Paul Mihailides is a serial entrepreneur who has spent more than 40 years building a real estate portfolio and businesses ranging from FAMARS, a luxury knife and gunmaker founded in Italy, to M2 Motor Yachts in Cape Town, South Africa.
A Rhode Island native, Mihailides has always been an outdoor lifestyle enthusiast. His love of nature and conservationism led him to found the The Preserve Sporting Club & Residences, a private club on 3,500 acres of Rhode Island wilderness in Richmond, only 30 minutes from Newport.
It’s a destination where families of all ages can enjoy life outdoors. It features homes from 600 to 6,000 square feet, the luxury Hilltop Lodge, and a number of activities and experiences for members and guests to enjoy, including 100 miles of trails, an 18-hole championship golf course, an equestrian center, and a Bentley off-road driving course. Prices start at US$1 million for smaller homes to US$13 million for larger ones on the property.
The highlight of activities at the Preserve is its shooting program. The property hosts on-site pheasant High Tower Hunts and boasts 41 clay shooting stations.
A person who inspired me to do what I do is… my best friend, who has always seen the best in me and believed in my abilities for building strong relationships and businesses that last. Also, my parents, always telling me to strive for perfection and that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.
What I love about Rhode Island is… It’s a state you can truly enjoy in all four seasons. The ocean is never more than a 45-minute drive and you can do beginner skiing and tubing when the first snow falls. One aspect of our state that is not talked about enough is the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed. WPWA is the most biologically diverse watershed for fly fishing in New England.
The best book I read in the past year was… Backyard Bugs, by Jill McDonald to an audience of my 5- and 3-year-old grandsons.
The three people (dead or alive) I would invite for a stay at The Preserve are… Walt Disney , Albert Einstein, and Muhammad Ali
The thing I do to relax is… I really find myself relaxing most while horseback riding or shooting sporting clays.
The best thing about working with family… I am very fortunate to have my wife, children and their spouses participate in the family businesses. There isn’t a greater gift than working with your family when they all have different strengths and perspectives to help grow both as a family unit and as a company. Aside from working with my immediate family, we try to run all our companies like a family, and many of our employees have become part of our extended family.
My favorite season in Rhode Island is… Winter by far. Not only do the winter months bring Christmas, my favorite holiday, but winter sports are my favorite. I enjoy downhill skiing and Rhode Island’s landscape during the snowy months.
The last place I traveled that inspired me was… Mykonos. My daughter was married in Greece last year and it was a beautiful trip. My parents were Greek immigrants and for our entire family to return to Greece together for my youngest daughter to get married was truly inspiring.
If I could have a drink with anybody anywhere it would be and we would drink… Maker’s Mark Preserve Reserve Old Fashioned with my mother.
SOURCE: PENTA – Barron’s
