Patrick K. "Pat" Neal (born March 4, 1949) is an American real estate developer and politician who is a former Florida State Senator and former representative in the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

Early life and education

Neal was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1949. He earned a bachelor of science (BS) in economics from the

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania The Wharton School ( ) is the business school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia. Established in 1881 through a donation from Joseph Wharton, a co-founder of Bethlehem Steel, the Wharton ...

. In 1969, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve, serving as an officer from 1972 to 1975. He served in the

from 1974 through 1978 and in the

Florida Senate The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

from 1978 through 1986, where he was Chair of the Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee. As a member of the Florida Senate, he represented Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands, Okeechobee, and Glades counties. During his time in office, Neal worked on policies focused on environmental protection. In 1983, he wrote Florida's first Comprehensive Wetland Act and Comprehensive Hazardous Waste Act to protect groundwater. He also co-sponsored the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve Bill, recognizing the preserve as an outstanding water reserve and offering additional protection. Currently, Neal is a member of Florida's Judicial Nominating Commission, representing nominees within the 12th Judicial Circuit. Neal is on the Board of Trustees for the

American Enterprise Institute The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, known simply as the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), is a center-right think tank based in Washington, D.C., that researches government, politics, economics, and social welfare ...

, a public policy organization based in Washington D.C. that researches government, politics, economics, and social welfare. He also currently serves as a member of the Investment Advisory Council of The Florida State Pension Fund, an organization providing oversight of decision-making and adherence to financial standards to funds. Neal also served as a former chairman of the Florida Commission on Ethics, overseeing the conduct of public employees in the state of Florida. Neal is also a member of the Reserve Officers Association, advocating for adequate funding of equipment, training requirements and employments rights for members of the Reserve.

Criticism

Neal has faced criticism for his political influence and development practices.

Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Ba ...

and

Manatee County Manatee County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 399,710. Manatee County is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat and largest ci ...

residents have opposed approval of his developments due to negative environmental impacts and flooding concerns. Additionally, Neal has faced scructiny for his contributions to dark money PACs and connections to regulatory bodies. Candidates backed by Neal, Carlos Beruff, and other real estate developers lost races across Manatee County in 2024.

Personal life

Pat Neal is the Chairman of the Executive Committee for Neal Communities based in Sarasota, Florida. He founded the company alongside his father, Paul Neal, in 1970. The first project Pat and his father undertook was Whitney Beach, found on Longboat Key, Florida. J. Paul Neal, Pat's grandfather, also worked in the homebuilding and real estate industry beginning in 1913. In 2005, he donated 120 acres of land to Manatee County, wanting to ensure the protection of its wetlands and other aspects. In 2014, this was opened as the Neal Preserve, featuring boardwalk trails and other recreational opportunities woven into the environment. Neal is also a current member of the Board of Trustees and former Chairman on the executive committee for Florida TaxWatch, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research institute in that aims to improve government efficiency and accountability.

Awards

* In 2014, Neal received the Good Scout Award by The Manatee District of Boy Scouts of Southwest Florida, recognized for his leadership and philanthropic efforts within the state. * Neal was also recognized by Professional Builder as the 2015 Builder of The Year for excellence in leadership and sales. * In 2017, Neal was the recipient of The Defender of Faith and Freedom Award by the Florida Faith and Freedom Coalition. * Neal was also named "Entrepreneur of The Year" in 2005, 2012 and 2014 by ''Business Observer,'' recognizing business leaders who uphold company success and culture.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neal, Pat 1949 births Republican Party Florida state senators Living people Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Wharton School alumni Politicians from Des Moines, Iowa 20th-century members of the Florida Legislature