If you’re looking for guidance to being competitive in today’s business climate, the Central Florida Economic Development (CFDC) can offer insights as it hosts the 2025 EconDev Forum- “Being Competitive in Today’s Market.” Gray Swoope, President/CEO of VisionFirst Advisors in Tallahassee, will share his expert insights and actionable strategies to help communities thrive in today’s […]
Last year brought big changes to ChastainSkillman, the Lakeland-based engineering and land surveying firm. It was purchased by Houston-based DCCM, which handles design, consulting, and program and construction management services nationwide. “Uniting with DCCM creates new opportunities for ChastainSkillman,” the company’s CEO, Jay Chastain, said in a press release announcing the acquisition. “Leveraging DCCM’s extensive […]
Auburndale City Manager Jeff Tillman juggles multiple projects — exciting opportunities for residents and the area including The Lake Ariana Park development. “We are relocating the Civic Center to Lake Ariana Park; it will sit on the location of the historic Mac’s Beach,” said Tillman, a native of the City of Auburndale. The population of […]
Safety is at the heart of everything Tucker Paving does, and as the company celebrates its 30th anniversary it continues to focus on ways to keep its employees safe. “Our safety program is something we take great pride in,” said Tucker Paving CEO Larry “Chip” Tucker. “Currently we’ve achieved 3.8 million hours without a lost-time […]
Lakeland Linder International (LAL) Airport Director Kris Hallstrand is the only Polk County person named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s prestigious “25 People to Watch” in the 2025 list. The list includes heavy hitters from the Tampa Bay region, including the CEOs of BayCare and Tampa International Airport, the president of the University of […]
Rawa Adla, a professor at Florida Polytechnic University, is using her interest in traffic safety and her degree in computer engineering to make Interstate 4 safer for everyone. Especially those driving past the college that sits along the Polk County stretch of the 132-mile highway. Adla, Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering, is working with the […]
Summit Broadband offers a comprehensive suite of fiber-focused telecommunications solutions. Their services are designed to address the unique needs of companies of all sizes. They have been a trusted partner in Florida for 30 years. Summit Broadband is headquartered in Orlando. However, they have a local Polk County team that understands the unique challenges and […]
The Citrus Connection is moving ahead with a new program to connect Florida Southern College with downtown Lakeland. They also have a survey open until November 30 to get input to help the mass transit system move forward with services the community desires. New Services The Squeeze is a free golf cart shuttle service that […]
The 2023-24 fiscal year was a record-setting one for the Central Florida Development Council. This translates into positive outcomes for Polk County, its cities and its residents. “Last year was another banner year for the CFDC with $800M in new capital investments by existing and new businesses to Polk County, adding 1,000 new jobs that […]
Polk State College is going nationwide as part of the XploreFLEd pilot program. They will offer online courses in high-demand careers at an inexpensive price. The college is one of three in Florida to offer select online courses for out-of-state students at a reduced cost. Alongside Miami Dade and Tallahassee State colleges, students will have […]