MARCO ISLAND CITY COUNCIL
Meet Jared
PERSONAL AND FAMILY
Jared moved to Marco Island in 2007 and is a full-time resident and homeowner. He lives with his wife, Elsa, and their three children, Calvin, Tosca, and Lorenzo. They love living in Marco Island and enjoy gardening, boating, going to the beach, attending art and music shows and other community events on the island.
Jared has served on the Greater Marco Family YMCA Community Relations Committee and he and Elsa are members of the Marco Island Center for the Arts, the Marco Island Fire Foundation and the Italian American Society of Marco Island and other island community organizations. Jared is also a volunteer youth soccer coach with the Optimist Club of Marco Island. The Grifoni family is very active in the community and regularly supports and attends events hosted by local civic associations, schools, and groups in Marco Island and Collier County, including Meals of Hope, Salvation Army, Marco Patriots and Kiwanis.
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Jared and his family are very passionate about the environment. They frequently work on local beach clean-ups and are long time volunteers for the Audubon of the Western Everglades, specifically with the “Owl Watch” program helping to collect data and track the burrowing owl population to ensure they are thriving and protected in Marco Island.
LOCAL BUSINESSMAN & ATTORNEY
In September 2015, Jared was recognized as one of Southwest Florida’s rising business leaders in Gulfshore Business Magazine’s annual 40 Under 40 rising stars feature. Jared was recognized in part for his work as an integral and leading part of the operation of SWFL Dunkin’ Donuts franchise consisting of 20 thriving locations and over 400 employees in Collier, Lee, Hendry, Hardee, and Glades and DeSoto Counties before most of the business was sold in 2016.
Jared is currently an attorney and leader in multiple small businesses currently based in Marco Island and Collier County.
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EDUCATION
Jared is a graduate of Merrimack College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a double major in Philosophy. Jared received his Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School, where he received an honorable mention award for outstanding performance in oral advocacy and became licensed by the Florida Bar in 2008.
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Jared has continued pursuing his passion for education in 2019 by completing a course of study in Stoic Theory & Practice through the School of Essential Studies of the College of Stoic Philosophers.
PROVEN AND SUCCESSFUL ADVOCATE
FOR MARCO ISLAND CITIZENS
Jared believes our community deserves real action and solutions not empty words and broken promises. Prior to winning his race, Jared made five pledges to the citizens of Marco Island, ranging from lower taxes and protection of property rights to building better relationships with state and county leaders. Jared has fulfilled every single one of his pledges based on his principles of fiscal conservatism, lower taxes, limited government, and protection of citizens’ rights.
First elected in November 2016, Jared received the most votes ever in a race for Marco Island City Council. During his service, Jared was elected as the Chairman and twice as Vice-Chairman by his peers on City Council.
EDUCATIONAL SPEAKER & GRASSROOTS LEADER
Prior to his election to the Marco Island City Council in 2016, Jared was a sought-after speaker and grassroots leader on issues pertaining to fiscal conservatism and constitutional rights in Collier and Lee Counties for events, meetings, political forums, schools, and civic associations.
Jared has spoken at colleges and high schools throughout the community including Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida SouthWestern State College and Golden Gate High School.
Jared led local efforts to protect the 2nd Amendment, to restore local control/home rule in education, to protect taxpayers from millions of dollars of hidden debt increases, and championing a repeal of outdated, job-killing regulations in Collier County.