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Max Zengage
REGULARS | CITY PEOPLE
To Max Zengage there is no such thing
as a roadblock. Not in his life or the
events that he so bravely produces.
Max is young by community leader standards,
yet he is wise beyond his years. “I am an old
soul,” he often muses.
Perhaps he is. There is no one who would dispute
that claim.
As a matter of fact, everyone who knows him is in awe
of his tenacity and love for Delray Beach (his birthplace).
“Max’s enthusiasm and energy are infectious. He is
selfless and puts our town, and the many organizations
he helps, ahead of his own interests. He is the future of
leadership in Delray,” said Billy Himmelrich.
You bet he does. Max spends most of his waking
hours in the pursuit of making people’s lives better and
creating ways to support the city he so loves.
His crowning achievement is bringing the Concours
d’Elegance event to Delray Beach. This prestigious antique
car show has a storied past, and up until three
years ago was not held in Delray. But Max had a dream,
and when that happens he focuses all of his energy into
turning every no into a yes.
The results are spectacular. “We welcomed 10,000
people last year! It was pretty amazing - we didn’t expect
that many,” said Max, who is small in stature but
large in innovation and community participation.
If you don’t know about the Concours events, then
you should know they are antique car shows with the
pomp and circumstance of a regal event.
To Max it is a huge part of his life. “I spend 4 to 5 hours
a day making plans for this one day event. This is not
any car show it is the most prestigious level car event
in the world.”
There are 44 of these shows in the US and it is a privilege
to have one in Delray Beach. To Max, this event is a
full-time job even though he works for Stuart & Shelby
in construction administration.
Max sees both the business angle of his job and
the fever pitch of loyalty to Delray Beach as the byproduct
of his profession. “I like working on projects
that contribute to the community and I get to work
on historic, affordable and custom homes that add to
the economy.”
Those around him are quick to hail his community
heroism. “Max is an outstanding community leader in
Delray because he possesses a unique combination of
traits and qualities that enable him to inspire, motivate,
BY DIANE FEEN | PHOTO BY MELISSA KORMAN
Creator Of Experiences:
Delray Visionary And Volunteer
and guide others towards a common philanthropic goal
through his joyful events,” said Nicole Grimes.
To Max all the world is a puzzle to be put into its rightful
place. He spends most of his time either volunteering
for good causes or creating them. He recently rode in the
Delray Holiday Parade on Atlantic Avenue in a caravan
of 10 classic cars. Each car had a Concours banner with
community leaders and business people in the cars.
It’s not the thrill of the hunt that motivates this
young man, but instead a form of altruism. “All of the
proceeds go to Delray first responder and youth nonprofits
that demonstrate measurable impact. Last year
we raised over $30,000. I feel a great sense of community,
responsibility and civic duty to the Delray community.
My family has lived in here for half a century.”
He makes good on that promise. As a child Max loved
the Bed Races that often took place in Pineapple Grove.
The races stopped but recently Max resurrected the
Bed Races and held them on southeast 2nd Avenue. He
took pride in showing locals and tourists the sights and
sounds of the Southern side of town.
Max was also a volunteer in the caravan that delivered
Thanksgiving dinners to Delray Beach Fire Rescue
and Delray Police who were at work that day. “I got to
ride in a 1937 Ford Fire Truck that had repairs done by
different charities. Concours was one of the sponsors.”
To know Max is to know that his love for cars is insurmountable.
When he starts talking about cars you can
feel the gravity in his voice and the anticipation in his
shirt sleeves. “The thing I love about cars is that it’s perfect
time traveling. To drive on A1A in a classic roadster
is a natural high. You become one with the car.”
Max has a way of becoming one with most of his
outings. He attributes that to his diagnoses of Asperger’s
syndrome. To some this would be something
to hide, but to Max it is something to herald. “It is a
strength by letting me focus and follow through with
things. I get to come out of my head and splash the
urban playground.”
And boy does he. Max is the youngest appointed city
official in Delray history (chair of the Public Art Advisory
Board) and is on the board for the Community Classroom
Project at Space of Mind.
He also brings classic cars to local events such as Art
& Jazz on the Avenue. The young man who has a Mas-
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84 |JANUARY 2024 | WWW.ATLANTICAVEMAGAZINE.COM