The Week Ahead

Get ready to be impressed by the amazing speakers at Elevate Daytona Beach! These speakers have been working hard to bring you an exciting evening at the beautiful Daytona State College's News Journal Center. Tickets are still available for the August 7 performance. Get yours today!

If your business is celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2025, we want to celebrate your achievement! Whether it's 5, 10, 15, or 100 years, please let us recognize your accomplishment during the Annual Awards Celebration on September 30! Reach out to let us know!

The Things to Know section below covers all of the August happenings and ways to get involved. Be sure to register now for the events you'd like to attend!

Enjoy the first week of August!

Daytona Regional Chamber Happenings

Connecting You with a Click or Two

Things to Do

Elevate Daytona Beach: August 7

A youth movement. Treating people better. Learning life's lessons from unexpected teachers. These are just a few of the topics to be presented at this year’s Elevate Daytona Beach presented by AdventHealth, scheduled for Thursday, August 7, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the News-Journal Center on Beach Street.

Register now to reserve your seat at this exciting event. Contact Ken Phelps, Vice President of Resource Development, for more details.

Things to Know

Invitation Only Trustee Reception: August 11

Trustees and Board members must RSVP by August 7 to attend the VIP. Hardhat Tour & Reception that begins at 3:00 p.m. at Tyber Creek Village, 2655 LPGA Blvd, Daytona Beach.

Contact Lisa Solomons, Program Manager, at lisa@daytonachamber.com or 386.523.3678 with any questions.

Ribbon Cutting: August 13

Join the Chamber Ambassadors at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Integra Village at Tymber Creek at 100 Integra TC Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32124, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Contact Lori McMullin, Director of Membership Sales & Business Development at lori@daytonachamber.com or 386.523.3680.

Advocacy Speaker Series: August 14

Congressman Randy Fine will be offering timely insights into the federal legislative landscape, sharing his perspective on policies that impact Florida’s businesses from economic development and infrastructure investment to workforce needs and regulatory reform. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with the Congressman in a candid dialogue about how the decisions being made on Capitol Hill will shape the future of our community.

If you have any questions, contact David Robinson, Director of Advocacy, at david@daytonachamber.com or 386.255.7174.

Business Impact Council Symposium presented by Security First Insurance: August 15

The Daytona Regional Chamber is launching a new program designed to help small businesses grow and thrive. The Business Impact Council Symposium presented by Security First Insurance will be held Friday, August 15, and is a powerful full day event featuring expert presentations on topics such as Identifying and Preventing Fraud, Protecting Your Intellectual Property, Continuity of Operations, and much more. Secure your admission now!

Seating is limited so register now to reserve your place. Contact Ken Phelps, Vice President of Resource Development, for more details.

Business After Hours: August 19

Join us for Business After Hours! Bring those business cards and be ready to learn more about our host business, Cypress Head Golf Club at 6231 Palm Vista St, Port Orange, FL 32128. Daytona Regional Chamber members enjoy advance registration admission for $10 until August 12. Admission is $35 for future members regardless of registration date.

Contact Lisa Solomons, Program Manager, at lisa@daytonachamber.com for more information.

Intercity Trip to Charleston: August 25

Attendees will be part of an unforgettable trip to Charleston, SC, to learn and bring back insights from this historic Southern city.

If you have any questions, contact David Robinson, Director of Advocacy, at david@daytonachamber.com or 386.255.7174.

B.O.O.S.T. Your Business Series: August 27

Dr. Itzel Harriott, will lead our third session in the B.O.O.S.T. Small Business Training series. Attendees will learn how to integrate all aspects of health and wellness into their business strategies and goals. Attendees will take away key tips to improve health and wellness for themselves and their employees. Don't miss this interactive and informative session!

Contact Kelly Amy at kelly@daytonachamber.com with any questions.

Things to Share

Milestone Anniversary Recognition

Is your business celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2025? Is your business 5, 10, 15, or even 100 years old? We want to recognize this amazing accomplishment at the Annual Awards Celebration held September 30 at The Shores Resort & Spa.

Reach out to Kelly Amy at kelly@daytonachamber.com so your business will be included in the awards program.

Looking Ahead

Annual Awards Celebration: September 30

Our fabulous award winners will be announced very soon! Registration & sponsorships are now open for the 2025 Annual Awards Celebration that will be held at The Shores Resort & Spa on September 30. Help us celebrate the best of our business community!

Reach out to Kelly Amy at kelly@daytonachamber.com so your business will be included in the awards program.

Warmest Welcome to Our Newest Members

Congratulations on Your Membership Investment

Kim Kroeger-Bushell, NP in Psychiatry, PLLC

Bunnboh Churros

New Member Tips

Did you know that members can submit articles and press releases to the Members in the News section on the Chamber website? If there's something you want to share with other members, consider spreading the word using this member benefit. Be sure to check out all the great information too!

If you have any questions about Members in the News or other member benefits, contact Kelly Amy, Member Engagement & Communications Director, at kelly@daytonachamber.com.

Community Conversations

Click HERE to Watch the Video Version

Click HERE to Listen to the Audio Version

Picture This!

The Week in Pictures

The Leadership Daytona Class XLV began their journey 7/30. Over the coming weeks, class members will visit a variety of businesses and hear from community leaders while they complete a "class challenge" project.

Ilona Sandler, Halifax Health, stopped by to go over the Member Portal and talk about how to get involved in the Chamber. We were happy to welcome her with a personalized Welcome sign!

August Focus on Education

Spotlight: Daytona State College

By Dr. Tom LoBasso, President, Daytona State College

At Daytona State College, everything we do centers around helping students acquire the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed – not just in the classroom, but in their careers and in their daily lives. A big part of that success comes from the strong relationships we have with local businesses and community partners. They help us identify workforce trends and work with us to expand existing programs or create new ones to meet those demands.

One great example is the Florida Sunshine Chapter of the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) at our Advanced Technology College. This initiative – the first of its kind in the state – is a partnership between Daytona State and local manufacturers and provides students in the Associate of Science in Engineering Technology program with paid, hands-on experience. Over the course of five semesters, students split their time between two days in the classroom and three days a week working at partnering companies, gaining real-world experience while earning their degree. Most go on to be hired full time by the companies they worked with.

Our School of Workforce offers a broad range of certificate programs in HVAC, construction, machining, welding and automotive repair and many of these programs can be completed in as little as two semesters. We’re also home to two electrical apprenticeship programs: the Mid-Florida Electrical Apprenticeship and the Electrical Training Alliance of Daytona Beach, along with the UA Local 295 Plumbers & Pipefitters Joint Apprenticeship.

In total, Daytona State offers more than 100 academic programs – certificate, associate, and bachelor's degrees – in high-demand fields like healthcare, emergency services, public safety, business, education, hospitality, engineering, project management, computer science, aerospace, accounting and digital media. Our students graduate fully prepared for positions with local employers.

Our bachelor’s programs include degrees in accounting, business/management, education, engineering, IT, nursing and cardiopulmonary science. These advanced programs prepare graduates for leadership roles in a wide range of growing industries.

What sets us apart is our faculty – many of whom have worked or are working in the fields they now teach. They bring valuable real-world experience to the classroom and ensure our students are job-ready from day one.

We are always on the lookout for new ideas and new opportunities. If you have something in mind, we’d love to hear from you.

As I like to say, “It’s always a great day to be a Falcon.”

Monthly Member Focus

During the month of August, education will be the focus. Members from education categories will have the opportunity to submit a business spotlight to be featured in The Edge newsletter, on social media, and on the Chamber website.

Business spotlight submission deadlines are 8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22, 8/29.

Direct questions to Kelly Amy, Member Engagement & Communications Director, at 386.229.5759 or kelly@daytonachamber.com.

Resources to Bookmark

Grow Your Business Today

Florida Chamber Foundation Releases 2025 Florida Business & Economic Mid-Year Report to Inform Research-Backed, Strategic Decision Making for Florida Leaders

Grounded in Data, Report Unpacks 2025 Trends Shaping Florida’s Business Climate

The Florida Chamber Foundation today announced the release of its 2025 Florida Business & Economic Mid-Year Report, offering data-informed insights into the trends shaping business decisions across Florida.

As businesses navigate economic uncertainty, this mid-year report serves as a compass, grounding decision-making in the latest data and economic analysis. Focusing on what is known about Florida’s economy at the halfway mark of 2025, the 2025 Florida Business & Economic Mid-Year Report offers a comprehensive look at the demographic and economic trends influencing the business environment, including:

Population and demographic shifts
Economic growth and inflation dynamics
Strength of Florida’s manufacturing sector
Workforce and talent pipeline challenges
Workforce housing affordability

Download the Report