{"id":245155,"date":"2026-04-24T19:07:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T19:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/245155\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T19:07:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T19:07:07","slug":"the-orlando-regional-perspective-april-24-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/245155\/","title":{"rendered":"The Orlando Regional Perspective | April 24, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the\u00a0Orlando Regional Perspective,\u00a0where I share stories that bring the\u00a0Orlando 2045 Vision<\/a>\u00a0to life and highlight the progress shaping our region\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

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1) Florida\u2019s shifting growth dynamics\u00a0\u2013 A recent\u00a0Wall Street Journal\u00a0analysis of Florida\u2019s changing migration patterns reinforces a trend we are monitoring closely. The article notes that Orlando joined Miami, Naples, and Panama City in experiencing a net loss of domestic migrants in 2024, concentrated among residents age 44 and under, with overall population growth sustained only by international migration. Our\u00a02025 Orlando Talent Report: Closing the Gap<\/a>\u00a0was cited directly, highlighting a demographic shift in which younger, working-age residents are increasingly replaced by older arrivals less connected to the labor force. The reporting underscores that affordability pressures now extend well beyond housing, as rising rents, insurance, and cost-of-living increases have outpaced wage growth, leaving 45% of regional households financially insecure. Coupled with data showing a growing share of Floridians living paycheck to paycheck and considering leaving the state, this serves as a clear signal that Florida\u2019s traditional growth model is under strain and strengthens the case for continued focus on higher-wage industry diversification, housing attainability, and more intentional regional placemaking.\u00a0Read the full story<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

2) Grateful for Fred Kittinger\u2019s enduring impact on our region\u00a0\u2013 Fred Kittinger\u2019s retirement from UCF marks the close of an extraordinary chapter for both the university and the Orlando region. Throughout his career, Fred has been a steadfast champion for economic growth, consistently serving as a trusted partner for the business and civic community. His leadership helped align UCF\u2019s academic and research strengths with the needs of employers and emerging industries, strengthening the region\u2019s talent pipeline and innovation capacity. Through collaboration, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to regional prosperity, Fred, who served as a Leadership Orlando Chair, played a meaningful role in advancing Central Florida\u2019s economic competitiveness, leaving a legacy that will be felt well beyond his tenure. Thank you Fred, for all you\u2019ve done and\u00a0congratulations\u00a0on your retirement.\u00a0Read more<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3) Calling all Leadership Orlando alumni\u00a0\u2013 We invite you to stay connected to the Leadership Orlando community by joining the Leadership Orlando Alumni Association. As an alum, you are part of a powerful network of leaders committed to strengthening our region, and the Alumni Association offers meaningful opportunities to reconnect, grow, and give back. Through exclusive events, professional development, community impact initiatives, and peer engagement, the Association helps you continue the Leadership Orlando experience long after your class year. Join us and help shape the future of leadership in Central Florida, together.\u00a0Learn more<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4) NEW EPISODE: \u201cThe City Playbook\u201d featuring Bret Perkins\u00a0\u2013 In this episode of \u201cThe City Playbook\u201d, I sit down with Bret Perkins, Senior Vice President, Community Growth & Economic Development at Comcast, to explore how civic leadership shapes the future of cities like Orlando and communities across the United States. Drawing from decades of experience working across more than 6,000 cities and towns, Bret shares powerful insights on civic responsibility, community engagement, and the importance of building strong civic infrastructure. My favorite part is when we talk about \u201ccivic infrastructure\u201d and how systems within a city work together and why local engagement matters more than ever in a global economy. If you\u2019re a business leader, policymaker, entrepreneur, or someone who cares about the future of your city, this episode will challenge you to rethink your role, and step into it.\u00a0Like, subscribe and share now<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n

5) Strengthening our civic leadership pipeline\u00a0\u2013 Last week, we kicked off the 2026 Public Leadership Institute (PLI), civic track, marking another important step in building Central Florida\u2019s civic leadership pipeline. This class brings together 26 professionals from business, nonprofit, and community sectors who are committed to understanding the policymaking process and engaging effectively in public leadership and advocacy. The new class was welcomed by Tony Massey, president and CEO of Massey Services. Massey Services serves as the presenting sponsor of PLI. Since the launch of PLI, more than 30 graduates have gone on to serve in elected office, underscoring the long-term value of investing in informed, business-minded leaders who help shape our region\u2019s future.\u00a0Read more and see the photos here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Programs & Events<\/p>\n

2026 Washington, D.C. Advocacy Trip\u00a0presented by BakerHostetler & supported by TECO\u00a0\/\/ May 19-21 \/\/\u00a0REGISTER TODAY<\/a>\u00a0(Open to OEP Investors at the Ambassador, Director, and Governors Council levels ONLY)<\/p>\n

ICYMI<\/p>\n

County to take next step in training facility upgrade at Osceola Heritage Park<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Click Orlando\u00a0
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Miami developer secures bridge loan for Disney-area apartment project<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Orlando Sentinel\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to the\u00a0Orlando Regional Perspective,\u00a0where I share stories that bring the\u00a0Orlando 2045 Vision\u00a0to life and highlight the progress…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":129656,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[139,141,140],"class_list":{"0":"post-245155","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-orlando","8":"tag-orlando","9":"tag-orlando-headlines","10":"tag-orlando-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245155"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245155\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=245155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=245155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}