Hall of Famers

Don’t you wish there were more events like the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Dinner?

Held twice a year alternatively in Collier and Lee counties, these dinners celebrate the entrepreneurs who make Southwest Florida great.

On Oct. 26, hundreds of people packed the Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort in Naples in what’s become the unofficial kickoff to the busy winter season. None would argue with the election of Ed Staros and Mark Wilson to this year’s Business Hall of Fame for Collier County.

Staros is the vice president and managing director of The Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Naples and Mark Wilson is the president and CEO of London Bay Homes. Staros put Naples on the map with two Ritz-Carlton hotels and Wilson’s homebuilding company did the same when it was named America’s Best Homebuilder.

But it’s not just the awards that make these dinners great. Because Junior Achievement teaches valuable entrepreneurial skills in schools, these Hall of Fame entrepreneurs always share nuggets that provide keys to their success. For Staros, the key to success is every employee has a mentor at the company. Wilson advises to work hard and play hard, emphasizing the importance of taking time off to recharge.

You can read more about the event in this Naples Daily News story http://www.naplesnews.com/story/money/2017/10/27/junior-achievement-southwest-florida-adds-two-its-business-hall-fame/802449001/.

And if you’re not familiar with Junior Achievement and its financial literacy programs, be sure to check out the organization’s website: http://jaswfl.org/.