“Florida truly is one of the most desirable locations for companies to grow and flourish – a gold standard for business freedom and prosperity. Having the privilege of being Florida’s most passionate ambassador to the business world, in my new role I take the utmost pride in accomplishing my clients’ business interests and policy goals, while working in lockstep with our statewide government agencies, lobbyists, and partners.”
Laura DiBella was appointed as Florida’s first female Secretary of Commerce, and her former position combined with extensive economic development experience allows her to use her business, government, capitol connections, and vast knowledge of the regulatory and procurement processes to provide clients with government relations and consulting services.
Prior to joining Adams and Reese, Laura was the former President of Business Development at FloridaCommerce; President/CEO at Enterprise Florida; President of the Florida Opportunity Fund (Florida’s Venture Capital arm), gaining knowledge of the state funded startup ecosystem; Executive Director of Florida Harbor Pilots Association; Port Director of Port of Fernandina Ocean Highway and Port Authority; and Executive Director of Nassau County Economic Development Board. She has also been a Florida licensed real estate broker for over 20 years.
A dynamic ambassador for Florida’s business, Laura’s wide-ranging experience guides her in assisting clients in many areas at the intersection of business and government, including clients that need legislative and executive branch representation, economic development strategy and consulting, including, but not limited to, site selection, recruitment and retention project assistance, international trade, venture capital, and knowledge of the processes of the State of Florida government and procedures and processes of local governments.
Laura works with out-of-state, as well as international businesses looking to relocate into Florida and also works with companies looking to expand within the state, maximizing their investment opportunities and incentive packages to help spur their commercial growth. Laura’s assistance to support and attract businesses diversifies the Florida economy, creates well-paid jobs, provides avenues of access to capital and funding, and connects all parties to the necessary public-private partnerships to drive economic development across the state.
Laura is an experienced leader, strategic competitor, and overall brand ambassador with a demonstrated history of success in both private and public industry across numerous disciplines. She is also experienced in business development, project management, marketing, strategic planning, public relations, and public speaking.
Laura is a co-founder of the LATAM Family Office Society, an exclusive, membership-only organization based in Miami that works to bring Latin American family offices together by introducing LATAM family offices to the U.S. ecosystem and creating a collaborative environment with U.S. investors, U.S. family offices, and U.S. financial institutions.
Laura has a career of dedicated community service. She is a devout advocate and supporter of the communities that she represents throughout the state of Florida and in the industries that she champions through her work.
Laura serves as Chair of the Aerospace Alliance; Vice Chair of the FDOT Freight Advisory Committee; former Vice Chair of Florida State College at Jacksonville District Board of Trustees; former Vice Chair of Florida Ocean Alliance Board of Directors; former Co-Chair of the Florida Economic Development Council Florida 2030 Task Force; U.S. Constitution Scholarship Foundation Advisory Committee member; MARAD America’s Marine Highway Advisory Panel member; FEMA National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC) member; and volunteer as a certified guardian in Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program.
Laura DiBella is not licensed to practice law.
Education
Community Involvement
- The Aerospace Alliance, Chair
- Florida Department of Transportation Freight Advisory Committee, Vice Chair
- Florida Ocean Alliance, Inc., Board Member
- Florida Economic Development Council, Volunteer
- Guardian Ad Litem Program, Volunteer
- Florida State College at Jacksonville, Former Vice Chair, Board of Trustees
- Take Stock in Children of Florida, Former Mentor
- Nassau Education Foundation, Former Board Member
- Communities in Schools Nassau County, Former Board Member
- Fernandina Beach Main Street, Former Board Member
- McArthur Family YMCA, Former Board Member
- Community First Credit Union, Former Advisory Board Member
Areas of Practice
- Instrumental in strengthening partnership ties with the overall international business community, conducting trade missions to Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, United Kingdom, and South America. Her contribution has elevated Florida to what is now the 14th largest economy in the world and the fastest growing economy by GDP, which stands at $1.6 trillion. Bolstered by the in-migration from out of state businesses, technological advancements in the aerospace and defense industries, and global positioning in relation to Latin America, Florida is on a hockey stick trajectory towards being the 10th largest economy in the world by 2030.
- Recruited global aerospace and defense, manufacturing, financial institutions, and software technology companies to relocate to Florida.
- Working in the niche eVTOL aircraft industry with a handful of companies to set up operations in Florida and to gain knowledge of the programs available through Space Florida and other aerospace and aviation support.
- Instrumental in investments in rural communities across the state that improved infrastructure and created opportunities for employers and families in rural communities. These investments were made possible through Capital Investment Tax Credits, Rural Infrastructure Fund, and Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, among other sources of federal, state, and local programs.
- Oversaw a $21.8 million budget as President/CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc. while charged as the chief negotiator for business recruitment, expansion, and international trade for the principal economic development organization of the state, thereby sustaining and elevating Florida’s robust economy in coordination with partners around the globe.
- Completed a minimum of 100 business recruitment or retention establishments to Florida, consisting of over 20,000 jobs and $5 billion in capital investment.
- Facilitated over $1.5 billion in export sales for Florida based companies through trade missions.
- Approved 26 minority and small business loans valued at nearly $175 million in total financing.
- Evaluated and supported the distribution of over $100 million in Florida Job Growth Grant Fund Awards to community partners around the state.
- Assisted and launched Florida’s semiconductor and superconductor magnet initiatives, positioning the state as a formidable competitor in two distinct industry ecosystems.
- Spearheaded game changing policy discussions involving Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Vehicle (eVTOL) applications throughout Florida.
- Appointed as the first-ever, full-time executive director of Florida Harbor Pilots Association, founded in 1868, comprised of 11 member associations representing nearly 100 harbor pilots that serve each of Florida’s 16 deepwater ports.
- Point of contact with the Maritime Administration (MARAD), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Florida Department of Emergency Management (FLDEM), Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Florida Department of Health (FDOH), Small Business Administration (SBA), and additional agencies, on mitigation and response efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertained to pilot health, safety, financial security, and vessel movements at Florida’s seaports, allowing for zero interruption of commerce.
- Collaborated on and executed the successful passing of legislation that prevents citizen initiatives from interrupting commerce at Florida seaports, protecting the state’s ability to conduct international trade and welcome tourists statewide.
- Supported the drafting and submissions of several successful Port Security Grant and Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program awards totaling over $2 million.
- Served as the Port Director for the Port of Fernandina, Ocean Highway and Port Authority of Nassau County, collaborating with the Florida Legislature and FDOT on a $2 million appropriation for the purchase, preparations, inspections, delivery, and commissioning of a mobile harbor crane.
- Assisted in the submission and award of MARAD America’s Marine Highway M-95 Fernandina Beach to Charleston Barge Service designation and subsequent $1.29 million equipment grant.
- Secured Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development grant funds in excess of $3 million for port infrastructure enhancements, i.e. wharf repairs, berth dredging, and warehouse construction.
- Supported the information needed to develop and close a $27 million bond issue for future improvements at the port.
- Served as Executive Director for the Nassau County Economic Development Board to drive forward a rural county that continues to experience major development due to its land and infrastructure assets.
- Appointed to represent and reposition the county from what was known as largely a rural bedroom community to nearby Jacksonville, Florida, to what today stands as a very real competitor in the Northeast Florida economic development arena, with offerings that expand from world class healthcare, to corporate headquarters, and light to the heaviest of heavy industry.
- Positioned the county to successfully recruit or retain large end users to the area in manufacturing, technology, healthcare, utility, etc.
- Secured a $5 million grant from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund for the construction of water and wastewater infrastructure to the Crawford Diamond Industrial Park.
- Maritime Port Executive, International Association of Maritime and Port Executives
- Notary Public, State of Florida
- Licensed Real Estate Broker in Florida (since 2002)