Dear Fellow Floridian:

Since our founding, America has been a beacon of exceptionalism stemming from a strong work ethic, pride in country and desire to succeed for the betterment of our fellow citizens. The athletes representing our nation on Team USA in the 2012 London Olympics are a shining example of these principles.

Thomas Edison once said, “There is no substitute for hard work.” As Americans we are known to be hard working, and Team USA is no exception. I am proud and excited to see 51 talented athletes from the great state of Florida joining the ranks of Team USA to represent our nation at the Olympics. I look forward to cheering loudly for our fellow Floridians and for every athlete who put in the time and effort it takes to compete at the highest level against the best athletes in the world.

Go Team USA!

Sign up for the Small Business Forum

Partnering with The Jim Moran Institute to host the 2012 Small Business Leadership Forum in Tampa on Sept. 6-7, 2012, it is CFO Atwater's goal to connect business owners with the right tools and information to help them succeed. It is vital that small businesses continue to grow and prosper in Florida. Along with providing resources to businesses, we are also looking at the forum as an opportunity to hear directly from Florida’s small business community with the goal of bringing that feedback back to Tallahassee to improve our state’s business climate.

One featured panelist is Sean Snaith, Ph.D., the director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness and a nationally recognized economist in the field of business and economic forecasting. Known for his engaging presentations, Snaith earned praise from one business editor for making economics not only understandable but interesting.

Another featured panelist is Francisco A. Marrero, district director of the South Florida District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. As district director, Marrero oversees the delivery of three of the agency’s core programs: financial assistance through the SBA’s loan guaranty programs, entrepreneurial management training and counseling delivered by SBA’s resource partners and business development through the SBA’s government-contracting assistance programs.

To find out more information about the forum, including the list of panelists and how to register, visit www.flsmallbusinessforum.com.

News of Interest

Washington Post: Emerging markets added to global slowdown

Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida to receive billions in BP Gulf oil funds

Wall Street Journal: Google's Mayer takes over as Yahoo chief

Fort Myers News-Press: Businesses tackle right way to use social media

Discover Florida's Bottom Line

The new quarterly edition of Florida's Bottom Line will be launched next Friday, with the latest information on Florida's economy.

Meanwhile, visit our website to find a collection of key statistics that illustrate important changes in Florida’s economy over the past month. Read our current and past issues at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/floridasbottomline/.

Be Storm Ready with Webinar Help

The Department of Financial Services has teamed up with the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) to provide the free webinar, Protect Your Homebase, to guide residents through the steps to prepare for a storm and what to do should a storm strike.

During each webinar participants are eligible to win a gift pack that includes a $25 Home Depot gift card, Midland NOAA weather radio and a FLASH T-shirt. A grand prize drawing at the end of the series will offer participants a chance to win four tickets to Walt Disney World, four $25 Disney gift cards and a VIP tour of Storm Struck, an interactive exhibit at Epcot. Prizes are being provided through FLASH.

There will be one more webinar offered in July on Tuesday, July 24, at 5:30 p.m. Find out more and register at www.MyFloridaCFO.com/Division/Consumers.