May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year, Peace River Center is focusing on eliminating the stigma associated with mental illness so everyone knows it’s okay to seek help. To tackle the issue, Peace River is kicking off a yearlong community campaign that encourages people to talk about mental health issues, seek treatments and […]
By Emily Rogers, Emily Rogers Consulting + Coaching The workplace is rapidly evolving and for most organizations, work will never look the same as it did before COVID-19. Organizations around the globe are determining what their workplaces of the future will look like in the new normal and there is a vast spectrum of approaches […]
As manufacturing, distribution and logistics companies continue to move into and expand in Polk County, one prime piece of land — the Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center (ILC) in Winter Haven — is under new ownership, likely signaling future growth there. The Tampa Bay Business Journal (TBBJ) reported the sale, valued between $15 million and […]
The continued growth of airport-related industries, extensive expansion by existing companies and steady management have Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL) providing an economic impact of $1.5 billion, nearly triple the number from two years ago. “Lakeland Linder International Airport has more than proven its worth for the $500 million invested over the past decade,” said […]
Sitting along scenic Lake Alfred, a stone’s throw from Tampa and Orlando, the beautiful and historic Adams Estate offers a setting to hold everything from weddings and family reunions to business retreats and meetings. About six years ago, brothers Bud, John and Max Strang and their sister, Eve Bass, decided to turn their maternal grandmother’s […]
The Central Florida Development Council hosted the Polk Goes Global VI webinar on May 5, 2021. With a focus on Global Talent and International Education, this webinar highlighted the significance of global education to companies recruiting talent, Polk County graduates who are now involved with international business and shared information about Polk State College’s collaboration […]
The innovative minds at Citrus Connection have come up with a plan to ease constraints on downtown parking in a new pilot program called “The Squeeze,” offering certainty and consistency. Erin Killebrew, director of external affairs, said the program is a fresh alternative to public transportation. “It’s not a bus, so we don’t want people […]
Opened May 3, 2021 The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) provides emergency assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, and other qualifying businesses impacted by COVID-19, from $1,000 and up to $10 million per entity (or associated businesses), or $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible […]
Originally published in the April 2021 Edition of Polk FWD Magazine As the Polk County population continues to grow, so does the number of businesses that want to relocate and expand here, bringing jobs, benefits and, in many cases, money to give back to the community. As Polk County’s economic development partnership, the Central Florida Development Council’s mission is to attract […]
When Madrid Engineering Group (MEG) merged with Cribb, Philbeck, Weaver Group (CPWG) in November 2019, the company’s owner, Larry Madrid, knew good things were ahead. MEG immediately became 30% owner of a third company, Pavement Management Group, and grew his company from 45 to 100 employees. Madrid CPWG is now a full-service, one-stop-shop, competing with […]