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Augusto Marini
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Augusto Marini (born June 16, 1940) is one of the best-known entrepreneurs in the Caribbean in the field of fashion, luxury resorts, real estate development and the yachting world. He was born in Rome, Italy but resides in St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles since 1969. During his long Caribbean’s career he is mostly regarded for the co-founding of the specialty stores chain La Romana, together with La Perla fashion group of Italy, and for the starting, with Dion Friedland the South African hedge funds guru, the luxury “Cap Juluca resort in Anguilla where he discovered, envisioned and streamlined the concept of this magnificent multi-award winning resort. Still, very active in the luxury real estate developments and the yachting world. Augusto is now dividing his responsibilities between the launching and commercialization of new projects, the finest Italian yachts and an extensive social networking through his various investment-websites, blogs and forums, all converging into his popular SxmList.com. right Personal Life Augusto Marini, was born in Rome, Italy on June 16th 1940 and resides in St. Maarten - Netherlands Antilles since 1969. In 1974 he married the Dutch Jolanda Witte from which in 1981 had one son Leandro Marini. In 1994 they divorced and Jolanda and Leandro moved to the United States where they actually live; Jolanda in Miami, and Leandro in Los Angeles,Ca. Early Life and Education Augusto, lived 10 years in Rome, from his birth 1940 till 1950. After, the family moved to Mezzolombardo a small Northern Italy village on the border between Trentino and Alto -Adige where his parents developed a small hotel Albergo Marini. His high school education was achieved in Trento, Italy and after he moved to Germany where he graduated from the Kermess Hotelery school of Munich. In 1964 Augusto lost both of his parents and being the only son decided to travel. First he worked as a flight attendant with the Italian airline Alitalia and then on the luxury cruise-liner Oceanic that introduced him to the Caribbean. Caribbean’s Work & Projects MULLET BAY RESORT In November 1969 Augusto was hired by Mullet Bay Resort in St. Maarten with the intent to design, organize and manage the 7 restaurants, of at that time, the largest resort in the Caribbean originated by Henry Ford II and some of his Detroit executives. Mullet Bay was a great success during the during the 70th and 80oth and during that time it changed several ownership and then on September 5th 1995 when Luis, the most devastating hurricane that ever came to the island, totally destroyed the property that closed down and it nerver reopened again. LA ROMANA GROUP While still in the managerial position at Mullet Bay, Augusto in 1974 married Jolanda Witte, a Dutch lady that came to the island to manage the prestigious Spritzer & Fuhrman jewelery store. When the couple noticed the great clientele that was coming to St. Maarten, they decided to open a tiny but well designed boutique in Philipsburg and called it La Romana. The timing couldn’t have been any better…they both went to Italy, met La Perla then Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani and Krizia and in 1975 started offering these great Italian designers with their very first collections to a very appreciative American clientele that never have seen these fashion before. In 5 years the tiny store became an important specialty store chain with 12 locations divided in 4 islands: St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Thomas, Anguilla and St Barth. In the middle of this expansion, the convinced La Perla Fashion group of Italy to invest into the company creating a successful partnership into La Romana stores and as well the distribution arm Caribbean Duty Free Consortium. Here again hurricane Luis destroyed most of the stores and the Marini’s with La Perla decided to close the stores operation and move the distribution to Miami. CAP JULUCA RESORT During one of the frequent trip to Europe, in summer 1980. The Marini’s met with the South African Dion Friedland and convinced him to come to St Maarten and while there to visit the neighbour island of Anguilla. There Dion felt in love with one of the best beaches in the Caribbean, the Maundays Bay and soon after the dynamic duo started brainstorming of what could become one of the best resort in the world. And after a couple of years including some unusual technical circumstances, Cap Juluca came alive. Due to it’s incredible location, it’s immaculate beach and it’s attractive Moorish architecture, The project became and immediate success winning the Conde Nast Traveler Reader Choice Awards, in the Caribbean, for three consecutive years. In 2008 Cap Juluca has been sold to an investor syndicate led by noted travel industry executive Adam M. Aron formerly chairman and CEO of Vail Resorts, and the Italian Silversea cruises chairman Manfredi Lefebvre. RE/MAX After so many diversified ventures and still the love for the Caribbean and St Maarten and by identifying early the new condominiums trend, in 2003 Augusto joined the St Maarten Remax franchise with the unique goal of creating the most sophisticated Condominiums and Investments commercialization system in the Caribbean. Immediately he received the enthusiastic support of all the main developers on the island and foreign investors and simultaneously he created a sophisticated communication system of websites, blogs, forums etc. that converge into a main website SxmList. Augusto continue his commitment and love of servicing most of the large development on the island and constantly attracting new one. SXMLIST.COM SXMLIST.COM was created on August 2007 with the intent of converging all of Augusto’s websites, blogs and forums, while all focusing on the new developments of St Maarten - St Martin and surrounding islands, in an informative social networking style and the easiness of use of a Web 2.0. The SxmRealtyWorld.com and SxmYachtingWorld.com are by far his most visited, but his new Free listing service SxmFreelistings.com designed to allow owners to freely post their rental listing, is gaining momentum lately. In addition Augusto posts regularly on his Isolabella.blog - Twitter and Facebook all covering St Maarten and nearby exclusive islands; Anguilla. St Barth and Nevis . 
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