Senior financial advisor, HBKS Wealth Advisors

It’s easy to view Mark Matos as a leader in the community: the financial planner has served as president of the Financial Planning Association of Southwest Florida and The Rotary Club of Naples, director of Meals of Hope and Greater Naples Planned Giving Council, on advisory councils for Community Foundation of Collier County and FGCU’s Lutgert College of Business, and many more roles in between. But Matos remembers when he first relocated to Fort Myers from Connecticut in 1998, determined to further his education with more affordable college.

He’d walk more than two miles just to get to the bus stop that took him to Florida SouthWestern State College, where he attended school. After his first semester, he obtained a full-tuition scholarship to FSW, followed by a second full-tuition scholarship to FGCU. He graduated with full honors from the FGCU Lutgert College of Business while working full time, and now pays it forward by fundraising and creating awareness for Learn2Earn scholarship program, which supports 27 students with scholarships and a mentor program.

Matos enjoys digital media and photography, martial arts, flying drones, fencing and otherwise staying active.