Lake County economic development partner LEED reports job growth, presses site-readiness agenda

LEAD (Lake Economic Area Development) leaders on Tuesday told the Lake County Board of County Commissioners that job growth and higher wages in the county reflect progress but that the next phase is preparing sites to capture larger employers.

Meg Brew, Lake County director of economic development, introduced the LEED annual update and said the public–private partnership created in August 2022 remains central to the county’s effort to attract higher-wage employers.

"This is a public private partnership and is the intersection between both the public and the private sectors," LEED board Chair Brad Webber said, noting first-quarter 2025 data showing 1.7% job growth in Lake County and average wages around $55,000. Webber said 1,600 of those jobs were in LEED-targeted sectors with average wages of about $73,000 and that wage growth for the county outpaced state and national averages.

Heather Schuberg, LEED chief growth officer, reviewed program results including private-sector investor growth in the past year, the county’s 1,000,000 Cups entrepreneurship events in Claremont and Eustis, and work to advance site readiness. "Site development has been one of LEED’s goals from the very beginning," she said, listing Wellness Way and the Wolf Branch Innovation District as priority corridors.

Ryan Ritchie, director of Visit Lake, presented data LEED used to support a proposed hotel-amenity incentive: he said market research and visitor sentiment studies show a shortage of "full-service" and boutique hotels with meeting spaces in Lake County and that some visitors choose neighboring counties because of limited higher-end options in-county. "Every visitor who chooses to stay in Orange County, Seminole, Marion... is direct revenue leakage," Ritchie said.

LEED highlighted business attraction successes including a fiber-optic company announcement in Eustis and said it recorded 26 new leads this year. The organization also described partnerships that produced grants (Duke Energy site work), SelectUSA attendance and a business-site selector visit that raised awareness among consultants of Lake County’s assets.

Commissioners praised LEED’s work and pressed staff on site-readiness details. Commissioner Smith said the county needs ready-to-develop employment sites so jobs stay and spend locally rather than commuters leaving Lake County. Commissioner Morris, the board liaison, said LEED had "met its metrics" and increased private investment despite limited shovel-ready land. Several commissioners asked staff to keep focusing on Wellness Way, Wolf Branch and Mineola as employment hubs.

Webber and Schuberg flagged a personnel transition: Schuberg will move to a state role with Florida Commerce and LEED said it will monitor Ocala CEP’s new chief executive and the regional partnership underpinning LEED’s CEO arrangements.

The board approved a continuation of the LEED partnership agreement for the coming fiscal year during the same meeting.

Looking ahead, LEED listed 2025–26 initiatives including advanced air mobility, a site readiness task force, a health-care council and semiconductor-related site work tied to NSF-funded regional activity. The organization said its goals are to improve site inventories, promote strategic corridors and increase private-sector investment that will support higher-wage job creation in Lake County.

The board requested continued briefings and asked LEED and county staff to return with progress on site-readiness and a clear timeline for corridor improvements.