SPACE COAST, Fla. (February 13, 2026) — The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) convened business, civic, and community leaders Thursday evening at the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse for its signature Annual Meeting.  The EDC Annual Meeting serves as cornerstone event for Florida’s Space Coast highlighting strategic investment, innovation, talent attraction, and the shared story shaping the region’s future. Framed by the unifying message “Tomorrow Launches Here,” the program underscored how collaboration across industry, government, and community partners continues to create high-wage jobs and drive long-term economic momentum.

During the evening, the EDC honored two individuals whose leadership has made a lasting impact on Florida’s Space Coast. The Gary R. Cunningham Distinguished Service Award for Economic Development was presented to Janet Petro, Director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

“I’ve been honored to see the unprecedented expansion of Kennedy Space Center over the last 19 years of my tenure and can personally attest that this progress is evidence of collaboration and ingenuity that far exceeds the capabilities of any single individual or institution,” said Petro. “I’d like to thank the 150 partners in academia and industry which have leveraged our shared goals and enabled more than 450 collaborations to become a force multiplier that drives economic growth while expanding exploration, inspiration, and discovery on behalf of all humanity.”

The EDC Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Matt Passarella, Business Development Manager at Wharton-Smith, Inc., recognizing an investor who has gone above and beyond to strengthen the organization’s mission and expand community engagement. A Brevard County resident since 1987, Passarella chaired the EDC’s newly formed Speakers Bureau Council, helping amplify a unified regional voice among business and civic leaders and reinforcing the importance of place branding and talent attraction.

The Annual Meeting also highlighted major capital investments, the region’s innovation ecosystem, strengthened partnerships and the community branding initiative designed to elevate Florida’s Space Coast.

As leaders emphasized throughout the evening, economic development today requires alignment, innovation, and collective ownership of the region’s story. The message was clear: Tomorrow Launches Here — and Florida’s Space Coast is building it together.

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About the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast

The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high-tech companies. The EDC is a private, not-for-profit coalition whose stakeholders are business leaders committed to the economic growth and stability of Florida’s Space Coast. Visit SpaceCoastEDC.org.