The region’s official economic development organization welcomes its newest cohort — placing interns inside 22+ companies from global defense contractors to top-tier law firms.
The Business Development Board of the Palm Beaches (BDB) has officially launched the 2026 BDB Summer Intern Program, a curated cohort experience designed to connect high-performing college students with the companies, executives, and professional networks driving one of the fastest-growing business corridors in the Southeast.
This year’s cohort spans more than 22 companies operating across the Palm Beaches — from Pratt & Whitney and Greenberg Traurig to Palm Beach Capital, Related Ross, and SROA Capital. The lineup reflects the same cross-sector depth that has made the Palm Beaches a national destination for corporate relocations and headquarters expansions: finance, technology, defense and more.
More Than a Summer Job
The program goes well beyond traditional internship placement. The Business Development Board designed it as a multi-event, multi-week experience running through the summer, giving interns direct access to C-suite executives, career development workshops, entrepreneurial challenges, and peer networking — all hosted at some of the region’s most high-profile venues.
The programming kicked off at the brand-new Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Business Hall at Palm Beach Atlantic University, located in the heart of the area known as Wall Street South. Soft skills and career development expert Dakota Frazier of Next Level Influence led the first session, coaching interns on building meaningful business connections, holding their own in conversations with leadership, and leading before they have the title.
From there, the summer calendar includes a CEO boardroom session with BDB President and CEO Kelly Smallridge, an Emerging Leaders panel at the Related Ross Experience Center, a virtual leadership workshop with Dakota Frazier, an entrepreneurship program at 1909 Coworking, and a finale event hosted in the new multi-billion-dollar NORA District — one of West Palm Beach’s most exciting up-and-coming mixed-use developments.
Who’s in the Room
The strength of the cohort is the companies behind it. Interns in this year’s program are placed at organizations that collectively shape Palm Beach County’s economic trajectory:
- Finance & Investment: DSM Capital Partners, Northwestern Mutual, Palm Beach Capital, SROA Capital
- Legal: Greenberg Traurig, Holland & Knight
- Construction & Real Estate: AvalonBay Communities, Forest Development, Hedrick Brothers Construction, NDT Development, Ranger Construction Industries, Related Ross, Verdex Construction, The Weitz Company
- Aerospace & Defense: Pratt & Whitney
- Architecture & Design: Spina O’Rourke + Partners
- Education & Public Sector: Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, Keiser University, Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach County Commission
- Nonprofit & Industry: Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County, Spirit of Giving
That range is not accidental. It mirrors the diverse industry clusters that have fueled the Palm Beaches’ rise as a destination for young professionals — and it gives interns a front-row seat to an economy that looks nothing like the Florida stereotypes.
A Talent Pipeline With a Long Game
The Summer Intern Program is built on a straightforward thesis: the best way to recruit top talent to Palm Beach County long-term is to give them a reason to come back.
Every component of the program is engineered to deepen interns’ connection to the region — not just their host company. Alongside the event programming, BDB provides a Workforce Relocation Guide with budget-friendly places to live, access to an exclusive jobs platform, and curated insights on the area’s cost of living, culture, and career landscape in the latest publications.
It is a talent retention strategy wrapped in a summer experience. And it is free for participating companies — the Business Development Board operates the program as a public benefit through its role as Palm Beach County’s official economic development organization, serving all 39 municipalities across the region.
What the Summer Looks Like
The program features eight sessions across six weeks — six in-person events and two virtual — covering professional development, executive mentorship, entrepreneurship, and networking. Highlights include:
- A reception teaching leadership and soft skills by Dakota Frazier of Next Level Influence
- A CEO boardroom briefing on the economic momentum shaping the Palm Beaches and what’s on the horizon for the region from President & CEO Kelly Smallridge
- An Emerging Leaders and Young Professionals panel featuring rising leaders from multiple industries, with a tour of the Related Ross Experience Center in downtown West Palm Beach
- A hands-on entrepreneurship challenge where intern teams build a startup concept using AI tools and pitch it to a panel of judges for a chance to win at 1909
- A leadership workshop focused on developing a leadership identity and building the habits of innovative, adaptable professionals
- A capstone networking reception in the NORA District, featuring a fireside chat with a dynamic CEO and a guided food crawl through one of West Palm Beach’s newest neighborhoods
The program is designed to be attended in full — each session builds on the last, and the cohort format means interns leave the summer with a professional network that extends far beyond their own office.
The Bigger Picture
Palm Beach County has spent the last several years attracting a wave of corporate relocations and expansions — from financial services and tech to aerospace and quantum computing. But talent attraction is the other half of the equation. Programs like the BDB Summer Intern Program are how a region turns short-term momentum into long-term workforce depth.
For companies looking to strengthen their internship programs, or for students considering what a career in the Palm Beaches might look like, the BDB’s cohort model offers something most internships don’t: a window into an entire regional economy — and a reason to stay.
View photos from the reception hosted on June 20, 2026 >
###
About: The Business Development Board of the Palm Beaches is the official economic development organization for Palm Beach County, Florida and the official partner to the state. As it recruits new business to the Palm Beaches and assists local expansions, it has a comprehensive Talent Optimization Strategy that works to recruit and retain top talent with the Summer Intern Series Program as a key part. Visit BDB.org to explore careers, access data insights or connect with us to learn more.
