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Lake County economic development highlights partnerships, incentives and strategic corridors as job growth focus
Summary
Meg Brew, director of Economic Development, said the office leverages partnerships, manages grant agreements that have supported $237 million in investment and over 1,200 jobs, and is prioritizing workforce development and corridor planning for future growth.
Meg Brew, director of the Office of Economic Development, told the Board on May 22 that the office focuses on business attraction, retention/expansion, site development, small‑business support and workforce development as part of the fiscal 2026 budget presentation.
Brew said the office of four FTEs acts as a connector across public and private partners, listing CareerSource Central Florida, Lake Technical College, Lake Sumter State College, Lake County Schools, UCF Small Business Development Center, Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) and the Lake Economic Area Development organization (LEAD). She said the county’s incentive program has supported more than $237 million in capital investment and the creation of more than 1,200 high‑paying jobs; the office is tracking additional capital investment of about $17 million and 16 jobs tied to a recent incentive agreement.
Brew emphasized workforce development as a priority: the county held its first Lake County workforce summit in FY24 and will publish a one‑stop workforce landing page on a new website. "Workforce development is one of our most critical focus areas," she said.
The presentation highlighted four strategic corridors — Christopher C. Ford (largest/established), Wellness Way, Mineola Interchange and Wolf Branch Innovation District — as places to absorb growth and host job centers. Brew said the Wolf Branch district has recently entitled 12 million square feet of commercial space and that the county is developing branding and a site‑tracking application for corridor transparency.
The office also described partnerships that multiply capacity: in FY24 the Lake County SBDC assisted 292 businesses with 723 consulting sessions; the UCF Eustis incubator launched in October 2023 and serves four clients; and LEAD supported dozens of businesses through visits, technical assistance and attraction projects.
Budget notes: Brew said the office reduced its overall budget modestly by reallocating funds, sharing a financial coordinator across development services, and lowering a small‑business center lease. Commissioners discussed coordinating infrastructure investments (roads, MPO priorities) and engaging the private sector and municipalities to support corridor development and job creation.
