SUMMER/FALL 2016 INFLUENCE | 91 In a rapidly growing greater-Orlando community where no single government entity controls much more than a small portion of the critical decisions that determine the minutiae and grand sweeps of Orlando’s future, Business Force has increasingly greater influence. This spring Business Force also reached out beyond the Central Florida Partnership, inviting in participation from both the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. There are others, and Agrusa said he will be reaching out to them. The Business Force Board of Directors reads like a who’s-who of Central Florida influence: Sharon Smoley of Walt Disney World, John McReynolds of Universal Orlando, Amanda Conochalla of Darden, Oscar Anderson, Pat Christiansen, Derek Bruce, Shannon Gravitte, Chris Carmody, Dana Loncar, Rusty Roberts and two dozen others. Individually, none of them is someone to be taken lightly. Together they may be a Central Florida influence Dream Team. “The idea is, we would be the advocacy arm of the chambers; we would have the ability to weigh in,” Agrusa said. The idea is not new, nor has it always operated smoothly. In 2012 Business Force’s predecessor, the Business Force Committee of Continuous Existence got involved with business efforts to block a citizen petition seeking to get Orange County to adopt a paid family sick time ordinance. The effort turned to political debacle when it was revealed that lobbyists were sending messages to Mayor Teresa Jacobs and members of the board of commissioners advising them how to vote. The controversy dragged on for more than a year, and it’s still a touchy subject with Jacobs, who fielded much of the political flak. But the ordinance was stopped. On the other side of that fight, and still on the other side of many disputes (Top to bottom): Robert Agrusa and Craig Swygert; Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer lends star power to the Business Force image; Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs; L to R, Robert Agrusa, Michelle Strenth, Troy McNichols, and Derek Bruce.
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