City of Kissimmee, Osceola County Officials Join UCF to Open Business Incubator-Kissimmee

Kissimmee, FL - Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan and Osceola County Commissioner John Quinoñes joined administrators from the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program for a ribbon cutting to officially open the new UCF Business Incubator-Kissimmee at the City Centre located at 111 East Monument Ave. in Kissimmee.

Rafael Caamano, recently appointed site manager in Kissimmee, said the new 8,000 square foot business incubator will accommodate 20 startup enterprises selected to join the UCF Business Incubation Program.

The facility - a joint effort of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee and the Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) - offers support services to help start-up companies accelerate their growth and generate jobs in the downtown Kissimmee area.

Dr. Tom O'Neal, founder and executive director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, said the Incubator facility is part of a new generation of local economic development initiatives.

"Business incubation is one of the most cost-effective ways to stimulate local economic growth and new employment," Dr. O'Neal said.

The City of Kissimmee and Osceola County have committed a total of $405,000 each for three years to fund the project. The City paid an additional $57,000, along with $183,000 from the CRA to build out the facility. The UCF Business Incubation Program will manage the facility.

Media Contacts

Osceola County Economic Development Department
Maria G. Toumazos, Osceola County Economic Development Administrator
407-742-4200
mgru@osceola.org

UCF Business Incubation Program
Rafael Caamano, Site Manager
407-408-4297
rcaamano@mail.ucf.edu

UCF Business Incubation Program
Gordon Hogan, Director of Operations
407-882-1577
ghogan@mail.ucf.edu

Larry Vershel Communications
Beth Payan or Larry Vershel
407-644-4142
lvershelco@aol.com

City of Kissimmee
Carla Banks, Manager of Communications
407-518-2314
cbanks@kissimmee.org

About the UCF Business Incubation Program

Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 140 emerging companies (including 90 current clients) create over $800 million in annual revenue and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With eight facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.