May 2024 Luncheon - Evolution of Lakewood Ranch's Master Plan: Celebrating 30 Years and the Future

Description

Celebrate 30 years of Lakewood Ranch at our May luncheon as Laura Cole, Senior VP of Lakewood Ranch, takes a look back at the early development of Lakewood Ranch, the evolution of its business model, regional impact and what’s in store for the future.

Speaker

Laura Cole, Senior Vice President

Lakewood Ranch

Laura oversees residential, lifestyle, and town center portfolios for Lakewood Ranch, the nation's best-selling multi-generational community since 2018. Located in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Lakewood Ranch features 49,000+ residential units and 6 million sq ft of mixed-use space, including offices, hotels, shopping centers, and town centers. Community amenities include The Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club, Sarasota Polo Club, Premier Sports Campus, and over 150 miles of trails connecting to 12 parks. Laura oversees Lakewood Ranch's builder program, which encompasses over 16,000 residential lots, and manages nearly 300,000 sq ft of retail and office space in Main Street and Waterside Place, the vibrant heart of the community.

Prior to Lakewood Ranch, Laura was vice president of marketing for Willowsford, a 4,000-acre “agri-hood” community in Northern Virginia.  From 2002 to 2007 she served as vice president of corporate development for RCLCO in Washington, DC, and before that, held positions with the Urban Land Institute, Greater Houston Partnership, and IBM/CB Commercial. 

Laura has a B.S. in Urban Development from the University of Arizona and serves as Chair of Mission Advancement for ULI Tampa Bay and is a member of ULIs Community Development Council Gold.  She is Vice Chair of the Association of Florida Community Developers and serves on executive committee of the Bradenton Economic Development Corporation.