Like officials in every other big city in America, Tampa Bay's leaders are desperate to find the elixir that could bring more jobs to their region.
And they're hoping that a new partnership agreement signed Monday between those officials and a representative of the Commerce Department will make a difference. The pact supports efforts to expand local export shipments.
That Commerce Department representative isn't some D.C.-based flunky — he's Tampa native Francisco "Frank" Sanchez, currently serving the Obama administration as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade. He said the pact will give Tampa and Hillsborough County "a little help" in taking full advantage of the assets that the federal government can offer in improving exports. "It's making sure you have a coordinated program and that you're fully accessing all the opportunities there. I'm excited the Tampa Bay area is stepping up to do that."
Signing onto the Memorandum of Intent (MOI) with Sanchez was the man he competed against nine years ago to be Tampa's mayor, Bob Buckhorn (both ultimately lost out to Pam Iorio in 2003); Congresswoman Kathy Castor; County Commissioner Sandy Murman; Tampa Port director Richard Wainio and Tampa International's Joe Lopano.
This article appears in Feb 2-8, 2012.