Community In Motion — Signs of Change

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA– The second edition of COMMUNITY IN MOTION premiered October 1 on WEFSC-TV. Entitled SIGNS OF CHANGE, the half hour broadcast in the public interest was made possible by Brevard Workforce, Florida Today Communications and Eastern Florida State College. The show is hosted by Wayne Price, Florida Today business writer.

Community in Motion Signs of Change (recommitting, reimagining, repositioning) continues to be accessbile, including videos, online (www.FloridaToday.com/communityinmotion).

See the interviews with Lisa Rice, Jan Conrad and Dr. Pat Fuller on the home page of BrevardWorkforce.com.

The full broadcast is available on YouTube in three sections corresponding to the subject matter below:

Section 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8coQ48TBug

Section  2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1ehTBkTqA

Section 3  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebG_nrHCR14

COMMUNITY IN MOTION – SIGNS OF CHANGE explores three main subject areas:

  1. Recommitment to Brevard is epitomized by the Harris Corporation’s plan to build a 450,000 sq. ft. Technology Center in Brevard (completed by 2014). Patrick Petersen of Florida Today interviewed Sheldon Fox, Group President of Government Communications Systems at Harris Corporation on how this legacy company is evolving, based on innovation.  This segment features Dr. Abram Walton, Associate Professor of Management at the Florida Institute of Technology, on the importance of community and university collaborations and the real-world results when industry and academia work together to identify ways to improve students’ educational experience.
  2. Entrepreneurism Alive and Well in Brevard: Kim Tesch-Vaught, Executive Director of FloridaWorks and Focused Management Solutions, discusses steps taken in Gainesville to support entrepreneurs. Lisa Rice, President of Brevard Workforce, explains how a pilot program that began in Gainesville has blossomed into a $12 Million grant called BASEC, the Business Advocacy and Self-Employment Consortium. BASEC is designed to assist potential entrepreneurs by matching them with mentors. Jan Conrad, Community Resources Coordinator at Brevard Workforce talks about BizLaunch, a networking and learning program that has seen surprising numbers of participants, and Dr. Pat Fuller, Professor of Economics and Business, Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator at Eastern Florida State College, talks about EFSC’s focus on entrepreneurs with several tracks available to help new business people get started.
  3. A Community Collaborating to Evolve: Marcia Gaedcke, President of the Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce, talks about GTR (Greater Titusville Renaissance) and how it is working to build momentum across sectors as Titusville takes a new look at what it means to recognize and to rebuild on their assets. In an interview with Neil Levine, Executive Director of the Brevard Cultural Alliance, we learn how Titusville is working to create a cultural destination, which can generate visitor dollars and help retain talent on the Space Coast. And finally, Keith Winsten, Chairman of the Brevard Nature Alliance, joins Price in the studio to give his insights on the power of nature tourism in this new initiative.

In the online version, view a special interview with Commissioner Robin Fisher on economic development and the Greater Titusville Renaissance.

The half hour broadcast aired several times on WEFSC-TV early in October and appeared as a special feature section in the FLORIDA TODAY print edition on September 30, 2012.