SYD KITSON
CEO & CHAIRMAN, KITSON & PARTNERS, PALM BEACH GARDENS
Kitson & Partners, founded in 1999, is a private real estate development company with more than 250 employees. Kitson, who played professional football for the Green Bay Packers, has led the development of Florida’s first solar-powered city, Babcock Ranch, which involved the largest land preservation acquisition in state history. He has served as chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and chair of the board of governors for the State University System. “The transition from the NFL to a business career was extremely challenging, and the skills learned on the football field, hitting and blocking people for a living, don’t translate well in the business world. But the life lessons of dedication, hard work and overcoming adversity are things that continue to influence my career.”
| EDUCATION | Wake Forest University (BA) |
| SOMETHING SURPRISING | People find it difficult to believe that a developer could also be an environmentalist, but I am. While many know that I played football, I also played the trombone and sang in the choir. |
| FLORIDA ISSUE | Education. We need to help people who are less fortunate, and education is a critical tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. |
| FAVORITE PART OF LEADERSHIP | Innovating in ways that are disrupting our industry and challenging our team to find ways to do it better. Our industry has been talking about sustainability for years, but we are actually doing it. |
| STAYING FIT | I start every day in the gym. |