Babcock Ranch
Our Founders
A Visionary Team With a Dream
Babcock Ranch is more than just a community; it’s a vision for the future of sustainable, resilient living. As America’s first solar-powered town, Babcock Ranch is designed to coexist harmoniously with nature while embracing cutting-edge technology and innovation. At the heart of the project is a commitment to environmental preservation. A place where nature, technology, and community come together to create a model for future urban development.
Behind that vision is Syd Kitson and the forward-thinking team at Kitson & Partners. With decades of experience in real estate and sustainab the team’s vision is to build a community that not only addresses today’s environmental challenges but also anticipates those of the future.
Syd Kitson
Chairman & CEO, Kitson & Partners
Syd Kitson is the Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, a Florida-based real estate company known for developing sustainable, resilient, and innovative communities that are thoughtfully designed to live in harmony with nature.
A graduate of Wake Forest University with a degree in Economics, Syd had a notable career in the National Football League, playing offensive guard for both the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. Upon his retirement from professional football in 1985, Syd launched his real estate career, overseeing residential communities and commercial properties throughout the Northeast region of the country. In 1999 he founded Kitson & Partners, establishing the firm’s headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Syd is perhaps best known for leading the visionary acquisition of Babcock Ranch in 2006, encompassing more than 92,000 acres in Southwest Florida – an area five times the size of the island of Manhattan. In what became the largest single land preservation agreement in Florida’s history, more than 80% of the property – 73,000 acres – was set aside for permanent preservation. The remaining land became Babcock Ranch, the first solar-powered town in the United States and a nationally recognized model for smart, sustainable, resilient development.
Beyond his work in real estate, Syd has been an active leader in civic and business circles. He’s served as Chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Council of 100, and the State University System of Florida Board of Governors, as well as becoming a lifetime member of Leadership Florida. His leadership and vision have been widely recognized – most recently by Zonda Home’s Builder Magazine, naming him their “Legends Award” winner for 2025. Other recent recognition includes Time magazine, which named him “Dreamer of the Year” in 2023, the Florida Council of 100’s “Governor’s Business Leader Award” in 2024, and Wake Forest University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2025.
Tom Hoban
President & CEO, Kitson & Partners
Tom Hoban is President and Chief Investment Officer of Kitson & Partners. Tom helps set the company’s strategic direction with a focus on investment strategy and financial performance.
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Finance, Tom spent eight years on Wall Street as an investment banker with Morgan Stanley, serving as V.P. of U.S. Acquisitions for the Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund. During this time, he executed more than $8 billion in real estate transactions across agency and principal businesses. He joined Kitson & Partners in 2003 and has more than 30 years of real estate and capital markets experience.
Tom serves on the Advisory Board for the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate at the University of Notre Dame, the board of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County, the Executive Committee of Florida TaxWatch, and the Loxahatchee River Historical Society.
Mission Statement
Welcome to those of you who believe, as we do, that life is too short, and the earth is too precious, for mediocrity.
That people and nature are inseparable. That the world is changing fast and in need of bold new ideas.
And that it takes a strong team and innovative partnerships to rise to these challenges.
We are Kitson & Partners. Game changers. Value cultivators.
Creators of extraordinary environments that enrich the human experience.
