05/09/2025
Congratulations to my friend, attorney Lee Dobbins for winning the Pete Hegner Award. Lee it is well deserved.
Congratulations!
Port St. Lucie/May 9, 2024 – Lee Dobbins, shareholder at Dean, Mean, Minton and Moore, was honored with the prestigious Pete Hegener Leadership Award by the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (EDC) at its 11th annual leadership dinner on May 8.
The award is presented annually to a dedicated business leader who has made significant contributions to St. Lucie County’s economy and quality of life. The annual dinner and celebration, held at the Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club and attended by more than 230 business leaders, was sponsored by Bank of America.
Michael Minton, the fourth Pete Hegener Leadership Award recipient, and Richard Tambone, the 10th recipient, presented the award to Dobbins.
One of the first major assignments Dobbins took on as an attorney with Dean Mead was handling the city of Port St. Lucie’s purchase of its water and wastewater utilities from the county. That transaction laid the foundation for development of the infrastructure that has fostered much of the city’s notable growth. Since then, in his 30-year career as an attorney focusing on land use, zoning and commercial real estate, Lee’s work has resulted in many significant developments which have enhanced St. Lucie County.
“Lee has successfully used the knowledge he learned from the dirt up about our community to provide leadership and foresight in helping guide the growth of the community,” said Minton. “His leadership as a long-term EDC board member and excellent reputation at the county and the cities of Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie has served his clients well and resulted in many signature projects and developments that have enhanced St. Lucie County.”
“Over the course of more than 20 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Lee. He has played a pivotal role in ensuring that projects move forward efficiently while respecting the long-term goals of the community,” said Fort Pierce City Clerk Linda Cox in Dobbins’ nomination. “Lee has never sought the spotlight, preferring instead to work quietly behind the scenes to ensure that every project he’s involved with is executed with the utmost care, professionalism and commitment to ethical standards.”
The nine members of the 2025 EDC Hegener Award selection committee chose Dobbins as the person who best embodies the leadership and vision of the award’s namesake, Pete Hegener, from a field of 12 nominees, including five other semi-finalists: Will Armstead, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County; Travis Leonard, owner and president of A & G Concrete Pools; Jill Marasa, Treasure Coast director of development for Ashley Capital; Joey Miller, founder of St. Lucie Battery & Tire; and Bob Zaccheo of Project LIFT.
Recent Hegener Award recipients include the late Bud Adams of Adams Ranch; Ken Pruitt, former Florida Senate president and former St. Lucie County property appraiser; Tammy Roncaglione, CenterState Bank community president, and Russ Blackburn, former Port St. Lucie city manager.
In addition to Bank of America’s presenting sponsorship, leadership dinner award sponsors were Cleveland Clinic; GL Homes; Ashley Capital; Dean, Mead, Minton & Moore; Hedrick Brothers Construction; PGA Golf Club; A & G Concrete Pools; BBL Hospitality; Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucie REALTORS®; Carr, Riggs & Ingram; EP Café dba Scooters Coffee; Hi-Tide Boat Lifts; Indian River State College; Jungle TV; St. Lucie Public Schools; Tambone Companies; Verdex Construction; HBK CPAs & Consultants; Kasper Electrical; Lightbridge Academy and OCULUS Surgical.
About the award
The recipient of the Pete Hegener Leadership Award exemplifies the qualities of a visionary, a trusted role model and leader whose inspiration and achievements impact the quality of job creation, economic vitality and business growth.
Pete Hegener, the man whose actions inspired this award, was a founding member and integral partner of the EDC, served on the Board of Directors, and was an Executive Committee member. Pete was a pillar of the St. Lucie County community, having played a key role in the development of western St. Lucie County and Tradition. Friends and colleagues described him as “honest, visionary, and caring.” He passed away in March 2012, but his legacy is recognized through this award.
About the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County
The Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (EDC) is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic vitality in St. Lucie County through the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in the community. The EDC works in partnership with local governments and the private sector to advance its goals of creating more and better-paying jobs for residents, broadening the tax base and improving St. Lucie County’s economic quality of life. Contact the EDC at 772.324.2014, [email protected] or www.youredc.com.
