WALTER IMPERATORE 2025
‘SERIAL VOLUNTEER’ WALTER IMPERATORE HAS QUICKLY BECOME A KEY LEADER IN THE ROTARY CLUB OF WELLINGTON
STORY BY DEBORAH WELKY | PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN
Walter Imperatore was born on the day, month and year that Disneyland opened, although he insists that he was not named after that other famous Walt. This Walter spent his youth in Whitestone and Port Washington, N.Y., and earned a degree in public relations and advertising from Syracuse University. He put those communication skills to use in the real estate field, managing a diverse private real estate portfolio, serving as global director of real estate for a Fortune 100 company, and providing commercial brokerage, consulting and development planning. Imperatore has been involved with Rotary International all his adult life, currently serving as immediate past president of the Wellington Rotary Club. Before relocating to Wellington five years ago, he was president of the Rotary Club of Oyster Bay, vice president and treasurer of the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce, and held several leadership roles in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He moved to Wellington in April 2020, just at the start of the pandemic. “Our kids were in their early 20s then, and when [wife] Joan and I told them we were moving to Florida, they came back to us and said they would come down here, too,” Imperatore recalled. “My son Jake [now 30] and daughter Katie [now 28] both moved to within a mile of our new Florida home.” It was not Imperatore’s years of real estate experience nor months of scouting South Florida locales that brought him to Wellington. “Wellington didn’t pop up on any radar,” he said. “I was lucky, and I’ve always said I’d rather be lucky than smart.” In 2021, Imperatore transferred his Rotary membership to Wellington, and got involved helping people struggling during the pandemic. “We did weekly food distribution out of the Mall at Wellington Green,” said Imperatore, who described himself as a “serial volunteer.” “We were all masked-up and wore gloves. It was very restrictive and uncomfortable, but a worthwhile effort.” As the pandemic receded, Imperatore became more immersed than ever in Rotary activities and soon found him20 September 2025 | WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE
self on the board. Earlier this year, he worked with the village to develop the Flags of Wellington program, honoring not only military personnel but also civilian achievements. “In Wellington, the flags aren’t strictly dedicated to memorials, but are also about spirit and community, so the message is broader,” Imperatore explained. “They range from people who have been in the service to congratulating a family member.” Imperatore said both the village and local scouts helped with the effort. “The scouts were phenomenal,” he said. “When we were putting the flags up, they were a huge part of that.” Rotary and the village work together on many projects, something that adds immeasurably to the community feel of the town. “It’s a win-win,” Imperatore said. “When the tornado went through Wellington in 2024, the village had a plan and resources, but they reached out to Rotary to help. We created a tornado relief fund, partnering with other organizations, and were able to help our residents with everything from debris removal to gift cards to help for first responders. It was a pretty broad program, considering the frenetic pace at which it was created. In some cases, we merely served as a portal for people who didn’t know that village resources were available.” Imperatore recalled the story of a son pulling his father into their safe room just as a tornado breached the house and tried to suck them out. “The general theme was that people felt like a freight train was going right past,” Imperatore said. “Someone who had served in the military said it felt like explosions going off around him… Myself, I watched the tornado from my home on Lake Wellington. It was like watching The Wizard of Oz. It was really formidable.” He is also involved in Rotary’s exchange program. “We have a youth exchange program where we send 8,000 students from one country to another for either a short summer program or the entire school year,” Imperatore said. “Watching the looks on those kids’ faces as they participate in this thing, it is so rewarding — it’s an impact point in their lives.” Learn more about the Rotary Club of Wellington at www. wellingtonrotary.org.