Spotlight On: Mark Trowbridge, President & CEO, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce

Spotlight On: Mark Trowbridge, President & CEO, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce

2023-02-08T12:51:40-05:00February 8th, 2023|Economy, Miami, Spotlight On|

2 min read February 2023 Invest: spoke with Mark Trowbridge, president and CEO for the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, about the return of tourism, the construction of the Loews Hotel in downtown Coral Gables and the strong business climate in Florida. “We have a strong business climate with low barriers to entry, and we refuse regulations that keep people from opening businesses. There are jobs and opportunities here, and this is the greatest intersection of those opportunities that we have ever had,” he stated. 

What are some key highlights from the last year for the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce? 

Over the last two years, we have been focused on recovery from the pandemic. We have tried to be an omnipresent resource and a support network for our members, as we pivoted immediately from in-person network events. We had to understand PPP loans, the expansion of the economic disaster loans, and other boutique type loans that came. Our members are extremely grateful, and they realize the value of our organization to their businesses. Coral Gables has welcomed a great number of new businesses, such as the Loews Hotel. Tourism is back and bringing a 242-room hotel right into the heart of Coral Gables is a great achievement and an indicator of the positive business climate. 

What are the main concerns of your members right now? 

We just came through the midterm elections, so there was a conversation about what is going on economically. We need to figure out the pain points. Is it workforce, or access to goods? What problems are these challenges causing to operating businesses? We have those conversations as we look to expand and deepen our relationships. 

What kind of incentives or programs are you utilizing to strengthen your member base? 

We offer numerous opportunities, not just the normal services, but we can also help them to do international business because many companies are thinking about expanding. A brief introduction can lead to something more meaningful, and we can help members connect with each other for better business opportunities. This was not how we have always operated. It used to be more passive, but now it is much more direct and purposeful. 

How is Coral Gables evolving considering the current business climate? 

We are lucky. We are really a college town, and our goal is to keep that talent from the universities here by providing affordable housing and a lifestyle that is desirable. Our city has a good appetite for opportunity. Many companies are relocating here, and we can help them with moving employees and finding services. We are working with a large multinational company that is a potential relocation, and it is down to the wire between our city and another community. Our mayor is very business forward and he is coming to the table to overcome any barriers to success with this project. As you look at post-pandemic Florida, we have the things that companies are looking at whether they are coming from Illinois, New Jersey or California. We have a strong business climate with low barriers to entry, and we refuse regulations that keep people from opening businesses. There are jobs and opportunities here, and this is the greatest intersection of those opportunities that we have ever had. 

Why should relocating businesses move to Coral Gables? 

In the macro-picture, Florida wins when companies are looking to relocate. They want to be in the sunshine state. We have overcome a 50-year reputation where business was never part of the conversation, and this has changed over the years. Florida helps to recruit and to lower the barriers to entry, so that is what makes it desirable here. We need to focus on what our assets are because we will always be a strong tourism state, but we want to continue to promote the business side of things. Our mayor continues to be a great resource at the negotiating table, because he is business oriented and young, with a day job, so he understands the challenges. People come here and fall in love, and many people did during COVID, and they didn’t want to leave. We are going to shine a light on that when we talk to people. 

What is your outlook for the next two to three years? 

We just went through an annual exercise of updating our strategic plan. We have always been seen as the second largest chamber in the region, and that allows us to take some greater risks. We are trying to work closely with different chambers, so we can lift each other up. Most of these relationships grew over the last two years during the pandemic. The stronger we all are, then the stronger we each are. If you are doing great, then people have a great confidence in local chambers of commerce. We are open to the many ideas that are being enacted in other places, and we can consider adopting those ideas here. Many of these places have pieces and elements such as great universities and a strong retail district. We can take best practices from these places and adapt them to our area. It is important that we are a value add for business in general, not just our chamber members. 

For more information, visit: 

https://coralgableschamber.org/ 

Share This Story!