My business schedule has me traveling across Florida most months — typically away from home in some capacity for two weeks out of every month. My car, just barely four years old, likes to remind me of those travels every time I glance at the odometer, which is now pushing past 130,000 miles.
Business travel is essential to my role and provides incredible opportunities to meet, talk with and collaborate alongside industry executives from around the state. Over the past few months, my travels have taken me to Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, Melbourne, Miami, Coral Gables, the Palm Beaches, Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota and throughout the Tampa Bay area. In the months ahead, my travels will continue to other major cities and rural communities across Florida.
As busy as my travel schedule gets, it also serves as a reminder of what an amazing state we live in. The diverse communities, cultures and landscapes found throughout Florida’s nearly 66,000 square miles are truly a treasure. The destinations and hidden gems of both “new” and “old” Florida offer us a glimpse of our future while paying tribute to our past.
As you read this month’s cover story, which takes you on location to the filming of A Land Remembered, you will see how the filmmakers are staying true to Florida’s roots through their adaptation of this beloved story.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to read A Land Remembered, I strongly encourage you to do so — whether through a printed copy or the audiobook version. You will not be disappointed.
The historical fiction novel, written by Patrick D. Smith, chronicles three generations of a fictional Florida family, detailing their arrival and struggle for survival as poor settlers in 1858 and their eventual rise to affluent landowners by the 1960s. Inspired by the state’s history and its people, Smith crafted a story that explores themes of survival, family, perseverance and the transformation of Florida’s landscape through development, and the influence of greed and corruption along the way.
Widely regarded as a quintessential Florida novel, A Land Remembered has received numerous accolades for its vivid depiction of the state’s history, wildlife and the enduring conflict between development and conservation. As Floridians, it should be on all of our must-read lists.
As you delve into this month’s issue — and those to come — I hope our reporting, delivery of information and chronicling of important issues not only educate and engage you, but also encourage you to appreciate the complexity of our great state. More importantly, I hope they inspire you to lean in and use your influence to take action when and where it is needed.
— David G. Denor, President and Publisher, ddenor@floridatrend.com
David Denor
David is the president and publisher of Florida Trend, the highly regarded statewide magazine and website read and visited by business executives, government officials and civic leaders. David spent nearly 15 years overseeing the business and sales operations for Crain's Chicago Business. David is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, majoring in criminal justice.
