The team
Our names behind the idea.
A local team working toward a better future for Ironwood.
The people moving it forward.
Golf, hospitality, finance, engineering and community experience, brought together around Ironwood. These are our project roles as we work toward The Track’s proposed future.
Trace Rucarean
Executive Director
Trace grew up playing Ironwood with the Buchholz High School golf team. He cofounded Future Country Club after returning to Gainesville, bringing experience in business operations, software, design and brand development. At The Track, he leads the vision, organization and work of building lasting community support.
Tyler Rucarean
Chief Experience Officer
Tyler is a golf professional, instructor and cofounder of Future Country Club. He led the naming and rebranding of Chimera Golf Club and founded Baller Golf Academy and Best Of Gainesville. His work at The Track centers on guest experience, amenities and welcoming more people into the game.
Jeff Cardozo
General Manager · Project lead
Jeff brings a 21-year career at Ironwood, including nine years as Golf Course Manager. His experience spans staffing, budgets, tournaments, hospitality and junior programs. As project lead and City point of contact, he brings firsthand knowledge of the course and the people it serves.
Jeremy Hood
Chief Financial Officer
Jeremy is a certified public accountant with experience in nonprofit finance, restaurant operations and acquisitions. His background includes grant reporting, restricted funds, cash planning and financial controls. He provides fractional CFO support as The Track develops its operating and community funding plans.
Ben Chase
Head of Legal
Ben is a Gainesville attorney and University of Florida graduate with experience in sports business, athlete programs and corporate partnerships. A former Director of NIL Strategy for the Florida Gators, he supports The Track’s organizational structure, agreements and fundraising, beginning fractionally as the work develops.
Grant Holloway
Community development & fundraising
Grant is an Olympic gold medalist and former Gator whose community work includes youth encouragement, family support and a foundation golf fundraiser at Ironwood. He brings his Gainesville relationships and experience bringing people together to The Track’s community development and fundraising efforts.
Tim Huber
Course care
Tim is an experienced superintendent and longtime member of Gainesville’s golf community, with course-care experience that includes helping Turkey Creek. He brings practical knowledge of maintenance and local playing conditions to the planning for Ironwood.
Eric Thomas
Planned Head Pro / Director of Golf
Eric is part of The Track’s proposed operating team as Head Pro and Director of Golf. His planned focus is the golf operation and player experience, working alongside Jeff Cardozo and the course-care team as the project advances.
Nick Gallo
Fundraising
Nick is helping build fundraising support for The Track. A supporter of improving Ironwood for Gainesville golfers, he wants to see the course restored to its best and contributes to the team’s effort to turn that shared ambition into community backing.
Bill Smithson, PE
Engineering Consultant
Bill is a civil engineer and University of Florida graduate with experience in roadway construction, drainage, pedestrian access and utilities. He brings municipal and Florida Department of Transportation project experience to The Track, providing fractional support for civil planning and construction coordination.
Dr. Tracy Fanara
Sustainability Consultant
Tracy is an environmental engineer contributing to The Track’s environmental due diligence, feasibility and sustainability planning. Her fractional consulting role brings an environmental perspective to the work of caring for Ironwood and planning its future.
Experience we can build on
At Future Country Club, the team built indoor golf spaces where instruction, practice and a familiar welcome bring people back. That work gave us firsthand experience creating places for Gainesville golfers to spend time together.
That experience informs our approach to service, instruction and community. Ironwood is a larger operating undertaking, with Jeff’s direct course experience and a dedicated staffing and maintenance plan essential to delivery.
Responsibility and support
This is the featured project team. Operating roles, the intended nonprofit governing structure and the honorary Community Advisory Board are distinct. The honorary board does not govern or manage the course.
About honorary support