Key SMR executive heads to Brevard County

LAKEWOOD RANCH — For more than a decade, Todd Pokrywa has guided the development of Lakewood Ranch, securing approvals for projects such as the 5,100-home The Villages and 1,300-home Del Webb.

But on Oct. 1, Pokrywa, the longtime vice president of strategic affairs/planning for Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, will start as the senior vice president of land-use planning and development for The Viera Co.

“Although we are sad to lose Todd, this is a step up for his career and an opportunity he simply could not decline,” SMR President and CEO Rex Jensen said in a statement.

“I wish him well, knowing equally that I’ll miss him greatly,” he said. “Nonetheless, Todd has given much to SMR and we owe him thanks and fond wishes for his success.”

SMR has not hired Pokrywa’s replacement and does not have a timeline for doing so, SMR spokeswoman Lisa Barnott said.

Pokrywa said he will miss his colleagues at SMR, but he is excited to work for The Viera Co., a subsidiary of A. Duda & Sons, an Oviedo-based family-owned company with roots in agriculture.

A. Duda & Sons is a diversified land company that started as a fresh vegetable grower and shipper in 1926 and now has a portfolio that includes 90,000 acres across several states, including operations in golf courses, agriculture, master-planned community development and commercial property management.

At Viera, Pokrywa will plan and direct the development process for land owned and managed by The Viera Co., primarily the expansion of its Viera community in Brevard County.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to grow professionally and personally,” he said, adding that although he takes pride in his accomplishments at SMR, they have been a team effort.

“Just like the great community of Lakewood Ranch is the sum of all its parts, a great organization like Schroeder-Manatee Ranch — it’s those parts and people, both past and present, who have worked together to achieve the goals for the future property and position it well for future growth.”

Pokrywa said when he started at SMR 11 years ago, his primary objectives were to secure development entitlements for the land north of State Road 70, and in Sarasota County (The Villages project), both of which he accomplished.

He also helped expand and/or secure approvals related to the Cypress Banks, University Lakes and Northwest Sector developments for regional impacts, paving the way for the development of Country Club East and the Lake Club, Esplanade, Bridgewater, Central Park, among others, including projects that have been approved, but not yet developed.

He also worked to develop a new county land-use category, mixed-use community, for property east of Lorraine Road.

“The entire property is positioned well for future growth in the evolution of Lakewood Ranch,” Pokrywa said.

Pokrywa’s role at The Viera Co. will take him full circle, in a way.

Pokrywa completed his senior honors essay — a case study on new towns as an alternative to urban sprawl — on the Viera development while attending planning school at the University of Waterloo in 1994-95.

“Now, I’m able to go back and see how this community has developed in comparison as to what I studied when it was getting its start,” Pokrywa said. “I’m excited to be a part of it as it continues to grow. I’m looking forward to playing a part in the development of a very well respected community development.”

Career highlight
Todd Pokrywa said it’d be hard to choose just one project of which he was particularly proud.
“I enjoyed working on everything I was involved with at SMR,” he said.

However, he did love SMR’s out-of-the-box partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The partnership provided SMR visibility on an international scale through marketing at Lightning games.

Coupled with Pokrywa’s Canadian upbringing, love of hockey and planning background, the venture helped secure deals such as one with Canadian homebuilder Mattamy Homes, which plans to start construction on a 235-acre development in Lakewood Ranch next year.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].