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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Yaliana Garcia, 19, moved to Polk County from Puerto Rico at the end of her junior year of high school. Even with such a short time here, she looks back at Bartow High School and its teachers as the reason she’s pursuing her dream to become a doctor. “I did not have the opportunity to […]
“I like Haines City and Polk County,” says Garrett Kenny. “There are tremendous growth opportunities here. Going back 15-16 years, I saw a lot of growth in the Interstate 4 and U.S. 27 corridors. Looking forward another 20 years, I see Polk County expanding a lot.” Garrett Kenny was at home in Ireland when he […]