Okaloosa to adopt Six Pillar initiative

The Okaloosa County Economic Development Council and the county’s four chambers of commerce are partnering to develop a Six Pillars strategic plan as a roadmap for the county’s future.

The local chambers have followed the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Six Pillar™ initiative for several years. Shane Moody, president and CEO of the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce, presented the idea for a countywide partnership among the business advocacy groups. The five organizations are now participating in an unprecedented multi-organizational support partnership for all of Okaloosa County.

Having an identified strategic plan adopted countywide enables each organization to move forward with its respective charter and responsibilities but also allows for synergistic partnering on the issues and topics that are of a shared or common goal.

“Okaloosa County has a unique opportunity to join only a few other counties/communities in Florida in creating a vision and a plan to achieve that vision through the development of a strategic plan that brings the business community and our local governments into alignment with the State of Florida’s Strategic Plan,” said Kevin Bowyer, chairman of the Okaloosa County Six Pillars Initiative. “By utilizing and adopting the Six Pillar process developed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation, we will be embarking on an endeavor to insure that our goals and objectives over the next 20 years will be much more focused and aligned with the rest of the state.”

The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Six Pillars™ Caucus System emphasizes developing a comprehensive strategic plan for securing Florida’s future at the local, regional and state levels. The process concentrates on creating a strategic plan specific to six areas, or pillars:

• Talent supply and education
• Innovation and economic development
• Infrastructure and growth leadership
• Business climate and competitiveness
• Civic and governance systems
• Quality of life and quality of place

The five business-advocacy partners will host a roundtable symposium on the Six Pillars™ initiative at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the Empire Room of the Ramada Inn on Okaloosa Island. Bentina Terry, Florida Chamber Foundation Chair, will discuss how the initiative can benefit the county. Cost is $25 per seat. For more information, call the EDC at 850-362-6467.