Society: London calling, an honorary doctorate and sleek yachts

Shannon Donnelly, Palm Beach Daily News
·2 min read

Interior designer Scott Snyder is off on his summer travels, but returned to Palm Beach for a few days to put up his feet and give us a report. Here's what we learned:

1. London is "a circus of Who's Who."

2. The hottest stay in town is at the new Peninsula. Claridge's and The Connaught are so yesterday.

3. Tommy Quick calls June in London "summer camp."

4. Audrey and Martin Gruss hosted a birthday dinner for Scott at Oswald's. All 20 guests were Palm Beachers.

5. Audrey Gruss was planning to celebrate her birthday in Capri.

John Scarpa after giving the commencement address at Hawaiian Pacific University Photo courtesy Hawaiian Pacific University
John Scarpa after giving the commencement address at Hawaiian Pacific University Photo courtesy Hawaiian Pacific University

Doctor in the House: Next time you see John Scarpa, say "Aloha, Doc!"

The Palm Beach resident entrepreneur, philanthropist and co-founder of the Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation was awarded an honorary doctorate from Hawaiian Pacific University (HPU).

The recognition celebrated Scarpa’s significant philanthropic contributions to education, and his entrepreneurship and achievements, particularly through his collaboration with HPU's president, John Gotanda.

Gotanda, a native Hawaiian and former dean of Villanova's Charles Widger School of Law, first met Scarpa during his tenure at Villanova, where Scarpa established the John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law, a hub for cross-disciplinary programming and real-world learning opportunities.

Their shared vision led Gotanda to encourage Scarpa to create a similar initiative at HPU.

That initiative launched two years ago.

In addition to receiving the honorary doctorate ― and a lei ― Scarpa gave the commencement address.

The crew of Carina at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club celebrating its record fifth win of the Newport Bermuda Race.
The crew of Carina at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club celebrating its record fifth win of the Newport Bermuda Race.

Wave riders: Newporters and Bermudians alike are still celebrating the captain and crew of Carina, the winner of the 53rd Newport Bermuda Race. When Carina sailed by the St. David's Lighthouse finish in Hamilton after almost three days at sea on June 25, it became the winningest boat in the 118-year history of the race.

The 2024 victory was the fifth for the Carina, which previously won in 1970, 1982, 2010 and 2012.

Carina's owner Rives Potts met the boat and crew as it slipped into Hamilton's harbor at 3 a.m.

“It means a great deal. I’m just so proud of the crew,” said Potts. “A lot of [the crew] are on the boat for the very first time, and they all did well.”

Seen: Merrill Debbs at the Sara Campbell store in Newport, which was hosting a sip-n-shop to benefit Red Sneakers for Oakley.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Society: London calling, an honorary doctorate and sleek yachts

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