Whether it’s awarding bachelor’s degrees to the next generation of nurses and computer programmers or certificates to future machine operators and aviation dispatchers, Polk State College is training the workforce that will keep Polk County on the cutting edge. It’s just one goal Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti points to as she leads Polk […]
Lakeland Linder International Airport, the largest airport in Polk County, provides an economic impact of nearly $575 million a year, according to a study released in March 2019. But with dynamic leadership, a supportive City Commission and continued infrastructure improvements, the airport is continuing to grow, increasing that impact even further. In May 2019, airport […]
Crediting challenging AP classes, Michael Jernigan, a graduate of Bartow High School, isn’t surprised he’s studying electrical engineering at Florida Polytechnic University. Jernigan is being profiled as part of a series on students who attended Polk County Public Schools and are now pursuing STEM-related degrees in colleges here and across the country. He loved to […]
The Florida Economic Development Council honored the Central Florida Development Council for its leadership role in helping attract Nucor Steel Florida to Polk County. The FEDC presented the CFDC with the Urban Deal of the Year Award at its 2019 Annual Conference for landing Nucor Steel in southeast Polk County. Now Nucor Steel Florida, the […]
Polk County’s 4 airports, combined with our aviation and aerospace interests, provide a $878 million-plus local economic impact. A March 2019 Florida Statewide Aviation Economic Impact Study reports this impact has more than doubled from the $400 million impact in 2014. The Florida Department of Transportation report reflections the aviation industry’s growth in Central Florida. […]
Molekule, a leading innovator in clean air purification, announced today that it’s launching a groundbreaking materials manufacturing facility in Polk County, Florida. Molekule’s first U.S. factory, PECO Zero, will be a catalyst for bringing cutting edge science into people’s homes by enabling faster scalability of Molekule’s research and development to meet consumers’ increasing demands for […]
Three cancer centers call Polk County home, ensuring expert care for thousands of people and the workforce in Central Florida. In Polk, Central Florida businesses, will find top notch health resources for their employees. Winter Haven Hospital’s Cassidy Care Center is the only one in the eastern side of Polk County, operated by BayCare. It offers […]
Two bills waiting for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature are important to the future of the Central Florida economy. The first is part of the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) Program, which entails building three corridors throughout relatively rural parts of the state. One, the Southwest-Central Florida Connector, would link Polk County with […]
Florida Polytechnic University President Randy Avent not only has a vision for the university he’s overseen for five years, but for the surrounding area. The area adjacent to Florida Poly’s Lakeland campus, which includes Auburndale, Polk City and unincorporated Polk County, could transform into an innovation district, where students and professors research the technology of […]
As the aviation industry continues to grow worldwide, the Central Florida Development Council is excited to formalize the work of aviation advocates and professionals from across the county through the forming of a committee devoted to growing Polk County’s aviation impact. The new committee, chaired by Lakeland Linder International Airport Director Gene Conrad, has a […]