The Central Florida Development Council team was recently featured in the Faces of Orlando feature in Orlando Magazine: As Polk County continues to grow and diversify, the Central Florida Development Council is engaging stakeholders to join the ride into the future. Leading the way toward developing the high-tech Central Florida Innovation District, anchored by SunTrax […]
A researcher at Florida Polytechnic University is working on the cutting edge of Android technology as he and a group of peers try to stymie criminals before they create a new kind of malware. Karim Elish, an assistant professor of Computer Science, started working on Android security when attending Virginia Tech for his Doctorate, which […]
Winter Haven Hospital’s new Family Medicine Residency program — in partnership with Florida State University College of Medicine and BayCare Medical Group — recently gained accreditation and opened its Family Health Center. In 2018, Winter Haven Hospital announced it was partnering with FSU to create a program that recruits doctors to complete their residencies in […]
In Polk County’s Lakeland-Winter Haven MSA, among the fastest-growing jobs are post-secondary teachers, chemical equipment operators, family general practitioner doctors, medical care aides, and chefs, according to CommercialCafe and the Tampa Bay Business Journal. It should come as no surprise that these jobs are in demand, here’s why: POST-SECONDARY TEACHERS The number of college-level teachers […]
With cooperation from three landowners and input from residents, the City of Auburndale is creating a Lakes District to preserve its rural heritage, create community focal points and protect its pedestrians and bicyclists. The result could meld nicely with the Central Florida Innovation District to attract researchers, entrepreneurs and businesses to a growing high-tech area in […]
Have you ever wondered why Polk County and its cities come up on so many “best” lists, whether it’s the best place to retire, start a business, attend college or the like? We asked six leaders in different fields why they love living and working in Polk, here’s what we found out. Crown Jewels “I […]
The Central Florida Development Council hosted an informational preview event on Monday to continue the process of outlining a vision for the Central Florida Innovation District (CFID) and seek feedback. Community leaders, CFDC investors, area landowners and the public were invited to the meeting at Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland. The goal of the meeting […]
Middle and high school students now have one more tool to help them prepare for college or careers, thanks to a collaborative effort led by Polk Vision. “Be The Future Be U is two things: It is a collection of resources and it is a community of engaged students focused on preparing for their future,” […]
At a little over a year old, the Advanced Mobility Institute at Florida Polytechnic University is garnering attention, partnerships and money that will further its work on autonomous vehicles and its role in the Central Florida Innovation District. The National Science Foundation recently awarded the AMI a $350,000 grant for equipment. “NSF grants are very […]
One man was so well-respected, so instrumental, so admired when the county began emulating the state Department of Commerce’s initiatives nearly 35 years ago that the Central Florida Development Council has named its small-business award in his honor. Addressing Jim Brantley, the first director of the agency that has since been renamed the Central Florida […]