The Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County (“EDC”) will now be known as One Okaloosa EDC. Along with the name change, there is a new organizational logo stylized as a circle indicative of forward motion. The logo utilizes the organization’s long-standing gold, blue and green colors as a nod to the EDC’s 31-year history. Specific design elements within the new logo include a gear representing Okaloosa’s diverse industry base; the sun, representing the area’s enviable coastal lifestyle; and an atom, representing the community’s emphasis on education and noteworthy research and innovation assets.
Along with the new name and brand, the organization will also begin utilizing www.oneokaloosa.org as its primary domain name with new staff email addresses structured in the same manner. In addition, all other One Okaloosa EDC managed websites
– including www.okaloosasites.com, www.startupokaloosa.com, www.shoalrivergigasite.com and www.tecmenindustryday.com – have been updated accordingly.
“After 31 years of being known as the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County, our Executive Committee began to evaluate the opportunity for a more simplified – and impactful – organizational brand last spring just as COVID-19 was tightening its grip on our area. Noting how swiftly our local governments, businesses, non-profits and everyday citizens joined together to help one another through the unprecedented challenges brought forth by the pandemic, it was clear that our community was rising to the occasion and working as ONE Okaloosa. This is where the concept was initially born,” stated Lee Lewis, AVCON, and One Okaloosa EDC FY 2021 Chairman.
“Along with being emblematic of the spirit of our community that has been on regular display during the pandemic, One Okaloosa speaks to a collective desire to be best-in-class and the tireless commitment of so many to ensuring that Okaloosa’s infrastructure systems, educational assets, military bases, workforce development programs and industrial sites are ranked number one. As we emerge from the pandemic and prepare to begin a new year, we feel these efforts have never been more important,” stated Nathan Sparks, Executive Director, One Okaloosa EDC.
The new brand is the culmination of many timely pivots and strategic initiatives the EDC has unveiled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other recently announced initiatives include the formation of a new partnership between the EDC’s TeCMEN (Technology Coast Manufacturing & Engineering Network) and FloridaMakes for the benefit of area manufacturers, the launch of the Startup Okaloosa virtual incubator (www.startupokaloosa.com) in support of local entrepreneurs, and the rollout of a new quarterly professional development webinar series for the benefit of all Okaloosa businesses. The first such webinar entitled Leading Through Chaos: Lessons from 2020 will be held on December 9 and will feature Dr. Devin Stephenson, President, Northwest Florida State College; John Hofstad, Okaloosa County Administrator; and Bob Sires, Owner & CEO, American Elite PPE.
Founded in 1989 as the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County, One Okaloosa EDC (“One Okaloosa”) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit, public-private partnership serving Okaloosa County, Florida and its nine municipalities (Cinco Bayou, Crestview, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Laurel Hill, Mary Esther, Niceville, Shalimar and Valparaiso). As the community’s lead economic development organization, One Okaloosa is committed to fostering economic diversification through comprehensive strategies and initiatives. In addition to its public partners, One Okaloosa enjoys broad support from more than 100 leading private sector businesses representing a wide range of industry sectors.
