DeSantis makes sales call to Chicago

Chicago

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Chicago on Thursday, less than a month after saying he would pitch Florida to financial-sector companies in the Windy City.

A schedule released by the governor's office said DeSantis would hold morning meetings with CME Group and Northern Trust Co.

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DeSantis told the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors last month that he wanted to try to lure companies from Chicago.

"Warren Buffett said recently, be wary of investing in states like Illinois that quite frankly are digging themselves a deeper hole and really have no way out in terms of their fiscal outlook, their pension allocations," DeSantis said during the Aug. 28 meeting, referring to the Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO. "I think there is an opportunity to talk to some folks and drive some investment here in Florida."

DeSantis in February and May went to New York City to talk with players in the financial industry.

Tim Vanderhoof, senior vice president of business development for Enterprise Florida, has said a return to New York and a trip to Connecticut are also being mapped out.

Vanderhoof said the state's sales pitch is built around raising awareness of Florida's workforce, business climate and quality of life against competition in Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., with targets including companies in fields such as investment banking and blockchain.