Billionaire Tilman Fertitta‘s first diplomatic foray in Houston since his appointment as United State Ambassador to Italy and San Marino was an impressive outing with 150 of the city’s crème-de-la-crème joining him at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston for a cocktail reception celebrating the exhibition Art and Life in Imperial Rome: Trajan and His Times.
Special guest was the new Italian Ambassador to the United States Marco Peronaci, who presented his credentials in Washington in September.
Jim & Whitney Crane, Susanne & Bill Pritchard at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston cocktail reception saluting the ‘Art and Life in Imperial Rome’ exhibition (Photo by Johnny Than/Catchlight Group)
“We’re very excited to have two ambassadors in the museum – the U.S. Ambassador to Rome and the Italian Ambassador to Washington — so it’s thrilling to show them this beautiful exhibition,” MFAH director Gary Tinterow tells PaperCity. “We are so grateful to Ambassador Fertitta for his support of the exhibition.”
Since his arrival in Rome, Fertitta has been at work strengthening relations between the two countries in several arenas including the arts, fashion and business realms, He already played a major behind-the-scenes role in securing regular nonstop flights between Houston and Rome. And that’s just among his early accomplishments. Tilman has even docked his gigayacht Boardwalk in the Rome cruise port of Civitavecchia.
He also donned a jogging suit for a stint carrying the Olympic torch in advance of the February opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Marty Goossen, Renu & Suresh Khator, Gary Tinterow at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston cocktail reception saluting the ‘Art and Life in Imperial Rome’ exhibition (Photo by Johnny Than/Catchlight Group)
“It’s hard to nail down the most interesting thing about the job because the entire job is interesting and very busy,” Fertitta tells PaperCity. “Spending time with and getting to know the incredible Italian leadership has been an honor. They have been so warm and welcoming to us.”
Taking up residence in a country noted for its style, Fertitta has forgone his signature black T-shirts and relaxed-fit jackets instead stepping out regularly in suit and tie — as he did on this night accompanied by his fashionable wife Lauren Fertitta and his adult sons Blake Fertitta and Patrick Fertitta.
Tinterow and exhibit curator Danielle Bennett escorted the Fertittas and a clutch of VIPs through the exhibition before welcoming the full throng to the chichi cocktail reception on the second floor of the Audrey Jones Beck Building.
Blake Fertitta, Ambassador Marco Peronaci, Ambassador Tilman Fertitta, Patrick Fertitta at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston cocktail reception saluting the ‘Art and Life in Imperial Rome’ exhibition (Photo by Johnny Than/Catchlight Group)
Although Fertitta has relinquished business interests for his tenure in Rome, the Landry’s team was in the house with Brandon Busch, Landry’s Inc. regional vice president, insuring that all was perfection for the cocktail reception. Top wait staff from La Griglia were brought in to pass the restaurant’s Italian hors d’oeuvres (arancini, focaccia, etc) along with prosecco and Italian white wine.
“It’s an extremely important exhibition,” Tinterow notes. “It’s the first time that so many works of imperial Roman art have ever been shown in Texas in this way. The first time that the four great Italian collections of Roman art have contributed to a single exhibition. We have masterpieces from the Vatican, from Naples. It’s a spectacular exhibition.”
Dancie Ware, Ambassador Tilman Fertitta, Phoebe Tudor at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston cocktail reception saluting the ‘Art and Life in Imperial Rome’ exhibition (Photo by Johnny Than/Catchlight Group)
PC Seen: Italian Consul General Mauro Lorenzini; MFAH board chair Ann Duncan; University of Houston System chancellor and UH president Renu Khator and Suresh Khator; Houston Astros owner Jim Crane and Whitney Crane; philanthropist Margaret Alkek Williams; Houston Chronicle publisher and president Nancy Meyer; Asia Society Global Board of Trustees member Marty Goossen and Kathy Goossen; Natural Trust for Historic Preservation board chair Phoebe Tudor; Eschelon Advisors and Eschelon Energy Partners managing parter Tom Glanville; art collector and vice chair of the MFAH board Joe Hudson and Lynne Hudson; team physician for the Astros, Texans and Rockets Dr. Jim Muntz and Anne Muntz; Momentum Midstream chairman Bill Pritchard and Susanne Pritchard; gallerist Hiram Butler; Burnett Specialists founders and leadership Sue and Rusty Burnett; Carla Knoblock; Joan Schnitzer; Lela and Robin Gibbs; and Judy and Rodney Margolis.