FRONT PORCH

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (February 21, 2025) – Ivory Matthews, a mentor and former board member of Take Stock in Children Manatee has been named to the Florida State Board of Take Stock in Children.

Matthews serves as Vice President of Community and Governmental Affairs at Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s largest locally owned and operated private builder.  She has devoted countless hours to guiding and supporting young individuals, providing them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed academically and professionally. Her commitment to this cause reflects her deep belief in the power of education and mentorship as catalysts for change and empowerment.

Matthews is also Board Chair for Step Up Suncoast, Inc. and is a member of the Education & Research Committee for the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium as well as CREW Sarasota and Tampa Bay Partnership.

Her business success and devotion to the community has resulted in Matthews recently being honored with several awards from local media organizations.

She was named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 as well as the same list for the Business Observer, a regional Florida-focused business publication. In addition, Matthews was nominated as one of SRQ Magazine’s Women Who Roar.

At Neal Communities, Matthews has risen from working a two-week temporary job in environmental permitting to her current role as VP of Community and Governmental Affairs. She is charged with interacting with both government entities about things like entitlements and with residents where the company plans to build. In the past year, she has successfully entitled $50 million worth of land, which translates into approximately 2,500 residential units.

Additionally, Matthews oversees Neal Communities’ $500,000 Plan for Giving, a philanthropic program that supports quality of life initiatives and education and has a large element of employee-led giving, where the company supports causes that are important to its staff. Neal Communities has a philanthropic culture and a core belief that “Where You Live Matters.” Neal Communities has more than $8 million to local charities and causes throughout Southwest Florida.