Editor Letter for October: Growing by Leaps and Bounds

Read the latest from Editor Jennifer McKee!

There are many ways to quantify population growth. According to the United States Census, the city of Orlando had a population of 334,854 as of July 2024—but that doesn’t account for Orange County’s population of more than 1.5 million people, and the 3 million-plus in the metro region.

In such a vibrant city as Orlando, the numbers are constantly changing. City leaders have estimated that anywhere from 1,000-1,500 new residents are moving to Orlando each week, and the Orlando Economic Partnership’s market intelligence team has noted that our city is the second-fastest growing large region in the U.S. for the second consecutive year. The World Population Review ranks Orlando as Florida’s fourth most populous city, and U.S. News & World Report named Orlando as one of the best places to live in 2025-26.

But we don’t need a report to tell us that. Just take a look at the chef-driven dining scene, our diverse arts organizations and the rich cultural tapestry of Orlandoans, who introduce us to new ways of doing things and seeing our world.

And Central Florida is blessed to have a visionary team of leaders in multiple fields-—business, tourism, philanthropy, education, government, sports and entertainment—all working to make our corner of the universe easier to navigate, and bring communities together for the common good, making them better places to live.

It is in this spirit that we present the 2025 installment of the 50 Most Powerful People in Orlando. We know you’ll enjoy reading our honorees’ profiles to get a sense of how these servant-leaders view their roles, what they see (and hope) for the future of Orlando and what is most important for them to accomplish in the coming year.

You can also have a little fun, as we did when interviewing and photographing our cover subject, Walt Disney World Resort President Jeff Vahle. How could you not have fun when the characters from Zootopia are involved? The photo shoot took place at Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life, and the Disney crew was in great spirits—they work inside Disney after all! We think you’ll come away from this issue with a newfound admiration for those who represent Central Florida so well.

Lastly, readers will learn about more people making a difference in our Faces of ORL section and discover how Morse Museum director Jennifer Thalheimer became an expert on Louis Comfort Tiffany—she takes us on a deep dive of the museum.