News

Florida’s Opportunity as a Space Port is limitless and Polk County is in the Middle of it All

January 30, 2023 News

As efforts to expand the aerospace industry beyond the Space Coast ramp up, the Central Florida Development Council is taking a leadership role in educating local businesses on how they – and Polk County – can benefit.  Part of that process included a leadership mission with investors to the Space Coast. There they visited with […]

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Barney Barnett School of Business at FSC Prepares Students for a Global Marketplace

January 19, 2023 News

Faculty at the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise at Florida Southern College are committed to excellence. This is one of the main reasons it’s been recognized on so many lists and is known as one of the best business schools in the nation.   “I believe that the faculty are focused on student […]

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SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Businesses and Residents of Florida Affected by Hurricane Nicole

January 18, 2023 News

WASHINGTON – Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to businesses and residents in Florida following the announcement of a Presidential disaster declaration due to damages that occurred Nov. 7-30 from Hurricane Nicole. “SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help Florida small businesses and residents impacted by this disaster in […]

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Organizations Help Prepare People who Want to Start a New Business

January 18, 2023 News

Starting your own business can be daunting, but budding entrepreneurs don’t have to do it alone – a variety of organizations offer free or low-cost help.  Three such organizations are:   Learn more about each below.  SCORE  Mentors are a critical part of the process “to secure a successful start and growth plan,” said Becky Bywater, […]

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Polk County’s Growth Brings Need for Diverse Housing Inventory

December 19, 2022 News

Polk County ranks No. 10 in net migration. Along with that growth comes the need for increased housing inventory and a diverse selection of housing options. Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass) has been developing its Talent Attraction Scorecard “to help communities understand how they were doing at attracting and developing talent to help meet this […]

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Polk State College President Talks About Growth, a New Campus and the Hispanic Population

December 16, 2022 News

Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti has been in her job five years now, and she’s using her experience there and as a former chair of the Central Florida Development Council to Polk State’s advantage – in this case, championing the need for a new campus to serve the burgeoning northeast portion of Polk County.   […]

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FSC’s Physical Therapy Program Helps Fill Needs Among Growing Populations

December 15, 2022 News

With an aging and more diverse population in Polk County, the need for more physical therapists is increasing, and Florida Southern College’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (DPT) is working to close the gap.   The Lakeland college started its program in 2019 following a needs assessment. Nationally, about 15,000 openings for physical therapists will exist […]

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Polk Ranks Top 10 in Talent Attraction

December 8, 2022 News

The need for talent ranks high in many markets, and Polk County is no different. Ranked Top 10 in talent attraction by Lightcast – showcased its retention of a skilled workforce and diversification of opportunity. In Lightcast’s (formerly Emsi Burning Glass) 2022 Talent Attraction Scorecard, which the company produces “to help communities understand how they […]

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Health Sciences Economic Impact Growing with the County’s Population 

November 28, 2022 News

Health care’s economic impact spans everything from doctors and nurses to sterile instrument manufacturing and medical research. With such a broad array of people and companies contributing to the fast-growing sector of the Polk County economy, its impact continues to increase.  Announcements from companies like Assure Infusions, building a state-of-the-art fully automated pharmaceutical manufacturing facility […]

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AdventHealth Continues to Grow to Care for Polk County Residents  

November 25, 2022 News

AdventHealth is a relatively new name in Polk County but its continued growth within the area means more access to health care for residents and visitors alike.   “Polk County is one of Florida’s fastest-growing regions and it’s important that health-care services keep pace so the communities we will serve there can also be amongst the […]

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