Leadership Collier Foundation announces creation of John Passidomo Distinguished Alumni Award

The Leadership Collier Foundation, an affiliate of the Greater Naples Chamber, is honored to announce its annual award recognizing exceptional community leadership. The award will now be called the John Passidomo Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of Passidomo’s dedication to Collier County.

The Leadership Collier Foundation announced the change during its annual graduation celebration on Wednesday, May 21. The event was held at Gulfshore Playhouse and celebrated the completion of 2025 Leadership Collier and Associate Leadership Collier programs.

“John Passidomo’s leadership, quiet strength and unwavering commitment to Collier County left an indelible mark on all of us,” said Scott Salley, a co-founder of Leadership Collier. “In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, we are proud to announce that this award will be renamed as John Passidomo Distinguished Alumni Award. It is a fitting tribute to a man whose life embodied the very best of what leadership stands for.”

John Passidomo died in April 2024.

The LCF also announced that John Passidomo was named the 2025 recipient of the award. Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, his wife and a Leadership Collier alumna, accepted the award in his honor.

“Our community is immeasurably better thanks to the dedication of John and Kathleen Passidomo,” said Kristina Park, president and CEO of the Greater Naples Chamber. “They didn’t just meet the Leadership Collier Foundation’s mission to be engaged, be informed and be the difference; they lived it. It is with immense pride that we continue to celebrate John’s enduring legacy of leadership through the John Passidomo Distinguished Alumni Award.”

The Leadership Collier Foundation also recognized Matt Heinle, general counsel at NCH Healthcare System and a member of the 2025 Leadership Collier Class, with the James V. Mudd Award. This award, given annually, acknowledges an outstanding leader whose contributions mirror those of former County Manager Jim Mudd’s devotion to enhance leadership and stewardship.

Participants in both Leadership Collier and Association Leadership Collier participate in an intensive program focused on key issues impacting their community. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to join the LCF Alumni Association and are encouraged to take an active role in civic and professional issues, address area challenges and work toward solutions in the public interest.

For more information about the Greater Naples Chamber, visit napleschamber.org. To learn more about the Leadership Collier Foundation, visit leadershipcollier.org.