News

The Lunz Group Representing Polk on GrowFL’s Companies to Watch List

October 2, 2019 News, Success Stories

The Lunz Group is an honoree in GrowFL’s 50 Florida Companies to Watch, a recognition that highlights the full-service architectural firm’s growth in the past few years. It is the only Polk County business to be recognized. The Lunz Group is an architectural firm in Lakeland that specializes in working with clients to design projects […]

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Retired General and Annual Meeting Keynote Speaker Talks About Flying, Stem and Life

September 30, 2019 News, Success Stories

Retired United States Air Force General Lori Robinson thinks it’s important that parents pay attention to their children and where their natural tendencies lie, especially if those might be in a STEM-related field. Speaking anecdotally, the guest speaker at the Central Florida Development Council’s October 16th Annual Meeting said she hears about students who come […]

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Visioning the Central Florida Innovation District

September 23, 2019 News, Success Stories

Polk County and the cities of Lakeland and Auburndale have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together with the Central Florida Development Council to develop a vision for the Central Florida Innovation District (CFID). “Collaboration and coordination are key to both the establishment of a vision for the Innovation District and the realization […]

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Computer and Engineering Degrees Gain Prestigious Accreditation

September 20, 2019 News, Talent Pipeline

Continuing on its path of adding new STEM degrees and achieving academic success, Florida Polytechnic University has received accreditation for four of its bachelor’s degree programs. The Computing and Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET — a nonprofit, non-governmental agency that accredits programs in engineering, engineering technology, applied and natural science, and computing, — accredited Florida […]

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Polk County Universities Thrive in Healthy Economy

September 16, 2019 News, Talent Pipeline

As the local economy continues to grow, more and more students are attending college after graduating from high school, and many are staying local. As colleges throughout Polk are experiencing increased enrollment, the local talent pipeline gains access to new degree programs and universities are opening their doors to more dual-enrolled students and developing online […]

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PNC Provides More Than Banking Services; It Becomes Your Partner

September 11, 2019 News

National bank working its way east from Tampa to serve Polk County and the Central Florida market. PNC Bank may be relatively new to the state, but it’s expanding quickly. And with two men with Polk County roots at the helm and a strong reputation in the distribution and logistics fields, PNC should have no […]

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Florida Poly Offers New Engineering Degrees to Meet Industry Demand

September 10, 2019 News, Talent Pipeline

As Florida Polytechnic University continues to grow, it’s adding three new engineering degrees to further entice its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students. Florida’s only state STEM university, which opened in 2012 in Lakeland, is offering degrees in environmental engineering, engineering physics and engineering math for the first time beginning in the fall 2019 […]

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Investors Face Upcoming Deadline to Apply to Develop in Opportunity Zones

September 3, 2019 News, Success Stories

Investors are beginning to take notice of 19 “Opportunity Zones” in Polk County that are ripe for development. “We are working closely with a number of developers and businesses on advanced manufacturing, agri-tech and residential projects in four of Winter Haven’s Opportunity Zones,” said Bruce Lyon, president of the Winter Haven Economic Development Council. Because […]

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SEU Grad Hopes to Use Math Degree To Start His Own Software Company

August 26, 2019 News, Talent Pipeline

Scott Leslie learned to tackle school lessons on computers in third grade in the mid-1990s. That early work was an important part of who he is today, where he’s been and where he’s going. Although he rates his K-12 educational years as average, admitting he has nothing to compare them to, he praises Polk County […]

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Services Keep Polk County Airports Flying High

August 21, 2019 News, Success Stories

Many people think of airports as places where planes take off and land. But there’s much more that happens at Polk County’s four local airports, all of which support aviation and the Polk County economy. For instance, Gulf Coast Avionics sells, installs and repairs aircraft electronics. “We bring in customers from all over the world […]

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