Panama City Reporter

The FPL Northwest Florida Symposium, a signature event that strengthens collaboration across Northwest Florida communities to drive community and economic opportunity, is scheduled for Feb. 28 – March 1, 2023, at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida.

This year’s theme, Let’s Get Real!, will focus on looking ahead to the REAL-life challenges that need REAL solutions across the region, so we keep moving Northwest Florida forward.

Registration for this event is open now, with an early bird registration discount available through Friday, Jan. 20. Visit FPLSymposium.com to register and learn more about the symposium. 

Previously known as the Gulf Power Economic Symposium, the day-and-a-half event provides a unique opportunity to bring hundreds of community leaders together from across the Panhandle to hear thought-provoking speakers who will spark dynamic conversations about the future of our region and local communities. This year’s top supporting sponsors include Signature Sustaining sponsor Hancock Whitney, Platinum sponsor Jay Odom Group and Emerald sponsor The Legendary Family of Companies; along with Gold sponsors Cox Communications, Florida Blue, and Power South; Silver sponsors LandrumHR, Liberty Partners, Melvin Engineering, Enterprise Florida, site selector sponsor Florida’s Great Northwest and media sponsor Localiq; and Bronze sponsors St. Joe Company, SmartBank, DefenseWerx, TechFarms Capital, Florida SBDC and Beggs & Lane.

Among the lineup of national speakers is one of the world’s foremost experts on global geo-political risk and geo-economics, Afshin Molavi, who stands at the intersection of the most vital issues shaping the future of our world today: the rise of emerging markets, global political and economic turmoil, and U.S. foreign, security and economic policy. Molavi delivers a fascinating in-depth forecast of the key global issues impacting organizations today and shaping the future of business, including those in Northwest Florida. 

Lital Marom is an innovation strategist and speaker, who helps brands and audiences understand how to use emerging technologies and new business models to future-proof their business. With an emphasis on digital transformation, building innovation cultures, and integrating the platform business model (AKA digital ecosystems), she helps empower teams to understand the application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain as well as the business potential of the Metaverse for their business.

Don Yeager is an award-winning keynote speaker, business leadership coach, 11-time New York Times best-selling author, and longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated. Yeager, who fashioned a career as one of America’s most proactive thought leaders and sought-after speakers will talk about Leadership in the REAL World. 

Eric Silagy, chairman, president and CEO of FPL, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc., and the largest vertically integrated rate-regulated electric utility in the U.S., will talk about FPL’s role in NextEra Energy’s bold Real Zero plan to lead the decarbonization of America, and how Northwest Florida plays a part in this plan. 

Attendees will have an opportunity to: •    Get to know J.T. Young, FPL’s new Northwest Florida vice president and general manager, who will kick off the Symposium and serve as emcee; •    Join panel discussions including Recruiting and retaining talent in Northwest Florida. •    Get a Florida Legislative Update, from Darrick McGhee, an active registered lobbyist, currently serving as Chief Operating Officer for Johnson & Blanton, LLC., with two decades of experience in state government and politics; •    Hear a Northwest Florida Economic Update from Dr. Jerry Parrish, an economist who is currently working on economic development and workforce issues in Florida, and a Faculty Adjunct in the Masters of Applied Economics Program at Florida State University. Parrish also serves as the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers at the University of West Florida Haas Center.

For more information and to register, please visit FPL Northwest Florida Economic Symposium.

Original source can be found here.