COLUMBUS – Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), with 500 employees during fiscal year 2015-2016, was listed as Polk County’s recent top employer.

The Polk County Board of Commissioners received its audit for fiscal year 2015-2016 recently, which listed annual financial reports as well as statistical information about the county.

TIEC was the top employer, followed by Polk County Schools with 477 employees, according to the audit report. Polk County Schools was listed as the county’s top employer for fiscal year 2014-2015, with 380 employees, according to the audit report.

St. Luke’s Hospital was the third highest employer with 325 employees as of June 30, 2016, according to the audit report, followed by Polk County government with 272 employees, Tryon Estates with 250 employees, CooperRiis with 202 employees and White Oak Manor with 150 employees.

The previous year Polk County Schools was first, followed by St. Luke’s Hospital with 324 employees and Tryon Equestrian Properties (now TIEC) with 300 employees. Tryon Estates ranked fourth at fiscal year-end 2015 with 229 employees and Polk County government ranked fifth with 223 employees. CooperRiis was sixth in 2015 with 202 employees and White Oak Manor ranked seventh with 140 employees, according to the 2015 audit report.

The 2016 report listed Polk’s top 15 employers compared to the top 12 employers of 2007.

In 2007, Polk’s top employer was Polk County Schools with 400 employees, with St. Luke’s Hospital ranked second with 397 employees, Tryon Estates ranked third with 350 employees, Polk County government ranked fourth with 192 employees and Hatch Plant ranked fifth with 180 employees, according to the audit report.

The top 15 employers in Polk County at year-end 2016 included a total of 2,574 employees, states the audit report. In 2007, the top 12 employers employed a total of 2,387 people.

The audit report says the information was collected from a local business survey.