Todd's Podcast

In this episode, Todd welcomes back Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about public safety in Florida and beyond. Sheriff Judd breaks down the realities of immigration enforcement, how local agencies now coordinate with ICE, and his proposed solution for fixing the nation’s immigration system. He also discusses open carry laws, human trafficking investigation...

Angela Davis, Polk County coordinator for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, joins Todd for a heartwarming episode about the mission and impact of this beloved program. She shares how her team brings Christmas joy to thousands of children each year, explaining what it takes to organize large-scale toy drives, manage volunteers, responsibly manage donations, and build the community partnerships t...

Johnny Townsend is a former NFL punter and a 2x All-American Florida Gator. He joins Todd to talk about life on and off the field, from his record-setting days in The Swamp to becoming a 2018 NFL draft pick. Johnny reflects on his journey through recruitment, his time with the Raiders and Chiefs, and the lessons learned about discipline, leadership, and identity in sports.  He also shares the stor...

Jerry Layne is a recently retired Major League Baseball umpire whose career spanned 35 years, from 1989 in the National League through both leagues until 2024. As one of the game’s most experienced officials, his resume includes historic moments such as being behind the plate for Barry Bonds’ 71st home run and Fernando Valenzuela’s no-hitter.  Jerry joins Todd in this episode to dive into the real...

Christiaan Abbott is an Executive Cruise Director for Disney Cruise Line, currently serving aboard the Disney Wish. Joining Todd in this episode, Christiaan shares his remarkable journey from starting as a professional dancer at age 15, to performing around the world, to eventually leading entertainment for Disney overseas. He reflects on his background in dance, comedy, and theater, his time as a...

This podcast episode takes a fun turn as Todd sits down with two of Saunders Real Estate’s Gen Z team members, Sarah Falcetti and Aubrey Martin. Sarah, the firm’s Event and Community Outreach Coordinator, shares how her love for communication, community involvement, and event planning led her to the real estate industry. Aubrey, the Property Management Coordinator, talks about her path from intern...

Ben Friedman is the Senior Rates & Regulatory Strategy Analyst at Duke Energy in Tampa, Florida. He joins this podcast episode to share economic insights on the direction of U.S. interest rates, housing affordability, and workforce challenges in a rapidly changing market shaped by AI and demographic shifts.  Ben and Todd's discussion then pivots to energy—covering the role of solar, the r...

Drew Wilcox is the Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Florida. He joins Todd in this episode to talk about his company’s micro mill in Frostproof and its overall impact on Central Florida.  Drew shares his journey from starting at Nucor in Texas earning $5.25 an hour to leading a $250 million plant project in Polk County. He discusses Nucor’s environmentally friendly electric arc fu...

This episode welcomes Alex Cruz, cofounder of The 22 Project, and USAF veteran Major General Robert “Mumbles” Polumbo. Together, they share the powerful story behind The 22 Project, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing suicides amongst veterans struggling with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD through innovative hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and community support.  Since initially sponsoring t...

David Hitchcock was a defensive lineman for the University of Florida in the 1970s and is a decorated land advisor at Saunders Real Estate. In his conversation with Todd, David shares stories from his days as a Gator football all-star, including his memories of integration in college athletics, his most memorable games, and his journey from the son of a Baptist preacher in Winter Haven to team cap...

Ron O’Connor AKA " Ronnie Ocean " is a longtime broadcaster of The O-Zone on 96.7FM in Lakeland, and is a newly inducted member of the Polk County Sports Hall of Fame. In this podcast episode, Todd invites Ron to look back on a 20-year run hosting on WLKF Radio, where he’s interviewed legends like John Wooden, Tom Lasorda, and Danny Wuerffel.  The discussion dives into Ron’s journey from...

In the fourth installment of General-ly Speaking on Todd’s Podcast, Todd welcomes Navy veteran and Congressman Scott Franklin alongside Air Force veteran Major General H.D. “Jake” Polumbo for an in-depth conversation on the evolving landscape of American defense and political leadership. The episode opens with a frank discussion on the state of civility and bipartisanship in Congress, drawing from...

Tommy Ray is a former Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) whose career spanned four decades. In this episode, Tommy shares gripping stories from some of his most high-profile cases, including the infamous 1997 Nelson Serrano quadruple murder in Bartow, which ultimately led to Serrano's extradition from Ecuador.  Tommy also reflects on his role in the investigat...

In this flavorful episode, Todd sits down with his longtime friend and barbecue restaurateur, Jim Rabe—owner of Smokin’ Jim’s House of Bar-B-Q in Auburndale, Florida. From pitching heat on the baseball diamond to slow-smoking ribs and brisket, Jim shares the winding journey that led him to the foodservice industry.  They discuss Jim’s role as the unofficial pitmaster at local backyard cookouts, hi...

Steve Giordano is the President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County. Drawing from decades of experience in corporate turnarounds, Steve brings a practical, solutions-driven approach to nonprofit leadership—one that has helped stabilize and grow the organization while deepening its impact on the lives of local families. From reducing teen pregnancy and increasing graduation rates t...

In this installment of our entrepreneur series, "Launching From Scratch," Todd invites TJ Zimmerman, co-owner of Concord Coffee. Founded in 2015, Concord is a craft coffee roaster and café with locations in Lakeland and Gainesville, Florida—built on a mission to create meaningful local communities through quality coffee and intentional spaces. Todd and TJ explore the early days of Concor...

In this installment of General-ly Speaking on Todd's Podcast, Todd is joined by Major General (ret) H.D. "Jake" Polumbo and Major General (ret) Kurt “Nubes” Neubauer. Their conversation revolves around the complexities of Air Force operations, with a particular focus on safety, risk management, and leadership under pressure, and General Neubauer's background as the USAF Chief o...

Walker Peek is the Founder & CEO of Commercial Acoustics—a company specializing in commercial soundproofing, acoustic treatment, and sound masking solutions nationwide. In the inaugural episode of our "Launching From Scratch" series, Todd sits down with Walker to discuss his company, how it came to fruition, and their goals going forward.  Walker shares about the challenges of entrep...

Carter Henne is a marine biologist and is the CEO of Sea & Shoreline, an aquatic restoration firm based in Florida. Joining Todd in this episode, Carter shares his passion for restoring and preserving aquatic ecosystems, discussing the importance of seagrass restoration, water quality improvement, and coastal resiliency. From his early days growing up in Polk County to leading large-scale rest...

Emily Rogers is the Founder & CEO of Emily Rogers Consulting + Coaching. With a career spanning over 12 years as an executive leader and advisor to Fortune 100 brands, Emily joins Todd to discuss the power of executive coaching, team development, and legacy leadership, offering insights into how leaders can grow with purpose and intention.  From succession planning to behavior change, she brea...

Joining this episode is Nick Del Castillo, a former Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and a former Deputy Sheriff with the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Nick has spent much of his law enforcement career undercover, navigating high-stakes drug busts, criminal investigations, and intense operations that helped take dangerous criminals off the streets. From chasing dow...

Robbie Bell is one of the largest and most respected beekeepers in the state of Florida. From his humble beginnings inspired by his grandfather to running thousands of hives across the state, Robbie joins this podcast episode to share his journey into the buzzing bee business. Todd and Robbie discuss how bees are essential to agriculture and our food supply, the challenges facing the industry—like...

Tim Weisheyer is the 2025 President of Florida Realtors®, the largest professional trade association in the state. In this podcast episode, Tim joins Todd to share his vision for Florida Realtors®, how Realtors® add value to the real estate transaction, and his thoughts on various challenges and opportunities within the real estate industry in general. The conversation also covers a range of topic...

Business owner, author, and passionate advocate for organ donation, Casana Fink is Miss Florida 2024. In this podcast episode, she shares her inspiring journey through the world of pageantry, the rigorous preparation it entails, and how her personal experiences have fueled her advocacy for organ donation awareness. From competitive dancing to starting a nonprofit at just fourteen years old, Todd a...

This special and lighthearted holiday episode is joined by none other than Mrs. Claus herself! In their somewhat unconventional conversation, Todd and Mrs. Claus discuss how she and Santa met, her role in keeping the elves fed and the reindeer ready, and how she manages the stress of Christmas. From pickleball games with the elves to her favorite holiday traditions, Mrs. Claus shares an insider lo...