Naples man to be knighted

A Naples man will soon receive a royal recognition alongside big names like Frankie Valli.

Rick Inatome is set to be knighted in February during a ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples.

Moments like these make you look back at your life and everyone in it.

“I got this gold letter, and I read it, and it said, ‘Congratulations.’ You know you’re being honored here,” Inatome said.

Being knighted was never something Inatome imagined, especially not alongside people like Frankie Valli.

But in some ways, Inatome being chosen isn’t shocking. He’s a Computer Hall of Fame inductee.

“I happened to be on early enough that it was before Apple and Microsoft got started,” he said.

Inatome was a mentor to the likes of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, even serving on their original advisory boards.

“I was actually [the] president of Bill Gates at Microsoft’s advisory board when we used to have the meetings at his house, and literally — how young we were after the meetings were done — we would jump on his trampoline,” Inatome said.

His work has benefitted children, AIDS and cancer research, as well as charities and businesses in Naples and across the nation.

The knighting ceremony will take place on Feb. 11.

If you’re interested in learning more or even attending, click here.