Florida natives Philip and Jennifer Verde enjoy living in Victoria Park and are captivated by the charm and character that the community offers.

“Even though there is a lot of new construction, Victoria Park has been able to keep a lot of its charm. There is a lot of diversity. You have a mix of new construction with houses from the ’60s and townhomes. There are not many neighborhoods that claim the same. People take a lot of pride in Victoria Park,” Philip says.

Philip, who grew up in Cape Coral, originally moved to South Florida in 1996 after graduating from the University of Florida. Soon after relocating, he moved to Victoria Park.

Jennifer grew up in Miami Lakes to parents of Cuban and French descent.

They met during the summer of 2018 on Las Olas Blvd. Their first date took place at Anthony’s Runway 84, and in 2022 they got engaged in Cartagena, Columbia.

“We ended up loving it so much there that we (now) have an apartment on the 29th floor in an area of Cartagena called Boca Grande,” Jennifer says.

On 12-12-22, they were married in Las Vegas.

Philip is Managing Director and Senior Wealth Advisor at Truist Wealth. He works with high-net-worth families and business owners. He helps them preserve wealth for extended generations.

“With a major in Finance (and an MBA from FAU), I wanted to use that in order to work with families to help them achieve their purpose and financial goals in life, Philip says. “The job allows me to get to know people on a financial level and a personal level.”

Philip believes the best way to know people is to get to know them and then set up strategies based on their specific needs. With his strong relationships, Philip has worked with generations of clients and now works with their children and grandchildren.

“With my job, we visit clients around the U.S., and it allows us the opportunity to see new places. We travel quite a bit,” Philip says. They’ll take their dogs, Chloe and Bobear, and head out of town. Many trips take place to North Carolina and the cities of Boone and Highlands where some of their clients reside.

Around town, one of their favorite things to do is to take their golf cart to one of Victoria Park’s most well-known establishments, Shuck and Dive. “We really enjoy going to dinner, meeting up with friends and watching sports together,” Philip says.

When Jennifer’s sons, Blake and Dylan, come home to visit, they all enjoy going to the beach and spending time on Las Olas. The entire family are fans of Florida Gator Football as Philip, Blake and Dylan all attended. Dylan is currently a Senior at U.F. while Blake is attending Northeastern University Law School in Boston.

Philip and Jennifer’s perfect day is any time that they can enjoy the culture of another country.

Philip and Jennifer are very involved in the local community.

Philip is on the board for the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival and the Museum of Discovery. He is also Vice Chair for Canine Assisted Therapy. Jennifer is in her first year as a member of the Humane Society’s PAWS organization, a non-profit for animals. Its mission is to enrich the lives of both animals and people.

“We want to give back to the community that has given so much to us,” Jennifer says.

Being part of the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival board, Philip and Jennifer have the opportunity to travel to film festivals abroad, such as the Cannes Film Festival in France.

“A lot of this is about exposure for Fort Lauderdale and the great things we have here to bring in filmmakers. We always want to bring culture back to Fort Lauderdale,” Philip says.

Attending many events and supporting these and other charitable causes, Philip and Jennifer continue to embrace the vibrant spirit of this charming and diverse community.

They are both grateful to live in such a great place.