Wade: Bay County next hotspot

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- The new executive director of the Bay County Economic Development Alliance said one of the reasons he took the job was his belief that Bay County is in a good position to be the next growth area in Northwest Florida. Neal Wade, during an interview with the Panama City News Herald, said he hopes to snag a major aerospace company for a spot by the new airport in West Bay. He said with assets like the Air Force and Navy bases nearby and major defense contractors in the area, the West Bay area is ideal for an aerospace company to open up a new facility. "We believe this will be a breakout year especially in aerospace, aviation and defense," said Wade, the former senior vice president of economic development for the St. Joe Co. (Source: Panama City News Herald, 01/29/12) When he worked in economic development in Alabama, Wade played a role in that state landing Mercedes-Benz.