_by=”desc” picture_size=”auto” hover_type=”none” autoplay=”yes” autoplay_speed=”3000″ flex_align_items=”center” columns=”1″ column_spacing=”0″ scroll_items=”” show_nav=”yes” mouse_scroll=”no” border=”no” lightbox=”no” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” caption_style=”off” caption_title_tag=”2″ fusion_font_family_caption_title_font=”” fusion_font_variant_caption_title_font=”” caption_title_size=”” caption_title_line_height=”” caption_title_letter_spacing=”” caption_title_transform=”” caption_title_color=”” hue=”” saturation=”” lightness=”” alpha=”” caption_background_color=”” fusion_font_family_caption_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_caption_text_font=”” caption_text_size=”” caption_text_line_height=”” caption_text_letter_spacing=”” caption_text_transform=”” caption_text_color=”” caption_border_color=”” caption_overlay_color=”” caption_align_medium=”none” caption_align_small=”none” caption_align=”none” caption_margin_top=”” caption_margin_right=”” caption_margin_bottom=”” caption_margin_left=”” parent_dynamic_content=””] [fusion_image image=”https://capitalanalyticsassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CAA24_Invest-Insights-S6-Web-Banners-7.jpg” image_id=”64377″ image_title=”” image_caption=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” alt=”” /] [fusion_image image=”https://capitalanalyticsassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CAA24_Invest-Insights-S6-Web-Banners-10.jpg” image_id=”64380″ image_title=”” image_caption=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” alt=”” /] [fusion_image image=”https://capitalanalyticsassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CAA24_Invest-Insights-S6-Web-Banners-9.jpg” image_id=”64379″ image_title=”” image_caption=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” alt=”” /] [fusion_image image=”https://capitalanalyticsassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CAA24_Invest-Insights-S6-Web-Banners-8.jpg” image_id=”64378″ image_title=”” image_caption=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” alt=”” /] [/fusion_images]
What are some of the main challenges that the county is facing, and what measures are you taking to address them?
We are in competition with ourselves to some degree because we have a large population influx. Homebuilding is a significant industry in Volusia County, so balancing the need for residential developments with available land zoned for industry is a challenge. This balance is why some developers are putting together large industrial parks. The county is also involved, especially with the land around our airport.
Another asset is the county’s award-winning land conservation plan. We have a central section that is very rural, and we have purchased the second-largest amount of land for long-term preservation among all counties in Florida. This provides recreational opportunities and preserves wildlife habitats. For businesses, it ensures that development is focused in the correct areas, with conservation land balancing the needs of those who prefer no development.
How does Volusia County ensure financial sustainability and accountability in its projects and initiatives?
We are financially solid. Despite being the 12th largest county by population in Florida, our per capita government spending ranks 57th out of 67 counties, and our tax rate per capita is 38th. We keep our government expenses in line.
Our robust engineering department handles many projects efficiently, from building convention centers to maintaining thousands of miles of road. We are experienced and capable of supporting private sector needs as well. We have dependable local companies and access to capital from major lending institutions. Additionally, we benefit from involvement at the CEO level from many local businesses. We also support innovation through initiatives like the MLEX incubator at Embry-Riddle, which helps new businesses get off the ground.
Fortunately, we have a robust team. Jobs are our No. 1 focus in economic development. Certain industries, including manufacturing, defense, space, distribution, insurance, and healthcare, tend to get priority because they offer high-paying jobs. Commercial investments are more dependent on the number of rooftops and economic indicators.
What are the main plans and priorities for Volusia County in the next two to three years?
We will focus on keeping government expenses in check and taxes low to remain competitive. Infrastructure will continue to be a major emphasis, ensuring that our road and utility networks are robust. Additionally, we will work closely with schools and colleges to ensure they are producing the workforce of the future. As such, these three areas, government efficiency, infrastructure, and education, will be our main priorities.
For more information, please visit:
