Posted: September 15, 2026
Florida’s Great Northwest (FGNW) recently held its annual "Beyond Our Beaches" Site Selector Mission in Walton County, uniting site selectors who work with clients worldwide on corporate expansion opportunities alongside leadership from FloridaCommerce, SelectFlorida, and Space Florida to experience the region's economic momentum firsthand. The multi-day showcase highlighted the robust infrastructure, competitive business advantages, and investment-ready assets positioned across Northwest Florida’s 13 counties.
Moving beyond traditional presentations, the event paired a guided tour along 30A, one of Northwest Florida’s most iconic coastlines, with interactive roundtables and deep-dive discussions centered on each of the region's counties. These conversations highlighted key growth drivers, including an agile business environment, thriving industrial sectors, and a skilled talent pipeline powered by area educational institutions and the 5,200 military personnel separating annually from regional bases.
Participating consultants emphasized how seamless regional cooperation sets Northwest Florida apart from competing markets:
"Spending time in Northwest Florida gave me a firsthand look at the region’s collaborative spirit and deep commitment to economic growth," said Shannon Morfin, CEO of LifeScienceX. "From meeting with local leaders to touring available sites, it’s clear this community is poised for significant expansion in life sciences and advanced manufacturing. The partnerships I saw in action and the strategic location make the region a compelling choice for growing companies."
"Seeing Northwest Florida firsthand reinforced just how much opportunity exists across the region," noted Gregg Healy, Executive Vice President, Head of Industrial & Logistics at Savills. "The combination of available sites, infrastructure, workforce, and a strong commitment to economic development makes it an increasingly compelling option for companies evaluating where to grow next."
The mission concluded on September 11th with a strategic feedback session that provided consultants a forum to deliver actionable market recommendations to local leaders.
"Letting site selectors quite literally put their feet in our sugar-white sand enables them to genuinely experience one of the many wonderful aspects that define Northwest Florida,” said Jennifer Conoley, President & CEO of Florida’s Great Northwest. "The strong, positive response from this year’s participants confirms that our momentum is real, and we are well-positioned to land high-quality jobs and investment across our 13 counties."
As a vital driver of regional visibility, the "Beyond Our Beaches" mission reinforces Northwest Florida’s profile on the national stage. Florida’s Great Northwest gratefully acknowledges the leadership and support of its regional sponsors, Duke Energy, Florida Power & Light, PowerSouth, Shumaker, FloridaWest EDA, DHM Engineering, Landrum, Opportunity Florida, and Terracon, whose partnership made this year’s event possible.
Florida’s Great Northwest is the regional economic development organization for the 13-county region of Northwest Florida. The organization promotes Northwest Florida for economic growth and diversification, advocates for economic development issues that affect the region, and collaborates to improve regional competitiveness. Beyond our beaches, Northwest Florida offers business competitive, bottom-line advantages in workforce training, upgraded infrastructure, access to a host of defense assets, and a diverse base of industries that already call the region home. For more information, visit FloridasGreatNorthwest.com and find us on social.
