Allen “Al” Carlson

Email: acarlson@eng.ufl.edu

Allen “Al” Carlson, retired CEO of Sun Hydraulics, joined the UF Innovation Station Sarasota County as its regional director in May 2016. In this role, Al is responsible for oversight and leadership of UF Innovation Station Sarasota and all of its programs to serve the industry, citizens, and community of Sarasota County and the surrounding region.

In addition to building student talent pipelines with companies in the region, Al will lead efforts to engage the entrepreneurial community with UF technology, link local companies to student design projects and prototype development programs, and build collaborations with the region’s existing academic institutions. His primary responsibility is to drive economic impact.

Prior to assuming his current role, Al served as president and CEO of Sun Hydraulics, one of the largest internationally traded companies in Southwest Florida, founded and based in Sarasota for 16 years. He has over 40 years of experience in the fluid power industry and is one of the most recognized leaders in the region’s business community. He is active on the boards of Sun Hydraulics Corp., Tervis Tumbler, and Mayville Engineering Company, Inc., and is a regent at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. He also serves on local and regional boards for Junior Achievement. Carlson is a graduate of the Milwaukee School of Engineering and the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.