Hosted by: Troy Garcia Special guest: Lindsay Zimmerman

In this educational kickoff to the new year, we unpack Polk County economic development with Lindsay and the Central Florida Development Council: what they do, how they recruit companies that fit, and why collaboration helped land wins like Amazon Air. 

You’ll also hear how Polk became one of Florida’s most diversified economic counties, which municipalities are growing fastest, how roads and infrastructure factor in, what’s driving migration, and why projections point toward 1 million residents within the next decade, all while highlighting the community-minded, philanthropic spirit that makes this region unique.

In this episode we cover:

• What the Central Florida Development Council means (1:11)
• Our guest was one of the stars of the Momentum in the Middle video from this year’s Economic Forecast Breakfast (2:08)
• How Lindsay’s career developed to where she is today (3:54)
• What led to Polk County being named the Most Diversified Economic County in the State of Florida (4:56)
• There was a lot of collaboration to bring Amazon Air to Polk County (9:17)
• The process to bring companies to this area, how they are chosen, and what attracts them (10:48)
• How companies that are a wrong fit are handled (21:18)
• Which municipalities are growing the fastest in Polk County (27:07)
• How involved is the CDFC in the road-making process (29:09)
• The counties that are fueling migration (30:17)
• How is the CDFC involved in the residential sector (31:49)
• It is projected that Polk County will have 1 million residents in 10 years based on the current rate of growth (36:30)

Links From the Show:

Central Florida Development Council
Momentum in the Middle
Visit Central Florida
Sun & Fun Airshow

Connect with:

Troy Garcia – CFP®, Vice President, Financial Advisor at Allen & Company
Allen & Company – Troy Garcia
LinkedIn – Troy Garcia

Lindsay Zimmerman, MPA, CFRE – Senior Vice President  & Chief Operating Officer, Central Florida Development Council
Central Florida Development Council
LinkedIn  – Lindsay Zimmerman

The opinions voiced in this program are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which strategies or investments may be suitable for you, consult an appropriate qualified professional prior to making a decision.