Investors are beginning to take notice of 19 “Opportunity Zones” in Polk County that are ripe for development. “We are working closely with a number of developers and businesses on advanced manufacturing, agri-tech and residential projects in four of Winter Haven’s Opportunity Zones,” said Bruce Lyon, president of the Winter Haven Economic Development Council. Because […]
Many people think of airports as places where planes take off and land. But there’s much more that happens at Polk County’s four local airports, all of which support aviation and the Polk County economy. For instance, Gulf Coast Avionics sells, installs and repairs aircraft electronics. “We bring in customers from all over the world […]
Yaliana Garcia, 19, moved to Polk County from Puerto Rico at the end of her junior year of high school. Even with such a short time here, she looks back at Bartow High School and its teachers as the reason she’s pursuing her dream to become a doctor. “I did not have the opportunity to […]
“I like Haines City and Polk County,” says Garrett Kenny. “There are tremendous growth opportunities here. Going back 15-16 years, I saw a lot of growth in the Interstate 4 and U.S. 27 corridors. Looking forward another 20 years, I see Polk County expanding a lot.” Garrett Kenny was at home in Ireland when he […]
Nucor Steel, prides itself on empowering its employees to solve problems. When the company was having difficulty finding qualified electricians, their maintenance managers decided to work together to find a solution. Six years later, one of those solutions has been implemented locally and is helping one local teen prepare for his first full-time job at […]
Polk County has seen fast growth in the last few years. In fact, Lakeland-Winter Haven ranked No. 4 on the U.S. Census’s Top 10 Metropolitan Areas in Percentage Growth list, with a 3.2% annual population increase from 2017 to 2018. According to the World Population Review, Polk County was home to more than 708,000 residents […]
Florida Polytechnic University’s dominance on the world autonomous vehicle stage continues to grow, a status that enhances all of Polk County. Dr. Rahul Razdan, senior director of special projects at Florida Poly and head of the university’s Advanced Mobility Institute (where AV technology is tested and validated), has been appointed to lead a new project […]
Polk County international business development efforts considered a success at Paris Air Show. Aviation and economic development representatives who attended the Paris Air Show in June called the trip a success, giving Polk County a chance to “showcase our unique aviation footprint in the state of Florida,” according to Jake Polumbo, a retired Air Force […]
At the heart of the I4 corridor, Polk County boosts new jobs and stronger industries powered by steadfast business climate. Business in Polk County has grown and diversified in the last decade. New jobs have been added in segments that once lagged. Now, some of those same segments are thriving in Polk County’s business climate. […]
Students from around the nation are flying high at Southeastern University this summer. For the first time, SEU is taking part in an Air Force Junior ROTC program that gives high school and college students a chance to earn their private pilot’s license in an eight-week program. Students will graduate on July 29th and receive […]