Growing up in southern New England, I longed for the summers and the sun. In 2005, after spending 4 years at the University of Rhode Island, and seeing over a foot of snowfall in April, I packed my Jeep and moved to Lakeland, FL. Through family, friends, and work, I came to know my city, county, and state and decided to make Lakeland my permanent home. I then began and led a successful career in sales, finance, and sales management that lasted 12 years. In 2007 I met the love of my life here, and now, raising our two beautiful children, we are full-time parents and local small business owners. We have owned an entertainment business in downtown Lakeland since 2017. With the pressures of Covid on our family and business, I decided to go back to college after a 16-year hiatus and happily completed my bachelor's degree at Florida Southern College in 2021. Sparking a desire to continue to challenge myself, and with the encouragement of friends, family, and past clients, I completed my Real Estate training and became a licensed Realtor in December of 2022. With a foundational knowledge and skillset in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication, and vast experience in sales, finance, and management, I am confident that I can meet all your Real Estate needs with professionalism, knowledge, honesty, and integrity. I am YOUR trusted real estate professional, Marcus A Ruggiero, Realtor.