The Babcock Ranch Podcast
Hosted by Kitson & Partners executives Syd and Tyler Kitson, the Babcock Ranch Podcast goes behind the scenes of America’s first solar-powered town, exploring the ideas, the people, and the hard-won lessons that made it possible. From the vision that started it all to the environmental battles, engineering innovations, and community-building decisions along the way, each episode digs into what it really takes to build a town from the ground up, and why doing it the right way is worth the extra effort. Whether you’re a resident, a builder, or just curious about the future of sustainable development, this is a look inside the blueprint for a new kind of American community.
Season 1
Episode 1: Jeb Bush
Episode 2: Bill Weir
CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir joins Syd Kitson to talk childhood, career, and the personal cost of a life spent covering disasters, plus why he sees Babcock Ranch as living proof that communities can build smarter, more resilient relationships.
Episode 3: Amy Wicks
Tyler Kitson sits down with Amy Wicks, founding CEO of Wicks Consulting Group and the engineer who has shaped Babcock Ranch’s stormwater systems from day one. They trace her nearly two-decade journey with Babcock, the moment she realized the best design was simply copying nature, and how the community’s water systems have held strong through Hurricanes Irma, Ian, and Milton.
Episode 4: Jennifer Languell
Tyler Kitson sits down with Dr. Jennifer Languell, founder and president of Trifecta Construction Solutions and one of the design and engineering professionals who helped bring Babcock Ranch to life. They talk about the 75 founding sustainability principles that became Babcock Ranch’s core pillars, why every sustainable decision has to make business sense, and how the community has tracked and tested building performance for over a decade.
Episode 5: Bart Oates
Syd Kitson catches up with longtime friend and three-time Super Bowl champion Bart Oates, tracing his path from small-town Georgia to BYU, the USFL, and a 14-year NFL career with the Giants and 49ers, plus what came after football, family, and the bond between two old friends who go way back.
Episode 6: Matt Buehler
On this episode, Tyler Kitson sits down with Matt Buehler, Senior Vice President of Commercial Development at Kitson & Partners, to talk about what it means to build a self-sustaining town. They trace Babcock Ranch’s shift from a land development strategy to owning recurring revenue assets, the retailers who took a chance early on, and what’s coming next with B Street, the community’s first true downtown district.
Episode 7: Lizbeth Benacquisto
On this episode, Syd Kitson sits down with former Florida State Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto, who has helped secure state funding and support for some of Babcock Ranch’s most significant projects. They talk about her decade in the Senate, the legislation she’s most proud of, and how her “be more bold” advice helped shape the community’s storm shelter, All Abilities Park, autism center, and a $32 million Wildlife Center opening next summer.
