Pfizer and Moderna have stated their clinical trial results on younger children will be available as early as October. Application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorization will immediately follow. Approval from the FDA could take several weeks once the application is received, and likely arriving around the end of the calendar year or early 2022. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is available to anyone ages 12 and up. The Moderna and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are both authorized for use in anyone 18 years of age and older. The FDA requires four to six months of safety follow-up information for the clinical trials involving children under the age of 12.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced that Florida has experienced 14 consecutive months of job growth, gaining 69,300 private-sector jobs over the last month. Doubling the revised May 2021 private sector employment gain of 34,600 jobs, Florida has gained 907,900 jobs since the height of the pandemic. For the past 11 months, Florida’s unemployment rate (currently 5%) has been below the national average currently (currently 5.9%). This change reflects the significant increase in the labor force, showing that active job seekers continue to rejoin the workforce with many job opportunities available. Palm Beach County’s unemployment rate for June was 5.3% percent - below the national rate for the tenth consecutive month.

Boca Raton’s iconic Resort & Club has announced its most significant evolution in its history, its new again name—The Boca Raton. A New Golden Era will pay homage to the resort’s storied past while introducing innovative new amenities and experiences designed to inspire both members and guests and define The Boca Raton as one of the world’s most preeminent luxury resorts and private clubs. The New Golden Era Phase One $175 million physical transformation will be unveiled in the Winter of 2021/2022. Features include the Harborside Pool Club, a four-acre lakefront oasis featuring luxury cabanas, four pools, a 450-foot lazy river, two three-story high slides and a double standing wave pool. Additional amenities include a new retail boutique, a 7,100 square foot event lawn, a 5,000 square foot kids club and teen lounge, along with multiple waterfront dining options. Once completed, The Boca Raton will feature five distinct hotel experiences in one resort location: Beach Club, Yacht Club, Bungalows, Cloister and Tower.

I hope you will join me next week as we celebrate and recognize the 2021 Business Awards Recipients at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. This year, we witnessed the extraordinary resilience of many businesses within our community as they navigated the pandemic. That is why now, more than ever, it is important to acknowledge and recognize these businesses and their leaders. The recipients of these awards join an elite group of past honorees. Like their predecessors, they have displayed an impressive commitment to economic growth and dedication to enhancing the mission of the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. The 2021 recipients are:

To Register click here.

Looking for a quick way to find an event, register for an event, and receive pop-up notifications of important Chamber, County, City of Boca Raton, and City of Boynton Beach information? Download the Boca Chamber App – found on the App Store and Google Play Store. Keep your Chamber at the tip of your fingers! You can also stay up to date on all Chamber activity by visiting us at bocachamber.com.

We continue to provide you with valuable in-person and virtual experiences. Most virtual programs are recorded and available for you to access on the Boca Chamber’s YouTube Channel. Hit the subscribe button to find out when new content is posted on our channel.

7/27 – 11:45 a.m. In-Person Smart Talk For Women

7/27 – 5:30 p.m. In-Person Live After Five

Click here to register

7/30 – 11:30 a.m. In-Person Business Awards Luncheon

8/5 – 7:45 a.m. In-Person Membership Breakfast

One of the many ways the Chamber supports our non-profit community is through Boca Chamber Festival Days (BCFD). Non-profit Chamber Members join forces with for-profit Chamber Members to hold events during the month of August to raise awareness and much-needed funds for the non-profit members' critical mission. The Chamber helps to facilitate these events and promotes them through our many communication channels. This year, BCFD will kick off on July 30^th and conclude on August 31^st. The events include music, comedy, dinner, tastings, game nights – and so much more. Please go to one or all to support these worthy causes! For a listing of all the events, click here. 

The deadline for our marquis annual publication is Friday, July 30th. All members are encouraged to check their business listing on our website to ensure that business contact information and category(s) are correct and accurate. Please use your username and password to make any changes online to your account. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Angie Penaherrera.

This past week, Palm Beach County School District's Donald Fennoy announced he will be leaving his post as Superintendent. I have had the privilege of working with Dr. Fennoy over the last three years to ensure that the business community was receiving the best product from our public school system. Over the last three decades, the Chamber's Golden Bell Education Foundation has donated more than $1.7 million dollars toward that effort. Thank you Dr. Fennoy for your commitment and effort to lead one of the Nation's largest public school districts in one of the most challenging times our educational system has ever experienced.