SMR's Jensen to speak at Mote Marine

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch President and CEO Rex Jensen will be a keynote speaker at the Mote Marine Symposium on Land-Sea Interactions in Southwest Florida at 9 a.m., Oct. 13, at The Jean Purcell Hendry Conference Hall at the Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center at Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota.

The two-day symposium began today and is intended to initiate community dialogue on coastal zone planning in the context of changing land-sea interactions.

Jensen will give a private sector perspective on how development planning is affected by sea level rise and climate change. Jensen will address the shortfalls and successes of past and present comprehensive planning in Sarasota and Manatee counties and will give an introspective look into the history of growth in the area.

Among other topics, Jensen will also speak to the controversial issues of the Hometown Democracy amendment, demographic and population trends in both Florida and the local area, and the difference between growth management and planning for success.

Jensen was promoted to president of SMR in August 2002 and was chosen to become chief executive officer in February 2005. In that capacity, Jensen oversees all the businesses of SMR, including agriculture, aggregate mining and real estate development on its 30,000-acre land holding in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Jensen joined SMR in March 1990 as vice president of real estate. His responsibilities included the overall planning and strategic positioning of SMR’s properties, and management of Community Development Districts and utilities established to provide infrastructure to SMR and its developments.