Elegant Living Tampa Bay’s recent Wine, Women & Wealth event at Sheltair Aviation proved that women of affluence are ready to take flight. This was our second event at Sheltair’s private hanger at Tampa International Airport, and the more than 30 women who attended the exclusive VIP gathering personified the evening’s theme, “Sky’s the Limit.”
(Lisa Holland, Tracey Serebin, Gina Lyons)
Women in the United States control $10 trillion in assets, according to McKinsey and Company, and that number is expected to triple — that’s right, triple — in the next eight years. However, less than 15 percent of wealth managers in this country are women. There’s an obvious disconnect, so we brought together a select group of women to mingle, sip champagne, explore gorgeous planes and hear from guest speakers about closing the chasm.
Do women of high net worth have the right experts on their team to help protect their wealth, increase their assets and guide them to achieve their goals? Are they being exposed to companies with women wealth managers, and are luxury brands marketing correctly to this demographic?
For years high-end luxury products have been marketed directly to men, including planes, automobiles, yachts and real estate, with women being a sub-tier demographic. But women of wealth can purchase these items on their own, and they want, and deserve, to be catered to. This is why I created “Own Your Power: Women & Wealth” events, with another taking place in April.
Sheltair Aviation, the nation’s largest privately owned aviation network, provided a perfect backdrop for the Feb. 24 event, and President Lisa Holland shared how her dad, Jerry, founded the company in 1963. Today Sheltair owns 14 FBOs (fixed-base operators) in Florida, Georgia and Colorado, and Lisa’s goal is to continue building out Sheltair’s presence in Florida and expanding to other regions in the country.
Lisa was gracious to host this event in the company’s private hanger in Tampa, where jets, prop planes and a helicopter gave guests a sense of the luxury of private aviation.
(Lisa Holland, Sarah Behnke, Marilyn Gauthier, Mariah Blackmon)
Skyway Aviation CEO and Co-Owner Laura Taylor and two women from her organization, Rebecca Reres and Mariah Blackmon, spoke about how Skyway’s plane and helicopter charter service differs from Net Jets. The women were invited to explore one of the planes and learn about the charter membership program.
(Mariah Blackmon, Rebecca Reres, and Laura Taylor)
What excited me the most about Skyway Aviation is the ability to charter a helicopter to fly to Orlando rather than fight the traffic and automobile accidents that are notorious on the I-4 highway.
(Lisa Simington)
Lisa Simington, regional head of PNC Wealth Management for Florida, who has several women wealth managers on her team, spoke on behalf of PNC Private Bank and offered valuable financial advice while Avery Fontaine, head of Philanthropy and Impact with PNC, talked about the benefits of donor-advised funds for philanthropic efforts.
(Avery Fontaine)
We also heard from Lisa Carroll, owner of Team TLC for Mihara & Associates, about investing in real estate. Lisa not only sells luxury homes throughout the Tampa Bay area but also guides high-net worth women to invest in real estate to expand their portfolios. She shared a few stories about the return on investments she has received from properties, and how investment real estate has become a focus of her business.
(Dr. Anita Jain Shembekar, Gabrielle Ringler, Lisa Holland, Lisa Carroll, Tracey Serebin)
Throughout the evening everyone enjoyed rosé champagne from the house of Laurent Perrier, an independent family-owned business since 1812 that currently is run by two sisters. Gina Lyons, Champagne Concierge and founder of A Vine Affair, spoke about the champagne, which has a unique style, freshness and elegance, and is one of my favorites.
The rosé paired perfectly with hors d’oeuvres provided by DelFrisco’s Grill that included decadent fruit; smoked salmon on sliced cucumbers; large, chilled shrimp; and gourmet deviled eggs. Guests gathered around high-top tables topped and enjoyed charcuterie provided by women-owned Board Babes.
Everyone enjoyed taking photos, making connections and learning something new. As the night came to an end, each woman left with a swag bag of complimentary items and, we hope, more empowered to own their power!
