FLORIDA TODAY Business Briefs: EFSC, restaurant study, Posey conference

Eastern Florida State College showcases aviation popen house

Eastern Florida State College will host an open house highlighting its Aviation Program from 5:30-7 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport.

The EFSC Aviation Center is located just west of the Melbourne International Airport Terminal at 640 Harry Sutton Road.

This open house will allow attendees to tour the Aviation Center, meet with faculty and apply on-site with assistance.

Those interested can also find out more about the Airframe and Power Plant program, which if a financial aid- eligible program at EFSC.

Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information about the open house, visit our website at easternflorida.edu/go/openhouse or email recruiting@easternflorida.edu.

Florida restaurant study

Florida ranks No. 12 nationally for consumer spending at small, independent restaurants - with local retailers bringing in an average of $1,755 each day, according to new data analysis from Womply, a technology company serving small businesses.

The findings for Florida are part of Womply’s first “State of Local Retail” report for 2018. Womply’s data team analyzed transactions at 54,000 small, independent restaurants in all 50 states during every day of the 2017 calendar year to identify consumer spending patterns and seasonality nationwide.

Additional findings for Florida include:

 The average retailer sees 14 transactions per day, ranking No. 14 nationally 

 The average order size for retailers is $124, ranking them No. 17 nationally

 Florida retailers do especially well in December, the state’s No. 1 sales month 

 Black Friday is the top sales day of the entire year.

Posey sponsor contracting conference

U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, will host a Federal Contracting Conference beginning at 8 a.m. Aug. 14. This is the chance for government contractors to have one-on-one meetings with procurement representatives from Washington D.C., and Central Florida to explore new contracting opportunities. This is also an opportunity for local businesses that specialize in technology, innovation, defense contracting and services to learn how to navigate the federal procurement process.

Coordinating with Posey on the conference are the 45th Space Wing — U.S. Air Force, CareerSource Brevard, Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, FAA, GSA, NASA, SBA, Small Business Development Center at Eastern Florida State College, Space Florida, SCORE and weVENTURE Powered by Florida Institute of Technology.

The agenda includes a keynote address by Posey, Matchmaker meetings presentations by the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce, Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce, Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Special Operations Command, the Boeing Company, CareerSource Brevard, DRS, FL Business & Manufacturing Solutions, Inc., Florida 8(a) Alliance, GCAT, Harris, IAP, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, AFTAC, Space Coast WID, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOTU and Port Canaveral.

Networking and a continental breakfast begins at 8 a.m. with the programming beginning at 8:30 a.m.

To submit a Business Brief contact Wayne T. Price at 321-242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com.