Looking back at the whirlwind that has been 2019, I can’t help but think of the many blessings that I have to be thankful for—both personally and as a member of team BRIDG. At the top of the long list of things that I’m grateful for is the support of the regional visionaries who came together to create the entity we know today as BRIDG. From the inspiring vision championed by UCF and embraced by Osceola County, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the State of Florida, and community partners such as Kissimmee Utility Authority, Toho Water Authority, the School District of Osceola County and others—all who adopted the vision and made strategic investments in their respective areas to accelerate that vision…so many have contributed significantly to making the vision of NeoCity become an unfolding reality.
More recently, our federal partners have joined the vision – or perhaps I should say, integrated us into their vision – by allowing us the privilege of helping to ensure that those who put their lives on the line to defend our freedom have access to the latest technology without the additional risks associated with off-shore manufacturing. These initial government contracts allow us to develop and demonstrate the capabilities that enable the defense industrial base to develop next generation equipment critical to national security. We are thankful for the confidence that the Department of Defense has placed in us by giving us the opportunity to play a small role in national security and we are committed to upholding the trust that has been placed in BRIDG.
Thank you to each of you who follow us, challenge us, and when appropriate, cheer us on. Look for more exciting news in the coming weeks and join us as together we create the future here in NeoCity!
Chester Kennedy
CEO
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Leading the Way into the Future: Sustainability at NeoCity
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With NeoCity continuing to expand every day, BRIDG and the other tenants occupying Osceola County’s 500-acre tech park are making strides to ensure an eco-friendly future for the district. As you may recall from our
September newsletter, BRIDG has embarked on an exciting sustainability initiative that enables us to save millions of gallons of water – and tens of thousands of dollars – every single year. Led by our dedicated facilities team, the water reclaim project is designed to save money and resources by recovering high quality waste water flowing to the sewer and using it in the facility cooling towers for evaporation make up. This decreases the amount of city water purchased and chemicals needed to treat the water while saving our precious natural resource.
At the end of a 2-phase process completed in August 2019, 12 gallons per minute of high quality waste water going to the sewer from the reverse osmosis process was reclaimed and used for the cooling towers. With this large addition of high-quality water now going to the cooling towers, we are able to increase the cycles of concentration in the cooling water loop, which saves even more water and money by decreasing blowdowns and chemical additions. The total savings from the project is calculated at 6 million gallons of water per year.
Interested in learning about other sustainability efforts occurring at NeoCity?
Click here to learn more about
NeoCity Academy – Florida’s first public K-12 net-zero energy school – where solar panels, energy-efficient air purifiers, and other design features allow the school to produce more energy than the building uses. Plus, you can read about the global commitment to sustainability our partners at imec have made
here.
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KUA Officially Opens Domingo Toro Substation
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Earlier this month, BRIDG joined our partners at
Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) to cut the ribbon for the new Domingo Toro substation—
a
nother major milestone in NeoCity’s developmen
t. The largest substation in the KUA service area, the Domingo Toro substation currently provides power to the Neptune Road area of Kissimmee, The "OC" office building, and the BRIDG fab.
This occasion was worthy of celebration by all of Osceola County as the community rallies to build infrastructure that sets the stage for the future of NeoCity. In an industry where quality power is critically important for our success, the BRIDG team couldn’t be more thankful for this investment. Please join us in congratulating KUA on this milestone achievement.
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Valencia College Students Learn Hands-On at BRIDG
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In continued support of the Central Florida STEM talent pipeline, BRIDG welcomed two new fab interns to the team: Valencia College Mechatronics Program students Julian Torres-Graw and Isaac Machado. Throughout the 12 week internship program led by BRIDG Senior Technical Assistant Mark Smalley, the two students can apply the skills they developed in class to real world situations.
“Attention to detail is a big part of our job here at BRIDG,” said Torres-Graw, commenting on how the mechatronics program prepared him for the internship. “We must pay attention to every small component so that nothing escalates into a big problem.”
Torres-Graw and Machado spend their work days inside the BRIDG cleanroom, where they learn firsthand how to operate and maintain each fabrication tool.
“My favorite part about this internship is the involvement we have in the projects that the team is working on,” said Machado. “I am learning as I work alongside the engineers here.”
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(L to R):
Isaac Machado, Mark Smalley, and Julian Torres-Graw prepare to “bunny-up” in the pre-gown area of the BRIDG fab. After donning hair nets, shoe covers, face masks, and other protective apparel intended to safeguard sensitive equipment and manufacturing processes, the team will cross into the gowning area to put on a full body “bunny suit” before entering the cleanroom.
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Defense Manufacturing Conference | December 2-5, 2019
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BRIDG will be exhibiting at the
Defense Manufacturers Conference
in Phoenix, Arizona. This conference brings together defense technology leaders from across the nation to share new technologies and explore industry trends. If you are attending, be sure to stop by and see us at booth #539.
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Florida Photonics Cluster Annual Meeting | December 10, 2019
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Hosted by BRIDG and imec at NeoCity, the annual
Florida Photonics Cluster (FPC) General Members Meeting will be held on December 10
th. If you are an FPC member who is interested in attending, be sure to
RSVP to James Pearson by December 2
nd.
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JA Inspire | January 23, 2020
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BRIDG is proud to participate in JA Inspire, Junior Achievement of Central Florida's annual hands-on, multi-industry interactive career exploration program for 8th grade students from Osceola County. The event provides an opportunity for companies to engage directly with students and showcase Central Florida’s hottest careers from regional businesses, to non-profits, government, trade and educational organizations.
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BRIDG is located at NeoCity, a 500-acre master planned development strategically positioned in Central Florida, in the heart of Osceola County.
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