WAYMON ARMSTRONG President Engineering & Computer Simulations, Inc. (ECS) 3501 Quadrangle Boulevard Orlando, FL 32817 Phone: 407.823.9991 E-Mail: waymon@ecsorl.com Waymon Armstrong is founder and President of Engineering & Computer Simulations, Inc. (ECS). Since its inception in 1997, Mr. Armstrong has led the firm in delivering innovative PC based game technology through advanced distributed learning environments. become a leader in delivering virtual world solutions to its customers. Since 2007, ECS has used virtual world technologies and has Before starting ECS, Mr. Armstrong directed computer-modeling activities at a multi-million dollar program management and engineering firm. He also served as a project manager for large-scale crisis response teams. Mr. Armstrong has over twenty-five years experience in engineering and technology related fields, including twenty years in management. He attended the University of Central Florida, and is currently a frequent lecturer at Rollins College. Mr. Armstrong serves on the board of several organizations, including: Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors Modeling, Simulation and Training Committee; the Metro Orlando Military Affairs Advisory Committee; Digital Media Alliance of Florida; Valencia Community College's Digital Media Technology Advisory Committee; the Executive Committee of the Sunshine Chapter of AUSA, GROWFL, and Missionary Ventures International. Mr. Armstrong is a frequent speaker at conferences and symposia, such as Innovations in E-Learning, IT Florida, I/ITSEC, the Synergy Summit, the Summer Computer Simulation Conference, the Transportation Research Board, the National Research Council, the JADL Co-Lab Implementation Fest, the Otronicon, and the Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds. He has testified before the House Aviation Sub-committee on safety and security, and the State of Florida's House Select Committee on security. Mr. Armstrong was selected by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) 2010 National Small Business Person of the Year, 2010 Florida Small Business Person of the Year, 2010 North Florida Small Business Person of the Year and named as a 2007 and 2009 finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the state of Florida. In 2009, his company was named on the prestigious Inc. 500 list, the Deloitte Fast 500, and Washington Technology Fast 50. In 2008, ECS was the IT Florida Excellence in IT Leadership Award recipient. He is married and has three children.
BROOKE R. BONNETT Director of Economic Development City of Orlando 400 South Orange Avenue Orlando, FL 32802 Phone: 407.246.2719 E-Mail: brooke.bonnett@cityoforlando.net Brooke R. Bonnett is Director of the City of Orlando s Economic Development Department. As Director, Brooke is responsible for coordinating an annual budget of more than $34 million and managing nearly 200 employees encompassing six City divisions: Planning, Permitting Services, Code Enforcement, Office of Business Assistance, Transportation Planning and Downtown Development Board/Community Redevelopment Agency (DDB/CRA). Under Mayor Dyer s vision and leadership, Brooke s primary area of expertise involves the recruitment and retention of business, creating an entrepreneurial climate in Orlando that fosters economic growth, creating high wage jobs for our residents and keeping Orlando competitive in today s economy. Brooke is currently managing the Creative Village project, which includes the redevelopment of a 68-acre tract of land in Downtown Orlando into a place where high-tech companies locate; and employees of those businesses and other residents live, work, learn and play. Recognizing the important role neighborhood commercial districts play in the overall health of our City s neighborhoods, Brooke was instrumental in launching Orlando s Main Street program, which offers business revitalization support to five of Orlando s neighborhoods: Audubon Park Garden District, Downtown College Park Partnership, Downtown South, Ivanhoe Village and Mills50. In recent years, Brooke has been influential in the negotiation and oversight of several multi-million dollar economic development recruitment projects including: CuraScript Pharmacy s $7.2 million expansion of its pharmaceutical distribution and patient management operations to Orlando JetBlue University Training Center, a $104 million investment which serves as a facility for JetBlue s pilots and flight attendants brought more than $8.81 million in payroll to the local economy Sanford - Burnham Medical Research Institute, which paved the way for the development of Orlando s Medical City, expected to bring $7.6 billion in economic activity and 30,000 jobs by year ten Brooke s is very active in the community. In addition to being Mayor Dyer s liaison to the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Board of Directors, she serves on the Visit Orlando Board of Directors, National Entrepreneur Center Board of Directors, Florida Bar Grievance Committee, Member of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) and American Planning Association (APA) and is a Graduate of Leadership Orlando. Brooke is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor s Degree in Public Administration and a Master s Degree in Public Affairs. Brooke has been married to her husband, Trent for 12 years. They reside in College park with their three children, Keller, 8; Easton, 4 and Carlisle, 6 months.
TOM CANNON Co-Founder/CEO BungoBox 305 Ryder Lane Casselberry, FL 32707 Phone: 888.479.1888 E-Mail: tom@bungobox.com Over the past 20 years, Tom Cannon has served in the United States Navy during the First Gulf war, been instrumental in the launch of three successful companies, held executive-level positions in sales, marketing and management and today is the CEO and co-founder of BungoBox. He is a graduate of the University of Florida, with a degree in advertising, and a graduate of the University of Central Florida, with a degree in history. Tom has traveled extensively but has always made his way back to his birthplace to be with his friends and family in Orlando. When he s not rethinking the way Americans move from one location to the next, he is soaking up the Central Florida lifestyle. BungoBox is the 2010 winner of The B.I.G.* Award (*Business Innovation and Growth) under the Judges Choice category.
CARI H. COATS President, Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship Rollins College 1000 Holt Avenue Winter Park, FL 32789 Phone: 407.691.1125 Email: ccoats@rollins.edu Cari Coats is President of the nationally-ranked Center for Entrepreneurship at Rollins College and President of C2 Advisors, a management consulting firm specializing in strategy, operations, governance, marketing and business development services for corporations, and entrepreneurial and family-held enterprises in a wide range of industries including financial services, real estate and construction, sports and entertainment, beverage distribution, biomedical and legal sectors. Prior to forming her own company, Coats was chief operating officer for CNL Real Estate Advisors, a real estate investment management company. Coats directed the organization s financial accounting, reporting and control functions, as well as its real estate investment research and analytical activities, strategy formulation, product development and securitization process, and all operational and performance management functions. Coats joined CNL as chief marketing officer in January 2004. In January 2005, she was appointed chief strategy officer for CNL Financial Group, responsible for all corporate level strategy development and performance management. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer appointed Coats as chairman of the Mayor s Downtown Strategic Transition Team. She also served on Mayor Dyer s Consolidation of Services Study Commission and the Mayor s Parramore Advisory Board. She is a member of the board of trustees and executive committee of the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, the University of Central Florida Foundation and the Nemours Council. She also serves on the host committee for the Florida Conference for Women. Coats formerly served on the Enterprise Florida board of directors, the Orlando Museum of Art board of directors and the Ronald McDonald House advisory board. Coats is active at her alma mater, the University of Central Florida. In 1994 she was named UCF s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. She is an adjunct instructor in the Devos Sport Business Management Program at UCF. She holds a Bachelor s Degree in Radio and Television/Communications from UCF and a Masters in Business Administration Global Executive from Duke University. She and her husband, Russ, reside in Orlando along with twin daughters, Kate and Maddie.
ADONAL FOYLE Director of Player Development Orlando Magic 8701 Maitland Summit Boulevard Orlando, Florida 32810 Phone: 407.916.2707 E-mail: afoyle@orlandomagic.com On September 7, 2010, the Orlando Magic named Adonal Foyle as director of player development. In this role, he provides support for the overall development of the players, acts as a conduit between players and management, and gives assistance to the basketball operations department. Foyle looks forward to serving as the Chair of Leadership Orlando Class 81 beginning in March 2011. An NBA basketball player with a total of 13 seasons under his belt, Adonal s basketball talent was discovered by two Colgate University professors who brought him to the United States and laid the foundation for Foyle s NBA basketball career spanning both coasts with the Golden State Warriors and the Orlando Magic. From humble island beginnings to a noteworthy NBA career, Adonal Foyle s passion to make a difference has fueled the founding of the Kerosene Lamp Foundation (KLF), named after the type of light Foyle used to study at night on an island with no electricity. Since 2005, KLF has built/refurbished basketball courts in urban areas to provide safe places to play for more than 3,000 youth. KLF s most recent mentorship program, All-Star Student Athletes, is designed to turn promising young basketball players from Adonal s native country of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, into successful student-athletes. Foyle was inducted into the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame for his work with KLF. Foyle recently completed his third and final season with the Orlando Magic. Prior to that, he spent a decade with the Golden State Warriors, where he began his career as the NBA s eighth overall draft pick. He holds the Warriors all-time record in blocked shots (1,140) and is fifth on their all-time list for offensive rebounds and sixth for defensive rebounds. I have loved every minute of the game, said Foyle. Retiring is bittersweet as my happiest memories are with the game. I m looking forward to spending more time on humanitarian issues and mentoring the young basketball players who may need a voice of experience as they embark on their NBA careers. Adonal s education continues beyond the NBA. He is finishing up his Masters Degree in Sports Psychology from John F. Kennedy University.
LESLIE HIELEMA President Orlando, Inc. P.O. Box 1234 Orlando, FL 32802-1234 Phone: 407.835.2451 Fax: 407.835.2500 E-Mail: leslie.hielema@orlando.org In November of 2008, Leslie J. Hielema joined the Central Florida Partnership as President of the Five Star Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. A leader with a proven track record of management virtuosity, critical partnership development, and launching to new depth and scale, she is recognized for her development of MBA curricula in entrepreneurship and e-commerce, and her service as visiting professor, at Valparaiso University. Hielema holds a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan; a Masters of Science in Management with an International Focus from Boston University; and a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology. With a unique combination of technical knowledge and business expertise, she continually pushes the boundaries on challenges ranging from product development to classified government contracting objectives both stateside and in global markets. Hielema launched a twelve-year career with AT&T as Research and Development Engineer; she soon garnered top recognition of the Exceptional Contribution Award. Hielema rose to Director of New Product Development Europe, Middle East and Africa, with recognition for her applied sensibility of product development and deep understand of business operations and community impact. As a private consulting practitioner, Hielema helped entrepreneurs throughout Belgium, France, Germany, and the U.S. break into market with sustainability. She worked with clients to define applications and identify market segments; secure venture capital; and develop viable business plans. St. Joseph s College soon called on Hielema to establish a new organization and manage a new grant through the Center for Indiana Partnerships. Prior to her new position with Orlando Inc., Hielema managed diverse teams of engineers and scientists with ProLogic, Inc. in Indiana where she held top-secret security clearance for her work with government contracts. Championing her technical and entrepreneurial depth, Hielema s responsibilities with ProLogic ranged from business development and marketing to development of geospatial decision support systems for work with classified government initiatives.
MICHAEL O QUINN Partner Fowler, O'Quinn, Feeney & Sneed, P.A. 28 West Central Boulevard, 4 th Floor Orlando, FL 32801 Phone: 407.425.2684 E-Mail: MAO@fofslaw.com Michael O'Quinn specializes in real estate and eminent domain litigation, transactional and commercial real estate matters and general business law. Prior to joining Fowler & O'Quinn, P.A., Mr. O'Quinn served as Vice President and General Counsel of S & H Fabricating and Engineering, Inc., the world's leading designer and fabricator of automotive cooling components. Mr. O'Quinn's duties included oversight responsibility for all legal, human resources, and information systems affairs and matters of strategic growth, including matters relating to tax and operational structure, governmental relations and joint venture and acquisition activity. His office was located at Corporate Headquarters in Sanford, Florida, but his duties required him to travel frequently to China, Canada, Wales, Mexico and other countries on matters of international trade. Previous to his position with S & H, Mr. O'Quinn was an equity partner in Holland & Knight, Florida's largest law firm. Mr. O'Quinn is a member of the Florida and Georgia bars.
JERRY ROSS Director National Entrepreneur Center (NEC) 3201 East Colonial Drive, Suite A-20 Orlando, FL 32803 Phone: 407.420.4848 E-Mail: jerry@nationalec.org Jerry Ross is an experienced entrepreneur and businessman whose two decades of experience include leadership positions with AT&T, Ohio Bell, and Goal Systems Software. His local entrepreneurial ventures include Sky-Tracker of Florida, Semco Properties and Maverick Business Magazine. Jerry was selected in a nationwide search to become the Director of the National Entrepreneur Center (NEC) located in Orlando, Florida. The NEC is a unique public/private partnership, and is home to 11 business support organizations who are dedicated to the development and growth of businesses throughout Florida. The Orlando Business Journal has called Jerry a virtual business incubator and a small business grower for his entrepreneurial success and his on-going support of the small business community. He has been nominated for small businessman of the year by the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, has published numerous articles on small business, and is a frequent guest on business radio. Jerry speaks for business conventions throughout the U.S. and has participated in business conferences as far away as Merida, Mexico and Cairo, Egypt. He has an MBA from Dayton University and is a Certified Business Consultant from the University of Central Florida and he calls Orlando home.
DAN RUA Managing Partner Inflexion Partners 12565 Research Parkway, Suite 300 Orlando, FL 32826 Phone: 407.381.2675 E-Mail: dan@inflexionvc.com Dan is an experienced early-stage venture capital investor with a technology foundation and product design, development and management experience. Inflexion Fund is his third early-stage venture capital fund. Prior to Inflexion, Dan was a Partner with Draper Atlantic, the east coast fund of Silicon Valley s highly successful early-stage venture firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Dan has participated in funding and building thirty-two companies and managed funds totaling over $140 million. Prior to Draper, Dan gained startup operating experience in Research Triangle and gained seven years of operating technology experience in IBM's Networking Research Labs. He designed or led a variety of networking projects involving encryption, high performance routing, data compression, packet switching, and telephony protocols. Dan has been actively involved with university tech transfer and entrepreneurship, and taught entrepreneurship and venture capital seminars at institutions such as University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida State University, University of North Carolina, and University of Maryland -- where he was named the 2000 Volunteer of the Year. Dan holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Florida. He also earned a J.D. with Honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law and an M.B.A. from the Kenan-Flagler Business School, where he graduated as Dean s Scholar. Dan is the author of Florida Venture BlogTM ( www.floridaventureblog.com ), the leading blog on tech, entrepreneurship and venture capital around Florida.
CRAIG USTLER President Ustler Development Inc. 801 North Orange Avenue, Suite 530 Orlando, FL 32801 Phone: 407.841.3266 Email Address: custler@ustler.net Craig Ustler, MAI, CCIM is president of Ustler Development, Inc. which focuses on urban infill real estate and business development. He is the developer of several notable downtown Orlando projects including the GAI Building, 801 North Orange, Thornton Park Central, Eola South and Osceola Brownstones. These projects represent over $110 million in development activity. The GAI Building was completed in February 2011. It is the only major new privately developed commercial project in downtown Orlando over the past couple of years. The building is seven stories with 106,000 rentable square feet. It is the fist privately developing green office building downtown. Ustler is working on several significant Orlando urban infill projects, including mixed use developments in the Uptown District, Florida Hospital Health Village and Parramore. Of particular note is Creative Village. This is the former Orlando Arena property that will be redeveloped into a 60 acre urban mixed-use, transit oriented development. The city of Orlando recently awarded the project to a joint venture between Banc of America Community Development Corporation and a local entity led by Ustler. Ustler is developing the Florida Hospital Health Village Apartments, which is a 230 unit apartment project located on the main hospital campus in downtown Orlando. Ground breaking is set for first or second quarter 2012 and the total project value is approximately $34 million. Ustler is a principal and the President/CEO of Urban Life Management Restaurant Group which owns HUE Restaurant, Citrus Restaurant and Cityfish Restaurant and was a founding principal of Kres Chophouse. On average, these restaurants serve over 1,000 guests per day in downtown Orlando and generate annual sales in excess of $10 million. Ustler s educational background includes a BA in Urban Economics and a master s degree in Real Estate and Urban Analysis from the University of Florida. He is active in several community and professional organizations including the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Orlando Foundation, Downtown Orlando Partnership, Urban Think Foundation and Downtown Arts District. Ustler serves on the Board of Directors of Old Florida National Bank. He is a noted speaker, guest lecturer and researcher for various professional and educational organizations including the Congress for the New Urbanism, International Downtown Association, Urban Land Institute, University of Miami School of Architecture, University of Florida, New York University, Rollins College and University of Central Florida.