Welcome Letters

To Our 2021 Top 100 Alumni Entrepreneurs,

Congratulations! Due to your hard work, perseverance and creativity, you’re being honored by Belmont University as examples of excellence in business and entrepreneurship. This recognition acknowledges what you’ve accomplished through your professional endeavors to date as well as the strong character you’ve shown along the way.

You each are exemplifying the entrepreneurial mindset that I hope a Belmont education instills in all of our students, whether they are studying economics, music, nursing, science, education, etc. Being an entrepreneur extends far beyond the traditional interpretation of founding a new company or social enterprise. Rather, having the spirit of an entrepreneur means you are innovative, nimble and constantly thinking big!

Many of you have heard me say that one of the professional athletes I most admire is retired hockey great Wayne Gretzky, who was once asked why he was so far ahead of his peers when it came to his play on the ice. His response? “While other players spend their time and energy skating to where the puck is, I skate to where the puck is going next.”

That response is the epitome of what it means to be a future-shaping entrepreneur! Gretzky’s comments demonstrate a thirst for creative problem solving, showing an individual who can anticipate future needs and find solutions that work. Those are the qualities I see in each of you whom we celebrate today, and that approach is what I believe will continue to distinguish a Belmont graduate.

Again, congratulations for your achievements to date. I hope your accomplishments, example and continued involvement with Belmont as valued alumni will serve to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurially-minded leaders.

Cheers,

Dr. Greg Jones Belmont University, President

Dear Alumni,

Welcome to the 3rd annual Belmont Entrepreneur Awards where we honor and celebrate our Belmont alumni who have created impactful, thriving and successful businesses. We are thrilled to see 39 new faces in our Top 100—including alumni from 37 different majors who have founded businesses in 31 cities. It is inspiring to see how our Belmont entrepreneurs are impacting Nashville, the United States, and the world through their ventures.

Our focus for this year’s event is Impact. We are honoring those who have come before us, our Top 100 here with us today, and the future generations of entrepreneurs who will rise from Belmont. The impact of your entrepreneurial spirit has truly changed the world around us for the better.

Dr. Jeff Cornwall is the father of Belmont’s entrepreneurship program, and as he retires at the end of this academic year, we’re proud to continue his legacy. The foundation he built at Belmont nearly 20 years ago has created a path of support and success for countless entrepreneurs. Likewise, Tom Cone, through his generous endowment, has enabled us to support students, invest in them, and build the lasting future of the program for Belmont and our communities.

All 100 founders and businesses in this list are on a mission to create, innovate and serve. Impact is made through the ways you’re changing your industries and continuing to persevere as entrepreneurs regardless of another uniquely difficult year. The work you do motivates and encourages our current student entrepreneurs who are walking the same halls and going to the same classes that you did. You demonstrate how courage, risktaking and believing in your idea is worthwhile; and are giving the gifts of guidance and encouragement to the next generation of Belmont entrepreneurs by your example.

In all these ways, we are grateful for all of Belmont’s entrepreneurs and we’re thrilled to see the road that lays ahead.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Gortmaker Director of the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship