The Regional Economic Research Institute (RERI) was developed to perform economic research, analysis, and forecasting for both the region and the individual economic development organizations in this area. The structure of the RERI includes partnership with the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council and the area economic development organizations.
The director of RERI is Dr. Gary Jackson, Assistant Professor of Economics in the Lutgert College of Business.
Highlights
Beginning with the first quarter of 2012, RERI is issuing the Lee County Business Climate Survey Report. This quarterly report is a result of a new partnership between The Horizon Council and Florida Gulf Coast University. The Horizon Council is a public-private board established in 1991 to advise the Lee County Board of Commissioners on economic development issues.
The Report summarizes the results of the Executive Business Climate Survey. It provides a view of the local economy, based on responses from senior executives of companies from a broad range of industries across the county.
In addition to this quarterly report, RERI continues to issue a monthly report: Regional Economic Indicators, which analyzes a wide range of economic data from the 5-county region of Southwest Florida. It also includes National economic data of interest. The monthly Indicators report has been issued since early 2007.
Documents most recently issued by the Institute:
(For earlier documents, see the Archive page)
Our Quarterly Report
Lee County Business Climate Survey Report, First Quarter 2013 
(26 pages)
Our Monthly Report:
Regional Economic Indicators, March 2013. (25 pages)
Dr. Jackson's comments at the release of the report on March 28, 2013:
It is my pleasure to provide you with the March 2013 Southwest Florida Regional Economic Indicator Report released by the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The Southwest Florida economy continues its recovery from the housing bubble and financial market problems that pushed the region and nation into recession in 2007. Southwest Florida taxable sales increased by five percent from December 2011 to December 2012; similar gains were reported over the last four months. Passenger traffic at Southwest Florida International airport in January 2013 was up seven percent from January 2012. Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties issued a total of 349 single-family home permits in February, 81 percent more than February 2012. February 2013 sales of Lee, Collier, and Charlotte existing single-family homes dipped by five percent compared to February 2012, but were 13-percent higher than the prior month of January 2013. Tourism Tax Revenues for Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties increased 10 percent from January 2012 to January 2013.
Seasonally-adjusted unemployment rates continued to show improvement. Specifically, the region's unemployment rate declined to 8.0 percent in January 2013 from 9.5 percent a year earlier. County details can be found beginning on page 16.
The revised estimate for the national real GDP growth was released on March 28, 2013, with a 0.4 percent growth rate for the fourth quarter 2012 real GDP compared to 3.1 percent for the third quarter. The fourth quarter deceleration reflected weather-related disruptions and lower private inventory investment, government spending, and exports. I expect to see continued slow growth next quarter. Real personal consumption expenditures for the fourth quarter were more positive, growing at 1.8 percent compared to 1.6 percent in the third quarter.
The national unemployment rate declined 0.2 percentage points to 7.7 percent in February 2013. This constituted a drop of 0.6 percentage points from February 2012. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) is 4.8 million or 40.2 percent of all unemployed.
The February Bureau of Labor Statistics Establishment Survey showed that national nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000, a larger increase than January's 119,000. The February employment increases included 73,000 in professional and business services, 48,000 in construction, 24,000 in retail, 24,000 in education and health services, 24,000 in leisure and hospitality, 20,000 in information, 14,000 in manufacturing, 7,000 in financial activities and 6,000 in wholesale trade. In contrast, national employment fell by 10,000 in government.
The national consumer price index increased by 2.0 percent between February 2012 and February 2013. The change was primarily driven by medical care which increased by 3.9 percent and transportation cost increases of 3.1 percent. Core inflation (all items less food and energy) increased by 2.0 percent.
The most recently published study:
Three Major Employers in SW Florida: Identification of Critical Position / Skill Gaps
April 5, 2013 (96 pages)
Workforce Now is a regional research initiative to identify current and future talent requirements for the five counties of Southwest Florida. As part of this initiative, three major employers in Southwest Florida were interviewed to better understand their critical employment gaps and help identify skill sets needed for those positions. This report is a summary of the information gained from a survey and interviews of those employers.
Many additional documents that can be reviewed and downloaded are available on the Reports and Studies page.
Links to our partner organizations are available on the Links pagae.
To request more information, see the Contact Us page.
