The Downtown Kissimmee Council hosted a packed 2025 Downtown Update on Thursday, August 21 at the Kissimmee Civic Center. Presented by Positively Osceola, the event brought together community and business leaders to share key updates on projects shaping the heart of Kissimmee.
Highlights included Kissimmee Police Chief Charles “Chuck” Broadway on public safety and community engagement; Shawn Germolus, Director of Aviation at City of Kissimmee Gateway Airport on growth at the airport, including a new hotel project; David Rodriguez, Director of Economic Development with the City of Kissimmee on two new hotel/convention/mixed use projects coming soon to Downtown Kissimmee; Mark Phillips of AECOM with updates on the Connect Kissimmee streetscape and infrastructure project currently workshopping for Downtown, and David Shimp, CEO of HCA Florida Osceola Hospital, on healthcare advancements and facility expansion at Kissimmee's Downtown Hospital.
Guests enjoyed a warm breakfast and coffee bar catered by Downtown favorite Susanna’s Café, and Robert Anthony Florist supplied the centerpieces. The Osceola Library System's Candice Shields, Chairwoman of the Downtown Kissimmee Council, emceed the program.
The Council also took the time to announce that Downtown Dollars are available to purchase now through November 1. Downtown Dollars are real currency good at many Downtown Kissimmee shops, businesses, and restaurants. Purchase them for employee gifts, Christmas Party give-aways, or for your own use. For bulk purchases, contact Robin Hughes at rhughes@theosceolachamber.com.
We were fortunate to have Positively Osceola on hand to livestream the program in its entirety and you can view it all below.
In addition, find the slides from the Kissimmee Gateway Airport presentation HERE and the Connect Kissimmee presentation HERE, plus view some images in the gallery below.
On Wednesday, August 13 our Leadership Osceola Class of 2025 officially graduated! The 39-person class, their friends, family, colleagues, Leadership Alumni, and members of the Osceola community gathered at Presenting Sponsor Walt Disney World's Yacht Club Resort for a celebratory luncheon.
After the graduates paraded in accompanied by Mickey Mouse himself, Chamber Foundation Chairman Dale Miller greeted the crowd and offered some history of Leadership Osceola, which is a program that has thrived in the Osceola community for 36 years. The Chamber Foundation has been the home of Leadership Osceola for the last 5 of those years, and through the program, the Foundation supports the Chamber's mission to be "champions for business and the Osceola community' by bringing people and resources together throughout the program. The goal of Leadership Osceola is to develop leaders who, in turn, build our community.
In addition to Disney, Miller thanked Title Sponsor Kissimmee Utility Authority, and Keynote Speaker sponsor AdventHealth. Elizabeth Watkins, Senior Manager of Government Relations at Walt Disney World welcomed the crowd to the Yacht Club and Walt Disney World Resort, the site of Leadership Osceola graduation for over 30 years.
Recently our Government Advisory Coordinator Xely Martinez was invited to check out Walt Disney World's Disney Institute, which now offers classes in Spanish and Portuguese. Her class, “Perspectiva de Disney en Excelencia Empresarial,” marks Disney Institute's first ever class in Spanish. Xely says it was inspiring to learn how Disney applies their leadership principles across every part of their organization and how any business can implement them.
That this program is now being offered in Spanish and Portuguese expands its reach to more diverse business communities. This initiative is a powerful reflection of Disney’s commitment to inclusion and its mission to create happiness with a big heart. Many of the attendees at this first Spanish-language class were business leaders and owners from across Central Florida and Latin America. The class is appropriate for everyone from CEOs to small business owners. Business owners can learn a lot from the program about how Disney does things and adapt that knowledge to their own businesses of any size.
After two incredible days filled with insights on how to achieve business excellence, Xely was inspired to learn that "you don't have to be a CEO to create real impact; change can start from wherever you are!"
Find info on Disney Institute's Spanish and Portuguese programming HERE and other Disney Institute classes HERE.
See some photos from Xely's experience below, then scroll down to read our original blog about our Disney Institute experiences back in 2022.
