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OC T O B E R 14 - OC T O B E R 20, 2016 | TH R E E D O LL A R S

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BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

SUCCESS STORIES

Vol. XX, No. 40

EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESSES FOR SUCCESS A Division of The Observer Media Group

BusinessObserverFL.com Founded in 1997, the Business Observer is Southwest and Central Florida’s newspaper for business leaders. With offices in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties, the Business Observer is the only weekly business newspaper that provides business leaders with a regional perspective. The Business Observer’s mission is to deliver relevant news and information on Southwest and Central Florida’s leading and growing companies, up-and-coming entrepreneurs and economic, industry and government trends affecting business. The Business Observer is also the leading publisher of public notices on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

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OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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CoffeeTalk FROM PAGE 3

Progressive company looks upward

A pair of Pinellas County companies made Fortune magazine’s list of the 100 fastest-growing publicly traded firms based on three years of revenues, profits and stock returns. One company, Seminole-based Superior Uniform, made its debut on the list at No. 24. St. Petersburg-based United Insurance Holdings moved up seven spots, from No. 45 to No. 38. And while not based in the region, two banks with a strong and growing presence along the Gulf Coast, Pompano Beach-based Stonegate Bank and Little Rock-based Bank of the Ozarks, also made the top 100. Others on the list with a presence in the region, at least on people’s phones and TVs, include Facebook, No. 3, and Netflix, No. 20. To qualify for the list, a company must have revenue and net income for the four quarters ended on or before April 30 of at least $50 million and $10 million, respectively. A company also has to have posted an annualized growth in revenue and earnings per share of at least 15% over the three years ended on or before April 30. Companies that meet these criteria are ranked by revenue growth

rate, earnings per share growth rate and three-year annualized return in shares through June 30. The overall rank is based on the sum of those three ranks. Superior Uniform, according to the magazine, posted a three-year revenue growth rate of 23%; a three-year earnings per share growth rate of 51%; and a three-year return on shares of 56%. Superior, founded in 1920, trades on the Nasdaq (symbol: SGC, recent price: $19.12). “This provider of uniforms gets its lifeblood from the thriving hospital and health care sector,” states Fortune. “It doubled its revenues in the past three years.” United Insurance Holdings posted a three-year revenue growth rate of 38%; a three-year earnings per share growth rate of 19%; and a three-year return on shares of 34%, according to Fortune. United trades on the Nasdaq (symbol: UIHC, recent price: $15.36). “Calm, sunny weather in Florida makes for balmy profits. After the purchase of American Coastal Insurance, United will have $1 billion of premiums in force,” the magazine writes. (The issue was published prior to Hurricane Matthew.)

2016

Progressive company looks upward

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pany, originally named Progressive Employer Services, in 1999 in Clearwater. Also known as a Professional Employer Organization, PEMCO, through the growth initiatives, is closing in a significant milestone: a $1 billion in payroll under management. Beyond new markets and executives, PEMCO is on a mission to go up-market in clients it covets. Two years ago, the focus was mostly on blue-collar companies with five to 25 employees. Now, Burgess says, the target is companies with double the amount of employees and $25 million in annual revenues. “We’ve expanded into middle markets with some gray and even white collar businesses,” Burgess says. Burgess says the aggressive growth strategy can be traced back to the deal last year when New York-based Tenex Capital Partners acquired PEMCO from Palm Beach Capital. The announcement of that deal included another boost: An additional round of financing from investment bank Goldman Sachs. “We’ve had some big wins,” Burgess says. “We’ve evolved tremendously.”

When one private equity firm bought Manatee County-based Progressive Employer Management Co. from another private equity firm late last year, executives promised a deep investment in finding and executing on growth opportunities. That investment has materialized. The firm, which handles payroll, workers’ compensation, employee benefits and human resource services for a variety of businesses, has hired and promoted multiple executives in 2016 and has also expanded geographically. New executives include Senior Vice President of Sales Scott Gordon, a former executive with HR giant Gevity and TriNet; Vice President of IT John Hale; and Kat Bush, a PEMCO employee since 2002 named vice president of payroll operations. New offices include locations in Jacksonville, Ocala and Coppell, Texas, outside Dallas. “We want to be a super regional player with Florida being the foothold,” Progressive Employer CEO Clinton Burgess tells Coffee Talk. Sarasota-area insurance entrepreneur Steve Herrig founded the com-

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4 topstories from BusinessObserverFL.com

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

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TAMPA BAY

Woman convicted in health care scam A federal jury convicted home health agency owner Pilar Garcia Lorenzo, 38, of Tampa, for her role in a multimillion-dollar health care fraud and money-laundering scheme. Garcia Lorenzo, owner Gold Care Home Health Services Inc., was convicted of one count each of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. According to evidence presented at trial, in late summer 2014 Gold Care submitted millions of dollars in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Authorities contend she used a “straw” or nominee owner to execute and conceal the fraudulent scheme.

quote of theweek I don’t get up each day trying to be marginal. Dennis Murphy | Gateway Bank | 40 Under 40 winner SEE PAGE 18

Franklin Street targets expansion Commercial real estate firm Franklin Street promoted Greg Matus to senior vice president of investment sales. Matus, according to a release, will focus specifically on growing the company’s

what do you think?

Builder snags executive

investment sales division on a national basis, and he hopes to double the company’s national investment sales team by the end of 2017. Franklin Street opened an Orlando office in May to connect its coverage from one Florida coast to another. SARASOTA-MANATEE

Miami company buys laundry firm Miami-based Crown Linen, a commercial laundry and linen firm, has expanded to the Sarasota-Bradenton market with the acquisition of Laundry Plus. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Manatee Countybased Laundry Plus, founded in 1989, had $8.2 million in revenues in 2015 and has 103 employees. Its service area includes Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Tampa. Crown Linen has more than doubled its facilities in the last year with the Laundry Plus purchase. It has other operations in Miami, Orlando, Fort Myers and Haines City, according to a release.

M/I Homes Inc. named former regional KB Home executive Michael Stephens director of land acquisitions for its new Sarasota-Manatee division, based in Lakewood Ranch. Stephens’ last post with KB Home, director of land acquisition, included overseeing land purchases, forward planning, project budgeting, site development and new community actives for the Tampa and Fort Myers divisions, according to a statement. Stephens had been with KB Home for four years. Stephens is actively searching for vacant land and other property in the area for building and development opportunities. CHARLOTTE-LEE-COLLIER

Officials approve Whole Foods project Lee County Commissioners recently approved zoning applications for Daniels Marketplace, a 140,000-square-foot commercial project anchored by a 45,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market — the first

Will the country go into a recession after the presidential election? Vote at BusinessObserverFL.com

Whole Foods in Fort Myers. Daniels Marketplace is at the northwest intersection of Daniels Parkway and Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway in south Fort Myers. In addition to the Whole Foods, the center’s plans include fastcasual dining, boutique retail, outdoor dining options and other high-end shops. The lead developer on the project is Fairburn, Ga.-based S.J. Collins Enterprises, according to a release. Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2016 or early 2017.

Retailer fills leadership position Women’s retailer Chico’s FAS named Diane Ellis president of the Chico’s brand. Ellis will oversee all business activities for Fort Myersbased Chico’s and will report directly to president and CEO Shelley Broader, according to a release. Ellis was most recently CEO of The Limited, an Ohio-based retail chain. Prior to that Ellis was president and COO of Brooks Brothers. She has more than 35 years’ experience in retail.

Last week’s question:

87.5% Yes 12.5% No

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OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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COMMERCIAL

REAL ESTATE

LEADERS

GOING PL ACES

The theme of the 2016 Business Observer 40 under 40 issue revolves around people who are going places — and who get there with grace, elegance and style. That’s why we took their pictures in front of three highend modes of transportation: a yacht in Fort Myers, a private jet in Sarasota and McLaren cars in St. Petersburg. From a police-officerturned-court administrator to a recent transplant from the U.K., to the owner of a fastgrowing pool company, the winners share several traits. These are people who get out around town, and people you should know when you are new to town. A trait shared by them all is an ability, and sometimes an affinity, for taking risks. One winner, an attorney by day, moonlights as a developer of luxury condo projects in his “spare” time. The group is also big on chasing dreams. There’s the human resources whiz who

travels the globe for clients, and there’s also the U.S. Marine who relishes the chance to help businesses grow in his new role as a bank loan officer. Another trait, which goes back to grace and elegance, is resiliency. One standout: the entrepreneur who launched her now-thriving carpet cleaning business after she was laid off from a corporate job. A few other winners on the list have recently taken over family businesses. That’s a whole different kind of pressure, which comes with its own unique risks, and many times also requires a deep reservoir of resiliency. One more common theme: The group recognizes they have more to learn. One winner, who fittingly was part of the yacht photo shoot, offers a “best business lesson” that applies to any up-and-comer. The advice? “Know your wake: As a leader, understand the wake you leave behind with your daily interactions.” — Mark Gordon

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One winner who met her spouse when both worked at Walt Disney World: Samantha Hernandez See page 16

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One winner whose top bucket list item is to visit and ride roller coasters at amusement parks nationwide: Adam Flood See page 28 K E YS VS . S T R I N G S Four winners say the skill they’d like to learn is to play the guitar. Three say piano. One (Brooke Palmer) says guitar or piano. See page 12 One winner whose favorite off-hours activity is: Negotiating for cars and not purchasing them. Naomi Barbeau S PE A K TO M E Six winners say the skill they’d like to learn is a foreign language.

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One winner whose top bucket list item is to hold a koala: Tiffany Esposito See page 28

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FU N FAC T S Where did the 40 Under 40 winners attend college?

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; OCTOBER 20, 2016

40UNDER40

University of Florida

University of Central Florida

University of South Florida: (plus 2 more for grad school)

Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida State University

Schools in North Carolina Duke, Elon and North Carolina State

Purdue University

schools outside Florida

Elite academic schools Yale, Vanderbilt, Duke and Carnegie Mellon University

G O I N G PL AC ES:

Dimmit Automotive Group, one of the leading luxury auto dealerships on the west coast of Florida, has locations in Clearwater, St. Petersburg and downtown Sarasota. It sells brands including Aston Martin, Bentley, Cadillac, Land Rover, McLaren and Rolls-Royce. This photo was taken in the St. Petersburg location, on Gandy Boulevard, in front of several McLarens. Lawrence Dimmitt Sr. founded Dimmitt Automotive in 1924 after he moved to Clearwater from Savannah, Ga., and purchased a Ford dealership. Dimmitt got into car sales in Georgia when he sold and serviced the Peerless car. In Florida, he expanded into new brands beyond Ford, including Lincoln, Chevrolet and Cadillac. Dimmittâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, Larry Dimmitt Jr., ran the dealership after his father. Richard Roth Dimmitt became the third generation dealer/operator in 1976, after he bought the dealership from his father.

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

BusinessObserverFL.com

TAMPA BAY

Back row, left to right: Greg Ross-Munro, Ashley McChesney, Robert Savage Middle row: Kartik Goyani, Naomi Barbeau, Brooke Palmer Kuhl Front row (surrounding yellow McLaren) left to right: Tammy Briant Spratling, Jennifer Sineway, Anthony Di Tinno, Greg Ruggiero, Will Conroy, Kyle Taylor and Mallory Tai Taylor. (The Taylors aren’t related.)

PHOTOS BY MARK WEMPLE

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

BusinessObserverFL.com

40UNDER40 |

L ARGO

N AOM I B A R B E AU

Executive vice president, call center, Digital Media Solutions Naomi Barbeau says she enjoys negotiating car prices in her free time, even if she’s not buying a car. “You’re a strong negotiator when you not scared of hearing ‘no’,” she says. It’s the same attitude that she used going in to her interview with Digital Media Solutions a year ago. “It was probably the cockiest interview they’ve ever had because I wasn’t looking to leave my job,” she admits. But Barbeau’s 16 years of experience can also speak for itself. She started her career with One Simple Loan, as an assistant to the general manager. She was with the company as it grew from 17 employees to 200, before it was acquired by Zeta Interactive. With the growth of the company, Barbeau moved up the ranks, acting as chief operating officer, to running finance, to human resources. When she left, she was vice president and general manager. Perhaps most impressive is the impression she leaves with

S U R V E Y SAYS . . . Best business lesson ever learned: I read a book in my mid 20s that said that women tend to ask permission before

40UNDER40 |

her employees. Her nomination form says Barbeau “has the intangible quality in her leadership style where her team truly believes in her vision because she is fair, accountable, respectful, and truly cares about the each person’s professional development.” In fact, when she left Zeta, a number of her employees followed her despite a difference in pay structure. At Digital Media Solutions, Barbeau has restructured operations of the call center and developed a sophisticated compliance and quality system. Barbeau says referrals have led to every job she has ever had. “In almost every instance of my professional career I have been referred to a CEO or executive for a position based on someone else’s unsolicited feedback about me,” she says. “What is particularly ‘cool’ about this is the constant reinforcement of the value of every interaction that we have with another person.” — Traci McMillan Beach

40UNDER40

ST. PETERSBURG

“ You’re a s trong negotiator w hen you not s c ared of he aring ‘no.’” – N aomi B arb e au

making decisions. I immediately started taking control of my decisions and it paid dividends over my career. If I had a magic wand I’d: I’m not sure how I feel about having this type

of power but with it I would try to be responsible with it. My passion, with my wand, would be helping at-risk teens to be able to see life clearly.

TAMPA

TAMMY BRIANT SPRATLING | 35 Director for student affairs, deputy Title IX coordinator and adjunct professor, Stetson University College of Law Tammy Briant Spratling’s former college roommate says she remembers Briant Spratling working third shifts at the Marriott during school, while somehow still finding time to volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters. More than a decade later, it doesn’t seem like much has changed. 35-year-old Briant Spratling has been the director of student affairs for Stetson University College of Law for the last five years. Because the law school operates independent of other institutions, “I have a pretty big umbrella,” Briant Spratling says. Her department oversees 45 student organizations, the school’s health and wellness programs, student leadership development and outside classroom support. In addition to her department work, she’s also an adjunct professor at both Stetson and University of South Florida. With a B.A. and B.S. from the University of Tampa and a J.D. from Stetson, Briant Spratling is right at home. At Stetson, she works on a popular experiential learning course on law and the civil rights movement. The course includes a trip to meet with veterans of the civil rights movement to get the oral history first-

hand. Briant Spratling’s mentor, Projessor Robert Bickel, asked her to take the course over, after working together on it over the last eight years. At University of South Florida, Briant Spratling teaches a masters level course on law and student affairs. It goes without saying that she’s able to reference a lot of real life experiences while teaching the course. Despite working in academia, Briant Spratling is a member of both the Florida Bar and the American Bar Association and serves on the board of directors for the Hillsborough County Barr Association Young Lawyers Division. Even more impressive is Briant Spratling’s dedication to pro-bono work. For the last three years, she’s participated in Wills for Heroes, which helps prepare end-of-life documents for first responders. She also volunteers with Bay Area Legal Service’s Family Forms Clinic and Crossroads for Kids, where she serves as an attorney ad litem for a teen in foster care, according to her nomination. Her biggest challenge is that every day is different, “As emergencies come up, priorities have to shift,” she says, “But that also keeps everything fresh.” — Traci McMillan Beach

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . What you would be doing if you could pick another career: I love learning so I think academia is a great fit. Oh! But I could definitely work for Olivia Pope – I am a professional fixer too! Best business lesson ever learned: A friend who founded a local nonprofit taught me that new organizations always need new leadership to take the founder’s idea to that next level. I thought that was such selfless advice.

WILL CONROY 34 Partner, Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel and Burns Will Conroy says his best business decision was marrying his wife, because she’s always supported his career moves. She even encouraged him to take a leap of faith in 2009 when the market was crashing, and he decided to leave Carlton Fields, “a behemoth law firm,” to work in a smaller firm, Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel and Burns. That leap of faith allowed him to put entrepreneur next to his title of lawyer. To build his business, Conroy “hustled,” spending 20 hours a week marketing, and went to lunch with anyone who would accept the invitation. Those small relationships have grown into big ones. Conroy is now the firm’s youngest partner. Outside his law practice, he’s working on several other businesses. He’s an equity partner in the development of “The Salvador” in St. Petersburg, a partner in a four-unit townhouse development in Tampa and an apartment deal in Tarpon Springs. He’s also a part owner of a restaurant and a title firm. His biggest challenge is having enough hours in the day to find time to read or study new legal issues, development issues or business opportunities. Conroy carves out three to five hours every week to learn new things. He believes that helped him become a better lawyer and businessman. He’ll read, attend seminars, do internet research and take financial courses online so he can talk intelligently to CFOs. Conroy admits he’s always been an old soul. Part of this happened because his father died unexpectedly of a heart attack when he was in law school. The thing he is most serious about is making time for his children. He was adamant that his office is only a mile from his house. “There’s not a presentation, parent-teacher conference or athletic event that I will miss.” — Traci McMillan Beach

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . What you would be doing if you could pick another career: I would love to be a baseball player, but that dream ended when I was 16! Realistically, I would love to be a teacher and a coach of middle school kids. My life has been immeasurably impacted by wonderful coaches and teachers, and this would be my (inadequate) attempt to give to others the benefits that I have received.

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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ADAM ALLISON

CONGRATULATIONS to our DYNAMIC DUO!

LeeSar Regional Service Center ∙ 2727 Winkler Ave., Fort Myers ∙ 239-939-8800 ∙ www.LeeSar.com

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Adam and Allison Flood, we are so proud! Your commitment to serving LeeSar and the community is boundless. Thank you for everything you do !

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

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OLDSMAR

ANTHON Y DITINNO

Vice president, commercial lending, NorthStar Bank As a former Marine, Anthony DiTinno is dedicated to service. He’s also dedicated to a team environment. It’s one of the reasons DiTinno joined NorthStar Bank as vice president of commercial lending. He was intrigued by the team that has already doubled in the past two years, and hopes to double again in the next three. He also liked that the bank shared a commitment to customer service. Service is something that rings true throughout DiTinno’s family. He grew up in a family of servicemen and decided to join the Marines when he was 17 years old. It’s a move that DiTinno says helped him grow up faster than if he went directly to college. “It was the best thing for me at the time,” he says. After six years in the service, including time in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, DiTinno decided to go to school and begin learning banking from his uncle, who was also a former Marine. “I’ve never been a numbers person,” DiTinno says. Instead of chasing a bigger paycheck, DiTinno concentrates on finding a

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team that shares his values. He’s found that he’s enjoyed building his career around community banks instead of big institutions. DiTinno decided to join NorthStar after his former bank, Bay Cities Bank, was acquired by Centennial. At Bay Cities Bank, DiTinno opened the loan production office, and over the course of three years managed to grow the loan portfolio to more than $30 million. “I’m more of a small community bank type of person,” DiTinno says. “Whatever you do moves the needle, affects the bottom line of the bank. I enjoyed that.” He also likes being able to assist customers who have fallen between the cracks and having the freedom to tailor each product to the individual. His nomination from NorthStar’s marketing coordinator, Lauren Ferrell, says, “Even when it is an opportunity that we are not able to finance directly, (DiTinno) goes the extra mile to try and find a solution to their borrowing needs … making him the consummate community banker.” — Traci McMillan Beach

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ST. PETERSBURG

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Two people, dead or alive, you would like to have dinner with: I would enjoy meeting Samuel Adams and learning more about his ideas around founding the “Sons of Liberty.” I would also enjoy having dinner and drinks with Bill Murray, because he seems to have truly enjoyed his life.

TAMPA

K ARTIK GOYANI

Vice president of operations, Metro Development Group Kartik Goyani came to the U.S. hoping to live the American dream. His dad gave him $500 and a one-way ticket to the U.S. from India, and that was all he had — he didn’t even know how he would pay tuition for a master’s degree at Purdue University. “You have to believe in yourself. I had to wing it,” he says. He knocked door to door looking for a job on campus and made it work. It’s the same determination that has helped Goyani succeed at his job as vice president of operations at Metro Development Group, a company that has developed more than 25,000 lots across 70 communities valued at more than $1.5 billion. Three years ago he came up with an idea — “a figment of my imagination” — of a city that offers data with standard utilities like electricity and water. That’s why t he company launched ULTRAFi, where it installs gigabit-speed technology throughout its developments. Goyani gets excited by offering communitywide access to technology because it can be an “equalizer.” It doesn’t matter if you are poor or rich. Everyone has access to the same websites and tools. Goyani expanded the idea to building the first Connected City Corridor in Wesley Chapel, an 8,000-acre multidevelopment that, along ultrafast internet access, offers perks like access to renewable energy, public transportation, a crys-

tal lagoon and an innovation farm encouraging community members to build businesses through technology. The idea was the reason the company received the Cornerstone Award from Broadband Communities Magazine. The community has been under construction since last year, and the first homeowners will be moving in next summer. Metro Development Group has paired up with US Ignite on the development, which was established with assistance from the National Science Foundation and the White House’s Science and Technology Policy. Goyani says his biggest challenge was people dismissing the idea. Now his passion and energy have helped win people over. He completed more than 700 meetings in 18 months with local and international companies to let them know about what they were developing. Multiple technology companies have expressed interest in coming to the new Pasco County development. As a big Steve Jobs fan, Goyani says the best business lesson he has ever learned is to stay hungry and foolish. “Be relentless,” he says. “The difference between success and failure isn’t talent, it’s hunger.” Goyani spends his spare time advising startups in India. “It’s really rewarding, feeds energy back into me and gives me better ideas,” he says. — Traci McMillan Beach

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Community group you’re most involved with: Helping my wife with BeyondIntent.org, an organization involved in funding education for underprivileged and special needs kids. Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Steve Jobs. I had always wanted to go to an Apple product launch by Steve, but never made it while he was still alive. It’s probably the biggest regret of my life. Elon Musk, the real Iron Man. If I had a magic wand I’d: Freeze time! (I guess listening to my daughter’s favorite song “Let It Go” on a never-ending loop makes one think only about all things “Frozen.”)

K Y LE TAY LOR 29 CEO, The Penny Hoarder, Taylor Media Corp. Kyle Taylor started the Penny Hoarder in 2010 as a blog to hold himself accountable for saving money when he was more than $50,000 in debt while going to college. “I didn’t even know about blogs,” he says. Today, the 29-year-old’s blog is regarded as one of the top personal finance websites, with more than 12 million monthly readers. Most personal finance sites cater to people who already have money, Taylor says. But 50% of people don’t hold any stock. That’s the audience that the Penny Hoarder targets. The website started as a way for Taylor to share the weird ways he would save money. Now, while it continues to do that, it also features a lot of multimedia ways to explain personal finance in a funny and dry way. “We’re extremely focused on video content,” Taylor says. Penny Hoarder’s other media channels include written stories, Snapchat and Instagram. Last year, the company more than doubled readership and revenue, growing from $7.5 million in revenue in 2015 to $18 million to $20 million expected revenue this year. The company is now 45 employees. Inc. 5,000 recently listed The Penny Hoarder as the 32nd fastest growing private company and No. 1 fastest growing private media company in the U.S. Despite this recognition, Taylor says the company is still very bootstrapped. Although it has a following similar to Gawker or Vox Media, it’s owned by a large company. With 45 employees and a quickly growing business, Taylor says the best business lesson he’s learned is how to say “no” to a meeting request. Once his team grew bigger than a few people around a kitchen table, he had to learn that he didn’t need to be part of every meeting. — Traci McMillan Beach

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Messy desk or clean workspace: I actually don’t have a desk or an office. I’m shuffling around all day to different conference rooms, so I like to say mobile. Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Nancy Pelosi and Arianna Huffington

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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TAMPA

MALLORY TAI TAY LOR | 33

Vice president of strategic initiatives, DAS Health Mallory Tai Taylor’s goal has always been to find someone to replace her. She started with DAS Health (formerly Doctors Administrative Solutions) five years ago as a marketing manager. As the company grew, the CEO continued to tap her for different jobs to solve problems. In 2011, when the company’s net promoter score was low, she decided to start a client services team. Tai Taylor was able to raise the company’s customer service score to exceed levels at Apple, Southwest and Google. Her team helped 400 physicians reach a 99% meaningful use attestation rate to meet electronic health record requirements. She launched the company’s Revenue Cycle Management team, which now accounts for 25% of DAS Health’s revenue. She also launched the government affairs arm of DAS, serving as an adviser to the White House Business Council Forum. As vice president of strategic initiatives, Tai Taylor has led the acquisition of four companies in the past year. The acquisitions increased revenue 224%, gross profit 81% and earnings before interest, taxes and amortiza-

SURVEY S AYS . . .

tion, or EBITA, 307%. She’s also leading the client line in charge of revenue growth, finding more ways to drive inside sales. Her proudest accomplishment, however, was leading the development of the company’s mental health assessment application, assessURhealth, to help physicians provide support to people with mental and behavioral health issues. “I believe if you give your team a clear vision and tools to enable” them to complete their jobs, you can trust that they can take it over. — Traci McMillan Beach

BusinessObserverFL.com

Best business lesson ever learned: Pay attention to your competition and obsolete yourself in your current space before your competition does. If you just protect and defend existing services, your competition will woo away your clients with innovations that evolve their business faster than yours.

TAMPA

ASHLE Y MCCHESNE Y

Director of events, Armature Works Ashley McChesney has become a pro at helping people imagine events at a nonexistent space. As director of events at the Armature Works in Tampa’s hot development, the Heights, McChesney relies on renderings of a renovated 73,444-squarefoot former streetcar storage facility. The building will soon include the Heights market, two restaurants, a shared workspace, a rooftop social area and two event spaces. One of the spaces seats up to 800, and will host everything from social events and fundraisers to galas and proms. McChesney has started booking events for May. The building is expected to open in the spring. Planning events is nothing new for McChesney, who helped plan more than $10 million worth of events in five years as a senior event coordinator at A La Carte Pavilion. She’s also acted as hospitality event chair for the Outback Bowl since 2009, and worked with the hospitality committee for the Team Lunch, Ladies Lunch and Gridiron Gala since 2006. She’s also volunteered for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Special Events and An-

SURVEY S AYS . . .

nual Gala for the past five years. McChesney started with Armature Works when her former boss from A La Carte encouraged her to meet with the team leading development in the Heights. She started as a consultant, but was quickly invited to become a part of the team. “My heart and passion is in events,” she said. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, McChesney says. She could not pass up being part of something “crucial to the development of downtown and the Riverwalk.” — Traci McMillan Beach

Coolest business experience: I’ve been lucky to be a part of some amazing events over the past decade. During one event, I found myself hanging out “backstage” (really just a draped off section of our service hallway) with TIM MCGRAW. I remember thinking at that moment, “I have a really cool job!”

Hertz Global is proud to congratulate

TYLER REDDIEN

SVP, Finance for Global Revenue, Sales & Marketing

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on being named one of Business Observer’s 40 under 40.

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

BusinessObserverFL.com

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ST. PETERSBURG

BROOKE PALMER KUHL

President, RSBP Events Brooke Palmer Kuhl’s client list would make anyone gawk. The 39-year-old has handled events and public relations for celebrities including Joe Maddon, Olivia Newton John, Ryan Nece, Vincent Lecavalier, Warren Sapp, Jared Jeffries, Mike Peterson and Simeon Rice. She helped plan parties for P. Diddy, Deion Sanders and Winky Wright for Super Bowl XLIII, as well as planned the Huffington Post Oasis and events for Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Gov. Jeb Bush at the Republican National Convention. She’s partnered with brands like Heineken, Moet Hennessy and Ciroc vodka to throw parties. In Tampa, her clients include Bern’s Steak House and the Epicurean Hotel, Oystercatchers and Armani’s at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, Orangetheory Fitness Tampa Bay and Reeves Import Motorcars. Palmer Kuhl credits finding a business coach and leverag-

“A l ways touch your mail and do your invoic e s; know w hat ’s c oming in and out .” – Brooke Palmer Kuhl

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ing mentorship opportunities as one of the best business decisions she’s ever made. “She transformed the way I do business,” Palmer Kuhl says. “In a three-year period, I quadrupled business with her help.” It was a no-brainer for Palmer Kuhl, a former college athlete who spent her whole life working with coaches. Her coach taught her that “you always touch your mail and do your invoices; know what’s coming in and out.” Not knowing which direction money is headed is the death of a small business, Palmer Kuhl says. Even though she works with a bookkeeper, Palmer Kuhl keeps a close eye on every invoice. Palmer Kuhl says Bern’s is not just her favorite place to network because the restaurant is one of her clients. “If you are a mover or shaker coming through town, you go through there.” She credits Bern’s for being a place where she’s met CEOs, international bankers and professional athletes. Though her love for planning parties started at 5 years old planning tea parties for her friends, her favorite event that she’s ever hosted was her “small party” (sarcastically said) wedding, where she was able to work “with her best friends in the industry on the most important day of (her) life.” — Traci McMillan Beach

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ST. PETERSBURG

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Marcus Lemonis, from “The Profit” and President Lincoln. Nikolai Tesla would be kind of cerebral, too. Top item on your bucket list: Travel to all seven continents. I have been to six. My top bucket list item was to go on safari in Africa, and we went on the most incredible trip to South Africa and Zambia this past summer. If I had a magic wand I’d ... be riding a unicorn.

TAMPA

GREG ROS S - MUNRO CEO, Sourcetoad

Greg Ross-Munro has been programming since he was 8 years old. Though he struggled with dyslexia growing up, “before I could speed read, I was OK with computers,” he says. His grandfather taught him how to code, and by the time he was 12, Ross-Munro and his friend started selling video games to classmates. Today, Ross-Munro leads Sourcetoad, a company that develops cross-platform apps — technology that will work on the web, mobile phones, kiosks and smart TVs. “That way you don’t have to hire multiple guys” for different technologies and maintenance, he says. The majority of Sourcetoad’s clients are large hospitality companies. But Sourcetoad also develops technology for a handful of cruise lines and health care companies. Ross-Munro reserves 30% of the business for startups and small businesses, “to keep it fun.” In three years, the company has grown from three people to more than 20 employees, building tools for Procter & Gamble, the United States Southern Command, Jackson Hewitt and Viking Cruise Lines. Sourcetoad has 17 employees in Tampa and nine in Australia, after Ross-

Munro met a guy virtually eight years ago via a shared project. “I sent him a half-million dollars before I met him in person,” he says. “It’s a very 21st century business arrangement.” Ross-Munro says he’s learned along the way, “experimenting over here, tweaking over there.” One area he’s especially proud of tweaking is his hiring process. “It’s really hard to hire programmers and predict success,” Ross-Munro says. That’s why, instead of just looking at stuff they’ve done and interviewing for culture, Ross-Munro asks for buy-in from all team members. “From Day One, it is their decision,” he says. He also has the applicant sit down with the team and work for an hour or two. The applicant then has to ask for the job. “It’s such a simple idea, it works beautifully,” he says. “Everyone has to say yes.” Ross-Munro is well-known in the Tampa tech community, sponsoring, mentoring or judging startup opportunities in the area, especially those through Tampa Bay WaVE and Tampa Bay Technology Forum. “We really put a lot of effort to make sure there is a new generation of tech entrepreneurs coming up in Tampa Bay.” — Traci McMillan Beach

GREG RUGGIERO 28 Sales executive, Bouchard Insurance Ruggiero relocated to Florida six years ago, and fell in love with St. Petersburg. His dream was to work in sports, so when he moved down, he networked his way to a position selling season tickets with the Tampa Bay Rays. Five years ago, he decided to leave the sports industry and start working with Bouchard Insurance, going after “more of a career than a job.” This month, he’s taking the next big leap in his career, relocating to Sarasota to help grow and manage the Sarasota area for the firm as a sales executive. “I was looking to move up … and this opportunity opened for me,” Ruggiero says. Since moving to St. Petersburg, Ruggiero has become active with the community. He is leadership co-chair of St. Pete Young Professionals, leading roundtable Q&As with CEOS, politicians and other influential people. “I’m the moderator, so I get to feel like Jimmy Fallon for a bit,” Ruggiero says. He’s also participated in Leadership Pinellas. Ruggiero has worked with a lot of nonprofit organizations to set up insurance programs, like setting up health insurance for PARC in St. Petersburg, which assists individuals with developmental disabilities. When Ruggiero moves to Sarasota, he will take over for a Bouchard sales team, led by Keith Mercier, that has grown that region’s book of business to $6 million. Ruggiero’s goal is to get involved in the Sarasota community right away. Persistence is a key trait to success in sales, he says. “You’re going to be told, ‘no,’ one, two, three times in a row. It’s that fourth, fifth or sixth time that if you are persistent, it will eventually be the right time” for that client, he adds. — Traci McMillan Beach

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Coolest business experience: Getting to help launch the Viking Star cruise ship, and travel around Europe for 40 days onboard. If I had a magic wand I’d: Put North Korea under full control of Disney. I think they’d make giant strides in improving the lives of the people, in both personal freedoms and quality of life. Also, the choreography would be fantastic.

Best place to network: Sports leagues Coolest business experience: Working in the front office for the Tampa Bay Rays. Best business lesson ever learned: Persistence leads to timing, and timing is everything. Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Derek Jeter, Martin Scorsese and Mark Cuban.

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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ST. PETERSBURG

ROBERT SAVAGE

Vice president of strategy and business development, The Symphony Agency Robert Savage was so impressive to St. Petersburg’s Symphoni Media (recently rebranded as Symphony Agency), that the company spent a year working to get him to the U.S. Prior to Symphony, Savage was communications director for Europe’s largest hospitality firm, Beds and Barss. He’s also the author of two books. At Symphony, Savage is heading up two of the marketing and technology company’s largest clients, American Strategic Insurance and Priatek. He’s also been tasked with rebranding the company to “take it to the international level,” he says. He’s been with the company since February and has helped open a new office and launch a new website. Sav a ge bel ie ve s a nything is possible with a little determination. Savage is Symphony’s first international hire. It was just another exciting step for Savage, who remembers taking a risk to leave his small English town of 500 people to move to London, a city with 13 million. He had one suitcase. But he made such a name for himself that he’s been quoted in the Guardian, MSN Travel, the Telegraph and the Wall Street Journal.

JENNIFER SINE WAY

CEO, founder, JLS MedEquip SURVEY S AYS . . . Who would play you in a movie about your life: Staying true to my Yorkshire roots (my accent included), Patrick Stewart.

In 2012, Savage was recognized for his volunteer efforts in coordinating a new internship program for the British Parliamentary system. The program attracted a diverse pool of applicants by relying on private funding for transportation and living costs. As a thank you, Savage ended up getting the opportunity to open the London Stock Exchange. Coming to America, Savage is sponsored by Symphony with an O-1 Extraordinary Talent Visa. “This time I have three suitcases,” he says. — Traci McMillan Beach

TAMPA

If I had a magic wand I’d: Hand it to my 4-yearold niece. With her imagination and penchant for entertaining, I’m confident the results would be nothing short of spectacular.

Focusing on finding the best product to offer a niche market has worked well for 30-yearold Jennifer Sineway, CEO and founder of JLS MedEquip. At 20, while working on her undergraduate degree, Sineway decided she liked the niche of helping medical professionals and veterinarians. By 24, she started brokering equipment to this market. She founded her business with $200 and bootstrapped to avoid taking any loans. She brokered to build capital. From lemonade stands when she was a kid to running a small jewelry business, Sineway likes being her own boss. “I’ve always been an entrepreneur,” she says. She ea r ned her master’s degree in Entrepreneurship in Applied Technology at the University of South Florida. She says sucess happened because she’s always willing to adapt to a new landscape. “You have to adapt to price changes and industry change and develop new products,” she says. The second business she started, Allied Analytic, is focused on the veterinary market, providing blood analyzer kits to in-house labs and researchers. This niche has prov-

SURVEY S AYS . . . Best business lesson ever learned: You must always be able and willing to adapt.

en to be profitable — grossing more than $1 million in just two years. JLS MedEquip sells internationally. Clients include Steve Irwin International Zoo in Australia, an elephant camp in Indonesia, the University of Waterloo in Ontario and a clinic in Figi. The company now inventories equipment instead of just brokering, allowing warranty and guarantee offers that Sineway believes has really “catapulted our business.” Sineway credits finding a partner for much of her success. “Things are so much better with a partner that can do things you cannot,” she says. — Traci McMillan Beach

What you would be doing if you could pick another career: Own a boat charter business or become a painter. If I had a magic wand I’d: Clean up the toxic algae blooms on Florida’s coast and protect the Florida aquifer and springs.

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BusinessObserverFL.com

FU N FAC T S Match the 40 under 40 winner with who they say would play them in a movie.

1. Annelie Niebuhr

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a. Michael Chiklis

2. Anthony Di Tinno

b. Rachel McAdams

3. Erin Duggan

c. Jessica Alba

4. Jacob Ackerman

d. Helen Hunt

5. Mason Tush

e. Diane Kruger

6. Noelle CasagrandeMontgomery

7. Rachel Stewart

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; OCTOBER 20, 2016

f. Robert Downey Jr.

g. Andrew Lincoln

ANSWERS: 1E, 2F, 3D, 4A, 5G, 6B, 7C

From left: Jen Rust, Jen Storch, Joshua Reynolds, Dennis Murphy, Erin Duggan, Craig Steinhoff, Stefanie Overturf, Samantha Hernandez, Mason Tush, Elise Ramer, Rogan Donelly, Annelie Niebuhr, Keith Pandeloglou and Jon Krawczyk.

OCTOBER 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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SAR ASOTA - MANATEE

G O I N G PL AC ES: The Sarasota-Manatee region photos were taken

at Rectrix Aerodrome Centers, near the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Rectrix, with four other locations in Massachusetts, including Worcester and Hyannis, opened a Sarasota-Bradenton location in December 2008. The Sarasota Rectrix location, on 20 acres, is a full-service fixed-based operator, or FBO, which means it can provide general aviation services for private jets. That includes fueling planes, chartering flights, maintaining aircraft and providing storage space.

PHOTOS BY MARK WEMPLE

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

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SAR ASOTA

ROG AN DONELLY

President, Tervis Rogan Donelly, named president of Venice-based Tervis Tumbler in May, says the skill he wants to learn the most is patience. Donelly got plenty of practice in the first few weeks of his new job at Tervis. The drinkware manufacturer, one of the largest companies in the region with about 1,000 employees, is known for its cups that keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. Donelly sought patience by holding a series of roundtable listening sessions with employees across departments and shifts — before he changed anything. “That was all about learning and getting to know people,” says Donelly. Many people at the company know Donelly, or at least of him. Donelly’s grandfather, Casey Key entrepreneur John Winslow, bought Tervis in the 1950s and moved it from Michigan to Venice. Winslow’s son-in-law, Norbert Donelly, ran the business for 25 years after Winslow, and now Rogan Donelly holds a top position. The youngest Donelly has spent the past seven years working in a variety of positions at the company, to see how each department runs. As he grows into his new role, Donelly says one of his chal-

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SAMANTHA HERNANDE Z

Executive director of human resources, Pro-Link Global

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Messy desk or clean workspace: Organized. My dog comes with me to work so he can make it messy. Favorite off-hours activity: Spearfishing

lenges is to balance the day-today with the visionary side. The company’s top managers, for example, recently competed a branding program called North Star, to set a long-term future for the company. Donelly, attending a weekend MBA program at the University of South Florida Muma College of Business, is eager to discover what Tervis will become. “We aren’t just a plastic cup,” Donelly says. “We are a premium branded product. We have a lot of opportunities.” — Mark Gordon

L AKEWOOD R ANCH

ERIN DUGG AN

Vice president, Visit Sarasota County Erin Duggan loves to explore. She spends her free time testing out everything that Florida has to offer, “from farmers markets, to beaches to restaurants, to shopping districts and state parks,” she says. “I love to explore my backyard.” “I was that annoying girl in college that talked about where I was from and why it was better than anywhere else,” Duggan says. She had no idea that was an actual job. Today, Duggan is vice president of Visit Sarasota County, Sarasota’s convention and visitors bureau. She oversees Visit Sarasota’s brand, public relations, advertising, partnerships and programming. “I’m always really proud of fun campaigns on a shoestring budget,” Duggan says. Duggan helped set up Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week in response to business drying up after Memorial Day. The program helped bring a significant increase in traffic to restaurants in June, according to the bureau. But most of the organization’s advertising focuses outside the state. Some people think, “If you build it, they will come. People think you don’t need to market,” Duggan says. Though she wishes that were the case, a number of cities have lost traction when they’ve deserted ad-

SAR ASOTA

Samantha Hernandez is fascinated by how companies use psycholog y in business. It’s why she chose to specialize in industrial organizational psychology in school. After working as a benefits administrator at food distributor Sysco, Hernandez decided to join a background check company, Ad-Vance Screening, as vice president of operations. When 2008 stalled hiring, Hernandez looked for a new position and ended up leading human resources at Southeastern Guidedogs Inc. Though she loved spending her extra time with the puppies, she was ready for the next step, wanting to take on a global HR opportunity. That’s when she joined Pro-Link Global, a company that provides immigration services. Within a year, she was asked to join the executive management team. Today, Hernandez has employees in almost every region in the world. She’s learned labor laws and culture differences to support recruitment and training for the company’s nine regional offices worldwide. Pro-Link Global has 80 employees and partners with more than 1,000 consultants. Hernandez says her biggest challenge is communication. She’s constantly working to

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SURVEY S AYS . . .

make sure that she’s sharing the same message in the same context, taking into consideration the cultural components that may impact it. It requires a lot of balancing. Hernandez uses the website worldtimebuddy.com to keep track of what time it is in the different locations. She uses Skype and What’s App to keep herself available and accessible for international employees. Hernandez says she learns the most from spending time in her company’s locations. For example, no matter how much she prepared herself for the company opening an office in India, “being there and living it gave me insight…and helped me understand the Indian business culture.” — Traci McMillan Beach

Coolest business experience: When in New Delhi, India, we had the opportunity to visit a large Sikh temple. Our team was asked if we’d like to volunteer by rolling out dough to be made into bread to feed the hungry. It was so meaningful to learn about a new culture and give back. Best business lesson ever learned: Don’t try to do it alone.

NORTH PORT

JON KR AWCZ YK

Owner, Superior Pools

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Best business lesson ever learned: Mistakes and mishaps provide me the most valuable lessons. Accepting accountability and finding solutions for how best to proceed go a long way in successful business relationships.

vertising tourism. For a recent campaign in Boston, Duggan’s team was able to measure the impact its advertising spend had on tourism. The county advertised in magazines, broadcast, digital advertisements on the Weather Channel and TripAdvisor and a full-page ad in the Boston Pops holiday program. Visitors to the Visit Sarasota County website from Massachusetts increased 119.7% in November and 46.6% in December year over year. — Traci McMillan Beach

Native Michigander Jon Krawczyk says he feels out of place standing with this group of 40 under 40 winners. “I’m not a suit-and-tie kind of guy,” he says. Growing up in a farm town, Krawczyk has a more laid back, Midwestern attitude. But don’t let that fool you. He means business. In fact, he’s working more than 80 hours a week to “lay the groundwork for the future.” The owner of North Portbased Superior Pools, Krawczyk started working for the family business building pools during the summers between college. After a brief internship with the Detroit Pistons, Krawczyk realized he could put his business degree to good use if he joined his mom and dad full time in selling pools. “I spent the first three to four years out in the hole learning everything,” he says. Though in the beginning he may have been muttering complaints under his breath, Krawczyk credits that time for learning to respect all aspects of the business, and building respect among others at the company. He was promoted to construction manager, working under his dad, while his mom worked in sales. When the company

SURVEY S AYS . . .

was hit hard from the recession, Krawczyk encouraged his dad to go after remodels, instead of new construction. It was a smart move. Now, 98% of Superior Pool’s work is for homeowners and remodels, partnering with one homebuilder. In 2011, the family was hit with a shock. Krawczyk’s mother was diagnosed with melanoma cancer and died. His dad moved back to Michigan and passed the business to his son. Each year since the transition, the company has grown. The company recently achieved a 2016 Top 50 Builder in the U.S. award from Pool and Spa News, and out of the top 50, ranked No. 1 in customer service. “Online rev iews make or break you these days,” he says. — Traci McMillan Beach

Coolest business experience: Voted #1 in customer service in the nation by Pool and Spa News 2016. Best business lesson ever learned: Honesty and communication are the keys to success. Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: My mother who passed away and Jesus.

OCTOBER 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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bokor ruppel & burns, llp

We Congratulate Will Conroy. We Are Proud to Call Him Our Partner. 40 Under 40

The Next Generation of Business Leaders 2 0 16

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BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

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SAR ASOTA

DENNIS MURPH Y

ELLENTON

STEFANIE OVERTURF

Executive vice president, senior lending officer, Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida

Co-owner, sales and marketing director, Overturf’s Floor & Fabric Care

In 2008, Dennis Murphy was presented with a rare opportunity in the banking sector: to help launch a bank, as a loan officer and founding shareholder, before he turned 30. That was w it h Sa rasotabased Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida. Murphy’s mentor, Shaun Merriman, wanted to woo Murphy away from AmSouth Bank, where they both had worked. “It was a real risk,” says Murphy, “to go from the certainty at AmSouth, where I had an established career path” to a new and unproven bank. A Gainesville native and University of Florida graduate, Murphy pursued the startup option — the best move he says he’s ever made in his career. Murphy has since been promoted several times at Gateway, which had $303.7 million in assets through June 30. “In this challenging banking environment,” Merriman said in a January 2015 statement announcing Murphy’s promotion to executive vice president, “Murphy’s excellent credit and lending skills have been instrumental and invaluable to Gateway’s success.” Two aspects of his job continue to motivate Murphy. One is the lending, particularly when the economy is doing well, and Gateway gets to play a role in

The recession that began in the late 2000s was personal for Stefanie Overturf. Soon after it began, in 2008, Overturf was laid off from her marketing position at the Bradenton Herald, a daily newspaper in Manatee County. “I was devastated and scared, and I didn’t know what I was going to do,” says Overturf, a Bradenton native and Palmetto High School graduate. “I felt rejected, and I didn’t want people to know I had been laid off.” Over tur f quick ly shif ted gears. Through an aunt she found work cleaning houses, picking up extra jobs. That led to more business, and then to an opportunity, when Overturf heard from several clients who said they couldn’t find reliable carpet cleaning service. That’s when Overturf decided to start a f loor and fabric care business with her husband, Jeremy Overturf. The Bradenton-based company has since grown from startup to seven employees, and it covers a wide region of the Gulf Coast, from Venice to Brandon. One of the early keys to the success, says Stefanie Overturf, beyond lots of hours and work, was hiring a business coach that preached a big focus on profitability figures. In 2015, after several strong years of revenue growth, Over-

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S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Who would play you in a movie about your life: Since a story about the life of a banker would need to be spiced up a bit for people to go see it, I’ll go with Matt Damon. The movie would be titled “The Bourne Banker!”

helping business clients grow. Murphy also likes being able to get an inside look at how a variety of businesses work. The other side, he says, is helping people succeed and grow in their careers. Well-known in the Sarasota business-networking scene, Murphy tries to lead through example and outworking others. “I don’t get up each day just trying to be marginal,” he says. — Mark Gordon

SURVEY S AYS . . . Messy or clean workspace: MESSY!

turf’s Floor & Fabric Care even made an acquisition: It bought Sarasota-based carpet cleaning company Greenway Carpet Inc. Just like Overturf’s, Greenway has won several chamber and Angie’s List awards for service and reliability. Overturf says one of t he toughest challenges she faces now is hiring, in terms of recruiting and retaining top employees. She also spends a good deal of time handling marketing and wooing bigger accounts. That kind of hustle and bustle suits Overturf, given how she lost one corporate job when she had just turned 25. Starting her business, was scary at first, she adds, but now it’s empowering to control her own financial future. — Mark Gordon

Best business lesson ever learned: You can’t be all things to all people. Favorite off-hours activity: Going to theme parks. Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Zig Ziglar and Gwen Stefani. (There are stories behind each of those:)

SAR ASOTA

ANNELIE NIEBUHR

Corporate finance and development, Roper Technologies Inc. Annelie Niebuhr could star in a chamber of commerce production about people who grew up here, left for big cities, then came back. Her story is ripe for that tale: Born in Germany, she moved to the States with her family when she was 14 and graduated from the Pine View School. Then she was on to Pittsburgh, where she graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in chemical engineering and a minor in Chinese. Up next: Three years with Citibank, first in Hong Kong and then in Chicago, where she worked as an analyst in the investment bank unit. That’s three continents for Niebuhr before she turned 24, in addition to a job working with some of the investment banking industry’s top thinkers and leaders. “I’ve always had in interest in business,” she says. It would seem there would be few options for someone like Niebuhr in Sarasota-Bradenton. But through some friends she found out about an opportunity at Lakewood Ranch-based Roper. The publicly traded firm is a $3.5 billion technology conglomerate, with holdings in everything from health care and education companies to food, energy, transportation and water entities. Roper hired Niebuhr in March.

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Coolest business experience: I moved to Hong Kong after college to work in investment banking. It was fascinating to live and work in Asia!

She works with a team responsible for two distinct tasks. One is to oversee about 20 companies in the Roper portfolio. Leaders outside the Roper headquarters run these businesses, and Niebuhr’s team offers support on management and any financial issues, much like a consultant does. The second role is to analyze potential acquisitions for Roper, such as studying the balance sheets and looking into integration. “It’s been eye-opening to see how a big company like this functions,” says Niebuhr. — Mark Gordon

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L AKEWOOD R ANCH

KEITH PANDELOGLOU

CEO, UTC Venture Group It’s only been seven months since Keith Pandeloglou left his six-figure sales position with TriNet. Since then, he’s opened a coworking space in Lakewood Ranch and managed to build it to 90% capacity. He’s now looking to open a second location in downtown Sarasota. Pa ndelog lou decided he wanted to get involved in the cowork i ng bu si ness a f ter watching the company WeWork grow in a number of different cities. Pandeloglou’s clients at TriNet often worked at WeWork locations in different big cities, and he thought it was a cool concept. Coworking allows a person from a small company or startup to work in an office atmosphere with a virtual mail service and collaboration opportunities for a monthly fee. Pandeloglou has also started a consulting business. With TriNet, a national human resources and payroll company, he experienced all aspects of the business, moving from IT to client services to sales. He worked his way up to manager of inside sales for the East Coast. He worked with the company through acquisitions and going public. But Pandeloglou always knew he wanted to go out on his own.

SURVEY S AYS . . . Coolest business experience: Meeting Daymond John from FUBU/ Shark Tank. He started his first business, a networking company, when he was 19. He left because the corporate route at the time felt safer. Now, he doesn’t regret that decision because of the experience he gained working for large corporations like CIGNA Healthcare and TriNet. “I purposely set up this lifestyle so I can participate” in the community, Pandeloglou says. He’s currently president of Suncoast Technology Forum and serves as an ambassador for Lakewood Ranch Young Leaders Alliance. He didn’t want to continue with the 11- to 12hour days involved in corporate life. Today, he has “no moral conflicts” about participating in the groups. “It’s all in line. It helps my goals and everything plays off each other.” — Traci McMillan Beach

Best business lesson ever learned: Perfection is the enemy of “good.” Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Steve Jobs and Mark Cuban. Best place to network: Cowork LWR, of course!

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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SAR ASOTA

ELISE R AMER

Senior public relations specialist, Coldwell Banker/NRT LLC Growing up, Elise Ramer was always the class gossip. “I had the hardest time keeping a secret. That’s still true to this day,” she admits. That’s why she’s so thankful that she’s found a career where that’s exactly what she gets to do: “Tell people the thing I’m dying to tell them.” Ramer decided to go into agency life at 25, after being burnt out from special events planning. When she moved to Sarasota, she didn’t know where she would work. When she found out Coldwell Banker was hiring for its public relations team, she jumped on the opportunity. Her four-person team covers more than 11,000 real estate agents in the Southeast. Ramer handles public relations for the top 1% of real estate agents in a triangle going from Maryland to Texas to Florida. Last year Ramer was awarded the Golden Image Award from the Florida Public Relations Association for the best press release in the state — a release sharing news of a $139 million listing. “It was worth every sweat, tear and nail biting throughout the process,” she says. Prior to becoming a mom, Ramer says she was involved in

COO, managing partner, Reynolds Ventures Inc., dba WrightWay Emergency Water Removal SURVEY S AYS . . .

everything; she was president of the Young Professionals Group and Florida Public Relations Association chapter. Now, she finds that her best networking is done with other moms and parents, many of whom are also young professionals. In her spare time, Ramer and her husband are starting a bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs videography business in the Sarasota area, an underserved market , she says. One of the accomplishments she’s most proud of is working toward an accreditation in public relations. “There’s nothing like those three letters after your name” to show you know what you’re talking about. — Traci McMillan Beach

PUNTA GORDA

JOSHUA REYNOLDS

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Best place to network: Before kids: YPG events/ After kids: Playgrounds/ PTA Meetings Messy desk or clean workspace: Messy desk and queen of spilling coffee on keyboards Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Howard Stern and Ina Garten

When Josh Reynolds came to Florida in 2005, he was planning on going south for a bit during a bad Ohio winter to do work on homes hit by Hurricane Charley. By the time he and some friends finished remodeling houses in February, Reynolds kept his family’s Ohio-based construction company going in Florida as a subcontractor for another restoration firm. He also started to take classes to learn about insurance. In 2009, Reynolds and his parents decided to go out on their own and start up an insurance restoration company, WrightWay Emergency Water Removal. They partnered with a gentleman who was an expert in insurance restoration marketing. For the next five years, Reynolds learned everything about the business firsthand from this partner. Today, Reynolds is the chief operating officer of the 90-employee company, which earned $10 million in gross revenue in 2015 and is expected to gross $14 million in 2016. Under Reynold’s leadership, the firm has grown 460% over the past five years. Last year, the company’s biggest job came from rebuilding a YMCA in Sarasota after it was

SURVEY S AYS . . . Best business lesson ever learned: Shatter expectations and set the bar high.

struck by lightning. The company was able to get 60 to 100 guys every day for five days to get the facility back up and running. “It was days before the insurance agency said we were going to,” he says. Reynolds has become an expert on insurance policies. “We keep the homeowner happy, we document everything,” he says. “We’re better at the game than they are.” Reynolds’ biggest challenge is keeping up with the growth, and keeping standards up even as the company is approaching 100 employees. “We have to make sure that everyone is doing what we were doing seven years ago,” he says. — Traci McMillan Beach

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Elon Musk and Mark Cuban If I had a magic wand I’d: Duplicate myself so I could spend all the time I want to at work while also spending all the time I want to with my family.

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BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

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SAR ASOTA

JEN RUST

SAR ASOTA

CR AIG STEINHOFF

Vice president, private wealth adviser, Synovus Bank

Principal, HBK CPAs, Sarasota office

When area business leaders and officials talk about brain drain, they usually mean people who leave Sarasota and Bradenton for the big cities, from Atlanta to Boston to Chicago. Jen Rust drained in the reverse. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Rust grew up in one of those big cities, Atlanta. She got into real estate when she was 17, and even with a stop at college, Kennesaw State University, outside Atlanta, Rust built a strong real estate career in and around Atlanta in the 2000s. It was a booming time in real estate, and Rust’s career was thriving. But by 2009, Rust sought a change. She sought a place where she could blend community involvement and philanthropic work with a business career. She settled on Sarasota, and left the big city. She had no job in town. She didn’t know anyone. “At first it was very tough,” says Rust. “It was hard to make friends. It was hard to find a career that I was both passionate about and found interesting.” Rust took some sales jobs, mostly to pay bills. She worked for a telecommunications company, and later for payroll firm Paychex. Then she mostly fell into banking and wealth man-

A mega-raffle at a golf tournament in Ohio in June 2012 was a true life-changing event for Craig Steinhoff. Not because of a hole in one or a great putt. But that’s where Steinhoff, then a lifelong Ohio resident, won a weeklong stay at a condo in Siesta Key. Like many others before him, Steinhoff fell in love with the area when he came down the next year. “I told some partners at my firm that I’d like to be considered” if any leadership opportunities opened up in the area. That opportunity opened up in late 2014. His firm, Canfield, Ohio-based HBK CPAs & Consultants, a top 100 accounting firm nationwide, needed a new principal accountant to oversee the fast-growing Sarasota office. Steinhoff accepted the offer, and he and his wife and two young daughters moved to the region. While the area is new, some of the work is similar to what Steinhoff did in Ohio: help business clients understand the impact of all financial decisions, not just what to do to pay less taxes. “I love to sit down with business owners and really get into the operations side,” says Steinhoff. Steinhoff says he knew he

SURVEY S AYS . . .

agement, through some friends and business contacts. “It’s not what I went to school for,” she says, “or what I ever thought I would do.” But now it’s her passion. Rust has earned several licenses and accreditations for wealth management and she specializes in credit and cash management for clients. Rust and her business partner, Jennifer Steube, have now worked together for five years, first with PNC Bank and now with Synovus. Rust is also well known in Sarasota for chairing numerous nonprofit boards and events. That aspect of her career, says Rust, “has helped me create some wonderful relationships with a lot of people in town.” — Mark Gordon

IMMIGRATION. EVERYWHERE YOU ARE.

Coolest business experience: I’ve had many unique and interesting business experiences, but if I had to choose the coolest, it would be the time the members of Collective Soul wanted to take a look at a property (where) I was the listing agent. They were a pretty mainstream band at the time, so it was really fun to work with them!

39 SURVEY S AYS . . . Coolest business experience: Going to Hawaii to audit a Marriott real estate development project.

wanted to do something in finances and accounting when he was a young boy, and he saw how successful a friend’s dad was in the field. “I chose accounting before I really knew I would like accounting,” says Steinhoff, a graduate of Capital University in Bexley, Ohio. “Luckily I did.” In his role in Sarasota, Steinhoff has additional responsibilities besides working with clients. He’s also supervising a team of accountants and support staff, the first time in his career he has a widespread leadership role. Says Steinhoff: “I’m hoping to be the type of leader I would want to have.” — Mark Gordon

Best business lesson ever learned: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. If I had a magic wand I’d: Make the Cleveland Indians win the World Series.

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OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

BusinessObserverFL.com

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BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

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SAR ASOTA

JEN STORCH

MASON T USH

Director, ambulatory services, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Jen Storch thought she was going to be a doctor, and after some chemistry and biology classes at the University of Florida, work with one patient at a time. She instead focused on the administrative side of medicine, and has spent her career with the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. Now she helps more than 130 employees take care of 200,000 patients a year as an executive in SMH’s ambulatory-outpatient services department. Storch developed her passion and appreciation for health care administration during a residency program where she shadowed and worked with multiple hospital executives. It’s a place, Storch discovered, where no two days are the same. “It’s fun to face new challenges and grow,” Storch says. “You come into work with a plan and calendar and sometimes it doesn’t work out. But that’s what makes my job exciting.” The ambulatory-outpatient department is one of the fastestgrowing units within the SMH system and has facilities spread through Manatee and Sarasota counties. Storch, who started with SMH in 2007, now oversees eight of those facilities. She has led projects to move two urgent

Favorite off-hours activity: CrossFit and running

– J en S torc h care centers, and she’s also overseen the expansion and opening of three others, including the latest, on St. Armands Circle. Storch won an SMH quarterly leadership award for the fourth quarter last year for her work with the urgent care centers. SMH executives, in presenting the award, say Storch is a “confident, kind and fair leader who is never too busy to jump in and help when needed.” — Mark Gordon

Co-owner, CB’s Saltwater Outfitters SURVEY S AYS . . .

“ It ’s fun to fac e new challenge s and grow.”

SAR ASOTA

What you would be doing if you could pick another career: Running a winery in Napa. Who would play you in a movie about your life: Tina Fey If I had a magic wand I’d: Fix the health care industry.

Mason Tush started playing store with his cousins when he was 7 years old, finding different items in the house to merchandise and pretend to sell. After a few years, he decided to see if he could make some money setting up a baseball card shop in his garage. Though he didn’t get any customers, from as early as he can remember, he’s loved the idea of buying stuff and reselling it. Today, Tush is co-owner of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, a tackle shop, fishing sportswear and boat rental store with 20 employees and three locations. He can’t recall exactly when he started working for the family business, but as young as fifth grade he’d be hanging with the high school kids who would be cleaning the boats. In 2009, Tush encouraged his dad to buy an old gas station that was closing next to one of their locations. They spent a couple years looking at building a bigger gas station and then a year deciding if they should sell it. But at that point they were running into issues with space at their main location, doing everything from boat rentals to Jet Skis to parasailing to fishing charters all from one location. Tush says he suggested, “Let’s put parasailing and Jet Skis over

SURVEY S AYS . . .

there, clean it up and see what happens.” From the first year it was up and running it was clear that it was a good investment. After watching the success of the store/restaurant combo The Shore in Sarasota, Tush and his family came up with another idea to lease the upstairs of the space. Last month they broke ground with Daiquiri Deck to open a new restaurant above their shop. In addition to his work at the store, Tush has also volunteered at the Sarasota Tarpon Tournament for the last eight years. As chairman, he’s helped the tournament grow from 3000 anglers to more than 100,000 every year, donating $40,000 to local charities. — Traci McMillan Beach

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Both of my grandfathers. My mother’s father was a wonderful businessman (large reason we have CB’s today) and my father’s father was executive vice president of marketing for Brown Forman and finished his career as president of the Jos. Garneau Co.

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OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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Craig M. Steinhoff, CPA, CITP Principal, HBK CPAs & Consultants

Way to go, Craig. Good for you. A 2016 “40 Under 40” Award Winner by the Business Observer. Nice to see that a Northeast Ohio guy is making a name for himself in Sarasota. Hearing that you’re doing well makes us miss you a lot, but some things — some very important things — have gotten a lot better since you left, like your favorite teams are doing really well. The Cavs won the NBA Championship, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, and now your beloved Indians are a World Series contender. So, we’re happy you’re doing so well there … We just ask that you stay. And keep up the good work.

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FU N FAC T S Who looks more like their doppelganger?

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; OCTOBER 20, 2016

40UNDER40 G O I N G PL AC ES:

Tyler Reddien

Dennis Murphy

Joshua Reynolds

Matt Damon

Timothy Dupre

Rogan Donelly

Liev Schreiber

Jon Krawczyk

Craig Steinhoff

Mark Wahlberg

The MarineMax dealership on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers sells dozens of boats in a wide range of classes and styles. The vessel for the Lee-Collier photo shoot is a 59foot Sea Ray L590 yacht, one of the newest models on the market. Clearwater-based MarineMax, with $751.3 million in sales last year, is one of the largest recreational boat dealers in the country.

OCTOBER 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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LEE - COLLIER

PHOTOS BY MARK WEMPLE

Front row, left to right: Jacob Ackerman, Tyler Reddien, Amy Kinsey and Timothy Dupre. Back row, left to right: Rachel Stewart, Cee Cee Marinelli, Kevin Greenwell, Allison Flood, Noelle Casagrande-Montgomery, Tiffany Esposito, Jake Crews, Bryce Clerk and Adam Flood

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

BusinessObserverFL.com

40UNDER40 |

NAPLES

JACOB ACKERMAN

Chief technology officer, SkyLink Data Centers Chicago native Jacob Ackerman is a techie — and proud of it. “As a kid I built computers,” says Ackerman. “I just had a knack for it.” T hat’s helped Acker ma n build a distinguished career in technology. A Naples High graduate, Ackerman’s first real job was with Regal Entertainment, where he worked with a team that launched Fandango. He later worked for Stock Development in the housing boom, doing database administration work. (He worked for the head of technology at Stock, Joe Biasella, who became a mentor. Biasella now works for Ackerman at SkyLink.) Naples-based SkyLink is an IT services and co-location and web hosting company, with

S U R V E Y SAYS . . . Coolest business experience: One of our customers is Live Nation, and I spent a week at their offices in Hollywood. Not only did I get to experience a truly unique office environment, I spent a week with insider access to some amazing musicians.

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clients in hospitality, tourism and government, among other sectors. Ackerman helped lead and plan the construction of the SkyLink data center, including the air conditioning, redundancy and the internet connections. Ackerman also helped create one of the only HIPAA-compliant data centers between Miami and Tampa at SkyLink. Ackerman says the best thing about working in technology is when he helps a business do something quicker, faster and better. His job also allows him time to meet with clients and do inside work. “I love going out and meeting clients and solving problems,” says Ackerman. “I don’t want to be stuck in an office all day.” — Mark Gordon

40UNDER40 FORT MYERS

“I don’t want to be stuck in an office all day.” – J ac ob Ackerman

Best business lesson ever learned: Success is never achieved alone. A website that makes your job easier: brentozar.com Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: The first would be my late grandfather. His wisdom has served me well through the years. My second choice would

be Benjamin Franklin. What you would be doing if you could pick another career: Law enforcement. Top item on your bucket list: To experience spaceflight. Who would play you in a movie about your life: Michael Chiklis

CAPE COR AL

NOELLE CASAGR ANDE MONTGOMERY | 33 Director, corporate communications, Chico’s FAS The retail industry is in flux, with the internet disrupting the traditional way big chains do business in brick-and-mortar stores. And Fort Myers-based Chico’s FAS, where Noelle CasagrandeMontgomery has worked since 2008, is one of many large retailers that have gone through major shifts, from strategies to inventory to the level of employees. For Casagrande-Montgomery that translates to working at a time of rapid changes — one of her passions. “Our company has a unique spot in the marketplace,” says Casagrande-Montgomery. “I firmly believe in the company’s leadership.” That particularly includes Shelley Broader, named CEO of Chico’s late last year. Casag ra nde-Montgomer y c a l ls Broader a dynamic leader. A New Jersey native who grew up mostly in Southwest Florida, Casagrande-Montgomery graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in public relations and business in 2006. For a big Gators fan, she picked an odd place for her first job: Tallahassee. That was with The Zimmerman Agency,

which specializes in tourism and hospitality. In addition to experience with a wide variety of clients, Casagrande-Montgomery says it was at Zimmerman where she had one of her coolest business experiences. It was with an account she managed for the British Virgin Islands, where she often hosted travel journalists. She was there for diving during the Wreck of the Rhone and, a lifelong boating enthusiast, she participated in the annual international Sailing Regatta. She also participated in Bonefishing off Anegada, where she caught a bonefish so large it landed her in a fishing guidebook, “So Many Fish, So Little Time.” Casagrande-Montgomery’s variety of experiences at Zimmerman helped her land a job at Chico’s, initially as a specialist in public relations. She later helped design, create and develop a social media unit for the company. Several promotions later, Casagrande-Montgomery is now director of corporate communications, a new role in the company’s human resources department. — Mark Gordon

BRYCE CLERK | 28 Managing member, 3D Interspace Solutions Bryce Clerk, an engineer who works with large power generators, was blown away in 2015 when he saw the Matterport camera at a tech conference in San Francisco. The $4,500 camera uses 3-D technology to capture unique home walkthroughs and dollhouse views that show measurements and dimensions of furniture and appliances. An engineer with Acensium, Clerk was so impressed with the technology he bought the equipment to start a Matterport-based side business in the Fort Myers and Naples markets. That business, 3D Interspace Solutions, has grown rapidly — surprising Clerk, who planned to tinker with it on nights and weekends. Sales are up at least 500% year over year through August. “I thought it was a cool thing for some supplemental income,” says Clerk. “But it has become a monster.” The company works with Realtors, builders, property management companies and yacht brokers. Clerk and his business partner at the company, Royal Shell Realtor Sean Radigan, have provided 3-D virtual tours for more than 100 properties in Charlotte Collier and Lee counties. And that success has spawned more opportunities to work with clients, including doing aerial photos and videos and social media content. A San Rafael, Calif., native, Clerk graduated from Purdue University with a degree in mechanical engineering and business management. He moved to the region six years ago. The biggest challenge he faces with 3D Interspace Solutions now, he says, is finding the time to manage the growing business with his day job at Acensium. Says Clerk: “I know (3D Interspace) can be really big.” — Mark Gordon

S U R V E Y S AYS . . .

Best business lesson ever learned: Know your wake — as a leader, understand the wake you leave behind with your daily interactions.

Best business lesson ever learned: It’s difficult to find good help these days. Compensate the rare talent you stumble across and employ as if you were in his/her position with the same expectations you have for yourself.

Top item on your bucket list: Scuba dive with a great white shark. Who would play you in a movie about your life: Rachel McAdams If I had a magic wand I’d: …get ready and out the door a lot faster!

“O ur c ompany ha s a unique s pot in the marketplac e.”

Community group you’re most involved with: Kowiachobee Animal Preserve in Naples Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Donald Trump and Mark Cuban, absolutely at the same time.

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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WAUCHUL A

JAKE CRE WS

President, Wauchula State Bank Ja ke Crews represents t he fourth generation of his family to work in the family business, banking, but his path there took a detour. That was when he worked for three years as a bank examiner for the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. A recent graduate of Washington State University, Crews spent most of his Friday nights during that time, in the late 2000s, helping regulators shutter banks statewide. That experience has been an asset for Crews in understanding the nuances of banking and working his way up the ranks of Crews Bank Corp., based in Wauchula, Hardee County. Crews Bank Corp.’s holdings include Wauchula State Bank, Charlotte State Bank and Trust, Englewood Bank and Trust and First State Bank of Arcadia. The assets at all the banks, each of which have their own presidents who make decisions based on the local market, total more than $1.3 billion. Crew s, a M ia m i nat ive, worked su m mer s i n h ig h school at Wauchula State Bank. He came back for a job at the bank, after the stint with regulators, in 2010. He has since worked on a variety of projects there, including several that helped advance the bank’s

President and COO, Conditioned Air Co. SURVEY S AYS . . . Community group you’re most involved with: JimSpace playground in Arcadia.

technology products and services. With $636.4 million in assets through June, Wauchula State Bank is the largest one in the holding company. A member of the Crews Bank Corp. board, Crews was named president of Wauchula State Bank earlier this year. The bank also moved ahead on a major expansion in 2016, opening its first office in Polk County with a branch in Winter Haven. — Mark Gordon

CAPE COR AL

TIM DUPRE

BusinessObserverFL.com

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: George Washington, Eckhart Tolle What you would be doing if you could pick another career: hunting guide out west.

A family friend, Bill Barnes, who was vice president of Naples-based Conditioned Air, asked Tim Dupre a question in 1997 that changed the then teenager’s life. Asked Barnes: “Do you want a job or a career?” The answer was a career. “I wanted something I could retire from,” Dupre says. So Barnes suggested he apply for a job at Conditioned Air. The company, founded in 1962 and run by prominent area entrepreneur Theo Etzel, has long been a leader in the region, particularly in forward-thinking programs and initiatives for employees. The company, for example, regularly shares financial reports with employees, so everyone can feel like they are part of a larger effort. Conditioned Air has 320 employees and posted $46 million in revenues in 2015, up 12.7% over $40.8 million in 2014. Dupre started as an apprentice in the production-housing department at Conditioned Air. He worked on air conditioning systems every where from million-dollar homes and multifamily projects to light commercial work and national production builder projects. In 2004 he was promoted to his first leadership role, field supervisor. More promotions

SURVEY S AYS . . . Best business lesson ever learned: Time kills all deals and every day let’s be brilliant with the basics.

came in 2008 and 2014, and he was named president and COO in 2015. Part of Dupre’s job now is to be out in the community, both networking and overseeing some of the company’s charitable and philanthropic work. He also oversees all the departments, and Dupre says he puts a particular emphasis on safety for employees. And in terms of company culture, he wants Conditioned Air to stick to its roots. “Even though we are a big company now,” says Dupre, “I think we should be run like a family business.” — Mark Gordon

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: My grandmother and Sean Connery. Top item on your bucket list: Take my family to Alaska and Italy. Who would play you in a movie about your life: Liev Schreiber

Congratulations to all of the “40 Under 40” winners, especially Visit Sarasota County's own

Erin Duggan. Congratulations, Erin. Thank you for all you do locally and around the world to make Sarasota County great!

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VisitSarasota.com

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

BusinessObserverFL.com

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FORT MYERS

TIFFAN Y ESPOSITO

President and CEO, Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce Tiffany Esposito graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2009, what she calls a “horrible” time to look for a job. But it didn’t take her long to find her place, and her career: chambers of commerce. “I had no idea chambers was what I wanted to do,” says Esposito, “but I fell in love with what chambers could do.” Esposito says the connections with business owners and working to help them grow their companies is a big motivator at the helm of the Bonita Springs Chamber. That’s where she started her chamber career, in 2009 as communications manager. She was promoted several times, left for a stint at the Greater Naples Chamber of Com-

S U R V E Y SAYS . . . Coolest business experience: I was fortunate enough to take 40 people on a tour to China in 2012. It was an educational tour about China’s economy with a

merce and came back to Bonita Springs in June, when she was named president and CEO. The Bonita Springs Chamber has eight employees and about 1,000 members. Esposito is feeling her way around her new position. One long-term goal is to build up the Bonita Springs Estero Economic Development Council, an arm of the chamber that helps recruit new businesses to town and assist existing ones with expansion. Esposito also wants to work with city officials in Bonita Springs about growth issues that impact the business community. “I love my job,” says Esposito. “I get to talk to people all day and help them solve problems.” — Mark Gordon

40UNDER40 CAPE COR AL

ALLISON FLOOD | 28

tourism twist. It was a once in a lifetime trip for me and I’m glad I had the opportunity to have that experience.

all live within 10 miles of each other. Top item on your bucket list: Visit Australia and hold a koala.

Favorite off-hours activity: Spending time with my family. There are 13 of us in my immediate family and we

Who would play you in a movie about your life: Sandra Bullock

“ I had no ide a chamb ers wa s w hat I wanted to do, but I fell in love w ith w hat chamb ers c ould do.” – T if fany Es pos ito

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CAPE COR AL

ADAM FLOOD

Manager of process excellence, LeeSar Adam Flood was the trailing spouse when his family relocated to Fort Myers from Raleigh, N.C. Flood worked in the restaurant industry in North Carolina. He met his future wife, Allison, while he was a bartender and she was an North Carolina State University student. Allison Flood, a fellow 40 under 40 winner, got a job at LeeSar in 2013, and Adam Flood, a graduate of Rasmussen University, joined her there soon after. Adam Flood’s first job at LeeSar was as a part-time weekend material handler. But like Allison Flood, he has a can’tsay-no work ethic, and three months after he was hired he was named a supervisor. He also earned a reputation within LeeSar, a nonprofit cooperative that distributes medical devices and sterilized surgical equip-

S U R V E Y SAYS . . . Messy desk or clean workspace: Messy desk for sure! Studies show that a messy desk is related to creativity and problem-solving skills. I have a tendency to break free from conventional thinking. Best business lesson ever learned: “Don’t present a problem without a potential solution to fix it.”

ment, as an expert in eliminating waste. He’s so good at it LeeSar, founded by Lee Memorial Health System and Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, created a position for Flood, manager of process excellence. “I’m a hands-on guy,” he says. “I like to be working with people and seeing people.” Flood’s supervisors say last year he saved the organization nearly 6,000 hours of work by improving supply chain management practices and removing unnecessary steps. That includes the revision of a single task that alone saved five-anda-half hours of work per day. Flood also has significantly deeper job satisfaction in health care over serving food and beer. “The hospitality business is fleeting,” he says. “This is so much more meaningful.” — Mark Gordon

“ I ’m a hands - on gu y. I like to b e working w ith p eople and s eeing people.” – Adam Flo o d

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: George Carlin. I was fortunate enough to see his stand-up in person once and I will never forget it. His comedy was thought provoking and engaging, while still managing to be “LOL” funny! The other person would be my Grandpa Borchardt. I only knew him when I was young, but he touched my life in many ways. He introduced me to the sports world and the teams that I love today (still not sure that being a Buffalo Bills fan is a positive takeaway).

Top item on your bucket list: I have an obsession with roller coasters! I love the thrill and sensation you get as you plummet down that first drop. So top item on my bucket list would have to be to rent a few RVs, collect friends and family, and go visit the best amusement parks in the country. Who would play you in a movie about your life: Probably Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite.) He’s a complete goof, has a weird sense of humor, and we have similar facial features.

Director of operations, sterile processing, LeeSar Allison Flood says she’s the type of person who likes to know how things work. That’s a big reason why working at LeeSar is a perfect fit. A nonprofit cooperative that distributes medical devices and surgical equipment, Lee Memorial Health System and Sarasota Memorial Health System founded LeeSar in 1998. The organization, which also prepares food and repairs surgical instruments for area hospitals and other health care organizations, is run out of a 205,000-square-foot facility in Fort Myers. Flood, a Cape Coral native and the daughter of a registered nurse and an accountant, got a job at LeeSar in 2013, three years she after graduated from North Carolina State. (She met her husband, fellow 40 under 40 winner Adam Flood, in college.) With degrees in statistics and business management, Flood says she never saw herself working in health care — at least not in patient care. But she’s grown to appreciate the complexities in an organization that prepares health care workers to succeed. Flood started at LeeSar as a data analyst but rose through the organization quickly, with multiple promotions. In her current role Flood oversees a group of employees who process sterile surgical equipment. “I’m one of those people who if something needs to be done, then I get it done,” Flood says. She’s taken several courses on Six Sigma and lean manufacturing, and has helped implement several lean process systems at LeeSar. Says Flood: “I like to find the fastest way to get from point A to point B.” — Mark Gordon

S U R V E Y S AYS . . . Messy desk or clean workspace: Clean workspace, to an extent. Everything has its own place. Just because no one else can find it doesn’t make it messy, right? Best business lesson ever learned: “Slowing down to go fast.” As a “doer,” sometimes it is easy to get carried away with wanting to create positive change without first stopping to evaluate all of the repercussions. Top item on your bucket list: To actually take a honeymoon with my husband. We postponed our honeymoon to pursue our careers, education, and start our family.

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

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FORT MYERS

KEVIN GREENWELL

AMY KINSE Y

Agency principal, East & Greenwell Insurance The insurance agency Kevin Greenwell launched in 2012 with business partner Jeff East has grown quickly without doing something Greenwell says he abhors: high-pressure sales tactics. “We don’t really sell anything,” Greenwell says. Instead, he says, the idea is to work with clients on what products they need that fit their life — with no commission for sales agents. While many competitors say they strive for that kind of ideal, Greenwell, under the AllState banner, says executing it has made a big difference in the agency’s success. That approach, he adds, has led to many repeat clients. “We really do try to make a difference in people’s lives,” he says. Greenwell says his agency, recognized by corporate officials at AllState for fast growth in its first four years, including the Inner Circle Elite, has benefited from several other factors. One, the partners opened for business just as the economy began to pick back up. Being in Estero, one of the fastest-growing communities in Southwest Florida, is another boost. A Lexington, Ky., native and University of Florida graduate, Greenwell worked in sales with Sprint before he got into insur-

– Kev in G reenwell ance. He worked for Ted Todd Insurance for five years, working directly under Todd at one of the region’s largest independently run insurance firms. “We have worked hard and put in a lot of effort,” says Greenwell. “But we have also been fortunate in our timing.” — Mark Gordon

Amy Kinsey didn’t want to wait to get her law enforcement career going. So much so that when she was 19, she moved away from her family in upstate New York to take a job as a 911 dispatcher in Cobb County, outside Atlanta. Two years later, Kinsey went through the police academy and became a police officer. She worked uniform patrol for a few years, and she earned a bachelor’s degree in applied behavioral sciences from National Louis University at night while working shifts during the day. Seeking a change of pace, and something a little safer, Kinsey moved to the Fort Myers area in 2005 with her husband and two young children. She got a job with the 20th Judicial Circuit Administrative Office, which handles pretrial services for criminal defendants and others in the court system in Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Glades and Hendry counties. At first Kinsey wasn’t sure she would ever find anything that would replace the adrenaline-fueled rush of being a street cop. “But I ended up loving it,” Kinsey says. “It has become my passion.” Kinsey has been promoted

Coolest business experience: Being chosen to go to Washington, D.C., to lobby on behalf of our customers and the insurance industry. Messy desk or clean workspace: Ultra clean workspace Who would play you in a movie about your life: Luke Wilson

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several times in the decade she’s worked in the courts. At one point she oversaw the circuit’s Felony Drug Court, Menta l Hea lt h Cou r t a nd misdemeanor diversion programs. In her current role she oversees 35 employees, mostly in case management. While the work case officers do is important, especially in the details of making sure nothing for someone appearing before a judge is overlooked, Kinsey says the best part of her job now is in leadership. Says Kinsey: “I love getting to see others become leaders.” — Mark Gordon

Best business lesson ever learned: Lead by example regardless of position or title. Favorite off-hours activity: Soccer with my children. Who would play you in a movie about your life: Ashley Judd

Environmental Assessment Services, Inc. One Progress Plaza • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 www.easreports.com

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landsolutions.net

KLEIBER BUTTON MANAGEMENT INC. Lic Real Estate Broker

Coolest business experience: Development and expansion of a drug court program, seeing lives transformed and saved.

Specializing in: Phase I - RSRA reports Transaction Screen Reports Property Condition Assessments • Cost Effective and timely service Matthew P. Gasper, LEP • Celebrating 20 Years in business 727.864.9880 • SBA Approved Cell: 727.445.0071 Email: mgasper@easreports.com • ASTM/AAI compliant

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SURVEY S AYS . . .

Serving all of Florida and Beyond

RICHARDSON KLEIBER WALTER

Environmental Assessment Services, Inc.

Land Solutions, Inc. is growing and is seeking a full-time Office Receptionist/Sales Associate Assistant for our fast paced real estate brokerage office. Background in real estate/ development would be beneficial.

Fax resume to 239.481.8477 or email in WORD or PDF to hrinfo@landsolutions.net

Deputy criminal division director, 20th Judicial Circuit Administrative Office of the Courts SURVEY S AYS . . .

“ We re all y do tr y to make a dif ferenc e in p eople’s li ve s .”

FORT MYERS

219355

40UNDER40 |

BusinessObserverFL.com

Jeff Button | 941-378-2328

Jeff@SarasotaWarehouses.com | www.SarasotaWarehouses.com

Industrial & Office Properties For Sale or Lease SE LEA R O F

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BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

BusinessObserverFL.com

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NAPLES

CEE CEE MARINELLI

Director of commercial leasing, Barron Collier Cos. Cee Cee Marinelli thought she was headed to law school in 2005, when she took a class in urban economics at Elon University in North Carolina. That’s when she became fascinated with the work that goes into a development project. She called her father, Paul Marinelli, then president and CEO of Barron Collier Cos., the giant agriculture and development firm managed by the heirs of the county’s founder. “I want to do what you do,” Cee Cee Marinelli told her dad. Paul Marinelli died three years later — a seismic loss for the Marinelli family, the company and the Naples area business and civic community. Cee Cee Marinelli is now carrying on her father’s legacy, both in work and in building relationships with leaders and officials in Collier County and statewide. “In my role I am fortunate enough to manage many different aspects of our business,” Marinelli says.

S U R V E Y SAYS . . . Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Princess Diana and Reba McEntire

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She’s been with the firm for a decade, and currently oversees commercial leasing and development of several major business centers the company operates. The younger Marinelli has also worked on planning and development at Ave Maria, a $300 million project in east Collier County that’s now one of the fastest-selling residential communities in Florida. Her role there included creating and implementing a $1.2 million budget. Says Marinelli: “It has been exceptionally rewarding knowing I have been able to help carry out the vision of my late father.” One advantage Marinelli has in her young career is that she has already worked through a bust, and now, a recovery. “Getting to see the market come back is exciting,” says Marinelli. “There is a rejuvenation in town, with new ideas and new concepts in projects. That’s very fun and exciting.” — Mark Gordon

40UNDER40 FORT MYERS

“ It ha s b een exc eptionall y rewarding know ing I have b een able to help c arr y out the v ision of my late father.” – C e e C e e M arinelli

Best business lesson ever learned: Follow through on what you say you are going to do. Best place to network: Farm City BBQ

Who would play you in a movie about your life: Reese Witherspoon Skill you’d like to learn: I would love to learn to cook.

ESTERO

T Y LER REDDIEN

Senior vice president, finance, Hertz Global Tyler Reddien didn’t get into finance specifically to help large companies and departments execute complicated financial turnarounds, but it turns out he’s both good at it and he loves it. “I enjoy the pace and sense of urgency,” Reddien says. “I think I would get bored without these kinds of challenges.” Reddien’s current gig, at Estero-based Hert z Globa l Holdings, is less high-pressure than another stint at an iconic brand, when he worked for United Airlines for a decade. He held multiple positions at the airline, and also worked on the United-Continental merger. Beyond the challenges, Reddien says he learned a lot working under two mentors at United, then President John Tague and then Vice President Jeff Foland. Tague is now president and CEO at Hertz and Foland is a senior executive vice president

S U R V E Y SAYS . . .

and chief revenue officer. The opportunity to work with the pair again, says Reddien, lured him to the car rental giant in Aug ust 2015, when he was named a senior vice president of finance. W hile the pressure is different at Hertz than United, Reddien’s tasks still revolve around finding efficiencies in the financial operations. He has found more than $120 million in cost savings so far at Hertz, and helped set up systems in field operations that allow employees to have more transparent accountability. He also worked with a team implementing a new IT system for the Hertz’s Dollar and Thrifty units. Reddien says his get-out-ofbed motivation at Hertz, one of the largest companies along the Gulf Coast, is to “keep driving the company forward.” — Mark Gordon

“ I enjoy the pac e and s ense of urgenc y.” – Ty ler Reddien

R ACHEL STE WART 29 Co-founder, licensed mental health counselor, registered play therapist supervisor, Thrive Therapy No one had to convince Rachel Stewart there was a gap in Florida for childhood mental health and behavioral services, particularly through the niche of play therapy interventions. Stewart saw that firsthand in several jobs and internships after she graduated from the University of Central Florida. But trying to fill that gap by launching her own business, with a like-minded therapist, took a little more convincing. “It was really scary at first,” says Stewart, “but we just went for it.” Stewart and her partner, Elizabeth Alegre, opened Thrive Therapy with one client in 2012. The pair did everything themselves at first to save money, from cleaning windows to building furniture to creating the website. Stewart recalls a landmark moment early on, when she and Alegre thought they had arrived as entrepreneurs, not just caseworkers. It was when they got their first water cooler. Thrive Therapy has since grown into one of the most recognized play therapy centers in Southwest Florida. Stewart both sees clients and handles many backoffice tasks. The latter includes negotiating contracts and health care reimbursement rates; researching and meeting with pediatricians and other potential referral sources; and learning to set up and manage the business’s books. Stewart’s confidence in doing the back of the business work has grown in the last four years. But it won’t replace the joy she has in helping children and families overcome what seems like insurmountable challenges. She loves it, for example, when a child client goes from hiding in the car, afraid to come into the office, to growing through therapy to then not wanting to leave when an appointment ends. “My passion,” says Stewart, “is really seeing the growth of children.” — Mark Gordon

about hosting food tours of international cities after I ‘retire.’

S U R V E Y S AYS . . .

Best place to network: The app MeetUp to meet people with common interests.

Best business lesson ever learned: Hard work isn’t enough. You have to also focus on understanding how the work you do fits in to the big picture strategy and then communicate.

Top item on your bucket list: African Safari

Best place to network: Schools, doctors offices and attorneys offices

Messy desk or clean workspace: Messy desk, but there’s a system.

What you would be doing if you could pick another career: I love to cook and to travel, so I have thought

If I had a magic wand I’d: Stop persecution of people that are “different” all over the world. Among other things.

Best business lesson ever learned: Put yourself in the designer rack, not in the clearance bin.

OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016 | BUSINESS OBSERVER

BusinessObserverFL.com

FREESTANDING INDUSTRIAL BUILDING WITH YARD, SARASOTA

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Buy your business a home in the busy Cortez Road corridor! Stop renting when you can buy this 1,910 +/- sf office building in a very central location. Great for any professional use! Only $239,000. Possible Seller Financing! Debra.Cooper@SVN.com Debra Cooper (941) 730-1700 S.R. 64 / I-75 RETAIL OUTPARCELS, BRADENTON

Well maintained free standing industrial building with rear fenced-in yard area. 2,000 SF of quality designed front office with showroom, multiple offices, 3 Phase Power. Price Reduced to $849,000! Mike Migone, CCIM (941) 487-6986 Mike.Migone@SVN.com LAKEWOOD RANCH OFFICE CONDO, LAKEWOOD RANCH

Well-appointed 1,176 +/- square foot office condo in a business park setting. High quality build-out with additional storage. Tenant in place, may stay providing investment income, or leave for owner-user. Asking $155,000. Peter Bartys (941) 780-1390 Peter.Bartys@SVN.com U.S. 41 RETAIL DEVELOPMENT SITE, CHARLOTTE HARBOR

1.5 +/- Acres, waterfront, on busy U.S. 41, and zoned Mixed Use for many development options. In the Riverwalk District and Charlotte Harbor Community Redevelopment Area. 47,000 cars per day! Asking $823,000. Scott Rimmer (941) 724-0554 Scott.Rimmer@SVN.com RESIDENTIAL MULTI-FAMILY PORTFOLIO, SARASOTA

Three outparcels to choose from on the hot S.R. 64 corridor just west of I-75. Corner location with traffic light! Join new car dealerships, the newer Walmart Supercenter, and now Home Depot! Excellent site and location for retail or office. Call for details. Linda Emery (941) 914-5133 Linda.Emery@SVN.com

A residential portfolio of one duplex and 3 single family houses, all in Sarasota, all currently rented, is available for purchase. Mix of 2/1, 2/2 and 3/3. Can be purchased individually or as a group. Asking $940,000 for entire portfolio. Michael Gallatin (941) 957-8718 Michael.Gallatin@SVN.com

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BusinessObserverFL.com

BUSINESS OBSERVER | OCTOBER 14 – OCTOBER 20, 2016

Superior Achievement

Congratulations to 40 UNDER 40 AWARD WINNER

Jon Krawczyk

Owner, Superior Pools

941.743.7171 • 239.728.3002 Info@SuperiorPools.com • www.SuperiorPools.com 2 0 16

40UNDER40

POOL & SPA NEWS–”#1 IN CUSTOMER SERVICE NATIONWIDE 2016” POOL & SPA NEWS–“TOP 50 BUILDERS 2016”

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