The arts are alive in Polk County schools, teaching problem-solving, teamwork and organizational skills to thousands of students each year. And that’s translating into higher test scores and better graduation rates, according to data presented Aug. 1, 2018 at the fifth annual SM(art) Business Symposium. Beth Cummings, director of fine arts for the Polk County […]
Saddle Creek Logistics Services prides itself on 52 years of serving Polk County and Central Florida’s needs, whether transportation, warehousing or supply chain related. The family-owned company that started with 12,000-square-feet of warehouse space now owns locations from the Northeast to California and south to its headquarters in Lakeland. The company focuses on four areas: […]
If Polk County wants to play on the world stage, it has to think globally. And that’s exactly what’s happening as part of the Central Florida Development Council’s Polk Global Trade Alliance initiative. About a year old, the alliance “aspires to be the prime catalyst for the growth of international trade in Central Florida, and […]
With so much grove land, commercial citrus production in Polk County makes a significant contribution to the economic impact of the region’s agribusiness sector, which makes up about $3 billion in sales each year. The Polk County is the second largest county in the state of Florida for citrus production with more than 71,000 acres […]
When runners need fuel, they binge on carbs. When cars need fuel, we gas them up. When leaders need fuel, they look to other leaders to help guide them. Local leaders will have a chance to engage with two professors emeritus from Harvard University and Florida Polytechnic faculty to fuel their brains, engage their creativity […]
Southeastern University’s Rachel Roskoski, coordinator of Study Abroad, was selected earlier this spring to participate in the semiannual Study in Spain Workshop hosted by EduEspañia and ICEX Españia Exportación e Inversiones. Over the past two years, Roskoski has participated in the Polk Global Trade Alliance (PGTA), an initiative of the Central Florida Development Council. The […]
If Adam Putnam follows in the gubernatorial footsteps of Lawton Chiles, Spessard Holland and Park Trammell — three men with Polk County and Central Florida roots — our growing area could benefit. Although the days of landing big projects for your hometown are nearly gone, having someone like Putnam — who has deep ties to […]
As Polk County continues to grow, so does the need for a mass transit system that can transport people where they need to go while also reducing traffic on already crowded roads. The county and its 17 municipalities look to Tom Phillips, Executive Director of Citrus Connection, to keep track of the day-to-day operations while […]
From tourism and energy to logistics and aviation, Polk County is perfectly situated along the high-tech Interstate 4 corridor to reap the benefits of continued growth not only here, but in surrounding counties and the state. Delta’s Sky magazine highlighted Florida and the Sunshine State’s growth in its May 2018 edition, and the Central Florida […]
The Central Florida Development Council rolled out the welcome mat for Nucor Steel Florida, and Polk County’s newest employer. Leaders from the steel manufacturing giant showed up to discuss their project with CFDC investors and community members. Hosting the June 21, 2018 event at Polk State’s Corporate College in Bartow, PSC President Angela Garcia-Falconetti welcomed […]