Florida's Governor Crist visits Beaver Street Enterprise Center

Florida’s 44th governor, Charlie Crist, visited Fresh- Ministries’ Beaver Street Enterprise Center, on Thursday, September 13, 2007, for a personal tour of the state’s only core-city business incubator. While on his one hour visit, Governor Crist met with the mostly minority-owned business owners to learn more about the business incubator’s professional peer mentoring programs, financial literacy programs, and how the center helps 82% of its businesses succeed.

During a brief press reception held in BSEC’s Board Room following his tour, Governor Crist stated, “Beaver Street Enterprise Center was established to stimulate economic growth in Jacksonville’s core-city neighborhoods and is an excellent model for other communities to follow.” He encouraged the 21 entrepreneurs to stay focused on their dreams, use the technical assistance programs offered by the center’s staff, the networking opportunities provided by the center’s board of directors, and to take advantage of the center’s mentoring program that pairs well-established, successful professionals with the center’s entrepreneurs for one-on-one business counseling. He then introduced his traveling companion, State Representative Jennifer Carroll, to the more than 70 guests in attendance. Ms. Carroll thanked the governor for visiting Beaver Street Enterprise Center and for supporting minority-owned businesses in the Jacksonville community.

Jackie Perry, manager of the business incubator, stated, “Our entrepreneurs are having a banner day today. First, they had the incredible opportunity to personally meet and converse with the Governor one-on-one. And then, later in the day at our annual MED Week luncheon, three of them earned MED Week awards – including Entrepreneur of the Year – which was awarded to Nikki Terry of Affordable Lending Source! What a day for Beaver Street entrepreneurs!”

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