A FAMILY AFFAIR

Emily K. Bua and Tade Bua-Bell

EMILY K. BUA AND TADE BUA-BELL

Bua Bell Group

REAL ESTATE HAS provided a sound source of income and independence for Emily Bua, who runs the Bua Bell Group with her oldest daughter, Tade Bua-Bell. When she relocated to Naples in 1993, Emily brought with her 16 years of luxury real estate experience—and she’s been a top, award-winning producer ever since. “Naples has been a blessing to me,” she says. “Almost everyone I’m friendly with is someone I’ve done real estate with. When I hear from them less, I realize that they are settling in and meeting new people.” When the single mother of four was raising her children, they all apparently understood the value of real estate. Her son, Shane Bua and his wife Taylor Meritt, moved to Naples from Los Angeles and have joined the Bua Bell Group.

Tade says she was always interested in real estate, so after receiving a marketing degree from the University of Pittsburgh, she jumped into the field by facilitating corporate relocations for two major corporations in Pittsburgh and was a regional manager running up to 13 offices for a national real estate company.

Tade joined her mom after managing 125 agents in a Pittsburgh-area real estate office. When Tade’s husband Brad was transferred to Naples for his career in 2005, she jumped at the chance to work with her mother. By then, she had established her own professional style which was blended with her mother’s to create the Bua Bell Group.

Emily and Tade are firm believers in giving back. Both have served on various charitable boards in Naples and donate to a local charity with every closing. The Bua Bell Group was honored in 2022 with the Lifetime Achievement Award from John R. Wood Properties for their expertise, spirit of support, and caring concierge service. THROUGH MORE THAN THREE DECADES, the Naples-based Thomas Riley Artisans’ Guild evolved from furniture restoration and finishing into a full-service woodworking company with a sterling reputation for artisanal millwork and cabinetry. Its namesake founder, Thomas Riley, set the bar high with his core principle of “providing nothing less than monumental quality products and white-glove customer service.” Today, his sons, Matt and Ben, have continued to grow and evolve the company as both mainstream and ultra-high-end design tastes change for their clients stretching from Beverly Hills to Greenwich to Palm Beach.

Both were born and raised in Naples, worked alongside their father, went off to college, and returned in 2003. Today, Ben is president/COO, with a focus on engineering, technology, efficiency, and quality, and Matt is CEO. He is the public face of the company and is involved in estimating and project management. “We both love the business we are in—creating beautiful surroundings for clients who appreciate the craftsmanship our team delivers,” Matt says. He and Ben remain inspired by the company’s core principle and the ideals that guide their workplace culture: “love and kindness, fairness and honesty.” While interior accents and furniture are still hand-planed, carved, and hand-shaped at Thomas Riley Artisans’ Guild, the shop has grown to incorporate high-tech carpentry equipment. They are also partners in the Naples design studio and gallery Method & Concept.

The brothers feel rewarded by carrying on their father’s torch with confidence and integrity—together. “Like all good partnerships, it comes down to mutual respect. We use our strengths to complement each other for the benefit of the company, our team, and our clients,” Matt says. “Ben and I hang out away from the office, play soccer and music together, and have an amazing, loving, and supportive family. Our life together is not just limited to the business. That balance is key.” — Cathy Chestnut

MATT AND BEN RILEY

Thomas Riley Artisans’ Guild

Matt Riley and Ben Riley

PHOTO BY ZACH STOVALL

JINX AND MINKA MCDONALD

Jinx McDonald Interior Designs

Minka McDonald Jinx McDonald DURING THE PAST TWO decades, Jinx McDonald carefully built her firm’s reputation as an industry leader from the ground up, working tirelessly and striving for perfection with each client. When she decided to retire a few years ago, her daughter, Minka, enthusiastically took over as the president of Jinx McDonald Interior Designs. Minka, who grew up in Naples, earned her master’s in interior design at Florida State University before designing in Orange County, California. She has worked alongside her mother for more than a decade.

Both women are proud of the tight-knit group of designers who continue to thrive under Minka’s leadership. Since Minka has taken the helm, the Naples-based firm has continued to add prestigious Aurora, Sand Dollar, and Pinnacle awards to its growing collection of accolades.

“I am thrilled that the transition was seamless, and that Jinx McDonald Interior Designs has kept the strong client relationships and industry partnerships that my mom spent years building,” Minka says. “I look forward to taking the company to the next level while creating unique design schemes that achieve the goal of casual elegance, which we are known for.”

SCHULZE FAMILY

Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation

IN 2004, BEST BUY founder Richard “Dick” M. Schulze established the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation (RMSFF) to give back to the communities where he and his family grew up—in Minnesota and in Florida, now his permanent residence. Schulze and his family believe that a good education, a supportive family, and a strong work ethic prepare children for a successful future. As a result, RMSFF supports organizations focused on human and social services, education, health, and medicine. Truly a family foundation, Schulze’s four adult children rotate participating on the board of trustees that makes funding decisions, and seven of his grandchildren are participating on the Next Generation Board, making philanthropic grants to support the overall goals of RMSFF. The Next Generation framework will provide a vehicle to inspire giving in the next generations and continue the family legacy into the future. Schulze and two of his children and their families call Naples home. Supporting their Southwest Florida community is most certainly a family affair.

Nancy Tellor, Susan Hoff, Dick Schulze, Debra Schulze, Rick Schulze