We lost an amazing leader last month. Wendel Fraser Kent lived more than half of his 92 years of existence in Sarasota. For 58 years, he impacted where he lived and we have all benefitted from his love and labor. After serving in Europe in World War II, Wendel met the love of his life, Evelyn, while in college and received a civil engineering degree. He moved to Sarasota in 1959.

He worked for the City of Sarasota as city engineer. In the private sector, he established a road building company bearing his name and also a paving company, Gator Asphalt.