Sebastian, Florida

So, our population is well-dispersed within the employment centers around us, in the community college and healthcare sectors.” Sebastian sits on part of the Space Coast – home to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral and the Space X Rocket Assembly Site at Cocoa Beach. As such, it attracts a lot of attention from aerospace and aeronautical industries. According to Carlisle, “We have Whelen Aerospace Technologies, a global leader in aerospace lighting, and Velocity Aircraft, which specializes in composite, high performance cross-country machines. So, we have within our community a lot of service, manufacturing, and construction jobs. It’s really a mixed bag of opportunities.” Steward Medical Group, which is the largest private tax-paying hospital operator in the country, also has a presence in Sebastian. In 2017, they purchased the Sebastian River Medical Center, unlocking access to high- quality, compassionate, value-based care in Indian River County. “They’ve put in place a lot of niche doctors, from gastroenterologists to orthopedists to nephrologists,” says Carlisle. “It’s a full-service system that’s dispersed throughout our community. They’ve been partnering up with large employers and pooling businesses to create medical care hubs. So, you can get a knee replacement for about half the cost of what other hospitals charge. It’s a win-win because it saves our businesses on healthcare costs, recovery time, and travel.” According to Sue Skirvin, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Board, the success of Steward’s initiative comes down to the community being close-knit and proud to be part of something so special. “Our businesses work well together,” she maintains. “As Chamber members, we’re big on referring one business to another. We’re always striving to get new members involved in the events that we do – monthly luncheons, breakfasts, and what we call “After Hours” or a “Business and Pleasure”.