The newly formed Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce is being led by a man, Greg Blose, who is highly familiar with the area.
More importantly, he says, he’s sold on the future of Palm Coast and the opportunities it presents to the city’s residents and those of Flagler County in general.
“This new chamber is uniquely position as an organization to be able to provide leadership on having a community-wide conversation on what we want the future of our community to look like,” Blose said. “There are so many big positives in this community. The park system is amazing, there is a great quality of life here with the beach just right down the street, we have a low crime rate and a school system that is really good and improving. The opportunity is here. Now we, as a community, have to decide how to make that happen.”
Blose’s game plan involves a three-year plan for the city’s chamber to earn accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is a goal he believes is attainable and he also believes will set up the chamber, its membership and the area in general for long-term economic success.
His plan also involves significant community engagement.
He testifies at local planning meetings, promotes affordable housing, put together a partnership with a job agency to ramp up efforts to get locals back in the work force and facilitates a 12-member chamber board made up of local movers and shakers as well as also leading a monthly CEO roundtable to get the conversation about Palm Coast’s future engaged.
Much of what guides Blose in his new role comes from his previous experience with the Florida State Chamber of Commerce based in Tallahassee. Blose spent seven a half years with the state organization. His first four and a half years were as the Director of Grassroots Development and Engagement in which he helped members across the state engage their employees with business-friendly political activity among other duties.
In his last three years with the state chamber, Blose was the Board of Governors Program Director for External Affairs in which he developed and strengthened the chamber’s relationship with outside organizations and headed up the chamber’s coronavirus and disaster preparedness responses.
Blose originally hails from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. His parents retired, moved to Palm Coast and he came along at age 20 in 2000 which began his association with the area. “I was here when Flagler County had close to nothing to offer in economic terms,” Blose said. “Now I have a great opportunity to help lead this city to a brighter future for all of its residents.”
— By Amy Armstrong
