Leadership

Board of Directors

Gene Conrad
Chair
Aerospace Center for Excellence
Dave Shepp
Vice Chair
The Southern Group
Emery Smith
Secretary/Treasurer
Ben Hill Griffin
Maggie Mariucci
Immediate Past Chair
Florida Polytechnic University
Dr. Orathai Northern
Talent Pipeline Chair
Polk State College
Deena Drumgo
Community Stakeholders Chair
City of Lake Wales
Kyle Story
Competitiveness and Advocacy Chair
The Story Companies
Pete Frantzis
Investor Relations Chair
Cyndeo Wealth Partners
Rick Garcia
Aviation Chair
Gulf Coast Avionics
Bart Allen
County Manager Designee
Peterson & Myers PA
George Lindsey
County Commissioner Designee
Polk County BoCC
Brandon Clark
Board Member
The Ruthvens
Randy Knapp
Board Member
RLK Real Estate & Development
Jeremy Voss
Board Member
Springer Construction
Drew Wilcox
Board Member
Nucor Steel Florida



Our Team

Sean Malott
President and CEO

Sean Malott is the President and CEO of the Central Florida Development Council (CFDC) where he is responsible for leading the economic development strategy for Polk County.

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 at the beginning of 2018. 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.

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.

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. 

Christopher Conner
Business Development Manager

Christopher Conner joined the CFDC as Manager of Business Development in 2023, making him the newest member of the organization. Throughout his professional career, Christopher has worked directly and indirectly for government entities, including the Osceola County Tax Collector’s Office and the State of Florida, benefiting business owners, taxpayers, and concerned citizens.

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.