Dave Shepp, with the Southern Group, Takes Over as CFDC Board Chair

David Shepp has served on the Central Florida Development Council’s Board of Directors for five years, chairing a committee and moving up the ranks. In October, he became Chair of the Board. During his term he plans to further collaborative efforts, tap into relationships to continue the CFDC’s mission and continue the work of his predecessors to showcase Polk County as Florida’s Best Place for Business. 

“Our lobbying firm is statewide, and members of our team are constantly hearing about new opportunities as they network with legislators and others,” Dave Shepp said. “I hope to bring potential new leads to the CFDC, where Sean [CFDC President & CEO Sean Malott] can then use his contacts at Florida Commerce to see which are viable options.” 

He said Polk County is “uniquely well-positioned to attract high-skill, higher-wage opportunities, but to remain competitive, we must commit and continue to invest in our infrastructure. The road ahead will require continued partnership, innovation and adaptability. Together, we must embrace new ideas, support one another, and remain committed to the shared goal of sustainable economic growth.” 

He plans to use his background to “go to the powers that be and bring down resources to make aspirations attainable,” he said. That includes funding for projects like those by the Polk Regional Water Cooperative that will help satisfy future growth. 

Malott is excited about the upcoming year. 

“Through his many years as a lobbyist, Dave has accumulated a deep understanding of the needs of Polk County and who to contact to help us address those needs,” he said. “He also brings a collaborative spirit that will enhance everything we do.”  

Shepp will have experienced assistance from Emery Smith of Ben Hill Griffin Inc, the now Vice Chair for the CFDC Board. He will have Brandon Clark with The Ruthvens as Secretary/Treasurer as well. 

About Dave Shepp

Dave Shepp holds a Bachelor of Science in political science and government from Florida State University. After graduating, he worked for a Tallahassee lobbying firm for less than a year before moving to Polk County in 1996 to work on former lawmaker Adam Putnam’s first campaign. When Putnam left for Congress, Shepp joined forces with Sam Killebrew to start the Florida Strategic Group. 

After 14 years, he joined another former lawmaker, Seth McKeel, as a lobbyist at The Southern Group. 

He joined the CFDC Board in 2019. Then, became chair of the Competitiveness & Advocacy Committee, which evaluates the county’s programs and legislative conditions. “Examining topics that impact the competitiveness of Polk’s target industries is a collaborative process among business and industry experts,” according to the CFDC website. 

Learning from Predecessors

Shepp said he’s learned a lot from watching the previous two chairs – Maggie Mariucci and then Gene Conrad. 

“I learned from Maggie there is no need to fill a one-hour meeting if it can take 45 minutes. Get in, get your work done and get out,” Shepp said. “Gene followed that format as well, but he also added a sense of humor. There’s no reason it needs to be painful. Have meaningful meetings but have fun as well. Put people at ease.” 

He brings his own strengths, particularly the fact that he is not tied to any one industry. 

“I had to become a jack-of-all-trades when I had my own lobbying firm,” he said. “You can’t walk yourself into conflicts in the legislative process. When I was considering approaching new clients, I had to look at all the different silos. I couldn’t have two education clients with goals that conflicted. I learned to work in all silos and became well versed in all areas.”

Relationships are key when it comes to the legislative process, he said, and he will do his best not to make enemies while also building relationships in the eastern part of the county. 

Shepp’s Goals

Similar to his predecessors, Shepp’s goal for the next year is to continue to put Polk County on the map as Florida’s Best Place for Business.  

“We are growing at an unprecedented clip – we are the 5th fastest-growing county in the nation,” Shepp said. “People are coming here no matter what. There is a lot of availability of resources, so we have to make sure we are well positioned to attract the right type of businesses here to continue to support the tax base for Polk County. And we need to grow our infrastructure properly. Manufacturing is a key sector as it brings high-skill, higher-wage opportunities. We need to continue that trend.” 

He also wants to focus on better communication and alignment regionally and within Polk County. 

“There are opportunities with our neighbors to the east and west – Orlando and Tampa,” he said. 

For the most part, communication and collaboration are strong in the county and in the region, Shepp said. But everyone must be on the same page, delivering the same consistent message, from cities and the county to Polk Vision and beyond. 

“We all must have the same goals. There are opportunities around Interstate 4 and the Central Florida Innovation District. Key parts of the county could see smart growth as well,” he said. “The expansion of Polk Parkway heading south – there are opportunities in that area.” 

 Building Consensus

Shepp said communication among all the economic development entities in Polk County isn’t always as strong as it can be, and as a lobbyist, he’s used to building consensus – something he hopes to do during his year as chair. 

“As a lobbyist, I’m not successful if we can’t convince the right number of elected officials to support an initiative,” he said. “We must make sure everyone is on the same page here and not working against each other. If a potential prospect wants to come to Polk County, we need to quickly determine what part of the county best suits their needs with existing resources and infrastructure. If we don’t have constant communication between the right parties, opportunities could fall by the wayside.” 

The CFDC has an open-door policy for its economic development partners through its Community Stakeholder Committee, he said. “We want everybody at the same table. Maybe we have some specific meetings with economic development partners around the county, or just more frequent meetings where we can share information on what each is hearing and seeing, and here’s how we can help each other. Collaboration is critical. We don’t need two entities who can’t work together, or we could lose an opportunity… We need to pursue the right opportunities together.”