For the eighth time, a Florida business leader who has spent decades navigating the delicate balance between development and preservation has earned a spot on an influential statewide list. Dean Saunders, founder and managing director of Saunders Real Estate, has been named to Florida Trend’s 2026 Florida 500, a recognition reserved for executives and business leaders who shape the state’s economy.
Saunders, who holds the ALC and CCIM designations, is an eighth-generation Floridian. Over more than four decades, his career has bridged real estate, agriculture, land conservation, and private property rights. His work has combined leadership in Florida’s land and commercial real estate sectors with public service and advocacy for policies that attempt to harmonize economic growth, responsible land use, and the protection of natural resources.
In 1996, Saunders launched Saunders Real Estate in Lakeland. What started as a land brokerage has since grown into a firm employing more than 125 advisors who serve landowners, investors, developers, and institutions across the Southeast and Midwest. In 2025 alone, the company reported more than $1 billion in real estate transaction volume, a milestone that reflects its expanding footprint in agricultural land, timberland, ranches, development properties, and commercial real estate.
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“I’m honored to be included in the Florida 500 alongside some of the state’s most influential business leaders,” said Dean Saunders, Founder of Saunders Real Estate. “Having spent much of my career serving Florida, both in the Legislature and through the real estate industry, I’ve always valued the opportunity to make a difference in the state I’ve called home for generations. I’m proud of what we’ve built at Saunders Real Estate and grateful to the people who have been part of that journey.”
Throughout his career, Saunders has championed conservation approaches that acknowledge both the economic worth of land and the significance of safeguarding Florida’s natural landscapes. That guiding philosophy continues to inform his work with landowners, investors, and institutions as they navigate the opportunities and challenges tied to land ownership, development, and conservation.
The recognition arrives as Saunders Real Estate celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, marking three decades of evolution from a Florida-centric land brokerage into a firm that serves clients across multiple states. Today, the company offers specialized expertise in land sales and acquisitions, commercial real estate brokerage, auctions, land management, and property valuations.
Florida Trend’s Florida 500 list identifies 500 influential executives and business leaders spanning more than 60 industries. Honorees are chosen through an extensive editorial research process that evaluates their leadership, professional achievements, and contributions to Florida’s business community.
About Saunders Real Estate
Founded in 1996 by land broker and former Florida state legislator Dean Saunders, Saunders Real Estate is an award-winning land and commercial real estate firm with more than 125 advisors serving the Southeast and Midwest.
Operating through Saunders Land, Saunders Commercial, Saunders Auctions, and Saunders Valuations, the firm provides large-acreage land sales and acquisitions; agricultural, ranch, timberland, recreational, conservation, and development land brokerage; commercial real estate sales and leasing; property and land management; real estate investment acquisitions; and commercial and land valuation services.
Combining local expertise with proprietary market research, Saunders helps landowners, buyers, sellers, and investors make informed real estate decisions across the Southeast. Saunders Land has been recognized by The Land Report as one of “America’s Best Brokerages” for 16 consecutive years. Visit SaundersRealEstate.com.
Madeline Mecca
Top of Mind PR
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Why it matters: Repeated recognition on a list like the Florida 500 signals sustained influence in an industry where land-use decisions affect housing costs, agriculture, and environmental policy. Saunders’ track record shows how real estate leadership can intersect with conservation, offering a model for balancing development with preservation in a fast-growing state.
