Front and Center

Root lobbied hard for a new, more accessible mall in St. Lucie County, where he spent nearly five years as director of economic development. Not only is that mall being developed, but Root also helped bring 1,700 jobs and $193 million in capital investment to the county before leaving in 2006 to work as an independent consultant in business development. Months later, a recruiter hired by the Charlotte EDO tapped him to replace longtime director Betty Williams. Root, who missed working with the public and on a team, took the job in October 2007.

But career opportunity wasn’t the only appeal.

Before the recruiter called, Root had never set foot in the area. On a fact-finding visit to Charlotte, he was so taken with the sight of the joggers and walkers on the Peace River Bridge that he parked his car and joined them. "That was a really cool thing," recalls Root, 57. "It’s not something you see on the East Coast. I don’t know where else you can do that."

Now, a central part of his job is getting out-of-town businesses as excited about Charlotte County as he is. He says the key is to look at each company as an individual. "You have to zero in on why they are looking to move," he says. "Then you present your county as the solution to their problem."

Depending on a company’s needs, he’ll highlight the Charlotte County Airport, the 4,300-acre Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park Overlay District, Charlotte Harbor and, yes, Town Center mall.

Already he has earned local respect for his "low-key but goal-oriented style," as Lane Diedrick characterizes it. Diedrick, the president of Englewood Bank and president of the Enterprise Charlotte Foundation, also appreciates Root’s quick commitment to the county.

"Don has jumped right in and learned very quickly about our community and structure. He’s going in a new, more aggressive direction," says Diedrick.

With a degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University, Root thinks multimodal infrastructure is one way to grow the county’s business base. He’d like to see a rail system in place, which could lead to more shipments through Port Manatee. A proposal for a new truck-to-rail facility is in the county’s review process, along with a proposal for a 500-acre industrial park bordered by railroad tracks.

Root is also making real estate incentives and quicker permitting priorities, because the No. 1 factor businesses consider in choosing a location is "ready real estate at the right price," he says. "You can’t show a guy land and tell him it’s 18 to 24 months before he can break ground."

He is enthused by Charlotte County’s selling points. Even though his two children are out of school and on their own, he is excited by the latest report in Education Week magazine ranking Florida public schools No. 14 in the nation, up from the No. 31 slot last year.

Charlotte County Airport is another major plus, he says.

Up for the Challenge

The Charlotte County workforce is a potential drawback. As of 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age was 54.3—making Charlotte the oldest county in Florida.

The area’s lack of distinctive identity is another challenge, but Root believes he can turn that around. When St. Lucie and two adjacent counties found themselves competing with Miami, Orlando and Tampa Bay for research and medical companies, Root was one of the key figures in a campaign to have Florida’s "Treasure Coast" become its "Research Coast."

"You’ve got to have a brand and market your brand," says Root. "Nobody knows about us."

His goal is to attract smaller, knowledge-based companies, such as medical-device manufacturers with higher-paying salaries, to the area. He’d also love to roll out the welcome mat for a major aircraft manufacturer or coal plant.

"We’re going to have the right real estate for them at excellent prices. We’re going to have the incentives and an aggressive county," Root says. "We intend to go after them."

The EDO staff, down to four from six because of budget cuts, meets with a couple of prospects every week. One done deal is with an aerospace company that plans to build a facility near the airport, but at press time wasn’t ready to go public with the news.

Root says two other businesses have signed on with the 360-acre Airport Commerce Center Park, south of the airport on Piper Road.

"It’s exciting. It’s like winning the ball game. You want more," he says.