OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Several business headlines emerged at the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership (CEP)‘s monthly ‘ExCEPtional Mornings Breakfast’ on Wednesday.

New HQ
The CEP announced that Essex Mortgage has made Ocala its new headquarters and is building a new 47,000 square foot servicing center. This will also bring 300 new jobs to Ocala.

Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing List
Four Ocala-area businesses were recognized by Inc. 5000 2023, which acknowledges the fastest growing private companies in America. Those businesses are:

A total of 449 businesses in Florida made this year’s list.

President and CEO Kevin Sheilley says it is important to see how Ocala businesses are growing in comparison to peers around the country and urges companies to apply in the future.

“If you’re a CEP partner and you want to apply for Inc. 5000, the CEP is going to pay your application fee because we know how important this is for the recognition it brings your business. It helps your business to grow, and we think we have these types of businesses in our community,” stated Sheilley.

Kevin Sheilley, CEO of the CEP celebrated four Ocala businesses recognized by Inc. 5000 as among the fastest growing in the nation. Courtesy: Ryann Dickerson/352today

He also added that they plan to host at least one webinar on how to apply. To see the full list of businesses that made the Inc. 5000 list, click here.

Global Entrepreneurship
During the event, over 300 attendees heard from keynote speakers Dr. Christina Drake and Shari Constantini who discussed their business Kismet Technologies for this month’s breakfast theme: Global Entrepreneurship Month.

Kismet Technologies focuses on creating technologies to help stop the spread of infection. They’ve created NanoRAD which they says is a ‘transparent coating’ that can be applied to different surfaces and lasts for months. They say it kills 99.9999% of bacteria and viruses within two hours.

Not only does the company focus on disinfecting human spaces. They say they have begun to target the equine world in Ocala by pinpointing pathogens that get on surfaces that can lead to sickness and death in horses.

“We don’t have a small mission. We want to change the way the world disinfects. So stay tuned, and we’ll look forward to being a part of this community as we continue to grow,” stated Drake.

Business Breakfast Outgrowing Meeting Space
Sheilley announced a number of new partners joining the CEP. Those are Betacon, Essex Mortgage, Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Lamplight Legacy Apartments, Lawn Enforcement Agency, Ocala Easy Patent, Ocala Florida Home Rentals, Ora Clubhouse, Pure Wellness Med Spa, Seanote Construction, Staff America, Staples #1679, View Florida, and Voila! Workspace.

With the addition of new partners and engaged businesses, the CEP says its monthly breakfasts are sold out and have outgrown the current monthly meeting location at the Church of Hope on Maricamp Road.

That’s why the ‘ExCEPtional Mornings’ breakfast meetings will have a new location in 2024. The CEP announced that next year, the monthly confab will be held at the Reilly Arts Center at 500 NE 9th St. so that more people can attend.

Next month’s speaker is Roger B. Handberg, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.