An expertly curated, luxuriously produced compendium of all things Naples, Naples Illustrated brings to life personalities and takes you inside the exclusive homes, parties and interests of the world’s most affluent and influential people.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” Few words have more validity than these, in my opinion; we all know the importance of health and the hope and happiness it can afford. Conversely, even those with the most lavish of lives must find it difficult to enjoy themselves in the absence of good health. This is no front-page news. Because health is such a weighty and ubiquitous topic, we’ve once again decided to dedicate our April edition to wellness. While I enjoy putting all our issues together, this is one of my favorites. Through my research (and that of others), I always learn interesting health- and wellness-related news. In this issue, we aspire to bring you a range of interesting…
RAISE YOUR GLASS WHO: Champions For Learning WHAT: Glass Slipper Luncheon WHERE: The Club at Olde Cypress, Naples DETAILS: Since 2004, Champions For Learning has honored female leaders for their dedication and service to the children of Collier County at a luncheon. This year, almost $27,000 was raised to provide scholarships for women who need additional funds to complete their postsecondary education. MEDIA SPONSOR: Naples Illustrated SPREADING CHEER WHO: Jingled Elves WHAT: Trolley Tour WHERE: Mercato and various locations around Naples DETAILS: Volunteer elves boarded the Naples Trolley and rode through town singing carols and performing a holiday flash mob dance to raise awareness and funds for Collier County charities benefiting women and children. MEDIA SPONSOR: Naples Illustrated SPARKLING START WHO: Metropolitan Naples WHAT: Tree Lighting and Groundbreaking Ceremony WHERE:…
One of the fastest-growing boutique real estate brokerages in the world recently opened its first office on the Gulf Coast. With the debut of the Naples office, The Agency opened its twenty-ninth franchise in a growing network of offices throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Mauricio Umansky, CEO and founder of The Agency, as well as an influential person in real estate and star of Netflix’s Buying Beverly Hills, flew to town in early February to celebrate grand opening events for The Agency’s Naples location on Tamiami Trail. We caught up with him in the lobby of the Inn on Fifth—just steps away from where crowds gathered for the Cars on 5th event—for a quick chat. Turn the page for the interview. (theagencyre.com)…
NI: Is this your first visit to Naples? Umansky: It’s my third. All three were business-related. Someday I want to visit with my wife [Kyle Richards] and spend time exploring the area. And I really want to play some golf here. What were your first impressions of Naples? It is absolutely beautiful. I love water and have been spending time swimming in the Gulf. Are you planning on purchasing real estate here? [Laughs] Not at the moment. I have too many houses. How do you determine where you will open your offices? Wherever I like to travel! If I don’t want to go there, you probably won’t find an office there. But really, we follow the money. We look at markets—like Toronto and the Midwest—and find out where these people…
The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, received a game-changing donation of $75 million from Lee and Penny Anderson, residents of Naples since 1993. The donation is for a multiuse, on-campus arena for Division I men’s and women’s hockey and basketball programs—bringing hockey onto campus for the first time at the university. Aside from games, the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, with a target opening of fall 2025, will host commencement ceremonies, academic convocations, career fairs, and other events. The Andersons are very familiar with Minnesota’s largest private university, although neither attended. “We have lots of friends who attended, and I was a trustee for 12 years,” says Lee. Their daughter, Katharine Anderson Groethe, is now a trustee; two of her children are currently students at St. Thomas,…
A $10 million capital campaign for a trailblazing and futuristic-looking learning center for young golfers of Collier County is gaining velocity. The First Tee – Naples/Collier chapter was founded by current Executive Director Cindy Darland with the support of co-founding sponsors Arthrex and Collier Enterprises in 2007. At the time, 30 youths participated in after-school mentoring programs; by 2011, there were 1,000 youths participating. First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation for the purpose of teaching the values inherent in the game of golf to children, especially to those who wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to the game and its positive values. Since 2019, the local First Tee board began searching for a permanent place to call home—a place where kids could connect with their peers and mentors…
