At Home with Richie Cacace and Maurizio Gamba

Eight years ago, after enjoying the excitement of New York City for 20 years and thriving in a successful career in retail advertising, Richie Cacace, a former small-town Connecticut boy, was ready to make a move. This was not a pandemic-related shift but a change he felt ready for personally. He considered Southwest Florida, where his parents had owned a home since 1986, dismissing the state’s bigger cities, like Miami and Orlando. Naples checked all the boxes for him—a warm climate, not too big, not too small, near water, and only a two-hour flight from close family. He just had to convince his partner, Maurizio Gamba.

Gamba enjoyed a global lifestyle. He was born in Columbia. When 12, he moved to Barcelona, Spain. He later lived in Paris. He often visited Italy, where his father’s family owned a hotel and winery. Gamba studied at the New York Film Academy for one semester; he eventually graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Cambridge in England. While working as a liaison for the family businesses in 2013, Gamba, who was based in New York City, met Cacace.

It turns out Southwest Florida was an easy sell. Gamba admits he does not like cities. “I crave quiet spaces,” he says. Although he had never heard of Naples, Florida, after he visited, he was convinced. The two made the move.Eight years later they declare in unison, “We love it. It’s been fabulous.”

They found a nearly 3,000-square-foot courtyard home built in 2006, complete with a casita, in the Olde Cypress golf community in North Naples. They added their own unique flair to the Mediterranean-style home, which had been well-cared for and updated. Older photos of the home (found online) show a stark space. To enliven it, Cacace and Gamba filled the various rooms with elegant furniture and art (purchased from local artists, including David Newman and Susan Reynolds) and added accent paint and wallpaper. They turned the covered lanai into a verdant and private garden space. It is here they especially enjoy entertaining and relaxing with their beloved dogs, Scotch and Bailey.

While the couple are devoted to their work (Cacace says he has trouble sitting still), they both make time for daily workouts and occasional dinners out. (Third Street South is their destination of choice.) Cacace first tried real estate when he moved to town but soon found himself volunteering at events such as Naples Art Institute’s annual signature runway show, Scene to Be Seen. He then began organizing other charity events—such as Hats in the Garden, Starry Nights, and The American Cancer Society’s Bucket List Bash—through his event planning company, Richard Anthony Management.

During the pandemic, Gamba discovered a business opportunity based upon his love of accessories—in particular, footwear and eyewear. He suffers from astigmatism (blurred or distorted vision) and wore thick glasses when young. He founded MauriGamba, a modern luxury line of eyewear. He now spends his days designing glasses and lightweight sunglasses that boast state-of-the-art polarized lenses. Gamba reports it took three attempts to get the glasses distributed through the world’s largest eyewear company, EssilorLuxottica, a multinational eyewear distributor headquartered in Europe. He considers this a rare feat, noting, “J.Lo was even declined.”

As the designer behind the MauriGamba brand, Gamba shares he is “committed to empowering people to elevate their personal style.” With Cacace’s assistance, he recently launched the 2026 collection, which includes “click-ons,” at one of the couple’s favorite local restaurants, Barbatella.

Although Cacace sometimes yearns for the quick excitement of New York City, where he could walk to and from work and pick up a breakfast sandwich from a local bodega along the way, he and Gamba have embraced the coastal energy of Naples, where they have clearly found their home. 

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