Today, Lakeland’s economy is bustling, ranking nationally for growth + performance. Now imagine if the city’s top industries were nearly wiped out and unemployment spiked to 16% in Polk County. That was the climate when the Lakeland Economic Development Council (LEDC) began 40 years ago after phosphate mining, citrus farming, aviation, and tourism all took major hits.
“When the leadership of private industry formed the LEDC in 1984, they knew that we needed to diversify our economy or our unemployment, already at record levels, would continue to rise,” said LEDC President Steve Scruggs, who joined the council in 1988. Since its beginning, the LEDC has worked to attract new businesses and help existing ones expand.
George Jenkins (right) was integral to the beginning of the LEDC — Publix is still a member today.
Photo via Publix
The privately funded organization bridges gaps between companies, developers, the government, and more entities. It works along with 140+ member companies, targeting industries like corporate headquarters, logistics, and aviation (think: companies such as Publix, Amazon, and Draken International). From 2020 to 2024, those members generated 3,000 jobs and $783 million in capital investment.
How does the LEDC recruit new companies to Lakeland? By making it more business-friendly + a better place to live. The nonprofit finds inspiration by visiting cities around the country and brings ideas home to influence everything from development and education to public policy. It also started its own initiatives, such as Catapult and Lakeland Leads.
The LEDC plans to continue enriching Lakeland’s economy in its next four decades. “Not only are we recruiting companies or advocating for policies that create prosperity for Lakelanders today, but we look to what our economy will need five, 10, and 20 years from now,” Scruggs said. “From utility infrastructure, to our education ecosystem to our dining and entertainment offerings — they are all foundational elements in our success of growing jobs and expanding industry.”
