About Citrus Connection

George Lindsey

Commissioner

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Commissioner George Lindsey was first elected to the BoCC in 2012 and was re-elected withouth opposition in 2016. He served as the 2014-2015 BoCC chairman. He has worked to attract new employers and remove barriers to the expansion of existing businesses in Polk County. He also is working to increase partnerships between the county and municipalities on matters such as planning, water supply and parks. Lindsey currently serves as the chair of the Polk Regional Water Cooperative.

Prior to his service as a commissioner, Commissioner Lindsey served on the Polk County Charter Review Commission in 2001 and as its chair in 2009. He also served on the Polk County Comprehensive Plan Committee and numerous other city and county citizen advisory committees. He was elected chairman in 2014.

H. William "Bill" Mutz

Mayor

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Lakeland Mayor H. William "Bill" Mutz was born in Indianapolis, IN and graduated from Indiana University in 1976 with a BS in Finance and Marketing. Twenty years later, he moved to Lakeland where he became President of the Lakeland Automall making him a subject matter expert in the area of transportation. In 2012, Mayor Mutz left the Lakeland Automall and took on the role of Managing Partner for both Greenstar Panels & Greenovative Homes. In 2014, he became a Senior Consultant for Claridge Associates, where he remains today.

Mayor Mutz and his wife, Pam Gaiser Mutz, of Denver, CO, have been married for over 40 years and are parents of 12 children—seven boys and five girls: Cari, Jonathan, Jacob, Lori, Ozzie, Kelli, Michael, Eric, Mark, Kirsti, Stephen & Emma—ranging in age from 39 to 18 years old! Bill and Pam are also Grandparents of 19 grandchildren.

Bill and Pam speak nationally for FamilyLife WTR Marriage Conferences and are members of the First Baptist Church of the Mall, Lakeland, for 20 years, where they have taught Sunday School and Bill has served as Executive Committee Co-Chair & Personnel Committee Chairman.  Bill is also a founding member of Grace City Church, Lakeland, FL and serves on Church Council.

 

Martha Santiago

Commissioner

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Commissioner Martha Santiago, Ed. D. joined the Citrus Connection Board of Directors in Oct. of 2020 bringing representation to northeastern Polk County, one of the fastest growing regions in the state.

Commissioner Santiago recently retired as provost for Polk State College’s Winter Haven campus, Center for Public for Safety, Lake Wales centers, and Northeast Polk satellite location. Prior to being named Provost in 2014, Santiago was the dean of academic affairs for Polk State’s Winter Haven campus and Lake Wales centers.

Santiago, who resides in Winter Haven, was elected to the County Commission in November 2018 and is a strong advocate for public transits as well as economic development, growth & Infrastructure and Community Safety.

A proud wife, mother and grandmother, Santiago is the owner of Leadership Consultants, LLC and serves on various community boards including the United Way of Central Florida, Good Shepherd Hospice, Heart of Florida Hospital, Polk Vision, Women’s Resource Center and the Haines City and Winter Haven Chambers of Commerce.

Guy LaLonde

Commissioner

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Guy LaLonde, a proud US Navy veteran and local business owner, joined the LAMTD Board in January of 2024. He is married to Tonya and has 7 children and 3 grandchildren. 

He is a local business owner of Lakeland Moonwalk and Under One Tent Events. 

His businesses serve Lakeland and surrounding cities and counties and have won numerous Best Small Business awards. Guy currently sits on the Polk County Housing and Finance Authority Board, as well as the boards for KidsPack and Central Florida Speech and Hearing. 

Guy enjoys family time, hunting, fishing and anything community related.

Sara Roberts McCarley

Board Chair

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Citrus Connection welcomed Sara Roberts McCarley to the board in 2019. McCarley was born in Lakeland, raised in Davenport and graduated from Florida Southern College. In her career, she is dedicated to making a difference. Through her work with Best Buddies International, she developed a program that was implemented in high schools nationwide to enhance the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities through friendship and employment. Most recently her role as Executive Director at Polk Vision heightened her commitment locally while building public-private partnerships to serve the community.

Commissioner McCarley is dedicated to helping her community. She’s an active volunteer in and around Lakeland. Her current community involvement includes work with with the Harrison School for the Arts Philanthropy Committee and Parent Association, the Lakeland High School Parent Teacher Partnership, Lawton Chiles Middle Academy PTO, First United Methodist Church Nominations Committee and Alter Guild, the Lakeland Area Cotillion Council, Leadership Lakeland Class XXXVI - Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, and the Leadership Polk Alumni Association.

She is also dedicated to cultivating leaders. After her first husband, Randy, passed away suddenly in 2009, McCarley converted her grief into action. She created the Randy Roberts Foundation in his legacy. Through this organization, she empowers young students to participate in government on the local, state and national level.

Sara Roberts McCarley was sworn in on January 22nd, 2019 and is Commissioner for Lakeland's SW District