Leadership

Board of Directors

Emery Smith
Chair
Ben Hill Griffin
Brandon Clark
Vice Chair
The Ruthvens
Kyle Story
Secretary/Treasurer
The Story Companies
Dave Shepp
Immediate Past Chair
The Southern Group
Rick Garcia
Aviation Chair
Gulf Coast Avionics
Peveeta Devi Samuel
Community Stakeholders Chair
Duke Energy
Brad Lunz
Competitiveness & Advocacy Chair
The Lunz Group
Jeremy Voss
Investor Relations Chair
SpringerVoss Construction
Dr. Amy Bratten
Talent Pipeline Chair
Polk State College
Jeff Kincart
County Manager Designee
A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure
Rick Wilson
County Commissioner Designee
Polk County BoCC
Corey Allain
Board Member
Nucor Steel Florida
Steve Crisman
Board Member
Citizens Bank & Trust
Dr. Jeremy Martin
Board Member
Florida Southern College
Patrick Phillips
Board Member
Lakeland Regional Health



Our Team

Sean Malott
President and CEO

Sean Malott is the President and CEO of the Central Florida Development Council (CFDC), where he leads the strategic economic development efforts for Polk County. In this role, he drives initiatives that promote business recruitment, expansion, and investment throughout the region.

Lindsay Zimmerman
Senior Vice President and COO

Joining the team in May 2017, Lindsay serves as the Senior Vice President and COO. She is responsible for building private investment for the CFDC and its work as Polk County’s economic development partner. The organization’s stakeholders are critical to the continual growth and development of our region.

Alex Price
Director of Business Development

Alexander Price joined the CFDC as the Business Development Associate in 2018, then taking over as Director of Business Development in 2023. Alex has a developed skill set essential to the process of recruiting new businesses to Polk County. In October 2019, Alex received his JobsEQ FIT Certification which provides him with enhanced data tools to better help businesses and investors.

Michelle Zamora
Investor Relations Manager

Michelle Zamora joined the CFDC team as the Investor Relations Coordinator in August 2022 and now serves as the Investor Relations Manager. In this role Michelle will connect, engage and support CFDC investors as they assist in building Polk County’s economic prosperity. 

Shelly Reiche
Administrative Services Manager

Shelly joined the CFDC in September 2015 as Administrative Office Manager. She is responsible for the day-to-day activities and financial reporting of the CFDC.

Raegan Linster
Graphic Design & Social Media Associate

Raegan Linster joined the CFDC team in May of 2024 as the Graphic Design & Social Media Associate. Raegan is in charge of everything design related, such as advertisements, infographics, Annual Meeting and other event materials, one pagers and much more. She also manages all CFDC social media accounts & the website.

Kate Bernthal
Business Development Associate

Kate Bernthal is the newest member of the CFDC team, joining in October 2024 as a Business Development Associate. In her role, she will assist in implementing innovative business development strategies that drive economic growth and engagement.

Lenore Devore
Contributing Writer

Lenore has been telling the stories of Polk County businesses for the Central Florida Development Council since June 2018. A contributing writer, she uses her journalism background to write profiles about local businesses, trends in business and industry in the Central Florida area, and breaking news.