Join Polk State College for its inaugural Aerospace Symposium with industry leaders

Polk State College will host its first-ever Aerospace Symposium featuring a moderated panel discussion with local airport leaders on the current state and future of aviation in Polk County and beyond.

Polk State Aerospace Symposium
Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Prop 75 at the Aerospace Center for Excellence
(SUN ‘n FUN)
4040 Laird Blvd., Lakeland
RSVP by clicking here

The event is free and open to the public and media. The panel will be moderated by Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret.) Jake Polumbo with Two Blue Aces and feature Adam Lunn, Airport Director for Lakeland Linder International Airport; Troy Heidel, Airport Director for Winter Haven Regional Airport; and Jayme Jamison, Program Coordinator for Bartow Executive Airport.

Lunn began his aviation career 15 years ago as an intern at Lakeland Linder (LAL). He became full-time in 2011, serving in several vital roles supporting the airport’s rapid infrastructure growth. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Florida Southern College, is a Certified Member (C.M.) of the American Association of Airport Executives, an Airport Certified Employee (ACE) in Operations, and holds both FAA Private Pilot and Remote Pilot certificates. He became LAL’s director in 2026.

Heidel, a U.S. Army veteran, received his Polk State Associate in Science in Aerospace Administration in 2018 and his Polk State Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Administration in 2020. While attending the Polk State Aerospace Program, he worked as an Airport Technician Supervisor at Winter Haven Regional Airport from 2020 to 2022 before a brief stint at Kissimmee Gateway Airport. He returned as Winter Haven Regional Airport’s Director in 2024.

Jamison develops and manages programming that connects the Bartow Executive Airport to the surrounding community. She brings a background that spans education, museums, and aviation. She began her career in the classroom, teaching for seven years before moving into museum work as Museum Manager at the Florida Air Museum at SUN ‘n FUN. She then served as Cultural Resource Coordinator at the Polk County History Center in Bartow, where she worked in collections, interpretation, and public programming.

Polumbo, a decorated command pilot, holds the distinction as the first and only U.S. Air Force general officer to fly the U-2S in combat, completing 21 missions in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as commander of the Ninth Air Force in South Carolina. He is the Chairman of the Operations & Safety Committee at Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base and serves on the Safety Committee at the Winter Haven Regional Airport.

The College maintains close partnerships with Lakeland Linder International Airport, Winter Haven Regional Airport, and Bartow Executive Airport. These relationships, combined with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization that reduces required flight-training hours, help save students thousands of dollars and help them seamlessly enter the career field. Polk State Aerospace reports strong outcomes, including a 100% FAA exam pass rate and a 92% rate of graduates employed in the industry or continuing their education. Graduates are flying for carriers that include Amazon, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and SkyWest.

“We are proud to host our first Aerospace Symposium and bring together local industry leaders to share their insights and perspectives with our students and community,” said Polk State President Anastasios Kamoutsas. “Our Aerospace Program continues to deliver exceptional results in large part due to strong partnerships with our airports. We remain committed to preparing students for high-demand careers, and this event is an important opportunity to showcase the pathways that strengthen these connections to help our graduates soar.”