Pat Neal, the CEO and chairman of the board at Neal Communities, was recently presented with the Florida Faith & Freedom Coalition's 2017 Defender of Faith and Freedom Award. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam presented Neal with the award in Tallahassee on March 29. Neal, a former state senator, founded Neal Communities in 1974 and since then has created 70 communities and built over 11,000 homes throughout southwest Florida. In 2016, the company reported 1,109 sales and 1,129 closings, totaling over $430 million. The Faith & Freedom Coalition is a conservative political organization opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage and in favor of lowering taxes and education reform.