Honoring the Men & Women of the Year

Mercedes-Benz of Naples sponsored a celebration of Naples’ Men and Women of the Year this past Friday, November 4 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort. The event highlighted nine of southwest Florida’s most inspirational leaders. The celebration marked the event’s 19th year. The night’s festivities included a three-course meal, cocktails and plenty of praise for Naples’ most influential community servants. Kellie Burns, an NBC2 news anchor, hosted the awards presentation. Below, we take a quick look at each of the honorees.

Fabrizio and Ingrid Aielli

The Aiellis opened Sea Salt back in 2008. The restaurant received immediate praise from Esquire magazine as the “Best New Restaurant”. Fabrizio, a native of Venice, Italy, has worked in all sorts of hotels and restaurants throughout the world. Ingrid, a Bratislava, Slovakia native, is equally responsible for Sea Salt’s success. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society named Ingrid as the woman of the year in 2001. She leads the charitable donations and public relations for the couple’s eateries. Furthermore, Ingrid started the Nane Kimijan Memorial Scholarship fund for local high school students.

Linda Oberhaus

Oberhaus’s role as the Executive Director of The Shelter for Abused Women and Children is a testament to her altruism and caring nature. She has also worked in a leadership role at the state’s largest domestic violence center, The Spring of Tampa Bay. All in all, Oberhaus has more than two decades worth of experience in the human services field.

Dr. David Perlmutter

As the author of Grain Brain, Dr. Perlmutter deserves considerable credit for his steadfast devotion to improving human health as well as the human condition. He is an accomplished author and physician, with numerous medical publications under his belt. His work to solve neurological disorders is centered on preventative medicine. Thanks to Dr. Perlmutter, millions of people now have a deep understanding of how to proactively combat Alzheimer’s, ADHD, dementia and depression.

Lizbeth Benacquisto

One of Florida’s most celebrated state senators, Benacquisto was elected to the Senate in 2010. She served as Councilwoman for the Village of Wellington between 2002 and 2010. Benacquisto was the Majority Leader from 2012 to 2014 and Deputy Majority Leader from 2011 to 2012. Benacquisto’s list of honors and awards would take up this entire page if listed in full.

Lydia Black

Black is a nonprofit aficionado of sorts. Her focus is squarely on the arts and finding ways to add to the richness of her community. She volunteers in a number of different capacities and is a member of the Fort Myers Rotary Club.

Maria Jimenez-Lara

As CEO of the Naples Children and Education Foundation, Jimenez-Lara is a leader in every sense of the word. Before being named CEO, she worked as the group’s Director of Foundation Services and Grants Director, overseeing the charitable grant process. She also worked for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association to boot. Jimenez-Lara has helped develop five charter schools for vulnerable children and several housing developments for poor families.

Mark Loren

Loren is one of our area’s most prized artists for good reason. His gallery has won numerous National Design Awards and received international acclaim. There is no doubt the cultural fabric of southwestern Florida is richer thanks to Loren’s creations.

Abdul’haq Muhammed

As the founder and Executive Director of the Quality Life Center, Muhammed has uplifted countless individuals with his confidence-boosting programs. He is a skilled motivational speaker and dedicated to the cause of youth development.