All Roads Lead to Rome

By Lixa Grant Smith
June 2007 Issue

There are people who dream of a house with a white picket fence, nestled comfortably in a small town. They envision the "simple life," where days possess a certain routine and inhabitants can wrap themselves in a blanket of predictability.

Todd Rome is not one of those people.

Rome's life is a study in variety and change. In the summer, his typical Monday morning begins with a 5 a.m. flight from his home in Fisher Island, Florida to Manhattan, where he will work for two or three days and stay in his town house on the Upper East Side. After returning to Florida for the latter part of the work week, he will again travel up north and spend at least a portion of the weekend relaxing at his Southampton estate. "It's crazy," he admits. "Of course, when you're in the jet business, it makes it a little easier."

Rome is referring to Blue Star Jets, the private-jet-brokerage company he founded in 2001 that essentially reinvented the air charter business. With four hours' notice, the company offers its clients access to more than 4,000 luxury private aircraft worldwide, ready to whisk them to their chosen destination. Thanks in large part to Blue Star's superior customer service and an extensive selection of onboard offerings, including everything from a personal massage therapist or yoga instructor to takeout from Nobu, the company has built a devoted following. Their client list reads like the A-list of corporate, entertainment and athletic bigwigs: Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Russell Simmons, Ben Stiller, Sammy Sosa.

With 300 employees and offices across the country, the president of Blue Star finds himself in constant motion. He looks to each of his homes to satisfy a particular facet of his personality. Together, they provide him with a sense of balance in an otherwise hectic life.

"Sometimes I retreat," he says. "Other times I like to go right in. That's why we live in so many places."

.