Lakeland Chamber To Honor Polk County JROTC Instructors At First Veterans Business Council Breakfast
The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce Veterans Business Council will recognize six instructors who lead military programs in Polk County high schools at its first breakfast, the day before Veterans Day.
The event, called “Saluting Leadership,” will be held Tuesday, Nov. 10, at First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland. The council organized it in coordination with Polk County Public Schools.
Terry G. Coney, a Lakeland city commissioner and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, will speak.
The six JROTC instructors being honored include:
- Kevin Reeves at Winter Haven High School and Michael W. Harris at Lakeland Senior High School. Both Reeves and Harris are retired Army lieutenant colonels.
- Torrez L. Grace, a retired Air Force major, leads the program shared by Kathleen Senior High School and the Central Florida Aerospace Academy.
- José R. Quezada, a retired Marine Corps captain, teaches at Lake Region High School in Eagle Lake.
- Douglas Walker, a retired Navy captain, is at Auburndale High School.
- David Ulch, a Marine Corps veteran, serves as commandant at Summerlin Academy.
The Veterans Business Council is one of the chamber’s member groups, with Mason Elmore of Stahl & Associates as the chair. It says its purpose is to support veteran-owned businesses and widen career and ownership paths for veterans. The council also works to build a network of veteran professionals through advocacy, mentorship, and community engagement.
The honorees’ programs span four branches of the armed forces and six high school campuses in Polk County. Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Lakeland Chamber’s Veterans Business Council JROTC breakfast?
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland.
Which Polk County schools are being recognized?
Winter Haven High School, Lakeland Senior High School, Kathleen Senior High School, together with the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, Lake Region High School, Auburndale High School, and Summerlin Academy.
Who is speaking at the Saluting Leadership breakfast?
Terry G. Coney, a Lakeland city commissioner and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel.
How do I register for the Lakeland Chamber JROTC breakfast?
Registration is through the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce events page. The announcement does not list a ticket price.
What is the Lakeland Chamber’s Veterans Business Council?
A council of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce that supports veteran-owned businesses and works to expand career and ownership paths for veterans. The Nov. 10 breakfast is its first event of this kind.
Sources: “Lakeland Chamber of Commerce to Honor Local ROTC and JROTC Instructors at Inaugural Veterans Business Council Breakfast,” Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, web.lakelandchamber.com, Oct. 20, 2026; “Committees & Councils,” Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, lakelandchamber.com, undated; “Terry G. Coney,” City of Lakeland, lakelandgov.net, undated.
