Houston billionaire, mega-yacht fan, Rockets owner and United States ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta is certainly living his best life. Fertitta is socializing with Italian aristocrats and diplomats, mingling with Italian fashion royalty, and, of course, fulfilling the diplomatic duties entrusted to him by President Donald Trump.
The most recent addition to Tilman’s extraordinary world? His participation in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Torch Relay in Palermo, Sicily.
Fertitta donned a white running suit for his brief jaunt as a torchbearer on Monday, carrying the flame during the relay that ran from Castelvetrano to Palermo as leadup to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Cameras flashed as Fertitta passed the torch flame to Italian soccer icon Filippo Inzaghi.
The ceremonies included the ambassador lighting the brazier (a traditional Italian fire pit) in the Piazza Ruggero Settimo in the heart of Palermo. It was a dynamic scene that included a sporting and civic reception and plenty of festivities. That included musical shows and artistic performances from local community groups.
“I am incredibly honored to carry the Olympic torch in Palermo,” Fertitta says. “It was a powerful moment for me as an American with Sicilian roots. The Olympic flame symbolizes unity and friendship, reflecting the enduring bond between the United States and Italy as we look ahead to America 250.”
The Palermo event was part of the relay in which the flame is traveling across some 7,500 miles, visiting all 110 provinces in Italy and touching base in 300 towns, before arriving in Milan for opening of the Winter Olympic games on February 6.
It is indeed an exciting time for the ambassador. He will receive a prestigious and rare honorary doctorate from the University of Houston on Thursday as PaperCity’s Chris Baldwin first reported. Earlier this month, Fertitta’s 384-foot gigayacht emerged from its seclusion in the Lürssen shipyard to hit the water.
Throughout his time in Italy, Tilman and wife Lauren’s official duties included meeting up with the families behind luxe fashion brands Brunello Cucinelli and Fendi. Fertitta has also received kudos of late for his behind-the-scenes role in securing the ITA Airways nonstop flights between Houston and Rome.
This is clearly a Houston proud ambassador in full.