The Founding Families

When you think of iconic and influential families, the Rockefellers, the Vanderbilts, the du Ponts, or the Kennedys likely come to mind. The Emerald Coast has its own roster of founding families—people whose love for the region transformed it into the thriving landscape we love.

We provide a brief history of the region’s earliest impact makers and profile three second-generation businesspeople carrying on the legacies their families started.

Hospitality Heiress
Sara Becnel

Last year, Sara Becnel hosted an exclusive patron dinner at Burnt Pine Country Club for the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, raising $70,000 in support of the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation’s newborn intensive care unit. (Photo by Nathan Saczynski/NASCO photo)

Sara Becnel is keen to what keeps people coming back to the Emerald Coast. In fact, she was one of those people who would frequent the region, eventually deciding to make it her home.

Her father, Thomas Becnel, developed millions of square feet of properties spanning from Hawaii to Florida. Sara grew up with her mother in Louisiana, but on the weekends and summers, she would spend time with her father in the Destin area—as he developed Silver Shells Beach Resort & Spa and eventually purchased Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

“On the weekends, I would go to the office with my dad,” says Sara. “I would play and pretend I was his secretary. From a young age, I developed a sense of pride for him, for what he was doing by being there and observing him. I felt helpful and purposeful. I was learning through osmosis.”

Her first job was as a hostess at 14, and by her senior year of high school, she had made the decision to move with her father to the Emerald Coast. She spent a brief time in Central Florida pursuing her bachelor’s degree in economics from Rollins College and working in retail in manager and owner positions.

In 2012, she made it back to where she was meant to be when she was offered the desirable director of retail position at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. She continued on to become the Executive Director of Sandestin, then Vice President of Development, and finally President. Her projects included designing and building Hotel Effie.

She is currently the president of Sandestin Investments, LLC, overseeing all Sandestin and Hotel Effie operations and managing partner of The Agency NWFL Beaches.

“The great quality of people who choose to work here [is not lost on me],” says Becnel, referencing the impact Sandestin has made on the region. “Fostering a company culture that makes the staff feel happy and taken care of is of the utmost importance.”

While Sandestin regulars are often visitors, Becnel’s passion lies in supporting locals. She serves as the co-trustee of Sandestin Foundation for Kids, as well as on the board of the Sacred Heart Foundation. Sara explains that giving back to the community is a cornerstone of the properties she oversees and a virtue she hopes to instill in her own daughter.

Becnel shares that some of her favorite workdays are spent simply observing guests: families lounging at the pool, couples enjoying a meal together, or a business woman with a sunset rooftop drink.

“My goal is to create places that make memories,” says Becnel.

Pensacola Promoter
Mallory Studer

Mallory Studer has multiple business interests across Pensacola. (Photo credit: Aislinn Kate)

From health care and hospitality to education and baseball, the Studer name is often synonymous with Pensacola.

In 1996, Mallory Studer and her four siblings were living in Wisconsin when her father Quint Studer accepted the position as hospital administrator for the Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. In the 30 years since, Quint and his wife Rishy founded the Studer Family Children’s Hospital, a full-service children’s hospital; the Studer Community Group, a nonprofit devoted to community culture, education, and economic quality of life in Pensacola; co-own the Blue Wahoos minor league baseball team; and own the Bodacious Shops.

“Through all of my parents’ businesses, involvements, and philanthropic endeavors, I got to know Pensacola on a business and personal level,” says Mallory. “The vibrant energy of the people living here always pushed them to keep doing more. The people and that energy made me want to stay here to make my own impact.”

Mallory received her BSBA and MBA in Business and Marketing from the University of West Florida, then went on to spend 12 years in health care consulting. In the early days of Bodacious Shops, Mallory was influential in the ideation and marketing for the shops now managed by her mother.

During that time, she purchased a bungalow which she rented through Airbnb.

“I loved contributing to a visitor’s experience by sharing my insights on the area and making local recommendations,” says Studer.

Mallory Struder with parents Quint and Rishy Studer, photo courtesy of Mallory Struder

In 2020, she purchased a beautiful historic building on Pensacola Bay. A year later, she opened Oyster Bay Boutique Hotel, a space that merges the tranquility of the nearby waters with the pulse of downtown Pensacola. The luxury accommodations are inspired by the natural beauty of the coastline, and the local staff is happy to recommend local businesses, artisans, and events.

Studer also owns and operates 511 Palafox, an event venue located on bustling Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola. The historic building was restored to serve as a space for celebrations from corporate gatherings to weddings.

Mallory is seeking to expand the offerings at her current businesses, driving economic growth to her beloved city. All the while, she’s keeping her eyes peeled for historic buildings whose history she can preserve and breathe new life into.

“I now know what people mean when they say, ‘When you know, you know,’” says Studer. “I was meant for hospitality. All those years spent in patient service equipped me to always be thinking, ‘What can I do to help? How can I make an experience even better?’”

Culinary Captain
Theo Patronis

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Theo Patronis stays close to the sea through his ownership of Captain Anderson’s and love of our iconic beaches. (Photo courtesy of Theo Patronis)

As someone who comes from a large, close-knit family, Theo Patronis, knows the importance of gathering around a meal. This knowledge is furthered by having an influential family in the restaurant industry. 

Theo’s father, Jimmy Patronis, served as a captain in the United States Air Force until he moved to Panama City Beach in 1953. He and his brother Johnny ventured into the restaurant industry first at the Seven Seas Restaurant and later purchasing Captain Anderson’s Restaurant in 1968. 

Throughout the years, Captain Anderson’s has thrived, serving over 250,000 guests each year. That popularity is also reflected through awards such as Florida Trend’s Golden Spoon Award (for 15 years) and an induction into the Restaurant Hall of Fame in 2005, the highest honor Florida Trend bestows upon a Florida restaurant.

“We’ve always been very lucky to have a strong following and a lot support from the local community as well as guests to the region,” says Theo, who serves as the kitchen manager. “It’s rewarding to see families come here, and then that next generation brings their kids here. It’s a revolving door of support.”

From a young age, Theo and his three brothers worked in the family restaurant in varying capacities. At 18, when Theo graduated high school, he knew he wanted to follow in his uncle’s footsteps managing the kitchen. 

“To this day, no shortcuts are made,” says Theo. “Everything is made from scratch, and all of our seafood is fresh, most of it being from right here in our Gulf waters, the best seafood in the world.”

Theo believes they sustain because the menu is reliably fresh, but also because in a world of fast-paced, cutting corners, they hold to the standard of honest, done-right work from their food presentation to service. 

These values have been instilled in the next generation, including his daughter Christina and two nieces who work in the front of house. 

“I’m starting to slow down as my daughter Christina is walking in my footsteps,” says Theo. “I know that our family’s next generation will hold true to what’s kept us successful and keep things going for many years to come.” 

As for Theo, he will forever be enjoying the gorgeous beaches and best fishing on the Gulf. In his words, “Of course I worked for the family business. Panama City Beach is a great town. Why would I ever leave?” 

The Original Legendary Families

The Destin and Marler Families

In the 1840s, Captain Leonard Destin discovered the wealth of fish and seafood in our Emerald waters. Finding nirvana, Destin relocated from Connecticut to build his own fish camp at present-day Moreno Point. He established a highly profitable fishing company that attracted families to move to the village. One of them was Billy Marler, who would become Destin’s best friend and business partner. After Destin’s death in the 1870s, Marler continued helping the village flourish. When Marler decided to open a post office, the town needed a name. He went with “Destin” in honor of his friend. One of the most well-known Destins is Dewey Destin, who opened one of Destin’s first restaurants in the 1950s. Captain Leonard Destin was his great-great-grandfather.

As an influential fisherman and the first postmaster of Destin, in 1999, the Destin Bridge was renamed the William T. Marler Bridge. The renaming of the bridge was brought about by Marler’s great-niece Susan Myers.

The Kelly Family

Mattie and Coleman Kelly, Photos courtesy of Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation

In 1935, Mattie Kelly and her husband Coleman Lee moved to Northwest Florida after purchasing expanses of land along Choctawhatchee Bay and Destin Harbor. They began as turpentine farmers who would pivot to become pioneers in the fishing industry. In 1991, their turpentine camp and additional lands became Kelly Plantation, a residential community and golf club. An additional 52 acres were dedicated to promote Mattie’s lifelong passion for the arts, the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation.

The Massalina Family

In the nineteenth century, Jose Massalina, a maritime merchant and builder of boats, was the first Black man to settle in Panama City. With the help of his son, Narcisco, they established a community with other Black families, including homes, a school, and a church, called Redfish Point. Jose passed away at the age of 112, and Narcisco carried on the legacy of Redfish Point until the land was purchased in 1941 for the construction of Tyndall Air Force Base. Due to the contributions of the Massalina family, Massalina Bayou was officially named in the family’s honor in 1886.