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John Neal is straight up serious when he talks about following his passion.

That's why Neal is no longer president of John Neal Homes, a luxury homebuilding firm with $30 million in sales in each of the past two years. Neal, instead, runs Neal Land Ventures. That entity is part of Lakewood Ranch-based Neal Communities, which Neal's father, Pat Neal, co-founded in 1970. Neal Land Ventures handles land acquisition and development and every complicated task that comes with it, from permitting to infrastructure.

John Neal's transition to land development is an advantage to the firm, executives say, in a right-person, right-seat approach. But his shift left a leadership hole at John Neal Homes, now Neal Signature Homes, a Neal Communities' division. Neal Communities had $230.3 million in revenues in 2013, up 65.2% from $139.4 million in 2012.