“Giving adds another dimension to our life. We want to give people hope and opportunity that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”

– Steve and Marti Diamond

Steve and Marti Diamond both started from humble beginnings and built lives defined by entrepreneurship, partnership, and giving back. Their story reflects a belief that success matters most when it creates opportunity for others.

At 15, Steve earned an academic scholarship to Tulane University in New Orleans. He went on to complete a B.S. in theoretical mathematics and an M.D., followed by an internship in surgery and a residency in psychiatry at Stanford Medical School. He later transitioned into commercial real estate, which became his full-time career.

Steve purchased his first home in Carmel in the early 1970s. More than 25 years ago, the Diamonds built their current Carmel residence, long a refuge from their busy Bay Area life—especially during the pandemic—and it has since become their full-time home.

Through a combination of intelligence, aptitude, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit, Steve and Marti built thriving businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. They met through mutual friends and were social and business acquaintances before eventually marrying on one of Marti’s yachts. Theirs is a true partnership—living and giving together.

Blazing a Trail

Marti, a native of El Salvador, began selling homemade tissue flowers to neighbors at age seven. She credits her creativity to her mother and her willingness to take risks to her father, and she has always been driven to improve her life and that of her family.

Her entrepreneurial spirit was evident as she navigated a 60-foot boat from Florida through the Panama Canal to California with her three young children, then restored the vessel at her home. She turned her love of being on the water and natural hospitality into a successful charter business that grew into a fleet of four luxury dining yachts, including two that she commissioned and built.

Marti later sold the California Spirit to Giants Enterprises and continues to proudly market that vessel and the Diamond Seas with the Giants. One of the few women in a male-dominated industry, she helped pave the way and has mentored other women to pursue their own paths with confidence.

Marti’s philosophy is simple:

Take the risk. Love what it is you wish to promote. Be persistent—nothing is impossible. Use your high energy—you’ll need it.

She encourages young people to create their best lives with love, imagination, and hard work:

•  Do it yourself if you can
•  Create the best
•  Be persistent
•  Ask for help and be a quick learner

Giving Together

In 2017, Steve and Marti established the Marti and Steve Diamond Charitable Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County. In 2022, they created the Steve and Marti Diamond Scholarship Fund.

Education is their primary focus. They have invested in College Futures Monterey County, a Community Foundation initiative combining scholarships and success services to help students get to—and through—college. They have also supported Bay Area students through 10,000 Degrees.

“I could not afford to attend college full-time and relied on night classes for my education. It makes me happy to help in some way,” Marti shares, noting how much she enjoys following students’ progress.

“We’re looking to support really talented young people with exceptional ability and drive,” says Steve. “We feel very fortunate to invest in others’ success. A handful of young people can really change the world.”Group Dining Events