Amy Wiggins, President & CEO, Lakeland Chamber of Commerce

In an interview with Invest:, Amy Wiggins, president and CEO of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, discussed the growth and diversity of Lakeland’s business community. She highlighted the chamber’s focus on key areas like advanced manufacturing and talent development, while identifying childcare and housing as major challenges for the future.

How would you describe the state and development of Lakeland’s business community?

I would say it’s diverse — and growing in that diversity. That’s something we’ve worked intentionally on, both at the chamber and at the city level. When I say diversity, I mean in every facet: the size of businesses, types of industries, business ownership, and employment bases. We’ve partnered with organizations like the Lakeland Economic Development Council to build that diversity purposefully.

It’s exciting to see small businesses and entrepreneurs thrive, with support from resources like Catapult, the Florida Small Business Development Center, Prospera USA, and the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation. We’re not only welcoming entrepreneurs but also providing them with the tools they need to succeed long term.

Looking back, it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come. In the late ’80s, our economy was struggling, and we didn’t have the kind of intentional industry diversity we see today. Even a decade ago, diversity wouldn’t have been the first word to describe our business landscape. But now, it’s what gets me excited. It’s what makes me eager to come into work every day — seeing how far we’ve come and how much further we can go.

What is the economic landscape in Lakeland, and which industries are driving its growth?

We’ve been very deliberate about strengthening our manufacturing landscape, especially in advanced manufacturing. It’s a key driver not just for Lakeland’s economy, but for the broader U.S. economy as well. We’re fortunate to have partners like the Lakeland Economic Development Council and the Central Florida Development Council, which have been instrumental in attracting and expanding these industries. Plus, having a municipal electric company gives us more flexibility in working with businesses, making it easier to court them and meet their energy needs.

This growth in advanced manufacturing has created a supportive environment for smaller businesses too. We’ve seen significant expansion in our Hispanic- and Black-owned businesses, which is exciting. Polk County, during the pandemic, was one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. About 80 people a day were moving here, and while that presented challenges for infrastructure, it also brought new businesses, skills, and diversity to our community.

Logistics continues to be a strong industry for us, given our location, and that complements the growth we’re seeing in manufacturing. Our port relationships are constantly improving, and that adds even more potential. What excites me most is not just the new businesses arriving, but also how established industries are evolving. For example, GMF has grown significantly, and they even created an apprenticeship program to build a skilled workforce. They’re not only contributing to the economy but investing back into the community by developing talent.

How is data being used by the chamber to shape policies and advocate for business-friendly initiatives?

As a chamber, we rely on data to represent our members and the broader business community. As a chamber, we are in the business of data. We need reliable information to understand what’s important to our members and the broader business community. One of the biggest challenges we’ve identified is the talent pipeline, and that’s guided much of our work going forward. It’s helped us focus on what’s truly important — where we need to put our efforts to support our members.

The data has also been incredibly useful for our grassroots advocacy. It’s allowed us to recognize which issues are critical for businesses and which aren’t. That helps us decide when to act — whether it’s calling legislators or drafting resolutions. We’ve seen a lot of interest in internships recently, with businesses wanting to better understand how to create effective programs.

Another focus has been breaking down the language barrier between businesses and schools. Principals and CEOs want the same things for students, but they don’t always speak the same language. By helping bridge that gap, we’re building stronger connections between education and business. One of the other insights we’ve gathered from our data is that people really want in-person networking again. During the pandemic, virtual workshops were helpful, but now people are eager to reconnect face-to-face, which has always been a hallmark of Lakeland’s business community. Networking is back, and we’re excited to see how that will continue to grow.

What are the most pressing challenges businesses in Lakeland face, and how is the chamber collaborating to address them?

One of the biggest challenges is the talent pipeline, especially in public administration. There’s a significant gap in the pipeline for roles like city management, county directors, and other government jobs. These aren’t always seen as natural career paths, but they’re incredibly important. We need talented people in these positions, and that’s where the chamber can make a big impact.

We’re also fortunate to have initiatives like the Civics Academy in Polk County, which helps develop this kind of talent early on. We’ve been exploring ways to expand on that, and we’re even discussing creating a civics competition or event with other communities to keep this momentum going.

Beyond talent, other challenges we hear from our members include infrastructure issues, especially water and electricity. Wastewater capacity is a major concern for development, and housing remains a significant challenge for our workforce. Childcare is another big issue, not just in Lakeland but nationwide. We’ve been working with local leaders on solutions.

We’re also seeing an increasing focus on behavioral health and what it means for both employees and employers. Lakeland has strong healthcare systems, and we’re seeing more operators enter the space, especially since the certificate of need was removed. We’ve been working closely with nonprofits, healthcare providers, and businesses to better understand these issues. 

How is the chamber working with educational institutions to benefit businesses and students?

We’ve been working closely with Polk County Public Schools and Lakeland Vision over the past year and a half. Education has consistently been one of the community’s top priorities, and we’ve partnered with them to create an education committee to address key challenges. One of the biggest hurdles we’ve tackled is the disconnect in language between businesses and schools.

We worked together to produce a “Partners in Education Opportunities Guide,” which helps schools and businesses engage in more meaningful ways. Instead of just asking businesses for donations, we’re encouraging them to get more involved. For example, a local realtor, Jen Lee, partnered with Southwest Elementary School, and instead of just giving a check, she helped them launch a Digital Media Academy. She sourced equipment and brought in her professional network to teach students about media and communications. Now, there’s a waiting list for the program, and student attendance has improved.

What are the chamber’s key goals and priorities for the next few years?

We’ve just started our strategic plan focused on accelerating the business community. This year, we’ve been focused on strengthening businesses, and our next priority is talent development. Childcare has emerged as a significant challenge — it’s difficult for small businesses to operate and hard for larger companies to recruit employees when there are long waiting lists for childcare. We need to figure out how we can address this issue.

We also have a city election coming up, and part of our focus will be helping people understand what it means to serve as an elected official. We want to encourage civic-minded individuals to step up and take on those roles.

But overall, I think housing and childcare will be our two biggest challenges. It’s about finding the balance between economics and affordability in these areas. It’s not an easy problem to solve, but with the support of the business community, I’m confident we can make progress.