Found success

Cuban native Humberto Vainieri has worked all over the world, from Madrid to Moscow, but he and his wife settled on Sarasota a decade ago when they sought a retirement spot.

The Vainieris specifically selected the Founders Club, which, in 2005, was a new luxury homes and golf course development. The $500 million project, including a Robert Trent Jones Jr. signature golf course, was a big deal at the time in Sarasota. On 700 acres east of Interstate 75, the Founders Club was built to compete for members not only with local clubs, but other wealthy enclaves, such as Naples and Palm Beach.

“This was a like a startup,” says Vainieri, the ninth resident of the community and a past president of the club. “We thought it would be a great environment.”