MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY BY PERSON

Lisa is a Licensed Commercial Broker and industrial and land specialist with Hauger-Bunch, Inc. Realtors, the longest existing local commercial and industrial real estate firm in Polk County.  Lisa’s work with HB has extended over 13 years servicing Polk County and eastern Hillsborough County markets. Unique among brokers, Lisa holds designations as both a SIOR (industrial specialist) as well as an AICP, a professional land planning designation, providing the ability to offer a specialized technical level of service to clients.  She holds a Masters of Science in Planning, and was a Sr. Manager with Ernst & Young consulting.  Lisa’s civic involvement includes serving as chairman of the Charter Commission for Polk County’s first public-referendum approved home rule charter, and she is known for her professionalism and sense of commitment to her clients.

A Polk County native, Keith Albritton graduated from the University of Florida in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. While a student at Florida, he was also a 4-year letterman on the golf team, during which time, the team won over 15 team titles and 2 SEC Championships. Pursuing his passion for golf, Keith turned Pro in 1991, where his accomplishments included numerous highlights and eight wins as a Pro. In July 1996, Keith joined Allen & Company of Florida, Inc. as a Financial Advisor. Currently, serving as Sr. Vice President, additional leadership responsibilities include being a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Allen & Company.

Ralph is a Lakeland native and spent his summers during high school working for Allen & Company. After graduating from St. Andrews Presbyterian College, in North Carolina, in 1963 he joined the firm as a Financial Advisor Trainee. He became a Vice President in 1970 and assumed the role of Chairman of the Board and CEP upon the death of his father, J. Everett Allen in 1979. He is currently the Chairman of the Board at Allen & Company. Ralph holds Series 7, Series 65 and Series 24 licenses as well as Life and Variable Annuities.

Jason Alligood is the Director of Civil Engineering at Chastain-Skillman.  He has over 15 years of multi-discipline engineering experience working for both municipal and private sector clients in the areas of Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, and Environmental Engineering.  His experience includes project management, design, permitting, and construction management for residential developments, commercial developments, industrial developments, water distribution and wastewater collection systems, roadways, parks, and landfills.  Jason graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelors in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Engineering from the University of Florida.  In addition to his involvement at Chastain-Skillman, Jason is active in Rotary, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Florida Engineering Society.

Ira graduated from Florida Southern College with a Bachelor of Science degree. He has spent the last 30 years working for local or national CPA firms overseeing their audit practices, serving companies in numerous industries, such as construction, real estate, manufacturing and distribution, and agriculture, with various complex accounting and auditing issues. Ira is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is also Certified in Florida Sales and Use Tax (CFST) in the State of Florida. He has served on many not-for-profit boards, including Lakeland City Baseball, The Polk Museum of Art, The Polk Theatre, Girls, Inc., and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Polk County.  Ira’s married to Alisa and has three children, Ian, Ava, and Asher.

Rob Anderson is responsible for the day-to-day operations in the Lakeland instant game production facility including security, graphic design, game programming, prepress, quality control, printing, packaging, warehouse operations, and shipping/receiving.  He has 15 years of lottery industry experience, and 23 years experience in production facility management.  He also has a depth of knowledge in many printing technologies.  Rob earned a BS in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University, and served for 9 years in the USAF.

JD Arbuckle founded Smart Inbound Marketing after moving on from the CEO position of a larger agency with 50 clients and 15 employees. He observed how difficult it can be deliver effective results at an affordable cost with standardized packages and too little face time. Smart Inbound was created to change that frustrating aspect of the digital marketing industry. JD Arbuckle received his Masters Degree in Business at Florida Southern College. He has personal experience with 100's of clients of all sizes in many different industries.

JD also assists Baron Realty as a commercial real estate agent, and invests in various platforms and technology to improve worldwide mental health. He runs the Upward Lakeland platform to highlight projects and players in the local community, and is president of Lakeland Lancers Rugby, Lakeland's D4 youth and adult rugby organization.

Dr. Randy K. Avent is the founding president of Florida Polytechnic University. Dr. Avent brings a wealth of experience as an administrator, scientist, scholar, professor and researcher whose background includes serving in leadership roles at some of the nation’s top research universities and at the U.S. Department of Defense. Prior to coming to Florida Poly, he was the Associate Vice Chancellor of Research and a Professor of Computer Science at North Carolina State University. Dr. Avent is responsible for the development and operation of the university and is committed to strategically developing Florida Poly as a research and jobs university, an agent for growth, and a beacon for the economy.

Chris is experienced in government administration, nonprofits, politics, policy analysis, and strategic planning. He joined Charter in 2018 and is the Director of State Government Affairs for Florida.

Greg Balasco, Lakeland Automall President, has served in nearly every aspect of the auto industry in his 30 plus years. He joined the Lakeland Automall family in 2009 and took ownership in 2011. Lakeland Automall employs over 245 people and encompasses 16 acres on W. Memorial Blvd. Greg is married to Meredith who serves as commercial spokesperson.

Jonathan Barreras is the Chief Operating Officer for SVN | Saunders Real Estate and SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler Realty. He brings leadership and vision to the task of ensuring the company’s operations are optimized and expandable. He institutes and manages proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and people systems for the entire scope of the company’s business activities.  Developing company culture and vision along with driving the company to surpass business objectives is part of Jonathan’s expertise. Jonathan is dedicated to ensuring the financial strength and operating efficiency vital to immediate and long-range performance objectives. He leads with a respectful, constructive and energetic style.

Howard Bayless is president of Marcobay Construction. Howard leads the Marcobay team in taking pride in the relationships and rapport they maintain with clients. He has been with Marcobay for close to 30 years. Howard graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Building Science.

Todd Baylis is President and a founder of Qgiv, a Lakeland-based company that enables organizations across the US and beyond to quickly, securely and easily receive donations and effectively manage event registrations. Todd is also President of Cipher Integrations, a network services, internet technology and software development provider in Lakeland. He holds a B.S. in Computer and Information Sciences from Florida State University and Masters in Information Technology from Carnegie Mellon University.

County Manager Bill Beasley began his career with Polk County in 2006 as the Deputy County Manager over the county’s Infrastructure Group. As County Manager, Beasley is responsible for the proper administration of all affairs of the county and executes the Board of County Commissioners policy directions, manages budget and staffing resources, engages in community relations, fosters economic development, confers in land use planning and ensures regulatory compliance.

Prior to Beasley’s tenure with Polk County, he served in various engineering and administrative capacities with the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation, the U.S. Department of Navy, and local government in the Charlotte Metropolitan Region in North Carolina. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Lycoming College in Williamsport, Penn., a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and a master’s degree in engineering administration from the George Washington University. He and his wife, Cynthia, have three children and three grandchildren.

Wesley Beck is President of Aspyre Properties and BecKryger Capital Partners LLLP,  private equity firms focused on investments in a variety of industries and industrial development. He also serves as CEO of Advanced Concept Innovations, a medical device company and was formerly a founding partner in Florida Flavors, a specialty manufacturer of flavors and fragrances. Wesley is currently serving as chair of the LEDC High Skill Committee.

Brett Blondell is a Business Development Associate for Grindley Williams Engineering and has worked in and around the construction industry for more than 10 years.  Brett is a Lakeland native having attended Lakeland High School and Florida Southern College, where he played for the Mocs golf team from 2002-2006.  Brett has acquired and managed a number of projects throughout the State of Florida.

Jared Bonshire joined Cushman & Wakefield of Florida, Inc. in September of 2006 as a brokerage associate, a hire as part of the Junior Executive in Training program. As a part of this program, Jared was able to experience and learn from some of the best brokers in the business in all phases of commercial real estate. During his career, Jared has completed retail, office, industrial, property management and capital market transactions because of this well rounded tutelage. In 2008, Jared decided to focus on Industrial Real Estate with a newly formed partnership with Lee Morris, one of the leading brokers in the Orlando market. Since coming together as a team, they have consistently proven themselves as market leaders on a production basis.

Dean Boring is CFO of Boring Business systems. Dean grew up in the company, which was started by his grandfather in 1924 as Lakeland Typewriter & Supply Co.

Steven has thirty plus years of experience as a licensed professional architect, battle tested in the arena of tackling tough problems. Steven’s forte is taking on clients with tight budgets and conceptual barriers and providing them with the vision, clarity, and confidence to maximize their return on investment.  Steven is a registered architect in the state of Florida and California, and a member of the Tampa Bay American Institute of Architects. He is the principal of The Lunz Group.

David has an extensive background in all phases of commercial real estate, including brokerage, management, development and consulting, with an emphasis on industrial land. He has been involved in the development of five corporate parks. A specialty of David’s is land assembly. He has assembled complicated sites for private uses, municipal, county, state, school board and college entities. David is currently involved, pro bono, in the organization and development of Bonnet Springs Park, a 200 acre multi-dimension park on the former CSX Railyards. He is a member of: SIOR, NAIOP and LAR. He is Past President of LAR, Salvation Army, Kiwanis, Polk Museum of Art and the YMCA. David is a graduate of Florida Southern College. David and wife Jean, an active volunteer, own and operate Bunch Ranch, a cattle operation, and popular go-to place for family and friend get-togethers.

Mark Cabrera is CEO of Saddle Creek Logistics Services, an omnichannel supply chain solutions company headquartered in Lakeland. Cabrera, who joined Saddle Creek in 2001, was named CEO in July 2019. Previously, he served as chief operating officer (COO) and chief financial officer (CFO) for the company. Prior to joining Saddle Creek, Cabrera spent 15 years in financial roles in a variety of industries for companies including Arthur Andersen LLP, GTE, National Insurance Services and Reeves Steel, Inc.

Cabrera holds a degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., and is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XX. He is a member of the International Warehouse Logistics Association Insurance Company (IWLAIC) executive committee and serves on Lakeland Economic Development Council’s High Skill Investors Group.

Kimberly Calvo serves as Graham Packaging’s Plant Controller in Lakeland, FL. Graham Packaging is a global leader in plastic packaging solutions. Graham serves customers large and small and offers a wide selection of stock bottles.

Tim Campbell is a partner with the firm. Tim received his law degree from the University of Florida Law School in 1988.  Tim is certified as an expert in both Real Estate Law and Local Government Law by the Florida Bar Board of Specialization, and practices primarily in the areas of Commercial Real Estate Development and Transactions; Land Use, Entitlements and Regulatory Law; Business Law and Transactions; Commercial Lending; and Environmental Law.

Stacy Campbell Domineck serves as the President & CEO for CareerSource Polk. Stacy leads a workforce system consisting of two full service career centers, a Mobile Unit, an Administrative Office and an Employer Services division within the fourth largest county in land mass in Florida. Stacy joined Polk Works WorkForce 2020 as the Assistant Director and within 2 years was promoted to Program Director, where she remained for four years before her appointment as President & CEO of CareerSource Polk (formerly Polk Works) in September 2006. Ten prior years as a college administrator has enhanced her expertise in the areas of counseling/coaching, training, and facilities and process management.

Keith Cash is the vice president & general manager of IGT Instant Products and Services. Keith is responsible for overall management and leadership of IGT’s operation in Lakeland as well as developing and executing IGT’s global business strategy for instant lottery products. His leadership in the IGT organization is formed from more than 25 years of industry experience working with government run lottery organizations around the world. Before joining IGT, Keith began his career on the manufacturing floor and progressed through the ranks to vice president level positions in sales, product management, and operational areas. Keith’s educational background includes a BBA in Management & Marketing as well as an MBA in Management.

Jay Chastain was recently named the President of Chastain-Skillman, Inc. Jay is the third generation to assume the role of President as he carries on the tradition of his grandfather Roy Chastain, who founded the firm 65 years ago. Like his father, Jim, Jay was a fixture around the office during his teen years and learned much about the firm’s operations and computer systems from an early age. Under Jay’s leadership the firm went through a complete rebranding and implementation of a state-of-the-art IT system. Jay received his Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Florida and is a proud Gator. In addition to his involvement with the firm, Jay is an active in the Leadership Lakeland Alumni Association, United Way, Leadership Winter Haven.

Michael Clanton, Senior Vice President and Area Executive for Lakeland, has over 16 years in banking. He began his career in 2001 and gained experience in retail banking, special assets and commercial lending. He received his B.S. in Finance from the University of West Georgia and went on to graduate from the Florida School of Banking at the University of Florida. Clanton is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class 34, Board Chair for Heartland for Children, and a member of the Board of Trustees for The Schools of McKeel Academy. Mike truly exemplifies CenterState’s core values on a daily basis and has been helpful in mentoring new commercial bankers in the Lakeland market.

Pionne Corbin is senior vice president of GEICO, with oversight responsibilities for GEICO’s Lakeland, Midwest, and Macon Southeast locations. Before taking on her current duties in 2018, Corbin had been regional vice president with responsibility for all operations in GEICO’s Buffalo, New York, regional office since 2016. Corbin graduated cum laude from the University of Mary Washington with a B.A. in economics.

City Manager Tony Delgado began work with the City of Lakeland in January 1997 as Assistant Director for The Lakeland Center. He became Assistant City Manager in November 2000 and was appointed City Manager in January 2016. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks & Community/Commercial Recreation from Southern Illinois University. Tony has been active in the community including serving on the boards of: Central Florida Speech and Hearing, the United Way, VISTE, and Interact Alliance. He is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland XVIII and Leadership Polk Class II.

A graduate of Louisiana State University’s Ourso College of Business Administration, Terry holds the MBA degree from Florida Southern College. He has served Florida Southern College’s department for business affairs for 28 years. As the Vice President for Finance and Administration, his areas of oversight include all financial operations, administrative technology, construction, facilities maintenance, and auxiliary services. He currently serves on the City of Lakeland’s Utility Committee and previously served on the Planning and Zoning Board and the Historic Preservation Board.

Donna joined Summit Consulting, LLC in 2004 and has 40 years’ experience in the financial services industry. Donna is a Senior Business Projects Manager and in a dual role as the Director of Facilities encompassing Summit’s Corporate Office in Lakeland and two regional offices in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Gainesville, Georgia. She manages and facilitates multiple projects and initiatives varying in scope in a wide variety of functional groups upon request of the CEO.

Summit Consulting

Summit, a leading provider of workers’ compensation services in the southeastern United States,  is a member of the Great American Insurance Group. Summit provides workers’ compensation services to businesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Summit is based in Lakeland and has offices in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Gainesville, Georgia.

Dale Dreyer has over 25 years of banking experience and is the Central Florida Regional President for CenterState Bank. Dale is responsible for all banking functions including retail banking, commercial banking, treasury management, residential lending, wealth management and consumer lending for Polk, Osceola, Orange and Seminole Counties. Dale’s management of the Central Florida Region includes, 2 Community Presidents, 2 Area Executives, 22 commercial RMs, 22 branch managers, 25 offices, with over 129 employees and over $2 billion in assets. Dale received his BS in Accounting and his MBA in Finance from Auburn University. He currently serves on multiple community boards including Lakeland Regional Health and the First United Methodist Church of Lakeland.

Bruce Dunbar is General Manager of Terrace Hotel. He graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Business concentration in Hospitality and Accounting. Bruce started his career with Hyatt Hotels with advanced positions at Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, Doral Hotel and Country Club Miami and Nemacolin in Pennsylvania.

John Dunphy, Executive Vice President, is a 32-year veteran of the Tampa Bay industrial market. John leads the Tampa Bay industrial team, which handles occupier and investment sales for the greater Tampa Bay MSA. Prior to joining JLL, John was Managing Director of Industrial Services and Partner at Colliers International Tampa Bay specializing in the sale and leasing of user and investment property.  Since 1988, he has sold and/or leased more than 12 million square feet of space and sold in excess of 20,000 acres of land, representing more than $2 billion in transaction value.  John earned a B.A. in Finance from The University of South Florida. He received the CCIM designation from the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute and a SIOR designation from the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors. Fewer than 2,000 commercial real estate brokers hold both of these prestigious designations.

Wade Elliott joined the Port in 2003 and is responsible for the marketing and business development activities of Port Tampa Bay. Wade has more than 25 years of port marketing, business development and research experience working with clients across the globe, including exporters, importers, ocean carriers, terminal operators and cruise lines. Wade is a graduate of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he also worked as Research Associate conducting economic and policy research in the maritime sector. Wade is the Chairman of the Tampa Foreign Trade Zone, and serves on the board of directors of Tampa Port Ministries Seafarers’ Center and the Tampa Bay International Business Council.

Carly Evans is the Director of Student Services at Keiser University’s Lakeland campus. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in English and Mass Communications, then immediately returned to Polk County to establish her career. With the understanding that relevant and dynamic educational programs are critical for economic growth and success, Carly not only wants to engage students in the learning process, but to also build relationships with local employers that might positively affect her graduates’…and her community’s success.

Dr. Falconetti, a native Floridian, has extensive experience in all aspects of higher education administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree from New York University and master’s and doctorate degrees in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida with specializations in Instructional Leadership and Postsecondary Education and Adult Learning.

Chuck Foss is a co-founder of Core Wealth Advisors, Inc., a Certified Public Accountant and a Personal Financial Specialist, a designation recognized by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He currently serves as the managing partner of Core Wealth Advisors, Inc. and focuses on strategic direction of the firm. He is also an integral member of the firm’s investment committee, and as a Financial Advisor enjoys working closely with clients to provide pathways for clients to achieve their goals. Chuck came to Lakeland in 1976 to attend Florida Southern College. He and his wife Lisa have two grown children, Ashley and Andrew, who both reside in Lakeland. They enjoy spending time with family and traveling to the mountains with their two Labrador retrievers, Bailey and Sadie.

Scott is the President and CEO of Lanier Upshaw.  He joined the company in 2000, following a career as a Naval Aviator, and assumed his current leadership role in 2005. Scott is very active in the community, having served in leadership roles with organizations including LEDC, the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, Lakeland Rotary Club, Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center, and the Young Presidents Organization. He currently serves as treasurer of Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In and is on the Board of Overseers for the Barney Barnett School of Business & Free Enterprise at Florida Southern College.

Cole graduated with a degree in Building Construction from Georgia Southern University in 2005 and returned to Lakeland as a project manager for Register Construction. He transitioned into the role of president in 2016. Cole is involved with all aspects of the company including sales, estimating, project management, and company development.

Stacy Gearhart's passion for leveling the playing field for patients and providers in their dealings with insurers inspired her to co-found her first company in Lakeland, Trilogi, Inc. – a national healthcare receivables management company that provided multiple revenue recovery services. She went on to co-found Advicare, a clinical denial recovery company. Stacy received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans and her Master of Law in Health Law from Loyola University School of Law in Chicago. She is also an active member of the HFMA, AAHAM, and AHLA (American Health Lawyers Association) and certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance by the Health Care Compliance Association.

Greg Gibson has been involved in airshow marketing and operations for over 15 years. From team coordination and marketing for some of the world’s top performers to operating the nation’s second largest aviation event, Greg has been extensively involved in every level of airshow production. He is a 1000+ hour commercial pilot,  holds an instrument rating in both single and multi-engine aircraft, and is currently the Director of Operations and Business Development at SUN ‘n FUN. Prior to entering aviation, he had a successful career in racing and motorsports management and marketing. He attended the University of Alabama, majoring in Physics and Aerospace Engineering. Greg is married to his lovely wife of 25 years, Jackie, and has two beautiful girls, Miranda and Reagan.

Carl Gilbert has over 20 years of experience in healthcare, hospital, medical device, financial services, banking, telecom, logistics, and real estate. His extensive background in customer service, operations, and organizational development equip him for building high performance teams , improving sales and service, enhancing culture development and employee engagement. Carl studied economics at Washington and Lee University.

As a business consultant, Leah has built a career on disrupting industries and leading change initiatives across industries and verticals. With over a decade of experience in innovation and strategy, her work has led her both nationally and internationally, working with C-Suite executives to create competitive solutions and sustainable, profitable growth through innovation. A SXSW speaker, workshop facilitator, podcast editor and producer, and contributing writer, Leah brings a no-nonsense approach to strategy, leveraging market data and consumer insights to inform strategic planning. Prior to starting Rebel & Co., Leah worked as a Strategy Executive for an experience design agency partnering with Fortune 500 brands, Venture Capitalists, global organizations, and VC-backed startups to drive strategic growth.

J. Michael Hall is Vice President and Client Advisor for SunTrust Bank. He has a Business Administration degree from the University of South Florida.

Lisa Hall is a Business Development Manager and has been with Rita Staffing since 1998.  She is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), and graduated with her BA from the University of South Florida. Lisa serves on several community boards including, CareerSource Polk, the Mulberry Chamber of Commerce, and Business Alliance for Persons with Disabilities (BAPD).  She currently volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem helping children in our foster care system and is active with Junior Achievement at South McKeel Academy.

David commenced the practice of law with the general practice department of a large firm in Miami, Florida. After practicing seven years in Miami, David moved to Lakeland, Florida, in 1997 to focus his practice in corporate business transactions. Presently, David is involved in corporate and business practice, including general corporate and business representation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, tax, health care law, banking and wealth protection planning.

Rich has been with Rita Staffing since 1996 and currently serves as  Chief Financial Officer. Rich graduated from the University of Georgia and was a budget analyst for The University System of Georgia prior to moving to Lakeland. He is active in many local groups and is a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Troy Hammond is the manager of the Shared Services organization for The Mosaic Company. In this role, Troy is responsible for customer billing, collections and cash applications as well as master data management and global governance, global T&E and p-card management, accounts payable, and financial systems administration. Mosaic is a Fortune 250 company and the world’s largest combined producer of potash and phosphate; Central Florida is one of the largest centers of operation for Mosaic where phosphates are mined and processed. Mosaic’s noble mission is to “help the world grow the food it needs”.

David Hand is Chief of Business Services manages the Business Services Department providing commercial lending and deposit services in MIDFLORIDA’ s central Florida market.  He earned his B.S. in Economics from Auburn University and his MBA from Fairfield University.

Will is a native of Lakeland and a part of the fourth generation of Harrells in three-quarters of a century to serve in the company, which was established in 1941. After receiving dual bachelor degrees in Food & Resource Economics and Political Science from the University of Florida, Will went on to earn both his J.D. and M.B.A. from Samford University. Beginning his career as a corporate transaction attorney with Peterson & Myers, P.A., Will left private practice to join Harrell's full time in 2015

Jack Harrell Jr. is the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Harrell’s LLC based in Lakeland. Jack continues the tradition that his family began in 1941 of offering quality products and personal service.

Ron Henkelman has been a certified General Contractor for over 35 years. After moving to Lakeland in 1980, armed with a degree in Building Construction from the University of Florida, Ron founded Henkelman Construction, Inc. in 1993.

Kaylee Holland is an Editor of LALtoday in conjunction with Abby Dell. Kaylee graduated from Southeastern University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and public relations. She joined the team in August 2018, when LALtoday officially launched.

Randy Hollen is Senior Vice President and Commercial Lender for the Bank of Central of Florida. A native of Pennsylvania, Randy received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Marietta College in 1983. He began his banking career immediately thereafter before moving to Florida in 1985. Since that time, Randy has worked with SunTrust Bank and two community banks in commercial lending roles, including all forms of commercial transactions such as real estate, equipment and tax exempt transactions. He has been a resident of Lakeland since 1991 and has served in various community service roles. He is a 1995 graduate of Louisiana State University’s School of Banking of the South.

A Florida native, Jason Holm was born in Ocala and moved to Lakeland in 1983.  He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1999 with a BA and earned his MBA from Webster University in 2008.  Jason has been in banking since 2000; as commercial banker, he provides services in lending, cash flow conversion cycles, deposit needs and treasury management solutions that streamline efficiency.  He has also worked as an adjunct at Florida Southern College teaching Managerial Finance for the Barney Barnett School of Business.  When not at work Jason enjoys spending time with family, boating and fishing.

Karen Houtz is a Senior Vice President and Commercial Lender for Centennial Bank. She has over 20 years of lending experience in the Central Florida area inclusive of administration, underwriting and portfolio management. Karen moved back to Lakeland in 1997 after traveling the world with her family while her father was in the U.S. Marine Corps. She is a fourth generation Lakeland citizen. Karen spends much of her free time horseback riding and participating in animal rescue transports. She is involved in many community organizations.

A champion of innovative educational design, Dr. Kent Ingle serves as the president of Southeastern University, one of the fastest growing private universities in the nation. Under his leadership, the university has seen significant growth. Dr. Ingle has propelled the university’s enrollment from 2,546 students in 2011 to nearly 9,000 students currently, with more than 100 extension sites and 13 regional campuses nationwide. Additionally, multiple building projects have been completed during his tenure, including a 120,000-square-foot Live/Learn building, which houses students, classroom space and a food court. Dr. Ingle is also a founding member of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Before becoming SEU’s president in 2011, Dr. Ingle held leadership positions in higher education and the nonprofit sector in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle.

Joel, the General Manager of Lakeland Electric, has a 30-year career path that includes climbing utility poles to managing multi-hundred million dollar operations with start-ups, investor owned and publicly owned utilities. Past experience includes his tenure as Chief Operating Officer at Visible Light Solar Technologies and Vice President of New Mexico Operations for Public Service Company of New Mexico, an investor owned utility with almost 500,000 customers. He most recently oversaw the Energy Department for Imperial Irrigation District, a vertically integrated public electric utility located in El Centro, California. Ivy graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

Marci Johnson is the Regional  Director of Sales for the Hilton Garden Inn Lakeland, Hampton Inn Bartow, and the NEW Staybridge Suites Lakeland. Marci has over 20 years of hotels sales experience in different markets in the United States including: California, Nevada, Wisconsin, North Carolina and now Florida. She has always enjoyed serving on the tourist development and lodging association committees.

Staybridge Website          Hilton Garden Inn          Hampton Inn Website

Jennifer Kincart Jonsson serves as Vice President of A·C·T Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., which has been owned and operated by her family since 1987. An avid fan and active alumna, Jonsson earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida. Her drive and commitment are aimed at ensuring A·C·T’s success and she is passionate about improving the quality of life in our community. Among her many accolades, Jonsson holds the distinction of being the youngest professional to ever serve as the Chair of the Board for the United Way of Central Florida.

William L. Keller, III is president of Keymark Corporation with operations in New York and Lakeland, FL.

Dr. Anne Kerr became the seventeenth president of Florida Southern College in June 2004. Prior to her presidency, Dr. Kerr held several distinguished positions in higher education administration, including vice president at the University of Richmond, vice president at Rollins College, and dean of the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins. Dr. Kerr holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from The Florida State University and a B.A. from Mercer University. She is active in numerous arts and civic organizations and serves on the boards of SunTrust Bank, Mid-Florida; EarthLinked Technologies, Inc.; the Polk Museum of Art; and the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Jon Kirk, AIA, LEED AP became a principal at Straughn Trout Architects in 2019 with more than 21 years of design expertise. Jon is a licensed architect in the State of Florida and has achieved the designation of a LEED Accredited Professional (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). He is also a former member of Historic Lakeland, Inc's. Board of Directors and has served as both vice president and president of the organization. He is a past member of the City of Lakeland's Historic Preservation Board, Platform Art Board, and is a volunteer for Lakeland City Baseball. In 2017, Jon was awarded the 2017 Florida Redevelopment Association Renovation Project of the Year for his work at Haus 820/Mass Market. Jon attended the University of Florida where he earned a Master of Architecture degree in addition to a Bachelor of Design degree. He is an alumni of Leadership Lakeland Class XXXII, member of AIA Tampa Bay, and is actively involved in the Lakeland community.

RRod Kirkwood is the Tampa Area Director for Saint Leo, including the Lakeland Education Center. Rod has been with Saint Leo University since 2018. His career, spanning 26 years, has always been in Adult Education. From his beginning at a small Technical College in Portland, Oregon to his most recent opportunity as Director at Saint Leo University Tampa Bay Region. Rod’s passion for education is evident in every interaction with his students. He takes pride in helping each and every student achieve their life long goal by achieving their degree with Saint Leo University. Rod relishes celebrating with each of his students as they walk across the stage on graduation day. He is committed to assisting every member of the Lakeland community in pursuing their educational goals.

Steve is the General Manager and PGA Director of Golf of Grasslands Golf & Country Club responsible for membership development and club operations.  Steve has served the members of Grasslands since 1994 and is a PGA Master Professional and a member of the Club Managers Association of America.

Steve Kros serves as the executive vice president of Transwestern’s southeast development services team. Steve has over 20 years of high-level experience sourcing, underwriting, negotiating, communicating and executing real estate development and acquisition deals. Prior to joining Transwestern, he held positions as a vice president of investments and vice president of development with AMB Property Corporation. Steve spearheaded real estate development and acquisition investments in multiple east coast markets. He also was responsible for overall project management for an 11 million square foot development pipeline on 800 acres in six cities in throughout the southeast and mid-atlantic, representing a total investment of over $560 million. Steve is currently working on Lakeland Logistics Center, a 245,000 sf development park near Interstate 4 in Lakeland.

Robert J. Krueger is a Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Brennan Investment Group. He is responsible for industrial property transactions in Central Florida. Mr. Krueger is among the most accomplished industrial professionals in the Florida market, with 37 years of experience in construction, development, and acquisitions. From 1997 to 2009, Mr. Krueger was the key executive in building First Industrial’s portfolio in Central Florida. During his tenure with First Industrial Mr. Krueger acquired and developed over 5 million square feet of industrial and flex space in the Florida market for such tenants as Home Depot, J.C. Penney, Caterpillar Tractor, Haverty’s Furniture and Walgreen’s. Before leaving First Industrial, Mr. Krueger was in charge of managing First Industrial’s Florida portfolio of nearly 3 million square feet, and 821 acres, in Tampa, Orlando and Miami.

Lakeland’s Plant Manager, Steve Larkin, and his team are responsible for directing plant operations and overseeing the day-to-day activities in all departments. They develop and implement both short and long-term plans to support the company’s strategic roadmap. The Pepperidge Farm Lakeland Team provides the leadership to achieve key objectives in all areas of safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement.

Robert Lee is a serial food and resturant entrepreneur. Robert started in Lakeland owning  China Max at Lakeland Square Mall’s food court and now has grown to operating Chinese Kitchens at five Publix Super Markets stores across Florida, including one at Lakeland’s Lake Miriam Square. His company Breezy Spring LLC also sells a line of bourbon chicken sauce and marinade, and a line of cold brew on-the-go green tea.

Following graduation from upstate New York’s Alfred University in 1972, Rich assumed the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer of Russell P. LeFrois Builder, Inc, a company founded by his father. Rich plays a major role in every LeFrois project as the leader of his management team and continuously provides valuable direction to all phases of his construction and development projects. His dynamic technical skills as well as his enthusiasm, genuine integrity and passion for success, make him the driving force behind the LeFrois companies growing and prospering in a highly competitive environment.  Rich has brought his proven strategy for successful commercial development and construction to Lakeland, Florida. Currently, Central Florida Development is developing 300 acres in the Lakeland area.

Andrew Lehrer, has over a decade of experience in commercial real estate. In his role as Director of Business Development for Flagler Global Logistics, Andrew is responsible for leading transactions for Flagler’s US and Latin America development projects, including 2,500-acres of Florida land with entitlements for over 24 million square feet of development.

Since his 2012 election to the commission, Lindsey has worked to attract new employers and remove barriers to the expansion of existing businesses in Polk County. He also is working to increase partnerships between the county and municipalities on matters such as planning, water supply and parks. He was elected chairman in 2014. Lindsey is also president and broker of Lindsey Realty & Development Corporation. He is an Honor Flight 15 guardian, University of Florida sports fan, and a Harley Davidson enthusiast.

Joe Little is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Bernie Little Distributors. Joe continues a rich history of innovation and efficiency in beverage distribution.

Vicki earned her psychology degree from the University of South Florida and has also received several certifications including Certified Credit Union Executive, Certified Financial Services Professional, Certified Lending Specialist designations and her CUNA Business Lending Certification. A lifelong learner, Vicki recently earned her Stanford University Entrepreneurship and Innovation Graduate Certificate.

James M. Luffman, CPA/PFS is a principal of CPS Investment Advisors. He began his professional career in Washington D.C. with American Security Bank as an Operations Manager in their $3 billion Trust Department. Jim received his Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Accounting from Florida State University. He is board certified as a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) as designated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He also received the Certificate of Educational Achievement in Personal Financial Planning. Jim joined the CPS team in 1986. He has years of experience with investments, financial planning, accounting, and taxation. Jim is a frequent lecturer on financial planning and investments.

Katrina is Vice President, Middle Market Relationship Manager and Market Manager for Fifth Third Bank serving Polk County and surrounding areas. A native Floridian, Katrina holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Troy State University. Katrina is experienced in small business and commercial lending, starting her career with Barnett Bank over 30 years ago.

Bradley Lunz, AIA, LEED AP, GGP, NCARB joined The Lunz Group in 2008. Brad has over 15 years’ experience ranging from large commercial resorts development to higher education facility design. He is a registered architect in the state of Florida and Texas and a member of the Tampa Bay American Institute of Architects. Brad has a breadth of experience in resolving a client’s spatial and budgetary requirements while delivering a quality and creative design. Currently, Brad serves as President of The Lunz Group.

Maggie Mariucci currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of University Relations for Florida Polytechnic University. Maggie is a 5th generation Polk County resident and brings extensive knowledge of the community and the region to the University. She has had a fifteen year career focused on public affairs, community relations and development. She is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications and has a BS in Public Relations.

Committed to cultivating community development strategies, managing community partnerships and providing impactful financial services and products leading to financially healthy people and sustainable communities. Also, responsible for managing and leading the region's compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act with thoughtful programs and partnerships supporting economic development and small business lending, affordable housing and home ownership initiatives as well as supporting efforts to improve the quality of life for underserved communities.

E. Snow Martin Jr. graduated from the University of Florida Law School, and was admitted to practice in September of 1957 – since then primarily involved in representing clients in business and real estate matters. Snow is also involved in real estate development on a personal basis – Casa Loma and Raintree Village in Lakeland; LaPlaya and Casa del Mar on Longboat Key and The Lighthouse on Boca Grande.

Patricia Martin leads the Ledger's advertising department plus the classified and support staff.

As a 29 year veteran of the Insurance Industry, “Tony” has held positions at both regional & home office levels with large insurance organizations such as Penn Mutual, AIG & USF&G. He’s held direct sales & sales management positions with Federated Mutual Insurance Companies. His career has taken him throughout the Mid Atlantic region of US and all over Florida & the Southeast. He’s spent the last 15 years working in the Independent agency system. First at Herndon & Associates & now at Stahl & Associates. After the Herndon acquisition, Stahl & Associates appointed Tony as Vice President Commercial Lines Sales where he handles the commercial insurance needs of the middle market segment. Although he handles a variety of risks, he specializes in addressing the needs of manufacturers, contractors, physician groups & auto/equipment dealers. Stahl & Associates has four (4) offices throughout Central Florida.

Andy is founder and owner of Indie Atlantic Films. He has worked in video and digital media production for over 10 years and has produced films for clients all over the world. He has directed national TV shows and produced multiple commercial and brand story. Andy has also created films for many non-profit organizations locally and worldwide. He is a graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University and serves on several local and regional nonprofit boards.

Shirley McGovern is the Director of Sales for both the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott.  She relocated to Lakeland in 2018 from West Palm Beach, lived in Miami and is originally from New York.  She has 26 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has worked for IHG, Hilton, and Marriott properties.  She is also bilingual and will be involved in local community events.  These two award-winning hotels are located at the Lakeside Village and have been serving our community for over 18 years.  Our Residence Inn by Marriott is perfect for the Extended Stay guest.  Each suite provides a fully-equipped kitchen, living space, queen bed and pullout sofa bed. The hotel offers a complimentary hot breakfast daily, complimentary Wi-Fi, business center, fitness center, and our “Mix” on select evenings with food tastings and complimentary beer and wine.  The Courtyard by Marriott is ideal for business and leisure travelers, and the Bistro serves breakfast and dinner at affordable pricing.

Residence Inn website     Courtyard by Marriott website

Kim has been representing residential buyers and seller in the Lakeland area for over 10 years.  She is consistently one of the top producers in our area, and has a history of success and integrity in real estate that you can depend on.  As an experienced negotiator with extensive knowledge of the Lakeland Real Estate Market in all price ranges, she remains laser focused on helping her clients get what they want.  Additionally, her community involvement keeps her connected to what makes Lakeland so special, and she loves giving back to the community that she and her family love so much.

McKeel Team at Keller Williams Realty

The McKeel Team prioritizes relationships over single transactions. The McKeel Team's success is built on a history of integrity and satisfying customers in buying and selling homes.

Seth McKeel serves as Vice President of Lakeland Properties & Management. In addition to his work in property management, Seth has had a distinguished career in public service as a past Lakeland City Commissioner and a former Florida House Representative. A fifth generation Floridian and a graduate of the University of Florida, Seth is  committed to and engaged in the Lakeland community.

Mike moved to Atlanta in 1999 to take an equity stake in Premier Transportation with the objective of expanding Premier Transportations service offerings to our nation’s largest retailers. Mike joined Premier  in 1999 and served as Vice President of Marketing until 2002 when he was promoted to Executive Vice President. He served in that capacity until being elected Chairman and CEO in 2006.

David A. Miller is a shareholder at Peterson & Myers, P.A. and has a diversified transactional practice with significant experience in business law; corporate governance; mergers and acquisitions; agriculture law and developing strategic plans for large-scale agriculture properties; banking and finance; debt restructuring; office, retail, and mixed use lease transactions; and commercial real estate.

Ed specializes in industrial sales, leasing, site selection, land and investment sales. a 20+ year veteran of the Tampa real estate market, he was managing partner of Corporate Real Estate Services prior to its merger with Colliers International Tampa Bay Florida. Ed’s specialties include market studies, valuation, acquisition, disposition, leasing, consultation and repositioning to increase value. He understands logistics and site layout. His market knowledge is thorough and current, with a history of personal experience, and interesting stories, on every industrial building and parcel of commercial land between Tampa and Orlando. The Miller/Seymour team has been recognized as an effective blend of experience, market knowledge, strategic planning, negotiation skills and process management.

J. Michael Miller is the Operations Manager for Manhattan Central Florida. He’s been with Manhattan for 3 years and has over has over 21 years of construction experience. Through his work on large and small projects, he’s developed an understanding of all types of construction. He received a Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology.  He is a State of Florida Certified General Contractor and is OSHA-30 certified.

Corey received his B.S. in Building Construction, with high honors from the University of Florida and is a member of Florida Blue Key.  He holds general contracting licenses in Florida and other states throughout the Southeast.

Steve is Executive Vice President & President of MIDFLORIDA Financial Services. He oversees all branch retail operations, finance related functions, IT, mortgage operations, and realty services.  Steve obtained his undergraduate degree from Stetson University and his MBA from Florida Southern College.

Ben Mundy AIA, LEED AP is a managing partner, he joined Curtis Mundy Hunnicutt in 1981. Ben’s design experience has focused primarily on educational and municipal facilities, as well as industrial and office design.

Chris Murray serves as Graham Packaging’s Plant Manager in Lakeland.

Bill Mutz, a native of Indianapolis and an Indiana University graduate, moved to Lakeland in 1996 where he became President of the Lakeland Automall. In 2012, Bill left the Lakeland Automall and took on the role of Managing Partner for both Greenstar Panels & Greenovative Homes. Then, in 2014, Bill became a Senior Consultant for Claridge Associates, where he remains today. Mayor Mutz and his wife, Pam, have been married for over 40 years and are parents of 12 children and have 19 grandchildren.

As the Public Affairs Manager for The Mosaic Company, Callie Neslund serves as a principal liaison with local community, business leaders and elected officials. Callie manages Mosaic’s community outreach, media relations and corporate philanthropy in Polk County while supporting the company’s manufacturing facilities and the newly-opened Streamsong Resort.

Cory Neupauer, our Chief Financial Officer, started with Lakeland Automall on April 2, 2012 after spending 31 years with Asbury Automotive Group. He oversees all of our accounting operations as well as our financial reporting systems. Cory resides in Lakeland along with his wife Mary and their daughter Jillian.

Alex Nikdel is President and a second generation partner at Clark/Nikdel/Powell (CNP). A Polk County native and graduate of the University of Florida, Alex has 15+ years of experience as a digital marketing consultant and led CNP’s transition from a traditional advertising design shop into a modern, digitally-focused marketing agency. He has prior experience at a search engine and online directory, a software development company and as a consultant in Walt Disney World’s Industrial Engineering department. Email

Paul Noris is the President and CEO of Bank of Central Florida. Prior to joining Bank of Central Florida, Paul was the Lakeland city president for SunTrust Bank, Mid-Florida. His time in the commercial area began as a relationship manager and progressed from managing a local unit to managing the commercial lending function for SunTrust, Mid-Florida, while also carrying the title of city president. Paul has lived in Lakeland since 1996 and has served on the boards of various civic organizations during that time. He is former chair of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and the past president of the Explorations V Children’s Museum. Paul received his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Florida.

Gonzalo Padron has more than 20 years of sales and business development experience within the maritime transportation industry.  His responsibilities include Port Tampa Bay’s outreach and liaison with beneficial cargo owners and ocean carriers, with a particular focus on trade with Latin America. Gonzalo began his career working for ocean carriers Tecmarine Lines and Seaboard Marine, traveling the Caribbean and Latin America extensively.  Prior to joining the Port Tampa Bay, he was employed by DHL Global Forwarding as Manager of Strategic Accounts, Datamyne as Business Development Manager – Maritime, and PIERS as Maritime Regional Manager.

Dick is President/CEO and founder of Pilgrim associates which provides CEOs, business owners and senior level executives well defined business planning consulting and coaching on an individual basis as well as in group settings. Dick’s corporate life spanned 36 successful years in a variety of senior level management positions including being president of several multi-national corporations.

Cory Petcoff, President of Baron Realty, is a seasoned commercial real estate professional with extensive background in investment analysis, property management and leasing. Petcoff is the recipient of the prestigious Top General Brokerage Producer Award in a seven county region offered by the Florida Gulf Coast Commercial Association of Realtors. He serves as the commercial real estate consultant and manager to multiple insurance companies who have diversified their investment portfolios through high quality investment grade commercial real estate. His background also includes forming and subsequently managing investor owned limited liability companies which seek to develop a high quality real estate portfolio. Petcoff is a licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Agent as well as a Licensed Real Estate Broker.

Michael Phelps is the Lakeland Office Manager for Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc. and has more than 25 years of experience with a wide variety of engineering projects. Mike has managed hundreds of projects and continuing contracts for engineering services for counties and cities throughout Florida.

Tom Phillips is the Executive Director of the Lakeland Area Mass Transit District a/k/a The Citrus Connection and the Polk Transit Authority. Tom came to Citrus Connection from Michigan City, Indiana in August of 2011. He was employed at PACE Suburban Bus in Arlington Heights, Illinois as Senior Project Manager II, Paratransit Operations Support. He managed the largest US Paratransit site and nation’s largest Trapeze Paratransit site. He has a fixed route background from previous employment. Tom grew up in Minnetonka, Minneapolis before he earned his degree from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque in Sociology with a minor in Psychology. He has been married to his wife Michelle since 2001.

Brian Philpot is the CEO and Principal Owner of AgAmerica Lending. His background includes extensive experience in real estate investing, agriculture lending, real estate law, market analysis, and negotiation. Brian received his B.S. in Finance, cum laude with honors in investments from Florida State University. He earned a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, University of Florida College of Law.

Nick Plott is Regional Manager for Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas in Polk County, working in the areas of local government, community relations and economic development.  Nick received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Law from Western Carolina University.

Brenda Powers serves as Vice President for Regions Bank at the North Lakeland Office. Brenda is a Polk County native with  20 years of banking experience.

John Provenzano began his career with Publix Super Markets, Inc. in 2017. In 2018, he was promoted to Vice President of Publix Affairs, overseeing government relations, community relations, media relations, customer care and social media, as well as Publix Associates Political Action Committee. Prior to joining Publix, John spent 18 years in Washington D.C. on and off Capitol Hill working for the National Association of State Treasurers, Delta Air Lines, and Rockwell Collins. John is a Tampa native.

Wayne Raath serves as General Manager of Lone Palm Golf Club. Wayne earned a business degree in Sports Management at Florida Southern College as well as an MBA in Business Administration. He was a four time All-American golfer and a team member on three consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship Teams. After a brief professional golf career, Wayne joined Lone Palm as the controller and later was promoted to General Manager. His passion for golf fits very well with Lone Palm’s primary focus of promoting the game of golf. Wayne and his wife, Lori, have two daughters and live in Lakeland.

Hector is Vice President and branch manager for Wiginton Fire Systems serving the Tampa, Lakeland,  and Ft. Myers areas. Hector has been with Wiginton since 1995. He began as a green helper for the Pompano Beach branch and then migrated between the Miami and West Palm Beach branches. Hector was promoted to VP/Branch Manager in 2014 and now lives in Riverview with his wife and children.

John Rattigan is president and CEO of Colorado Boxed Beef with over twenty years of experience with the distributor. He is a graduate of the University of Central Florida's College of Business Administration.

Lester D. "Buddy" Register founded Register Construction in 1971. Register defines success by the company's relationships and dedication to its clients. With over 47 years of construction expertise and leadership, the local company has missed zero deadlines and has completed over 16 million square feet of construction.

Robert Reinhart, PE has extensive experience in the fields of structural engineering and building envelope consulting. Mr. Reinhart is a licensed professional engineer in Florida, Mississippi, Indiana, North Carolina, and Alabama with 25 years of experience. He serves as a consultant for legal issues involving buildings and other structures, including structural failures, building settlement related damage, storm/wind damage, insect damage, fire damage, and vehicular impact.

Stephan is excited to be the Director of Sales for the TownePlace Suites Lakeland,  the 300th TownePlace Suites by Marriott to open! His 25+ years of hospitality sales experience in the Central Florida area ranges from Cocoa Beach to Orlando and now to Lakeland. He is Past President of the Greater Orlando Chapter of Meeting Professionals International.  Stephan is a member of the Lakeland Hotel/Motel Association and the Visit Central Florida  Sports & Special Events Committee.

Tim Rice has been the President and sole stock owner of Wards for over 25 years. Mr. Rice is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a B.S. degree from the Fisher College of Business in MIS & Mathematical Statistics.

Dr. H. Alexander Rich is Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College, a Smithsonian Affiliate and the only nationally accredited art museum in Polk County. Dr. Rich is also chair of the Department of Art History and Museum Studies at Florida Southern College and has worked previously in both curatorial and education capacities at museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Brooklyn Museum.

Melody Rider has been in education administration for over 20 years and a college president for 15 of those years. She completed her undergraduate degree at California Lutheran University in Liberal Arts with a teaching credential. She continued her education accomplishing two masters’ degrees in Business and Compliance and Ethics. Ms. Rider is in the final stages of completing her doctoral degree in Education Leadership from Capella University. She is the mother of a very active thirteen year old daughter and loves giving back to her community.

Angela Rinella is vice president with responsibility for all operations in the Lakeland, Florida, regional office of Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO). Prior to assuming her current duties in 2019, Rinella had served as vice president of claims in the company’s corporate headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with responsibility for all of GEICO’s claims operations since 2017.  Rinella began her GEICO career in 2002.  Rinella has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Medaille College.

Ricardo Rivera is the general manager at Dynamic Security of Florida, responsible for projects in North and South America (Unlimited Electrical Contractor, LIC# EC13007202). He moved to Florida in 2015 and opened Dynamic Security of Florida, a branch of the New Jersey-based company, Dynamic Security. With over 21 years of experience in the security industry, Ricardo loves working alongside clients to design security systems that fit their individual needs.

Lakeside Village’s General Manager, Kimberly Robertson, is a Lakeland native with over 13 years of experience in retail property management.  She holds a BS in Business Administration from University of South Florida.  She is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and is a licensed real estate sales associate.

As a business consultant, executive coach and retreat facilitator, Emily strategically advises and supports businesses, teams and individuals in growing and realizing their full potential in purposeful and balanced ways. Described by the The Ledger as bringing a “fresh face to leadership”, Emily authors a monthly column intended to inspire leadership excellence. Prior to starting her business in 2013, as President & Chief Growth officer of IEG (a WPP company), she advised Fortune 100 brands, professional sports teams, entertainment properties and global nonprofits on how to form mutually beneficial strategic alliances.

Greg Ruthven, CCIM is President of The Ruthvens, and has over 37years of experience in commercial and industrial real estate. Greg is a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), Past President of the Florida CCIM Chapter, and is a registered Florida broker. Greg oversees leasing, development and finance.

Carlos Saavedra, Global Marketing Manager for JBT’s Liquid Food Solutions business, has worked for JBT, and its predecessor FMC, for 32 years in a variety of roles both in the US and abroad. Carlos received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major study area of Food & Resource Economics from the University of Florida.

Brian Samson, the manager of CED/Raybro Lakeland, is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

Having served in the U.S. Army as an 82nd Airborne Paratrooper, graduated in Accountancy from USF and has been involved in the Polk County community for over 12 years, David Sandow is the General Manager for Spherion Staffing for Polk County. David is heavily involved with the business development, retention, community relations and contract negotiations for Spherion Staffing in the Polk County market.

Rich Schuh serves as Vice President of Regional Sales Gulf Coast for Mission Foods. He is responsible for sales and operations for Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, SE Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Panama.

Steve Scruggs is President of the Lakeland Economic Development Council (LEDC), a private, non-profit organization with approximately 140 member companies. He has been with the LEDC over 30 years. Steve received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Troy State University in Troy, Alabama and his Master’s Degree in Economic Development at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Steve is married to Tammy and they have three children. He is a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Paul Seefried joined Seefried Industrial Properties in February 2011 as a project manager on the BTS development team. He has been actively involved in the development of over 12 million S.F. of industrial BTS developments around the country, in particular, regional distribution centers for Amazon.com in Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, and Florida. He is now Vice President of Development and responsible for development in the Florida region. Prior to joining Seefried Industrial Properties, Paul spent 3 years working as a development analyst in the multifamily industry for the Lane Company, followed by 3 years of being a commercial broker in which he worked on a variety of real estate asset classes. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from University of Colorado at Boulder.

Tom Sell has been involved in baking production for 40 years, joining ButterKrust Bakery in 1995. He serves as Vice President of Operations for the 250,000 sf bakery, which has been a part of the Lakeland community since 1916.

Corydon “Cory” Skeates was named President of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce in January of 2015. Originally from Scottsville, NY, Cory moved to Central Florida in 1997 to attend Barry University School of Law after receiving a B.A. in Political Science, Cum Laude, from Grove City College in Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Lakeland Area Chamber, Cory served as President/CEO of the Oviedo-Winter Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce (2007-2014), as a Senior Legislative Assistant to Florida State Representatives Attkisson (2001-2002), Kallinger (2002-2004), Quinones (2005) and Adams (2005-2006) and also consulted independently on several local, state and federal campaigns. Cory is married to his wife of 12 years Shannon and together they have two daughters, Ella and Amelia.

Keith is a shareholder with the firm and concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate law, estate planning, real estate, the representation of lenders and financial institutions and utilities law.  Keith commenced the practice of law in Florida at Citigroup, Inc., in Tampa, Florida, where he served as a Senior Attorney and Vice President. After returning to private practice as a shareholder of a Central Florida law firm, Keith continued to practice in the areas of banking and finance, real estate and corporate law and Keith expanded his practice to include estate planning, business succession planning and wealth preservation planning for business owners and individuals.  As a part of his corporate practice, Keith acts as outside general counsel to multiple businesses, including Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Inc., one of the largest rural electric cooperative utilities in the nation.

Since 2005, Rian has consistently been one of the Top Brokers in the Tampa Bay region. Prior to joining CBRE, Smith served as Director for Cushman & Wakefield’s Industrial Brokerage Group in Tampa, where he oversaw a portfolio in excess of six million square feet. He holds a B.A. in marketing from Dominican College.

Michael A. Spake, MHA, JD is the Vice President of External Affairs and Chief Compliance and Integrity Officer for Lakeland Regional Health. Educated in both law and health administration, Michael is responsible for the oversight and strategic management of governmental relations and community partnerships, as well as the creation, oversight and day- to-day operations of the Compliance & Integrity and Internal Audit Programs.  Michael is a respected relationship builder who has helped to secure over $4 million in programmatic funding for the Family Health Center. He has successfully worked in partnership with legislators to mitigate Medicaid revenue reductions. He is also a member of the executive leadership team that is helping to establish a graduate medical education program.

Steve Stanford is president of PLANTZ. He started the company in 2004 by combining two established plant service companies, and in 2006 merged with Lakeland’s Plant Manager (owned by Bruce Rumph). Through his leadership PLANTZ has grown to a customer base of almost 500 customers. A 1986 graduate of the University of Florida in Agriculture, Steve combines his plant, people and technology skills daily in his hands-on management of the company. He is a FL Certified Pest Control Operator, and is active in the community.

Charles (Chuck) Sykes was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated in August 2004. Prior to his recent appointment, Mr. Sykes served as Chief Operating Officer since July 2003 and President since May 2004. Mr. Sykes joined the Company in 1986, working his way through the ranks, from various administrative roles while attending school, to a junior sales representative in the Telecommunications Division to various middle-management roles and later serving as General Manager of the Americas. This has led to an extensive career at SYKES, resulting in a comprehensive knowledge of the Company. His experience in operations, accounting, professional services, recruitment, and sales and marketing enable him to manage SYKES’ client relations and the ongoing success of global operations.

Angel is the Director of Sales for the Fairfield Inn and Suites which serves the Lakeland and Plant City communities and businesses. Angel has over 15 years of hotel, sales, and food & beverage experience in the local market.

Elaine joined Lakeland Regional Health in 2010 and immediately began the process to create a strategic vision centered on medical staff collaboration and performance, and patient safety improvements. Her initiatives include a multi-disciplinary performance improvement garnering international attention for the largest single site Emergency Department in Florida, and digitization of the Medical Center using a single electronic health records system. Elaine’s fierce passion for patient and community wellbeing leads her to work tirelessly with community, legislative and business leaders, and physicians to improve health services. She has been named each year since 2012 to Becker’s Hospital Review “Top 100 Non-Profit Hospital CEOs to Know”, “130 Women Healthcare Leaders to Know” and “130 Nonprofit Hospital and Health System CEOs to Know” annual national recognition lists.

Macon Tomlinson began his career in western Colorado building industrial and office projects for oil shale service companies long before the current fracking boom. He moved to Lakeland in 1985 and formed his company in 1989. He has built projects in several states and Florida. He is a licensed commercial real estate broker, builder, and investor.

Jim Tormey joined MidAmerica Administrative & Retirement Solutions in 2016 and currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer. Jim initially oversaw both the Account Management and Participant Services teams, while also working on Business Development with both partners and clients. Jim’s focus quickly expanded to include Sales and Marketing, where he fostered partnerships with public sector employee benefits providers to improve the service level and product capabilities of MidAmerica. As CEO, Jim continues to implement growth strategies. He is keenly focused on driving improvements in the client experience by applying innovative technology, growing and diversifying MidAmerica’s client base, providing value-added services, and helping MidAmerica become the nation’s most respected third-party administrator for public sector employee benefits. Jim brought his experience in investment banking, sales and marketing, and the Silicon Valley start-up environment to MidAmerica.  He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and an MBA from Stanford University.

Julie Townsend is the Executive Director of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority. Julie has been involved in advocating for and promoting Downtown for more than 10 years, first serving as a board member and then Executive Director of the Downtown Lakeland Partnership.”We want businesses to grow and prosper here and help by gathering data about the district and promoting it as a place to locate. We also communicate and facilitate a clean and safe community and work to enhance physical improvements.”

Jan Townsend has served as the administrator of Central Florida SurgiCenter for over twenty years. CFSC is a multi-specialty surgery center that is privately owned. CFSC provides surgical services for ophthalmology, ENT, orthopedic, pain, podiatry, GI, general surgery and plastic surgery patients.

Jonathan Tratt is the founder and Managing Principal of Tratt Properties LLC, a Phoenix based commercial real estate development/investment firm. Mr. Tratt has more than 30 years of experience in commercial real estate and has been regarded for his extensive expertise in real estate development, acquisition and property management services for logistics and e-commerce properties. Mr. Tratt was the 2017 National Chairman for NAIOP, The Commercial Real Estate Development Association. He is on the Executive Committee of Valley Forge Military Academy & College Board of Trustees in Wayne, PA and is a Developer Associate Member of SIOR. Jonathan holds a Master of Business Administration in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Dayton.

Karen Turner is the Senior Manager of Billing and Fixed Assets Accounting for Lockheed Martin. She oversees a team that bills more than 300,000 invoices (approximately $42 billion) annually. In her current position, she is also responsible for the asset capitalization, maintenance, retirements, transfers and standard tax reporting for approximately $12.6 billion in gross assets.  Karen has a diverse background in various staff and management positions and has held positions of progressive responsibilities in domestic and International Accounting and Finance. Karen began her career with IBM Federal Systems Division in Owego, N.Y. She was born and raised in Birmingham, Ala. and holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Alabama A&M University as well as an MBA from The Johns Hopkins University.

Kirsten Vignec is a Shareholder in the firm’s Corporate & Tax Group and practice Co-Chair of the Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group. She is currently active in both Florida and California. Kirsten’s practice primarily involves employee benefit matters, including legal matters associated with the design and administration of executive deferred compensation plans, welfare benefit plans, Section 401(k) plans, profit sharing plans, and pension plans. Kirsten represents a number of tax-exempt entities as well as for-profit companies. She is a member of the Tax Sections of The Florida Bar and the American Bar Association, as well as the State Bar of California and the District of Columbia Bar.

Darren Vogel oversees the day-to-day operations of the Florida office where he plays an active role in each project. As a registered professional engineer, his experience in commercial, heavy civil and industrial construction make him uniquely qualified to coach field staff on pursuits unique to Florida.

Bridgette Walker is the AVP,  Market Leader IV, Business development for BB&T Bank serving Lakeland. She manages the Downtown and Foxwood Lakeland Offices. Bridgette is experienced in business banking and lending solutions, starting her career with AmSouth Bank over 30 years ago. Email

Steve Wasko, the General Manager of MaxPak, is a forest products industry veteran with over 40 years of corrugated packaging experience in sales, manufacturing and management.

J.J. Weeks is President of Avon Leasing, Inc. He holds the designation of Certified Vehicle Leasing Expert. J.J. is a graduate of the University of Alabama.

Howard Wiggs is a lifelong Polk County resident.  Howard was a banker for a dozen years. He joined his wife, Linda Bagley Wiggs, as co-owner of Bagley Advertising which they sold in 2015 after 30 years as partners. The company is still going strong. He served for 25 years on the Lakeland City Commission, the last four as Mayor before being termed out in 2018. Howard is the managing partner of the family’s four office locations. He enjoys being on the Board for Citizens Bank & Trust where he serves on the loan committee as well as chairing the audit committee. After creating LoveLakeland, a 501 c 3 nonprofit corporation in 2013, they expanded that initiative by joining with Chrissanne Long in forming City Makers in 2017.

Shelly Wilkes is the team president of the Lakeland Magic, G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic. She is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day business operations of the team. Wilkes spent 13 seasons with the Orlando Magic and started as a game-night staff member in the marketing department before being hired full-time as group sales coordinator.  She held multiple positions within the sales and marketing areas of the company, most recently as the senior director of live entertainment and production services in July 2015 before being named the president of the Lakeland Magic in December 2016. Wilkes received her bachelor’s degree in general business from the University of Central Florida in 2002 and was a member of the women’s volleyball team.  She later graduated from the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at UCF in 2004 and earned master’s degrees in both business administration and sport business management. Shelly lives in Orlando with her husband Dallas and daughters, Quinn and Addison.

A third-generation Lakelander and active member of the business community, Mark Wilson is a graduate of Kathleen High School and the University of Central Florida, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering. He started his career working alongside his father, engineer Robert Wilson, and joined North Carolina-based Kimley-Horn in 2002 to establish the firm’s Lakeland office.

Tracy Wilson is the Senior Vice President, IT Strategy, Governance and Business Planning (Office of the CIO) for Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (MVWC) where she has worked in varying roles for 33 years. In the Office of the CIO, she is responsible for ensuring a consistent and strategic approach to the use of IT across the enterprise, and ensuring a consistent, transparent and efficient methodology to the way the IT organization delivers value to the business; including, financial management, portfolio management and PMO governance, business relationship management, and IT marketing and communications.

Justin is VP of Real Estate for the Florida Division for Palmetto Capital Group. He is responsible for creating strategic partnerships with growing companies and assisting with their build-to-suit real estate development needs.

Jason Witty is the Vice President of Operations for the State of Florida. Jason started with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of New Mexico in 2002, as the Information Technology Manager. In 2005, he and his family moved to Florida, to take the Director of Information Technology role. Jason has worked with both corporate supply chain leadership as well as the Florida Operations team to evolve the SGWS distribution network into an efficient, centralized service model. Jason has his undergraduate degree from Florida Southern College and his sons are pursuing their undergraduate degrees from the University of South Florida.

Mike is a Business Insurance Advisor at Heacock Insurance Group. He specializes in working with the CFO/CEO's of middle market companies, across various industries, to identify the property & casualty risks associated not only with their industry, but with their unique operations. He is a fourth generation Lakelander and lives in Lakeland with his wife Val, children Isabella and Sebastian and their two dogs, Remi and Mila. In addition to his involvement with the agency, Mike is active in the Polk County Builders Association, Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine amongst others. Mike is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XXXII.

January of 2018 and is now the acting President & COO.  Rod brings over 30 years’ worth of experience in the food business that includes: managing 24 Taco Bell restaurants for PepsiCo, working for Illes Seasonings and Flavors, first as Vice President of Sales, and later as President, a combined 21 years at Cargill in a variety of sales leadership roles. Before joining Tampa Maid Foods, Rod was working for North Central Equity as President of Wells Food Processing. Rod has three grown daughters and a grandson. Rod is also an author, having published eight books. His children’s series is in over 400 elementary school libraries, and he has raised over $10,000 for schools and charities with the sales from his books.

Ezra is the Vice President of Distribution for Rooms To Go. He is responsible for overseeing the operation of six distribution centers in five states and the operational aspects of the Florida divisions clearance stores. Ezra has worked for Rooms To Go for thirteen years.  Previously, he worked twenty one years in similar capacities for two major retailers in the New York Metro are