GrowFL has inducted its first crop of business leaders into its newly-launched American Academy of Entrepreneurs.
The group launched the academy in September 2020, joining Michigan and Louisiana in offering the program. It is a six-month mentorship program for second-stage business owners who can learn from other entrepreneurs and gain leadership development opportunities.
It is supported by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council and Stankowski Advanced Strategies, which works in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation. The Edward Lowe Foundation was launched by Edward Lowe, the founder of Kitty Litty, and his wife, Darlene, in 1985. It is intended to provide entrepreneurs with greater support and resources.
“Seeing the relationships grow between the mentors and mentees over the past few months and the impact it has had on both sides has been incredible to watch," Paul Sohl, CEO of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, said in a statement. "This is only the first Florida cohort to participate, but I think this group was only a testament to how beneficial this program is going to be for the entrepreneurs to come.”
The business leaders inducted into the academy are:
- Nancy Crews, CEO and president of Custom Manufacturing & Engineering in Pinellas Park
- Pierre Goris, co-founder of 4 & Co Coworking Space in Clearwater
- Ken Pomella, CEO of RevStar Consulting in Tampa
- Wayne Robinson, former senior manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP in Tampa
- Jeffrey Rudd, president and CMO America at ZipKord Solutions in Sarasota
- Angie Ruff, CEO of Compass Blending in Lakeland
The next American Academy of Entrepreneurs program will begin in June. Any participants must be a second-stage business owner with at least $750,000 in revenue and six employees or more. Any interested mentors must currently own or exited a second-stage business. Click here to apply.
