Service Is in My DNA

Some people grow into community service. Damian Vantriglia grew up with it.

Born and raised in Key West, Damian has spent a lifetime giving back to the island that shaped him — not because it was expected, but because it was natural. Key West is the kind of place that gets into your blood. And when it does, you want to take care of it.

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It Started Early

Long before he had a business card, Damian was volunteering. At MARC House, he worked alongside adults with developmental disabilities — and found that working with people who approached life with full-hearted enthusiasm was, frankly, one of the best educations available. Special Olympics reinforced everything MARC House started: the power of showing up completely, competing joyfully, and cheering loudly for the people next to you.

Reef Relief put him on the water with a mission — understanding that the reef beneath Key West's turquoise surface wasn't guaranteed to be there forever, and that the people who loved it most had a responsibility to protect it.

These weren't line items on a résumé. They were formative Saturday mornings and summer afternoons, freely given, because that's what the island quietly asked of those paying attention.

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Showing Up as a Professional

When Damian returned to Key West as a real estate professional, that same instinct came with him. Giving back wasn't something he'd age out of — it was something he'd grow into.

• Chair, Human Services Advisory Board — shaping policy for the most vulnerable in the community
• Member, City of Key West Parks & Recreation Advisory Board — advocating for the public spaces that define island life
• Vice-Chair, Monroe County Education Foundation — investing in the educators and programs that serve local students
• Member, Tourist Development Council DAC 1 — stewarding the economic engine that funds community services
• Member, Key West Art & Historical Society Board — protecting the cultural identity of the island for future generations
• Member, Studios of Key West Buildings & Grounds Advisory Committee — supporting one of the Keys' most vital creative institutions
• Mentor, Take Stock in Children — working one-on-one with students who need someone in their corner

And behind the scenes, an advisory role to many other boards and organizations — hours and dollars invested quietly, because the work matters more than the credit.

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The Campaign He's Most Proud Of

If there's one chapter that captures the depth of Damian's commitment to this community, it's his tenure as Chair of Support Keys Schools.

The goal was audacious: build new schools and modernize aging facilities without raising property taxes. Through a voter-approved, tax-neutral bond structure, the campaign helped unlock $300 million for Monroe County public education — money that built classrooms, revitalized campuses, and sent a clear message to every Keys student that their education was worth fighting for.

Damian knocked on doors. He sat across from skeptical voters at kitchen tables. He made the case, again and again, that this community's future lived or died by the quality of its schools. When it passed, the feeling wasn't pride so much as relief — relief that the kids who were counting on the community got what they deserved.

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Why It Matters in Real Estate

When you hire a REALTOR®, you're not just hiring a transaction coordinator. You're hiring someone who will fight for your interests — at the negotiating table, through the inspection process, and through the complexity of island-specific regulations, insurance, and flood zones.

The same instinct that has Damian showing up for Special Olympics athletes, Monroe County schoolchildren, and the next generation of Keys artists is the instinct he brings to every client. Service isn't a mode he switches on at closing. It's the operating system.

Key West gave Damian everything. Every hour given back has been an attempt, however imperfect, to honor that — and to leave the island a little better than he found it.

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Damian Vantriglia is a born-and-raised Key West native, REALTOR®, and Luxury Collection Specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Keys Real Estate.