3 minute read
Greater Naples Jewish Young Professionals gets new chair
Meet “Mak”
By Mathew “Mak” Kahn, Jewish Young Professionals Chair
I’m honored to formally introduce myself as the new chair of the Greater Naples Jewish Young Professionals (JYP) group. First, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Maya Williams and Cayla Schreier for their dedicated efforts in building the strong foundation that JYP stands on today. Without their leadership, I wouldn’t have the honor, privilege or opportunity to lead this group.
When I moved to Southwest Florida in the winter of 2023, I didn’t know a single person in the area. Joining JYP helped me establish a community of Jewish friends, giving me a sense of belonging and a deeper connection to Judaism. This group has given me so much, and I’m passionate about helping others experience the same.
I grew up in Orange County, California, where sports played a major role in my upbringing. In fact, my bar mitzvah theme was football! I lettered in football, soccer and lacrosse in high school and was part of a championship soccer team at the JCC Maccabi Games, where I later returned as a lacrosse coach.
I began my college career at Indiana University as a business major, where I discovered a passion for entrepreneurship and a strong drive to grow our family business. I eventually transferred to Chapman University in Orange, California, which allowed me to complete my degree while staying involved in our family company, A-1 Foam & Fabrics. Around that time, I also developed a keen interest in horticulture. After graduating, I earned my landscape contractor’s license and began buying and selling plants, while also taking on a sales role at A-1. Later, I identified Southwest Florida as the ideal place to expand both A-1 Foam & Fabrics and my rare and exotic tropical fruit farm. This led to the founding of A-1 Foam & Fabrics of Florida.
Now, I’m excited to bring my experience in sports, coaching, business and life to help our JYP community grow. Over the past few years, we’ve seen incredible momentum. When Williams launched the group three years ago, her first event had just three attendees, including herself. Today, we’re regularly hosting events with more than a dozen people; our recent Shabbat dinner had 16 attendees!
As our group continues to grow, one of our key goals will be to scale thoughtfully, welcoming more members while maintaining the intimate, close-knit atmosphere that makes JYP so special.
I’m truly looking forward to building on the strong foundation already in place and advancing JYP’s mission of creating meaningful Jewish community for young professionals in our area.
