Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Information of Interest to Florida Drivers


Sandy Lambert Sets Sail for New Adventures:  Sandy Lambert is excited about the adventures awaiting her as she retires from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Having spent the last 17 years as the Director of the Division of Driver Licenses (recently merged to become the Division of Motorist Services) in a fast-paced whirlwind of activity full of challenges and change, she is looking forward to enjoying a new phase in her life.

Sandy’s career at DHSMV began on a one-year grant to develop a supervisory training program for the Department. Thirty-one years later, she is still here. She also served as Chief of Staff for the Division of Motor Vehicles and oversaw the design and issuance of the first specialty license plate... The Challenger. University plates and the Medal of Honor were right behind, and Sandy brought all nine Florida Medal of Honor recipients to Tallahassee for a ceremony.

Sandy was appointed Director, Division of Driver Licenses, in January 1995, making her the first female to hold the position. Immediately, she faced a budget reduction; 24 driver license offices were closed and 167 positions were eliminated. However, the division moved forward, installed new equipment and began to issue the first digitized driver license.  Under Lambert’s leadership, the Florida accomplished many milestones: Florida passed the first Graduated Driver License law in the country, the Department offered Saturday operations in large metropolitan areas, mini-Florida Licensing On Wheels went into operation, field issuance offices opened five days per week, the Department began to accept credit cards, and Florida was one of the first states to issue Real ID compliant credentials. In 2011, the Divisions of Driver Licenses and Motor Vehicles merged, and Sandy became Director of Motorist Services.

Thank you for your dedicated service to the residents of Florida.

Boyd Walden Leads Motorist Services: DHSMV Executive Director Julie Jones named Boyd Walden as the new Director of the Division of Motorist Services. Boyd has more than 25 years of experience with the Department and has been the deputy director of the division since the merger of the divisions of Driver Licenses and Motor Vehicles last year.  When asked about his new role, Walden said, “I’m looking forward to meeting the challenges of our core mission of providing driver license and motor vehicle services to our customers. Our success depends on creating a work environment that provides the tools and resources to our members to get the job done efficiently. We’re also looking at opportunities to strengthen our relationships with stakeholders.” 

Walden is a graduate of Florida State University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He joined the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as a computer programmer. While serving in the Information System Administration, he managed several high-profile projects.  In June 2001, he broadened his horizons by serving as the data processing manager of driver licenses. In 2003, he became the chief of the Bureau of Titles and Registrations and then became deputy director of Motorist Services in 2011.

Please join in DHSMV in congratulating and welcoming Boyd as he leads Motorist Services into the future!

DHSMV Closes and Consolidates Offices, Saves State Millions: The Department closed three driver license offices between January and March as driver license services transition to county tax collectors continue. Closures in Pensacola, Defuniak Springs and Tampa will lead to an estimated annual savings of $282,992.

In Broward County, one of three counties where DHSMV will continue to provide driver license services, the Department closed the driver license office in Fort Lauderdale Jan. 20. The office will merge with the Lauderdale Lakes driver license office and reopen in May. By consolidating the two offices, the state will save nearly $2.5 million during the next 10 years, in lieu of procuring two individual offices.

Troopers Make an Impression: Sgt. Thomas Pikul and Trooper Jose Sanchez of the Florida Highway Patrol’s Troop E received a thank you letter from Kim Ferreira, the SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) sponsor at Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School. In her letter, Ferreira states, “Over 450 students were able to learn a very simple life saving lesson today: ‘Buckle Up!’ Your rollover simulator presentation was educational and something desperately needed for our youth.” She even included comments from students following the presentation, such as, “I’m going to wear my seatbelt all the time. I used to wear it only sometimes,” and, “Now, my friends will always buckle up if they want to drive in my car!”

Get an Inside Look at the Florida Highway Patrol: The Florida Highway Patrol recently announced the release of Troopers – Inside the Florida Highway Patrol, a documentary that features recruits on the path to becoming a state trooper. The Center for Faith and Freedom, Inc., doing business as Salt & Light Productions, produced the 92-minute video that follows the 118th recruit class through the training academy, highlights the many duties performed by the Patrol on an everyday basis and includes touching footage of a law enforcement funeral. The video demonstrates the breadth and depth of the statewide law enforcement agency’s role in achieving the vision of a Safer Florida.

Stuart J. Roth, Founder and President of the Lakewood Ranch based Salt & Light Productions noted, “I felt it was important for citizens all over our state to understand the dedication and commitment to public service that is exemplified by the FHP. Unfortunately, we often take for granted those individuals whose primary responsibility is ensuring public safety. This documentary will serve to remind us of the sacrifice being made on a daily basis by the men and women of the FHP.”  The DVD is available for purchase at www.Amazon.com.

Florida Highway Patrol Focuses on Aggressive Cars and Trucks:  Drivers on Florida roadways may want to practice some relaxation techniques before hitting the road. The Florida Highway Patrol announced an education and enforcement campaign to ticket aggressive truck and car drivers. In crashes involving cars and commercial trucks, actions by drivers account for 88 percent of the crashes. Only 12 percent of the crashes are the result of vehicle defects, road conditions or inclement weather.  The campaign aims to reduce commercial motor vehicle-related crashes, injuries and fatalities by combining outreach and education with enforcement activities to raise awareness among car and truck drivers about safe driving behaviors.

Troopers statewide are on the lookout for violations attributed to aggressive driving such as: following too closely, unsafe lane change and speeding; committed by truck and car drivers as they interact on Florida highways.
An Appointment Makes It a Breeze!  All customers who must visit one of our offices to renew, replace, or file a change of address to their driver license or identification card, are urged to secure an appointment prior to their visit.  Connect via Internet at www.flhsmv.gov/oasis for an appointment to reduce the length of the visit. Then link to the on-line pre-application and complete it before coming to one of our offices. Driver license offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
  
Please check our website at www.flhsmv.gov/offices/ for the most up-to-date information on office locations and schedules.
Documents Online Assistance: DHSMV recommends our customers visit www.GatherGoGet.com, a website dedicated to assist Floridians with new driver license and identification card requirements. Floridians renewing or obtaining a new license or ID are required to show proof of: 1) identification, 2) Social Security number and 3) residential address (two items).

The website and its tools are also available in Spanish at www.ReunaVengaObtenga.com and in Creole at www.RasanbleAlePran.com.

The Department is issuing driver licenses and identification cards that meet new federal standards. This will enhance our efforts to minimize fraud and identity theft.

Driver Licenses and Identification Card Fees
Class E (original and renewal)                                                             $48     
Commercial Driver License (original and renewal)                               $75         
ID Card (original and renewal)                                                            $25    
Replacement License or ID                                                                 $25
Endorsements                                                                                     $  7
Driver License Services at Tax Collector Office Service Fees               $ 6.25

For a complete listing of all motorist services fees, please click here


The Department uses a combination of vehicle information to determine registration fees. This includes registration use, license plate type and class code. The class code is determined by the vehicle weight, body type, vehicle type and registration use. To see a sample, click here.
For a list of frequently asked questions and answers regarding Florida's fees, click here.    
                        
Buckle Up Every Time, Everyone!

Get the Latest News from Port of Miami

Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association, Inc.
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Growing the Port, Growing the Business
What to Expect This Year


Topics of discussion will include infrastructure improvements,
dredging, tunnel, rail, and Foreign Trade Zone.



Keynote Speaker: Kevin Lynskey, Assistant Director, Business Initiatives

 
Date:               Wednesday, April 18, 2012                         
Registration:   11:30 AM             Lunch :  12:00 PM  
Location:        Doubletree Miami Mart/Airport Hotel & Exhibition Center
                       (Formerly Radisson Mart) (venue is subject to change)
                       711 N.W. 72nd Avenue, Miami, Florida, United States 33126
Cost :              Lunch : $40 -Members   $65 - Non-Members $85 Walk-Ins (all)  
                       Table of 10 $350 members / $500 non-members


Monday, April 2, 2012

Enterprise Florida: Florida in Motion Newsletter March 2012





 WELCOME
Gray Swoope
Florida Secretary of Commerce
President & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc.

Florida friends, as the economy recovers, we are seeing more and more businesses looking to expand their operations and hire more workers to meet rising demand. This is great news for Florida and certainly great news for the people who are finding it easier to land a job now than it has been in the last couple of years.

One of the sectors where we have seen recent activity has been the food manufacturing and distribution sector. As you see from the stories featured here, businesses as diverse as food manufacturers, distributors, retailers and restaurant franchisers are expanding in our state. Their actions further prove Florida's importance as a large and growing market and a business-friendly location for companies of all sizes.

To ensure that the Sunshine state remains a favorite place for business, Enterprise Florida closely followed the developments during the recent 2012 Legislative Session. I am happy to see that many of EFI's recommendations made it through and are on their way to the Governor for signing into law. You can read more about them below.

We are thankful for the Governor's unwavering support for economic development during this legislative session and beyond. His focus on removing the barriers to beginning, relocating and growing a business in Florida make our state and our communities more competitive in the global market, while creating jobs for all Floridians. And this is what economic development is about, after all.

-gray

HELPFUL LINKS
Enterprise Florida
Follow Us:
FacebookTwitterYouTubeLinkedinFeed
Enterprise Florida, Inc.
800 N. Magnolia Avenue, Suite 1100
Orlando, Florida 32803
Tel: 407.956.5600
Fax:407.956.5599
Email: information@eflorida.com
Web: www.eflorida.com



 

Enterprise Florida: Florida in Motion Newsletter March 2012





 WELCOME
Gray Swoope
Florida Secretary of Commerce
President & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc.

Florida friends, as the economy recovers, we are seeing more and more businesses looking to expand their operations and hire more workers to meet rising demand. This is great news for Florida and certainly great news for the people who are finding it easier to land a job now than it has been in the last couple of years.

One of the sectors where we have seen recent activity has been the food manufacturing and distribution sector. As you see from the stories featured here, businesses as diverse as food manufacturers, distributors, retailers and restaurant franchisers are expanding in our state. Their actions further prove Florida's importance as a large and growing market and a business-friendly location for companies of all sizes.

To ensure that the Sunshine state remains a favorite place for business, Enterprise Florida closely followed the developments during the recent 2012 Legislative Session. I am happy to see that many of EFI's recommendations made it through and are on their way to the Governor for signing into law. You can read more about them below.

We are thankful for the Governor's unwavering support for economic development during this legislative session and beyond. His focus on removing the barriers to beginning, relocating and growing a business in Florida make our state and our communities more competitive in the global market, while creating jobs for all Floridians. And this is what economic development is about, after all.

-gray

HELPFUL LINKS
Enterprise Florida
Follow Us:
FacebookTwitterYouTubeLinkedinFeed
Enterprise Florida, Inc.
800 N. Magnolia Avenue, Suite 1100
Orlando, Florida 32803
Tel: 407.956.5600
Fax:407.956.5599
Email: information@eflorida.com
Web: www.eflorida.com



 FEATURED STORY
ThumbnailFlorida Secures Combined Headquarters for BI-LO and Winn-Dixie
In mid-March, hot on the heels of its merger announcement, BI-LO and Winn-Dixie supermarkets announced that Jacksonville, Florida will serve as the location for its combined headquarters. The project will result in approximately 900 jobs being retained, 100 new high-wage jobs being added, and $93 million in capital investment. Randall Onstead, CEO and president of BI-LO holdings explained in a project announcement, "Jacksonville is centrally located within our eight-state operating area, with an existing infrastructure that is best positioned to host the combined BI-LO and Winn-Dixie support center, corporate office, and distribution facilities." The Enterprise Florida business development team including Cristal Sircy, Rob Sitterley and Marty Wilson, worked with their local partners at JAXUSA to make this deal possible and bring the headquarters of another major company to Florida.  more
Food Manufacturing Is Big in Florida and About to Get Bigger
Food products comprise the second largest manufacturing sector in Florida, employing more than 27,000 workers and accounting for about $5 billion of the state's GDP. Given Florida's own large market and the influx of over 85 million visitors to the state every year, it is not surprising that food is big here. We all have to eat, after all. But this piece of Florida economy is poised to grow, judging by recent news. Over the last couple of months, Florida has enjoyed a wave of announcements from food, beverage, and grocery companies opening or expanding manufacturing, distribution, and headquarters activities in the Sunshine State. Here are some of them:

HotBrands International Establishes U.S. HQ in Manatee County
HBI, a multi-brand, multi-national franchising operation, recently announced that it will establish its U.S. headquarters in Lakewood Ranch in Manatee County .
  more

Publix Super Markets to Build a New Distribution Center
Publix Super Publix Super Markets is reaffirming its commitment to Florida by investing nearly $190 million and creating jobs for 150+ workers as it builds a new Orlando distribution center .   more

Mission Foods Choses Lakeland for Its Newest Food Processing Plant
Mission Foods, the newest member of Polk County's growing Food & Beverage Industry Cluster, will open a food manufacturing operation which will produce tortillas and tortilla chips and create 133 jobs .   more

Sugar Producer Banah International to Grow in Miami-Dade County
Banah, which began supplying Wal-Mart Stores with its sugar late last year, plans to house its new headquarters and hire nearly 300 employees in Hialeah.
  more

Cheney Brothers Expansion to Net 380 Jobs
Riviera Beach-based food distributor Cheney Brothers Inc. has announced plans to begin construction in 2012-13 on a large new distribution center in Charlotte County .
  more

If your company is looking to expand, consider the advantages of a Florida location. Call 407-956-5600 or e-mail us for more information today!