David Grutman

Founder, Groot Hospitality, Miami

Groot Hospitality owns and operates several successful venues in Miami, including LIV Nightclub, Komodo, Swan, Papi Steak, Key Club, Casadonna, and Gekko, a joint venture with Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. Grutman grew up in Naples and once thought he’d be an accountant. But after graduating from the University of Florida in 1997 with a degree in finance, he fell in love with South Beach on a visit to Miami and found a job tending bar in Aventura Mall, where he met the mall’s owner, Donald Soffer, and his son, Jeffrey, who owns the Fontainebleau. Soffer invited Grutman to join him in a dance club venture, LIV, propelling Grutman into a world of celebrity. He’s a partner with entertainer Pharrell Williams on several ventures.