LAKELAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL INC
226 NORTH KENTUCKY AVE, LAKELAND, FL 33801 www.lakelandedc.com

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Organizations Filed Purposes: BY ATTRACTING NEW COMPANIES AS WELL AS FACILITATING THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING COMPANIES IN THE LAKELAND, FL AREA. THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE TO RETAIN AND GROW EXISTING BUSINESSES; CREATE JOBS AND INVESTMENT; GROW TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS; HIGH-SKILL/HIGH-WAGE EMPLOYMENT GROWTH; SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURIALISM AND NEW BUSINESS CREATION; PROMOTE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT, MARKET LAKELAND, FL AS A PREMIER LOCATION FOR BUSINESS AND FACILITATE PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE GROWTH. THE LEDC'S PRIMARY ROLE IS TO HELP CREATE JOBS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT BY ATTRACTING NEW COMPANIES, AS WELL AS FACILITATING THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING COMPANIES IN THE LAKELAND, FLORIDA AREA. DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AT THE LEDC ARE STAFFED BY FIVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND ONE TO TWO PAID INTERNS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE LEDC'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE MADE OF VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY LEADERS.

THE LAKELAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (LEDC) IS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH APPROXIMATELY 135+ MEMBER COMPANIES. THE LEDC'S PRIMARY ROLE IS TO HELP CREATE JOBS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT BY ATTRACTING NEW COMPANIES AS WELL AS FACILITATING THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING COMPANIES IN THE LAKELAND AREA.

IN 2018, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM WORKED WITH 17 COMPANIES (10 NEW INDUSTRY AND 7 EXISTING INDUSTRY) THAT RESULTED IN 964,660 SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRIAL (WAREHOUSE AND MANUFACTURING) AND OFFICE SPACE. THESE COMPANIES CREATED MORE THAN 1785 NEW JOBS AND 70,600,000+ IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE LAKELAND, FL AREA. THE LAKELAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL HAS KEPT TRACK OF ALL MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN OUR MARKET SINCE 1989. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE AT: HTTP://WWW.LAKELANDEDC.COM/SITE-SELECTION/HISTORICAL-DEVELOPMENT-ACTIVITY- 2/

THE LEDC CREATED A SEPARATELY FUNDED INITIATIVE IN 2003 TO FOCUS ON CREATING HIGH SKILL, HIGH WAGE JOBS TO IMPROVE LAKELAND'S QUALITY OF LIFE. THE HIGH SKILL INITIATIVE IS FOCUSED ON RECRUITING AND RETAINING COMPANIES AND TALENT THAT FOCUS ON ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES AND MANUFACTURE COMPLEX RESEARCH- ORIENTED PRODUCTS. THE HIGH-SKILL INITIATIVE WORKS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS, FACILITATING DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH-SKILL INFRASTRUCTURE (INCLUDING A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY), MARKETING, INCENTIVES, CITY VISITS, INVENTORYING LAKELAND'S COOL ASSETS, & SUPPORTING LAKELAND'S ENTREPRENEURIAL HUB - CATAPULT.

ASHLEY CHEEK, LEDC VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONDUCTED 31 EXISTING INDUSTRY VISITS WITH LEDC MEMBERS. SHE MET WITH OVER 40 EXECUTIVES WHO REPRESENT 1,150+ EMPLOYEES AND 2.3 MILLION SQUARE FEET. THESE MEETINGS ALLOW OUR MEMBERS TO DISCUSS ISSUES THEY MAY BE FACING AND CREATE ADDITIONAL ACTION ITEMS AND LEARNINGS. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE CONDUCTED A TOTAL OF 82 EXISTING INDUSTRY VISITS, WITH 117 EXECUTIVES WITH OVER 6,400 EMPLOYEES AND 9.8 MILLION SQUARE FEET. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THESE VISITS. LEARNINGS - OUR INDUSTRY VISITS HAVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE VALUABLE FEEDBACK AS OUR MEMBERS ARE OPEN & WILLING TO DISCUSS ISSUES THEY ARE FACING. THE TOP 3 DISCUSSION TOPICS INCLUDE: TALENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND QUALITY AMENITIES. OUR MEMBERS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT. ACCESS TO "A" PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS LIMITED. IMPROVEMENT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION WILL TAKE TIME, MONEY, AND POLICY CHANGES. ENTRY LEVEL TALENT IS PLENTIFUL, BUT IT IS HARD TO FIND QUALITY, HSHW TALENT. CATAPULT AND YLAKELAND ARE CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. WE ALSO NEED MORE QUALITY AMENITIES. LEDC BLOG LEDC CONTINUED ITS COMMUNITY CONVERSATION THROUGH BLOGGING ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: -CATAPULT 3.0 - THE RESURRECTION -INCENTIVES - OUR TRACK RECORD -CITIZEN-CENTERED CITY - GAINESVILLE HIGH SKILL - ADVENTURING LEDC ENGAGED SCOTT PATERSON'S COMPANY, ADVENTURING, TO HELP LEDC VISION ITS FUTURE AND HOW WE CAN BRING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY ALONG WITH US. SCOTT'S INITIAL RESEARCH IDENTIFIED KEY ISSUES TO BE AWARE OF MOVING FORWARD INCLUDING: -INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT TRUSTED & DON'T HAVE GOOD USER EXPERIENCE -WE ARE ALONE TOGETHER, FAMILIAR STRANGERS & MARGINALIZE EACH OTHER -EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION IS CHALLENGING THE NARRATIVES TO THOSE IN POWER -ALL CONTENT IS AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE -SELL YOUR "WHY" BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL BUY IT -MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ALREADY CONGREGATE -MAKE SMALL BETS TO MITIGATE RISK -BE NIMBLE IN THE FACE OF THE UNKNOWN -PROTOTYPE YOUR WAY INTO THE FUTURE WITH CONSTANT CUSTOMER FEEDBACK POEMS DERIVED FROM "POSSIBILITY HOURS" WITH LEDC BOARD & STAFF MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF "HOW MIGHT WE" OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING: -HOW MIGHT WE GET MORE PEOPLE IN THE CONVERSATION, TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY? -HOW MIGHT WE CREATE MORE EVENTS WHERE EVERYONE FEELS EQUAL AND INVITED? -HOW MIGHT WE FACILITATE A PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, FIND COMMON GROUND AND HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE PRODUCTIVE INSTEAD OF DIVISIVE? -HOW MIGHT WE CONNECT THE UNCONNECTED AND THOSE THAT FEEL THAT WAY, TO THE CONNECTED AND TO THE DECISION MAKERS? -HOW MIGHT WE MAKE ENTREPRENEURS AND MINORITY BUSINESSES FEEL VALUED, CONNECTED AND SUPPORTED? -HOW MIGHT WE GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE INVOLVED IN IMPROVING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM? -HOW MIGHT WE MAKE IT EASIER TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF LAKELAND, SPECIFICALLY ITS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT? AS PART OF OUR ADVENTURING WORK, LEDC'S BOARD AND STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE AND FOCUS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, EDUCATION AND IMPROVING LAKELAND'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S EXPERIENCE IN 2019. HIGH SKILL CITY VISIT TWENTY LEDC HIGH SKILL INVESTORS COMPLETED THEIR 11TH CITY VISIT OCTOBER 23RD - 25TH TO GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE TRIP FOCUSED ON HIGH-SKILL, HIGH-WAGE EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH CARE, HIGHER EDUCATION, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, REDEVELOPMENT, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. FOUNDERS RETREAT LEDC HELD ITS 2ND ANNUAL FOUNDERS RETREAT FOCUSING ON: PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERSHIP OLAKELAND FIRST OSTRONG MAYOR OCITY COMMISSION TALENT RECRUITMENT & RETENTION OLAKELANDTODAY OEDUCATION OCATAPULT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OMARKET UPDATE COMMUNITY & DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ONEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ODOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT SITES COMMUNITY AGENDA OLEDC BLOG PARKING GARAGE ANOTHER LONG-TIME GOAL OF THE LEDC IS ABOUT TO BE REALIZED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAKELAND'S FIRST PRIVATE-PUBLIC DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE. THIS 800+ SPACE GARAGE IS A PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED BY AND FOR, ASPYRE PROPERTIES, MIDFLORIDA, LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH, AND THE CITY OF LAKELAND. CONSTRUCTION WILL COMMENCE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2019. LEDC'S HIGH-SKILL INVESTORS WERE KEY IN MAKING THIS A REALITY, LED BY ASPYRE'S WESLEY BECK. DEVELOPMENT SITES A LONG-TIME GOAL OF THE LEDC WAS REALIZED IN 2018 WITH THE CREATION OF THREE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT SITE PLANS. LEDC PARTNERED WITH LAKELAND'S CRA AND LOCAL ARCHITECTS TO IDENTIFY SITES AND CREATE FUTURE PLANS FOR THOSE SITES. THESE PLANS HAVE BEEN ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVED BY ALL SEVEN LAKELAND CITY COMMISSIONERS AND WILL BE UNVEILED TO LEDC MEMBERS AT OUR ANNUAL MEETING IN LATE NOVEMBER. THE LAKELAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MAINTAINS A DATA CENTER THAT INCLUDES COMMUNITY DATA INFORMATION AND STATISTICS REGARDING LAKELAND, FLORIDA'S DEMOGRAPHICS (CITY OF LAKELAND), LAKELAND ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT (MOODY'S), ZIP CODE ANALYSIS (NEILSON), WAGES, WORKFORCE AND HOUSING DATA, MAJOR EMPLOYERS, LAKELAND RANKINGS AND THINGS TO DO GUIDE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE LAKELAND, FL COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS PROSPECT COMPANIES LOOKING TO BRING INDUSTRY TO THE LAKELAND AREA. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: HTTP://WWW.LAKELANDEDC.COM/DATACENTER/

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