Economic development is, according to Adam Myers, not something that many people know they enjoy doing until they try it.
As a recent hire with the Tampa Economic Development Corporation, he is working side-by-side with City Manager Mike Herr to grow Plant City business wise. It must be a pretty good gig, as Myers’ background is in film. His road to this position may not have been the most glamorous, big-budget script ever written, but he couldn’t be more pleased with where the screenplay has taken him.
PLAYING THE DIRECTOR
Born and raised in Hernando County, the huge Rays fan has been familiar with the Tampa Bay area from the get-go. He has always been in Florida, moving to northwest Florida for college.
In 2009, Myers graduated from the University of West Florida with a degree in communications. He specialized in film and television production and found plenty of work in script reading and consultations for production companies. He also spent a year in Charlotte, North Carolina, doing freelance work.
“I did all my own taxes and everything like that,” Myers said. “It was basically like running my own business.”
One of his final projects before exiting the industry was work on a documentary called “Overdraft,” serving as a production and research assistant. The documentary covered the national debt crisis and the toll taken on the national economy. It was released in 2012.
“That was really my first real look into the economy and the whole jobs issue,” Myers said. “I think that was what really started to push me towards an economic development career.”
That was also what helped him realize that maintaining a career in film and television may not have been what he really wanted to do.
“I found out that, after doing that for about three years, I was just tired of being in the freelance industry,” Myers said. “I really liked having a steady job, and that was tough to come by.”
He ended up in economic development and soon learned that there were many others like him — people who, for one reason or another, had just sort of happened upon a role in development and enjoyed it enough to stick with it.
“I will tell you, with economic development, you hear stories like this all the time,” Myers said. “People just kind of fall into it. I’m really glad that I have.”
CAREER CHANGE
Before coming to Hillsborough, Myers worked in economic development for the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce for two and a half years. Working with the senior vice president of economic development, Myers managed both the sites and buildings database and the Chamber’s business continuity initiative — a role that required plenty of research on his part.
Through the International Economic Development Council, Myers took classes to brush up on his knowledge and learn new skills for the job. He ended up liking the work and was able to put his newfound skills to the test on some big projects.
“One of the things I’m most proud of from that time was not only the launch of our sites and buildings database on our new online website, but I was also able to participate in a two-county, economic development plan,” Myers said.
Working with Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, Myers helped county officials set up a five-year plan for future improvements. He helped identify 600 acres of industrial development property just waiting to be used.
In October, Myers seized the opportunity to move to Hillsborough County and help Herr in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. This would be his chance to put much of what he’s learned to the test.
“I’ve had some really great mentors that I’ve worked for, and I’ve learned a lot from them,” Myers said. “I’m happy to be able to take that experience and use it over here.”
PLANS FOR PLANT CITY
The first thing on Myers’ agenda: soaking up as much information about Plant City as possible.
“Being new to the town, I’m learning everything,” Myers said. “I’m learning as much as I can and really just trying to get out there and visit with as many people as possible. I want to see what I can do to help.”
Myers said that he and Herr have two main foci for 2015: business retention and expansion, and recruitment.
“We’re really working on building the leverage toward previous announcements, what’s going on throughout the region, and helping drive some investment here in terms of job creation, building construction and capital investment to bring jobs for folks here in Plant City,” Myers said.
To get started, Myers has been touring the city, visiting local businesses and speaking with those in charge to identify their goals and needs.
“I think it’s a great community, so far,” Myers said. “There are a lot of great companies out here. It’s just an exciting place to be, right now.”
The scale of Plant City’s existing industrial facilities and output surprised Myers — in a good way — and he sees big potential for further development in the area.
“The part of this job I truly enjoy is learning about the companies and seeing how I can help them,” he said.
Myers said that he wants to help any business in the area grow and expand. He likens his approach to something a one-stop shop would do: With just one phone call, Myers will make himself available to chat or come to a business site for a visit and will work with business owners to help bring about growth in the future. And, this isn’t limited to just big businesses. Any business is fair game.
“I’m not always going to know the answer, but I’m going to find out,” Myers said. “I’m going to be that dot-connector for businesses, getting them to these different types of support services that can help them encourage their growth.”
So far, Myers likes what he’s seen from local companies and believes that working with them should be a pleasant experience. There is room to grow, and he can’t wait to help tap into the potential.
“Y’all are doing a great job here,” Myers said.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
NEED SOME HELP?
Any business owner wishing to get in touch with Adam Myers won’t have trouble getting a hold of him. He can be reached by phone at (813) 518-2660 or by email at amyers@tampaedc.com.