General Contractors In Central Florida Area

Getting the job done: Meet global trade specialist of Fifth Third Bank

DAYTONA BEACH -- Four months ago, Doug Richardson became a global trade specialist for Fifth Third Bank, covering Tampa and northward up into Georgia.

Operating from his office in Daytona Beach, Richardson spends his days working with businesses ranging from $5 million in revenue to large, publicly traded companies.

His goal: to get them to import or export their products or services or, if they're already doing that, streamline and expand the process. And once they are exporting or importing, he helps them finance their trade-related needs.

The Akron, Ohio, native worked for 14 years at different banks in Ohio, primarily in middle-market banking. Six years ago he, his wife Laura and his son Christian, now 13, moved to Daytona Beach after working for Fifth Third in Ohio. The Cincinnati-based bank was making moves in Central Florida and needed to move some experienced people down to Florida.

"My wife and I vacationed for 20 years at the Disney resorts," Richardson, 44, said. "Every winter I was like, 'Why do we not move down here?' So finally I convinced her."

He was a middle market manager when he started his Florida job, managing commercial bankers. Two years ago he worked on an initiative to help businesses earn more about Fifth Third's international services. Four months ago the bank asked him to take over that job full time, joining 12 other employees across the country who do what he does. Now, as companies continue to seek business outside of the country's stagnant economy, Richardson remains busy trying to help them.

You recently took this job full-time. Trade in the area must be seeing more activity?

It's increasing quite a bit in Florida, as you might imagine, because in a lot of industries, there's not much growth in the U.S. taking place. In the U.S., companies are expanding their international sales that they already do in markets overseas, or they're starting to look at overseas markets for the first time.

What type of companies have you worked with to expand?

It's a wide variety food brokers, manfacturers, companies that build hospitals or housing. There's a lot of project financing, even some companies that have built theme park attractions or rides that have gone overseas.

Would they bring American workers to build a house or hospital, or would they outsource that?

It can be done either way. Sometimes, if they're a manufacturer, they provide the building parts, and then they have an international contractor . . . A lot of times they'll have the main general contractor with a government in the Middle East or Europe, and they'll look for our customers to provide the building materials or some type of plumbing supplies. So sometimes it's the government that's doing this or the company that's overseas is the client that our client here in Florida is exporting to.

Death, Taxes and Disney (Disney World that is) - arthurnixest's ...

Arthur Nix Arthur Nix worked in the heavy/highway construction industry for 11 years before starting an engineering firm serving the development market in central Florida. He has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida, is registered as a professional engineer in 23 states and Dubai, and has a Florida general contractor’s license. He is licensed as a LEEDS Accredited Professional and was the design engineer for a Platinum certified building recently completed. He was an engineer or project manager on projects ranging from land and marine bridges, a railroad intermodal facility, an industrial waste treatment plant, local highway projects, and subdivision developments. Arthur has worked as an estimator for three contractors, estimating for both domestic and international markets, and was an HCSS trainer from 1990 to 2001.

You know you are going to come. Coming on a vacation trip to Disney World is almost more certain than death and taxes. You say "I don't have any children". It doesn't matter - you will come. Don't try to resist. I live near this black hole of the vacation universe that sucks people in. Just give in and then plan for some interesting diversions between Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World. One of my favorites is going down of the our many crystal clear springs that is not that far away from Disney or going to the beach. Ormond Beach is one of my favorites mainly because I can walk to Starbucks from where I park. Attached are some suggestions to make your trip more memorable.  And whatever you do don't come in July and August as the temperatures can get extreme. Happy Trails ! 

Note: Here is a photo of me ziplining and a photo of my favorite beach.

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