Orlando: OEP's Bob O'Malley on the Future of Brightline and Commuter Rail Across Florida

A native Miamian with over 36 years experience in the banking sector, City National Vice Chairman and CEO Jorge Gonzalez has seen it all in South Florida. In this episode with SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez, he offers an update on rates, the economy and why the boom & bust days are over for Florida's economy.

Tackling affordable housing issues is a nationwide crisis, particularly in Florida with the influx of new residents the past decade. In this episode, TBBJ Real Estate Reporter Ashley Gurbal Kritzer invites Dan Coakley, Principal of PMG Affordable, to to discuss his company's monumental project, along with the challenges of building affordable housing.

She started running Freedom Boat Club in 2009 during the depths of the Great Recession. Then Mother Nature delivered one of the coldest Florida winters in memory, so even avid boaters weren't interested in memberships. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief James Cannon invites Freedom Boat Club Owner Lisa Almeida to share how she turned things around, and why so many boaters are now opting for "Freedom".

Whether the economy's up, or down, we have to eat. With the cost of dining out on the rise, consumers are shifting their buying habits and that benefits grocery stores. So it's no surprise the fast-growing Florida market is attracting new, niche players hoping to take a bite of the market share. In this episode, OBJ Editor-in-Chief Richard Bilbao invites "Grocery Guru" Mark Thompson, CEO & Founder of GroceryAnchored.com, to deliver an update.

As a major player in the automotive industry, with interests in financial services and franchising, JM Family Enterprises has a pulse on consumers across South Florida. In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez invites President and CEO Dan Chait to provide an update on the car market, consumer trends and how AI is reshaping the industry.

Sponsored Content: With over 500,000 customers across the state, adding more each day, Peoples Gas has a pulse on Florida's growth and what builders and consumers demand. In this episode, sponsored by Peoples Gas, Vice President of Residential and Commercial Business Shawn Connell joins TBBJ Publisher and Market President Ian Anderson for a conversation on the impact of natural gas and its future across the Sunshine State.

Hurricanes have wreaked havoc with Florida's property insurance market, driving premiums so high that it often kills a real estate transaction. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief James Cannon invites Itel President Chris Touchton to explain how his company's technology is working to save costs for insurers, and how that translates into saving money for homeowners.

Bob O'Malley sits at the intersection of public affairs, government relations and transportation policy. As the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP), perhaps no one is as well-versed in the challenges and opportunities with commuter rail. OBJ Editor-in-Chief Richard Bilbao invites O'Malley to share his insight and transportation vision in this episode.

While the migration of people and businesses has slowed somewhat, the Sunshine State and South Florida in particular remain highly desirable long-term. In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez invites Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance President & CEO Bob Swindell to share what he's seeing and hearing from business decision makers.

Florida's growth has sparked a business boom, but the influx of people has driven up real estate prices, making affordable housing scarce. In this episode, TBBJ Managing Editor Pam Huff invites Habitat for Humanity Gulfside CEO Mike Sutton to share what he and his team are doing, and who they're working with to help ease the housing crunch.