There’s an old saying that goes: “A rising tide lifts all boats.” And as a wider Panama Canal opens its locks for the world’s mega-ships, Northwest Florida’s local ports — Port Panama City, Port of Pensacola and Port St. Joe — are taking stock of what that means for their business, as well as the economic health of the region they serve.

Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida ranked first overall in U.S. aviation manufacturing attractiveness in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Aviation’s Second Gold Age: Can the U.S. aircraft industry maintain leadership? The U.S. aviation manufacturing attractiveness index ranked Florida’s talent first, Florida’s industry ninth, and Florida’s cost sixth for an overall ranking of first in the nation.

Governor Rick Scott recently announced that iSirona, an information technology company that provides solutions for medical device integration, will expand its operations in Panama City, creating 300 new jobs and a capital investment of $2.25 million.

A $500,000 grant awarded to the Economic Development Alliance of Bay County will bring a next-generation computing network to Naval Support Activity Panama City, Gov. Rick Scott announced recently.

“Smart” devices are generating a flood of information. Now hospitals need to figure out how to manage it all. Panama City’s, iSirona, is providing solutions to help hospitals with this challenge.

FedEx Ground, a leader in small-package ground delivery, recently opened a nearly 60,000-square-foot package distribution facility at the Port Panama City Intermodal Distribution Center.

B&C Technologies was recently recognized as a member of the 2013 Class of Florida Companies to Watch, an honor presented by GrowFL at the University of Central Florida in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation. In its 3rd year, Florida Companies to Watch celebrates second-stage growth companies for their impressive employment rates and revenue growth.

The Panama City Port Authority is pleased to announce that it has leased 75,000 square feet within its new distribution warehouse to AAdvantage North American. AAdvantage North American is a Panama City based logistics company providing vendor managed inventory (VMI) warehousing and distribution services.

A five-county coalition has formed in an effort to land an aerospace company for the Panhandle, Bay County Economic Development Alliance Executive Director Neal Wade announced recently.

iSirona, a provider of simplified solutions for medical device integration, today announced it has been named to the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. This is the second year in a row iSirona has earned a spot on the magazine’s elite list.