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Showcasing Central Florida Entrepreneurs and the resources available to them was the focus of the Leadership Orlando program on Thursday. The members of Class 78, led by Class Chair Brent Trotter, CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, had the opportunity to learn, first hand, about what it takes to bring innovation to market. Guiding their discussions throughout the day was Leslie Hielema, President of Orlando, Inc., (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce).
Robert Reynolds, Founder of Solis Energy, also featured in the cover story of the February issue of First Monday, and Richard Sweat, President of .decimal, Inc. and a member of Orlando, Inc.’s Board of Directors, are two examples of successful entrepreneurs who represent Central Florida’s important emerging industry sectors of energy and biomed. Reynolds has more than 15 years experience in the technology industry, and as CEO of two rapid-growth startup companies. Solis Energy, Inc., is a global provider of reliable, continuous outdoor power generation, connectivity and back up for low wattage applications. Its customers include airports, municipalities, theme parks, public utilities, corporate enterprises and telecommunications companies.
In just sixteen hours, Sweat’s company, .decimal, Inc., engineers, manufactures and ships its custom-made medical device products to customers across the country, including M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Florida Hospital here in Central Florida. As a manufacturer of custom, patient-specific filters used in radiation therapy for cancer, .decimal, Inc., is located in Sanford, Florida. Sena Black, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Enterprise Florida, said that these are just two examples of exactly the types of innovative companies that Central Florida and the state have identified as emerging high-growth, high-wage, high-value jobs that will boost our economy. Leadership Orlando participants also learned about the host of resources available to entrepreneurs through the Disney Entrepreneur Center, Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship at Rollins College and the UCF Technology Incubator which is located in the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the University of Central Florida. Incubator clients, Mydea Technologies and Plainvue Software were also featured on the Leadership Orlando agenda. A VIP briefing and tour of EA Tiburon, a division of EA Sports, introduced participants to the successful developer of top selling digital entertainment titles such as Madden NFL, NCAA Football, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour, headquartered in Maitland. A private viewing of the IMAX Grand Canyon Adventure in the Dr. Phillips Cinedome at the Orlando Science Center gave class members a lot to think about regarding the challenges of conservation and restoration of the nation’s watersheds, bringing awareness to global water issues. If you have been looking for the “right” time to participate in Leadership Orlando, or know someone who should be in the room for these discussions, now is indeed the perfect time to be a part of America’s largest Community Leadership program, Leadership Orlando. Preparing for the future of our region is up to each of us. Now is the time to learn about the issues, participate in the difficult conversations and help in guiding our future. Enrollment is currently underway for Class 79, scheduled to begin in March. Space is limited, so don’t delay! The online enrollment form and the full schedule may be accessed at www.orlando.org/leadership. Should you have questions, contact Kathy Panter at 407.835.2499 or via email at Kathy.panter@orlando.org. About Leadership Orlando Working together with Orlando, Inc. (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce) focused on Regional Entrepreneurship, BusinessForce (Public Policy Advocacy), and myregion.org (Regional Research & Resolves), the Central Florida Partnership is moving “Ideas to Results.” Click here to learn more about Leadership Orlando
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