CareerSource Polk Recognizes Businesses

Earlier this year CareerSource Polk recognized their annual Best Places to Work Awardees and highlighted one of the hottest topics within business – the recruitment and retention challenges employers are facing.  

Themed “The Race for Talent,” the annual meeting featured keynote speaker and Senior Workforce Strategist Christopher Laney of Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass), who “shared insights on how past and current trends are impacting the U.S. workforce and how companies can navigate today’s competitive landscape,” said Candace Franklin, CareerSource Polk’s Director of Outreach and Communications. 

In 2021, Lightcast released “The Demographic Drought,” which provided “an in-depth look into the transformation of the U.S. labor force and the trends contributing to the talent recruitment challenges facing today’s employers,” Franklin said. Its follow-up report, “ ‘The Demographic Drought: Bridging the Gap in our Labor Force,’ explores solutions that will equip companies to overcome the hurdles they face in recruiting qualified talent.” 

Stacy Campbell-Domineck, President & CEO of CareerSource Polk, said: “As businesses continue to face challenges recruiting and retaining a workforce, we want them to know that the CareerSource Network is here to help. Our Annual Meeting and Best Places to Work Awards highlight best practices employers are using to retain their workforce in the midst of heightened competition. This event also brings to the forefront three of the critical barriers individuals are currently facing that continues to impede their goals of returning or continuing to work: affordable housing, transportation and child care.” 

About CareerSource Polk

CareerSource Polk is a private, nonprofit administrator of workforce funds. Its mission is to ensure and sustain a quality workforce. In this role, CareerSource Polk assists businesses and job seekers through a wide range of programs and services at no cost.  

Best Places to Work Winners

CareerSource Polk celebrated workforce success by announcing its Best Places to Work Award winners. It has presented the awards – the only award of its kind specific to Polk County – since 2003. Winners are companies that exemplify best practices in their workplace and are committed to improving the quality of life for their employees.  

Awards are presented to companies in the small, medium and large categories, although there were no large-category winners this year. The winners in the other two categories:  

Small Business Category (1 to 50 employees):

• The Lunz Group  
• CPS Investment Advisors 
• Central Florida Regional Planning Council 
• Madden Branded Goods 
• Brown International 
• Florida United Methodist Foundation 

Medium Business Category (51 to 250 employees): 

• A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure 
• Citizens Bank & Trust 
• Lakeland Housing Authority 
• Pinnacle Sales Group 
• Ferguson Enterprises 
• The Estates at Carpenters 
• Veterinary Healthcare Associates 

In addition, Kegel and OMS Employer Services received Employer of Distinction Awards, designating the two companies as winners several years in a row.  

Individuals Recognized

The organization also handed out several awards to its board members:  

• Derrick Woodard, representing Polk County Public Schools, was given the Hammer Award, named after one of CareerSource Polk’s founding board members, Marvin Hammer. Created in 2001, this award honors a board member who has dedicated personal time and effort to CareerSource Polk’s initiatives. 
• Sherry Sapp of Sapp CDL Consulting received the Miller Award, created in 2009 and named after Larry Miller. The award recognizes a board member who has demonstrated an overwhelming commitment to workforce development in Polk County through their leadership, innovation, time, integrity and high moral and ethical standards. 
• Leslee Pippin of the Polk Correctional Institution received the Workforce Champion Award, which was created in 2007 and honors a Polk County constituent for its efforts to support the local workforce system. The recipient of this award has demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting or improving the quality and success of workforce services to Polk County employers and/or workers. 
• Alicia Abichid of CareerSource Polk received the organization’s first Chairman’s Choice Pillar of Hope Award. Board Chair Adil Khan created the award in 2022 to recognize and show appreciation to a frontline workforce development system staff person who has made significant impacts on the lives of others. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to minimizing barriers and improving outcomes for those who engage with the local workforce development system. 

CareerSource Polk also honored four individuals with its Workforce Incentive Award. This recognition awards a financial incentive to members of the Polk County community who have demonstrated a dedicated commitment to pursuing a career through the CareerSource Polk workforce system and have an interest in becoming and remaining self-sufficient.