Trying to Relocate to Southern FL or Hampton Roads, VA Area - Help!

[RICPAZ]

Yesterday was a sad day. Sold my Donzi (1999 22ZX) and now after 16 years of boating I am now boatless. If I stay with the company I currently work for I will be moving to our corporate office in Tulsa, OK. And if I move to Tulsa that means no more boating for me. After boating out on the ocean and Long Island Sound I don't really have have a desire to boat on the smaller lakes out in OK. If I didn't have to move to Tulsa then I'd be upgrading this fall to a new (or slightly used) 26ZX, but for now that is on hold. Anyway, I would like to find a job either in southern Florida or the Hampton Roads/Norfolk, VA area but so far I have had no luck. I have a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and have had 6 years of experience and currently manage a successful aftermarket sales & spare parts dept. at my company. Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone on here knew of any possible job openings, employment agencies or any advice on how to get a job and relocate to either of those areas. I would even consider getting out of engineering and doing something more related to boating and the marine industry, possible even boat sales. I'm keeping my options open. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'd really like to get that 26ZX and stay along the coast somewhere! I don't think being land-locked is for me!

Thanks,
Rich

[Forrest]

I grew up at North-End Virginia Beach and still have many friends and family in Hampton Roads area. I've also lived in a number of places in Florida (Lower Keys, Stuart, Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, St. Pete, Tampa, Tallahassee over last 25 years. To help you make a decision, most likely, you'll make more money in Central and South Florida as a Chemical Engineer than in the Tidewater area, that is unless your expertise in in fertilizer. But in reality, neither place is a Mecca for chemical engineers. Look at it this way though, if you move to Florida you can hang with the Madpoodle and the Seadogs, and if you move to Virginia you can hang with Brian Truval and the HRPA! Either way you can't go wrong!!!

[RICPAZ]

Yup, I agree with ya. Either way and I can't go wrong. Most of my experience is in sales, so I'm really not tied down to chemical engineering. I'd love to move to the Keys, just don't know how the heck I'd ever find a job down there. The Keys and southern Florida is my first choice. Virginia is my 2nd choice. If I'm lucky I'll get one of them, but my time is running out.
-Rich