ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. — The mayor of Royal Palm Beach passed away at the age of 74 over the weekend, his executive assistant confirmed to WPTV on Monday.
Fred Pinto was elected mayor of the village of Royal Palm Beach in 2016. Before that, Pinto served as vice mayor and was also on the village council.
The village released the following written statement to WPTV on Monday about Pinto's passing:
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Mayor, Fred Pinto, who left us over the weekend. Mayor Pinto’s unwavering commitment and service to our community will forever be remembered and cherished. During this difficult time, Vice Mayor Jeff Hmara will assume the mayor's responsibilities. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Mayor Pinto’s family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched."
Pinto also served on the Transportation Planning Agency (TPA) for eight years.
TPA Executive Director Valerie Neilson released the following statement on Pinto's death:
"I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Mayor Pinto's passing. As a member of the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency's Governing Board for nearly eight years, he was an important part of helping us advance our mission and vision of a safe, efficient, and connected multimodal transportation system within Palm Beach County. We appreciate his many contributions to furthering transportation access for everyone, including serving as Chair of the TPA Governing Board from October 2020 - November 2021, being an advocate for transit and participating in regional transportation discussions across South Florida. His presence will be greatly missed."
According to his biography on the village's website, Pinto was born and raised in Harlem, New York. He graduated from Fordham University and is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army.
Pinto was a technology executive for several Wall Street investment banking firms, including Salomon Brothers, JP Morgan, and Lehman Brothers.
