The French Connection, 40 Years Later

Generations of French Village condominium owners came together at the popular Smith House Restaurant and Boardroom Tavern on March 28 for an evening which seemed like a special family gathering.

They came to celebrate the 40 years since a very young Rick Yacono began his journey that eventually led to the creation of one of Southwest Florida’s largest and most successful property management businesses. 

Yacono’s first visit to Marco Island was in 1972. About 13 years of age, Yacono travelled to the island to visit his mother and stepfather. At the time, he was living in New Jersey with his father. But after that first visit, Yacono soon felt the attraction of what was then a sleepy little island on the Gulf of Mexico. Yacono frequently returned for visits and holidays to Marco Island, which to him was an island paradise that he couldn’t get out of his mind. 

Yacono joked about driving the family’s little truck around the island as a 14- or 15-year-old teenager. “It didn’t hurt that the only deputy at the time on the island would often be our guest for dinner in the evenings,” said a smiling Yacono.

After graduating from high school, Yacono returned to the island in 1979 and made a life for himself doing odd jobs and maintenance work. The French Village condominium opened the same year. At the time, French Village’s location marked the end of what is known today as Collier Boulevard, before turning to a dirt road. 

“In 1982 when Mitch Peters asked me whether I would be interested in overseeing the property and helping out owners I thought, ‘Why not?’ And that is where it all began 40 years ago with those 33 owners putting their faith in me,” said Yacono.

As he addressed the group of French Village owners and longtime friends, Yacono took a nostalgic walk down memory lane. A shy and sometimes reserved individual, Yacono was completely at home with everyone there, who are like family to him. He has known as many as two or three generations of the families that gathered that evening.

Reminiscing, Yacono recalled how they handled tasks in the past, such as typing correspondence and using carbon paper to create copies. The memories drew laughter from those who remembered those early days.

Nancy Ryan Sorich, the daughter of one of the initial owners, Bob and Peg Ryan, met Yacono in 1982. Sorich had accompanied her parents to French Village for spring break, and she met Yacono on his first day on the job. 

Rick Yacono was by the pool, scratching his head and pondering how to fix a pool heater that wasn’t adequately warming the pool water. After introductions to the family, he inquired if any of them had any ideas on how to remedy the problem. Sorich was quick to offer the services of her engineer father, and that began the longtime friendship between Rick Yacono and the Ryan family.

“Rick’s success is based upon his kind and honest demeanor with everyone he met. Right away you knew he was a genuine person who was trustworthy and a man of his word. It was his integrity and honesty that was the foundation which endeared him to so many,” said Nancy Ryan Sorich.

Before long, a gentleman stopped by to inquire about who maintained the French Village building and grounds, to which Yacono responded was him. “He said the place looked great and whether we would be interested in taking on another. I thought about it and told him I would, making the Island Club the second property we’d manage,” said Yacono.

To help with the added workload, Yacono hired a recent retiree named Howard Sutton for a few hours a day. Sutton worked with Yacono until he was 88 years old.

More condominium complexes came aboard once people saw the quality of Yacono’s work. In 1988, Yacono became partners with Bob Rosenow, and together they grew the company to 400 clients with about 25,000 owners. 

The company’s expansion into Naples, Bonita, Fort Myers and Cape Coral has been impressive. They service everything from high rise condominiums on the beach to small HOAs and gated golf communities, while maintaining an office presence in Naples and Marco Island.

In 1991, Yacono hired Peter Hughes, recognizing the need for a strong second man as the business grew. As Yacono spoke about Hughes, there was a rousing round of applause, further evidencing Hughes’ value to the team.

“Peter taught me early on an important lesson. You don’t put off what needs to get done. There is no procrastination with Peter. He has been my right-hand man and my friend,” said a smiling Yacono.

The evening was a celebration by those who have placed their trust in Yacono since 1982, when he was a young man starting out on his journey by making Marco Island his home and French Village a part of his extended family.

I’m pretty sure that Rick Yacono never met Mark Twain, but if he had, I am sure he would have agreed with his famous quote, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”