Board of Directors

Al Ward is recognized throughout the professional community for his depth of experience and knowledge in the employee benefits area. Prior to entering the practice of law, he was an actuarial and employee benefits consultant for over eight years.

Al has focused for over four decades on executive compensation, employee benefits, trusts and taxation. He represents many clients including publicly traded and privately held, taxable or tax-exempt entities and professional corporations with respect to their benefit programs. Al has extensive experience representing clients in disputes with the IRS, the U.S. Department of Labor and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Al served as chairman of the Tampa Bay Pension Council from 1991 to 2012. He was a founding board member and past president of the Florida West Coast Employee Benefits Council. He serves as employee benefits counsel for The Florida Bar, is a member of the Southern Employee Benefits Conference, and a member of the Employee Benefits Committee of the Tax Section of the American Bar Association. He is a Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel.

Al has received numerous professional recognitions including being inducted into America’s Top 100 Attorneys for the State of Florida.

Al has long been active in Tampa’s civic, charitable and social organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Canterbury Towers. He served as president and a member of the Board of Trustees of The Tampa Club and has served on the Board of Directors of The University Club, Hillsborough Education Foundation, Goodwill Industries/Suncoast and Hillsborough Association for Retarded Citizens.