The 5th Avenue South Business Improvement District
The 5th Avenue South Business Improvement District, Inc. (BID) was established in December 2010. A 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, the BID represents the interests of both property owners and businesses in growing and sustaining a healthy, vibrant 5th Avenue South district.
What is the BID?
The BID provides an ongoing mechanism and dedicated source of revenue used by property owners and merchants to guide the future of their retail and commercial areas. The BID is based on state and local law, which permits property owners and merchants to band together to use the local government’s tax collection powers to “assess” themselves. In Naples, these funds are collected by the county and through the city, returned to the BID and are used for purchasing supplemental services (e.g. advertising, promotions and special events and providing downtown management and administration) beyond those services provided by the city.
The BID is managed by a Board of Directors representative of the district boundaries and includes a ten-year “sunset” provision, whereby the district would require a vote after every ten years but would report annually on goals and objectives accomplished. The City of Naples agrees to maintain the baseline level of services.
Mission Statement
Promote brand awareness of the 5th Avenue South Business Improvement District to residents and visitors as THE destination of choice to live, work, shop, dine and play.
Board of Directors
Christopher Shucart
President
Christopher Shucart is President of JCS Realty Group. JCS Realty Group is locally based in Naples, Florida and has over 50 years of experience in real estate development and investing including: hotels, restaurants, marinas, condo conversions, residential & multi-family projects, raw land development, and retail, office, and industrial real estate investments. Christopher is married to his beautiful wife, Rochelle, and they have an adventurous, energetic and sports enthusiast son, Carsten. When Christopher is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family. They enjoy many outdoor activities, including boating, fishing, jogging, tennis & traveling.
Jeff Wynn
Vice President & Immediate Past President
Mr. Wynn is the current President of Wynn Properties and serves on the Wynn Family Board. A graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance, Mr. Wynn has significant experience in commercial real estate sales, leasing, development and management. Mr. Wynn represents the property owner category on the Board of Directors.
Joseph McCabe
Treasurer
As a recent graduate of High Point University Joseph McCabe is full of energy and tenacity. He majored in business with a concentration in entrepreneurship. Being one of the few lifelong residents of Naples, Joseph has an extensive knowledge of the history of the city and the direction in which it is going. As Vice President of project development at Gulf Coast Commercial Corporation, he looks forward to using his day-to-day work to complement the mission of the BID in promoting the growth and flourishment of downtown Naples.
Jarred Kaplan
Jarred Kaplan is the Managing Partner of Provident Jewelry Naples and Fort Myers. Provident Jewelry, a recognized leader in the jewelry industry, has called Fifth Avenue South home for 20 years. During his time in Naples, Jarred has supported numerous charities and philanthropic events working closely with the Naples Humane Society and Community School of Naples. He is a Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the New School of Social Research in New York City. He and his wife, Melissa, have three daughters and enjoy traveling.
Eric Tancredi
Eric Tancredi is the Managing Partner at the avenue’s iconic restaurant, Vergina’s. Raised in Bronx, NY, his Italian heritage has significantly influenced his career. While Eric is a graduate of the James Madison University BioTech program, it took a little while for him to realize that he was best suited for the restaurant industry. His energy, cultural influences, and love of people have made him incredibly successful in his Manhattan restaurant and Naples. Eric loves wine, innovative cuisine, and entertainment. He continues to find new ways to engage his patrons. With a focus on family, friends, and our vibrant community, Eric is one of the avenue’s greatest cheerleaders and supporters of the BID.
Vincenzo Betulia
A Sicilian native, Vincenzo grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after his family moved from Sicily to Wisconsin when he was two. He began his career at age 14 with an after-school job at Paul and Joe Bartolotta’s Ristorante Bartolotta. By age 15, he held a prized spot on the pizza line and ultimately became a Bartolotta protégé, helping open two additional Bartolotta restaurants in Milwaukee. While attending the Kendall Culinary School in Chicago, Chef Vincenzo further honed his skills at Bartolotta’s acclaimed Spiaggia. In Chicago and later in Milwaukee, he worked with Michael White, a fellow Kendall alum and Bartolotta protégé, acclaimed for New York City restaurants including Marea, Ai Fiori and Osteria Morini. On a vacation in Naples, Florida, Chef Vincenzo fell in love with the area and secured a chef’s position at Campiello, a staple in the Naples dining scene. He worked his way up to head chef, a position he held for nine years, before opening his namesake restaurant, Osteria Tulia, in January 2013, and Bar Tulia in December 2014. Since that time under Campagna Hospitality Group, his brands have grown to include Bar Tulia and The French Brasserie Rustique, which have become iconic on Fifth Avenue South’s dining scene. In 2023, Chef began his first catering venture and is fast becoming one of the most popular caterers in Naples.
Chef Vincenzo was the first chef in Naples to host a Friends of James Beard Benefit dinner in April 2015. He has received innumerable awards, including multiple reigns as Best Chefs of America, and has been featured on the Food Network, Cooking Channel, USA Today, Forbes Travel Guide, Peter Greenberg, The Fifty Best, and Fodor’s. On the home front, Chef Vincenzo is celebrated regularly by visitors and residents alike, receiving accolades for his creativity and hospitality.
Derek Nagy
Born and raised in Central Illinois, Derek attended preparatory school in Maine and obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in business from Westminster College in Missouri. He moved to Naples, Florida in 2018 and is a certified property manager from the Institute of Real Estate Management. Derek has worked with two of Naples’ commercial real estate power houses, representing the Hoffmann Commercial Real Estate interests until its sale to M Development in 2023. Currently, Derek is the property manager for M Development who owns 27 properties in Naples including 12 on 5th Avenue South.
Derek is a graduate of the Associate Leadership Collier Class of 2022. He attributes his drive and work ethic to his mother who modeled persistence and excellence in the corporate arena.
Derek and his wife Sloan live in the city of Naples and enjoy time with family, playing tennis and spending time at the beach.