The nominations are in and four companies are finalists for the Central Florida Development Council’s George W. Harris, Jr. Economic Development Award for Success in Large Business. The award, given to companies with at least 100 employees, was named after George W. Harris, Jr., a former CFDC chairman and president of Citrus and Chemical Bank. […]
Outgoing Central Florida Development Council Chairman H.D. “Jake” Polumbo brought many skills with him when he joined the CFDC board. The retired Air Force Major General used his leadership prowess and strategic thinking skills to apply to economic development. It would be a challenging year, but one he was ready for. However, he didn’t expect […]
Recently retired, former Lakeland City Manager Tony Delgado reflects on his five years as the city’s CEO, stewarding growth, restoring trust in the city and the positive strides the city has made in building a solid, customer-focused organization. Delgado started his career with the city in 1997 as assistant director of the Lakeland Center, now […]
As the leaders of tomorrow tackle new technology, working remotely, a changing economic landscape and other challenges, the faces of yesterday offer their advice from lessons they learned as those leading the charge. “By working together, we can accomplish great things that benefit our entire community,” said Greg Littleton, president of Citizens Bank & Trust. […]
With only a week — or five — left to count as many people as possible living in the United States, those involved in the 2020 Census are making the final push. No one knows yet whether counting will end Sept. 30, as President Trump wants, or whether federal judges across the nation will reinstate […]
When past board chairs of the Central Florida Development Council convene, it’s easy to see why the county has come so far from the days of the East/West divide. “They actually asked each other for help often as they worked with the county and the cities to make things better, and that’s how a couple […]
Florida Southern College continues ranking in the top echelon of colleges and universities across the South, posting three Top 10 places and one top 20 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 “Best Colleges Guide.” “Florida Southern is consistently ranked among the most elite colleges and universities, and this year’s multiple top 10 U.S. News […]
Florida’s only STEM-focused state university has landed on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Engineering Colleges Without a Ph.D. list for the first time, ranking No. 72 out of 220 schools across the nation. In its sixth year, Florida Polytechnic University is the only undergraduate engineering program in the state to appear in this category, […]
Behavioral health, including mental illness and substance abuse, is the number one health concern in Polk County, according to the 2020 Community Health Assessment (CHA). Within that broad category, suicides, lack of mental health providers, and drug and alcohol abuse were identified as top concerns to be addressed to improve the health of Polk County. […]
Mental health, access to health services, nutrition and exercise, and deaths of people walking and riding their bicycles continue as some of the top concerns for residents in Polk County, according to the 2020 Community Health Assessment (CHA) completed in May. The county Health Department and its partners gathered and analyzed data to determine which […]