New roles at PCTSM for Zimmerman, Duncan
Two longtime Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing managers have accepted new positions within the organization.
This image has Marc Zimmerman on the left and Neal Duncan on the right.
Marc Zimmerman, the longtime Senior Sales Events Manager for Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, now has a new focus.
“I’m thrilled to be the departments new Senior Economic Development Manager,” said Zimmerman. “Economic development – from new hotels to new sports fields – will continue to be key to the economic growth of Polk County.”
Zimmerman’s new duties include recruiting and developing PCTSM’s major capital development projects as well as infrastructure related to the tourism and sports industry. He will also have divisional fiscal oversight.
Neal Duncan, who was the senior business development manager, will be taking over Zimmerman’s old role. Neal was responsible for corporate sponsorships at PCTSM.
“After 13 years in the same position, the first few weeks of the transition were strange,” said Duncan. “But I think my knowledge of the area, as well as my contacts in the community and sports industry, will make this a smooth transition.”
As the Senior Sales and Events Manager for Central Florida’s Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, Duncan is responsible for overseeing sports event recruiting, management and promotion of more than 260 events annually.
With a bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern and a Master’s in Business Administration from Delta State University in Mississippi, Zimmerman had held his previous position for the past 19 years. He served two terms on the board of the National Association of Sports Commissions, one term on the board of the Florida Youth Soccer Association and is a graduate of Leadership Polk. He is a certified Sports Event Executive and serves as an adjunct professor of sports marketing at Florida Southern. While at PCTSM, Zimmerman assisted in the development of Lake Myrtle Park, including the recruitment of the Florida Youth Soccer Association to Auburndale, helped bring the Lakeland Magic to Polk County and has been instrumental in the conceptualization and creation of the Winter Haven Fieldhouse.
Duncan was the Director of Membership and Special Events for the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce before coming to PCTSM. At the chamber he was responsible for recruiting new members and acquiring sponsorships. Prior he had served as the Director of Communications for the chamber.
He is a former member on the American Cancer Society’s Bartow/Fort Meade Board of Directors as well as a former Bartow Relay For Life Chairman. Additionally, Duncan served on the 2008 membership committee for the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce as well as a member of the George W. Harris, Jr. Runaway and Youth Crisis Shelter Advisory Committee; Bartow Unlimited Youth Football and Cheerleading Board of Directors and formerly was the Chairman of the Junior Jacket Basketball Program.
Duncan has served on the Florida Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors since 2010.