News

Expert Cancer Care in Polk County

May 17, 2019 News, Success Stories

Three cancer centers call Polk County home, ensuring expert care for thousands of people and the workforce in Central Florida. In Polk, Central Florida businesses, will find top notch health resources for their employees. Winter Haven Hospital’s Cassidy Care Center is the only one in the eastern side of Polk County, operated by BayCare. It offers […]

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Citrus Connection Expanding Access

May 3, 2019 News, Success Stories

Polk County’s mass transit system, Citrus Connection, is set for growth as the county grows. But it’s not looking at today or tomorrow: It’s working on Re-Route 2020 and the expansion of services in East Polk. The mission – to ensure access to a bus ride is convenient for all. Last year, the bus service […]

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Technology and Regulation Fuel Back-Office Functions

April 30, 2019 News, Success Stories

Automation and technology have changed some back-office jobs at two Polk County community banks, and industry regulations are changing things further, impacting their back-office operations. Though back-office operations are largely left unnoticed by customers these functions play a key role in keeping your money safe. And they’re a good fit in Polk County’s economy. “There […]

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An Applied Math Degree Leads Harvard Student from Polk County to Wall Street

April 30, 2019 News, Success Stories, Talent Pipeline

As Erick Meza prepares to graduate from Harvard University, he reflects on the education he received from Polk County Public Schools, one that helped prepare him for four rigorous years at the Ivy League college. Now 22, Erick graduated from the International Baccalaureate High School in Bartow, Florida in 2015. The son of Meliton and […]

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Florida Poly Partners to Research and Test Self-Driving Vehicles

April 26, 2019 News, Success Stories

Florida Polytechnic University is achieving international attention for its Advanced Mobility Institute (AMI), signing a partnership with the only technological university in the Northern European country of Estonia. And that’s leading to greater momentum for the research and application of autonomous vehicle technology in Polk County and Central Florida. “Florida Poly is a public state […]

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Slingshot Polk Engages Student Innovators

April 26, 2019 News, Success Stories, Talent Pipeline

Growing our own entrepreneurs and keeping them in Polk County, especially in STEM-related fields, remains a focus the economic development community. To that end, SlingShot Polk encourages people under the age of 25 to innovate or design their own inventions and start their own businesses. To help, SlingShot Polk offers prize money to get the […]

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Polk Grad Now SEU Nursing Student Balances School, Kids, Life

April 22, 2019 News, Success Stories, Talent Pipeline

Alexis Dauphinais always considered going into the medical field, following in her parents’ footsteps. A second installment in our series showcasing students who attended Polk County Public Schools and are either pursuing degrees in STEM fields or recently started working in STEM-related jobs. Dauphinais, 28, is not the traditional college student on the campus of […]

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TECO’s Powerful Investment in the Community

April 5, 2019 News, Success Stories

TECO and TECO Peoples Gas do more than just keep the water hot and the stove burning for nearly 90,000 customers in Polk County: They also play an important role in the community. “We are strong community partners, and we sponsor a variety of events and groups within Polk County that reflect that mission,” said […]

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Polk Graduates find Success Pursuing High Tech Studies

March 22, 2019 News, Success Stories, Talent Pipeline

Margaret and Joanna Sands attended public schools for 12 years in Polk County, spending their formative high school years at Summerlin Academy in Bartow. The military school may have seemed like an odd choice for the STEM-oriented Winter Haven twins, but one thing attracted them: Japanese. “They ended up there because they got interested in […]

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Future Medicines and Devices Emerge from Local Clinical Trials

March 20, 2019 News, Success Stories

Clinical trials produce new drugs that can slow the progress of cancer, boost the immune system and much more. But they also include less-significant but equally important advances that improve a cancer patient’s quality of life. Research into both and much more is taking place at The Lakeland Regional Health Hollis Cancer Center in Lakeland. […]

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