MILTON — Northwest Florida economic development representatives and the Consul General of Japan in Miami are making strides toward attracting more Japanese businesses.
Ken Okaniwa, from the Consulate General of Japan — a consulate being a government representative in a foreign country — visited the area this week to see the available opportunities.
Stanley Harper, in Operations Services with Naval Supply Systems Command, recently contacted the Consulate General of Japan regarding a new space complex in Pensacola.
Celina Espinal, secretary to the Consul General, noted Okaniwa’s interest in meeting “with any aerospace or defense companies in Pensacola.”
Shannon Ogletree, Santa Rosa County Economic Development director, said he spoke with Okaniwa for several hours over two days. “He was asking questions about the type of companies here in Santa Rosa County, their focus and sectors.”
Okaniwa is particularly interested in aviation and defense, Ogletree said. “We talked (about Naval Air Station Whiting Field) and the number of military retiring and their skill sets, and how that would fit in with companies from Japan looking to invest in the U.S. or, specifically, Santa Rosa County.”
But one visit isn’t enough to convince companies to invest in the area, Ogletree said, as Japanese culture focuses on establishing relationships, a concept Ogletree said he understands and relies on in his work.
In addition, “Santa Rosa County has a branding problem,” Ogletree said. When speaking with site selectors for companies — those in charge of scouting locations for company expansion — Ogletree said he hears they’re familiar with or vacation at Santa Rosa Beach, located in Walton County.
He said he’s found Santa Rosa County is often confused with Santa Rosa, Calif. Ogletree said outsiders don’t recognize Milton, Pace or Gulf Breeze, but may know Pensacola.
However, by building relationships with site consultants, Ogletree said he’s making a difference.
“The site consultants know where I'm from; the people in New York and New Jersey, they know now I'm from Santa Rosa County. I’m constantly beating on the door letting them know we’re here. ‘Don’t' forget us.’ Again, it's relationships.”
And so, Ogletree said, “I think (the county) is making strides to get people to know us and what we have to offer. It’s constant marketing, sending postcards, emails, making phone calls and visiting them face to face. I can't say enough about that.”
“They may not remember Santa Rosa County, but they’ll say, ‘Shannon was up here and has three certified sites and that's what we need,’ and that's happened before.
“… That’s why it’s important to continue to market. It separates ourselves from neighbor counties.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Northwest Florida reps eye opportunities for Japanese companies