- December 18, 2025
With companies and local government agencies across the U.S. begin to host webinars to provide answers and outreach to businesses during the pandemic, the city of Ormond Beach is no exception.
A community panel made up of Mayor Bill Partington, City Economic Development Director Brian Rademacher, Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Debbie Cotton, Ormond MainStreet Executive Director Julia Truilo and CareerSource Volusia/Flagler Executive Director Robin King will answer questions and issue updates on available services and programs to assist the business community via a Zoom webinar scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22.
To join the webinar, visit https://ormondbeach.zoom.us/j/91416984752. The webinar will be made available afterward on the city's YouTube channel.
The Ormond Beach Observer spoke with Rademacher about best practices, challenges and what the future could hold for local businesses, and here are the main points he brought out.
Q: What is the most important thing business owners should keep in mind at this time?
A: I think the most important thing business owners should and can keep in mind at this time is that there’s a lot of support for business owners and resources available right now. Sometimes, it feels like it’s coming fast and furious in multiple directions and it’s important to not grow weary in reaching out, asking questions and looking for new opportunities.
Q: Which loan programs stand out to you as ones most likely to help our local businesses?
A: So from the outset, the initial loan programs most likely to help — I think — include the Florida Bridge Loan program and the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Even though they are unavailable, there’s anticipation or hope that the governor and the federal government will step in and add additional funding to these programs. Why I pivot to those is they’re well-established programs. They have a history of helping businesses during disasters. They’re constantly funded annually at the federal level and at the state level.
Q: Why is it important for the city to interact with organizations like Ormond MainStreet, the Chamber of Commerce and CareerSource during this pandemic?
A: Economic development and the city in general has a long history of working with and interacting with the Chamber of Commerce and Ormond MainStreet. That’s no different during disasters and then now pandemics. These organizations are important conduits to the business community, each with their own strength and their business segments. So in our collaborations together there have been good ideas generated and looking at opportunities that otherwise would not come to fruition. Right now, we’re planning out a series of calls and webinars like this to look at how we can be creative in bringing content that’s useful for the business community here in Ormond.
Q: Gov. Ron DeSantis recently assembled a "Re-Open Florida" task force. Obviously, many businesses need to open to be profitable, but from your perspective, where does the importance of economic prosperity fall as it relates to the current situation?
A: I think the answer could be two-fold. During these times we’ve seen a lot of businesses pivot and shift how they do business in order to reach their customers. And so really defining economic prosperity in a way that might look different than what it was prior to the coronavirus. With reopening, my guess is that there’s going to be various stages, and as such businesses should work within those guidelines to get back to business and perhaps a sense of normal while respecting the guidelines that allow people and employees to return to work and feel safe doing so. There’s a huge demand right to get back to business and open up shop, whereas we’ll get there, I think to that point we’ll be able to get there while also being cognizant of and respecting the need to do it in a way where everyone is able to do it safely.
Q:As the city's economic director, what advice would you give to business owners that are currently struggling, or anxious about the future?
A: Link and leverage your network and assets. I’ve been a big advocate of that phrase throughout my entire career in economic development, just really stress the value of working collaboratively with partners. I think what we always say to each other all the time is, “we’ll get through this together,” emphasizing the together part. And that means not being hesitant to reach out and see what we can do together.
