Jeremy Martin has been selected as the 18th President of Florida Southern College. He will succeed Anne Kerr, who is retiring after 20 years in the position. Martin will start work at Florida Southern on August 1. Originally from Virginia, he was vice president for strategy and innovation at the College of William & Mary. […]
Longtime region president of Crews Bank & Trust Donna McKown retired in May 2024, calling for new leadership. The bank has promoted senior vice president and senior commercial banker Andrew Foreman to become the new market president in Polk County. “It’s an honor. It’s a great opportunity for me and my career,” said Foreman, who […]
As the museum’s design partner, Straughn Trout Architects celebrates this achievement with great pride, preparing for upcoming museum expansions. Prepared and published by Straughn Trout Architects AIA Florida (the Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Architects) has honored the Polk Museum of Art (PMoA) at Florida Southern College with the Merit Award in the […]
May marked the 104th year of business for Citizens Bank & Trust. They have remained successful by building on the legacy of founder Latt Maxcy. Maxcy and six other businessmen started Citizens Bank & Trust in Frostproof in the 1920s with just $25,000. Maxcy was chairman and his brother, John, was president. The bank is […]
Nelson Kirkland, the founder of the Central Florida Media Group (CMFG), recently celebrated 14 years since the startup of his business. A Kathleen High Red Devil and a University of Central Florida Knight, Kirkland never strayed far from Polk County. Starting his career in advertising at The Ledger, he worked his way up to […]
SouthState Bank is the largest bank headquartered in Florida. It has recently taken a big leap into Texas and Colorado by acquiring the Independent Bank Group. The Independent Bank Group has $19 billion in assets and 92 branches in some of the largest markets in Colorado and Texas. The $2 billion purchase, still awaiting approval, […]
Polk Vision is looking for your input to help determine priorities for the next 10+ years through the Quality of Life survey. A community vision developed through the collaboration of organizations, businesses, governments, and individuals alike. Implemention of the vision is through an alignment partnership amongst stakeholders. In this fashion, Polk Vision interviewed local stakeholders […]
Bartow Economic Development Council hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in May for Skimlite, a manufacturing company providing pool equipment. The event commemorated the construction of Skimlite’s new 93,600 square foot industrial warehouse business complex located on Centennial Boulevard in Bartow. Constituents from all across Polk County attended the groundbreaking in support of Skimlite and their expansion efforts. […]
Thanks to an anonymous donor, Florida Southern College is establishing Polk County’s first School of Architecture. It will offer a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 2025, then add a master’s program in 2028. “The college recognizes that this new architectural program is a natural fit for our campus. It features the largest single-site collection of […]
The United Way of Central Florida and the Polk County Indigent Health Program have teamed up with CareerSource Polk to launch the T.O.T.A.L. H.E.A.L.T.H. MATTERS Initiative. This program offers residents an improvement in many aspects of their lives, leading to success in the workplace. The Total Health Matters program is funded by the Community Wellness […]