Connecting Small Businesses in Northeast Florida with Opportunities at JAXPORT

Written by: Marcia Pledger

JAXPORT’s Michael McCoy has found the most meaningful role of his career: supporting and educating small business owners by connecting them with opportunities at Jacksonville’s port.

As the port’s Small and Emerging Business (SEB) Programs Coordinator, he helps local small businesses navigate public procurement and contracting processes. This includes providing guidance on permits, licensing, and other legal requirements. For McCoy, that means spending time at small business workshops and community events, ensuring that when JAXPORT solicits bids for services—ranging from construction and maintenance to office supplies and landscaping—businesses of all sizes have the opportunity to compete.

“People are sometimes reluctant because they are unsure how to go about working in the maritime industry,” McCoy says. “I want to break down that barrier and show them there are opportunities for businesses of all sizes here.”

JAXPORT’s SEB Program, in partnership with the City of Jacksonville’s JSEB Program, encourages the inclusion of small businesses and minority-owned firms in contract awards and projects whenever possible.

Small businesses that earn less than $3 million over a three-year period qualify to participate in the SEB program. Businesses can bid on a wide range of work—from large construction projects such as terminal improvements to service contracts like printing, janitorial, and maintenance.

McCoy notes that working in a port setting is different from a typical corporate environment. For instance, hiring a painter at JAXPORT is not like hiring one for a home or office.

“We’re specialized due to the large scale of our facilities and projects—everything here is large,” he says. “If I’m looking for painters, they need to know they may be working on scaffolding at least 100 feet in the air.”

McCoy’s Background Led to JAXPORT

Before entering the business sector, McCoy built his career in education—first as a teacher and later as a principal.

His passion for teaching and helping people realize their potential translated well into the business world. He went on to hold leadership roles with major corporations and nonprofits, many of which focused on supporting small business owners. For more than a decade, he served as Director of Small Businesses for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. His experience also includes working as a community education partner and consultant for a family support services agency, as well as contributing to Goodwill’s education and job readiness department.

After returning home to Jacksonville, McCoy embraced the opportunity to join JAXPORT in 2023 and contribute to the positive impact the port has on the region’s economy.

McCoy Advocates for Entrepreneurs

One of McCoy’s first goals was re-establishing a joint agency task force to support small businesses. He now serves as chair of the committee, which includes representatives from the City of Jacksonville, JAXPORT, Jacksonville International Airport, Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, and Jacksonville Electric Authority.

“We support each other. In addition to workshops and community events, we also meet once a month to discuss opportunities for each agency,” he says. “Each month we invite small business owners to do a 15-minute presentation on what they can do for us,” McCoy adds. “We also try to ease any hesitations businesses may have about applying to be a contractor.”

Gregory Grant, an entrepreneurship advocate and JSEB administrator for the City of Jacksonville, credits McCoy’s coordination and leadership for the group’s success.

“It takes people like Michael to keep high-performing people together. He is the glue,” Grant says. “He’s very low key and doesn’t like recognition. He just wants to see small businesses do well.”

A Hands-On Approach

McCoy takes pride in maintaining a “boots on the ground” approach to engage directly with business owners. He works with them one-on-one to help them better understand their unique services and capabilities. He also encourages them to think strategically about expanding their offerings to become more competitive during the bid process. For instance, he suggested to a vendor with a debris removal and cleaning service that they consider adding recycling to their offerings.

“They had not previously considered diversifying their services, but it’s the type of expansion that can make them more profitable,” he says. “It’s all about nudging people in the right direction and showing them, ‘you can do this.’”

Small businesses looking to connect with Michael can reach him at michael.mccoy@jaxport.com.