The 100 fastest-growing companies owned, operated or led by UF alumni will be honored at the first Gator100 Awards Gala today.
The companies were ultimately ranked by rate of growth and revenue as well as sustained growth over three years by accounting firm Ernst & Young, said Michael Morris, academic director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
The winners will be announced to the public this afternoon.
After a complimentary breakfast at 8:30 a.m. today, the gala will transition into open-to-the-public breakout sessions from 10 to 11:30 a.m. with an awards lunch following at noon in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom.
Nola Miyasaki, executive director of outreach and incubation programs at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, said 14 of UF’s colleges are represented in Gator100, with the highest concentrations from the Heavener School of Business, the Levin College of Law and the College of Engineering.
Eight of the companies on the list are based in Alachua County.
“I think our objective is to really celebrate entrepreneurship across the University of Florida campus,” Miyasaki said.
Morris said he hopes this will become an annual event.
“There are aspects of this that would appeal to any student, any faculty member, any member of the staff on the UF campus,” Morris said.
Students are welcome to attend the breakout sessions.
“It would kind of be a second career showcase,” said 21-year-old UF business management junior Daniela Faria. “It’s really cool that people that have graduated from UF are coming back and sharing their knowledge.”
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 2/6/2015 under the headline “UF to honor alumni business successes at Gator100 today"]
