DEAN SAUNDERS

FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR, SAUNDERS REAL ESTATE, LAKELAND

Saunders and his land and commercial real estate firm are the go-to authority for trends in the buying and selling of pastures and ranches, developable land, timber, solar and other land use types and also of state conservation-driven acquisitions of easements and outright ownership. It has 120 advisors and 20 professional staff in Lakeland, Tampa, Orlando, Lake City, Thomasville, Ga., and Fayetteville, Ark. A UF agriculture grad and former state legislator, Saunders chaired the Florida Real Estate Commission and was national president of the Realtors group’s Land Institute (RLI).

EDUCATION: University of Florida (BS)

FIRST JOB: At 13, I was working in the orange groves hoeing orange trees for $1.30 an hour. I worked during school breaks and throughout the summers. I eventually graduated to the tractor, then to the truck and ended up operating the front-end loader. I did that until I graduated from college.

SOMETHING SURPRISING: I think most people would be surprised to know my deep appreciation for the arts. I enjoy most genres of music and enjoy reading a wide variety of books. I’m also a collector of original artwork from various artists, from here in the U.S. and abroad.

HOBBY: I’ve always had a fascination with the history of this state and have spent years acquiring historic Florida maps — some dating back to the 1800s. I also have a large collection of The Florida Historical Quarterly. They remind me how much the land and Florida has changed and why preserving it matters.