NEWS RELEASE
The countywide economic development positioning analysis, a partnership between the Board of County Commissioners, the county’s Economic Development Council, and the Indian River Chamber, is now underway. Over 100 stakeholders participated in one-on-one interviews, focus group meetings and the Community Leaders Summit providing input on the county’s business environment and community assets. Representatives from Ady Voltedge, the consultant firm selected to lead this project, conducted 34 interviews, several focus group meetings, plus a site and building inventory survey. Janet Ady, President and CEO of Ady Voltedge, facilitated the Community Leaders Summit, actively engaging participants through a series of open-ended questions, asking them to think of Indian River County from a client or “prospect” point of view.
A video of the summit is available on the county’s website, as is the survey questionnaire discussed by summit participants. Residents are encouraged to complete and submit the online survey on or before August 12. Ady Voltedge will provide a preliminary report in mid-September based on stakeholder feedback, with more deliverables to be submitted in the coming months.
The goal of the positioning analysis is to increase economic development activity that diversifies the tax base and creates quality jobs by enhancing and focusing our strengths in the marketplace, while addressing potential challenges in marketing and business intelligence.
Indian River Guardian 
The consultant is only going to produce yet another study that will be put on a bookshelf unless the ideas of John Q. Public are incorporated into the study. The “leaders” of this community do not have a monolopy on good ideas.
I personally would like to welcome economic opportunities such as:
1. Torrey Pines Institute
2. Veterans Administration Hospital in north area of county so it could serve needs of both Brevard and Indian River County.
3, Department of Energy laboratories such as Savannah River, Los Alamos, and Brookhaven. There are no such facilities on the Eastern coast of the USA.
All of these entities would be able to locate easily in our community and would attract highly educated people to move to Indian River County with their families.