Great Entrepreneurs is pleased to announce The Top 25 Entrepreneurs of Tampa for 2024. Tampa has gained national recognition in recent years as a growing tech and business hub, providing the ideal backdrop for these leaders to establish and foster their innovative companies. The founders on this year’s list have greatly contributed to, and benefited from, this landscape, identifying ways to fill voids and provide solutions in a wide range of sectors, from technology-driven health platforms to global cybersecurity needs.
Among this year’s awardees we have Samyr Qureshi, Co-Founder and CEO of Knack, an ed-tech company transforming student learning through peer-to-peer tutoring. Next, we have Joseph Vattamattam, who co-founded HealthMap Solutions and in turn, has improved the lives of patients living with kidney disease. Finally, we have Debra Livingston, founder of ReEmployAbility, a company that keeps individuals connected to their jobs and communities while recovering from injuries.
The individuals on this year’s list have risen as pioneers in their industries, bringing their visions to life to create influential, cutting-edge companies. Please join us in recognizing the accomplishments of The Top 25 Entrepreneurs of Tampa for 2024.
1. Mark Radi
Founder and President, Marksman Security Corporation
Mark Radi always aspired to create his own company, establishing Marksman Security in 2003 to serve the security needs of businesses and communities in South Florida and fill the unmet demand for a professional and performance-driven security service. They serve a wide range of clients, from commercial development to aviation. He is a former law enforcement officer and has over 20 years of private security experience.
Throughout his career, Radi has focused on three core values that he attributes to the success of Marksman Security: integrity, consistency, and long-lasting relationships with clients and employees. Radi obtained his B.S. in Criminology from Lynn University.
2. Ian MacKechnie
Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Amscot
Ian MacKechnie is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Amscot, a company he founded after recognizing a growing demand for check cashing services in Florida. He opened the first Amscot retail branch in 1989, and today the company has over 1800 employees serving at more than 235 locations throughout Florida. Over the years, MacKechnie expanded Amscot’s financial services beyond check cashing to include bill payment, prepaid access cards, wire transfers, cash advances, money orders, ATMs, and fax and notary services. Annually, the company handles more than $7 billion in transactions and serves over 3 million customers.
MacKechnie was guided by his entrepreneurial drive early in life, starting several companies including MacKechnie’s Rolls Ltd., Oliver’s, and Lincoln Baking Company. In addition to leading Amscot, MacKechnie serves on the boards of the Community Financial Services Association of America, Financial Service Centers of America, and Financial Service Centers of Florida.
3. Wuhong Li
Co-Founder, Aspen RxHealth
Wuhong Li began his professional career 28 years ago. Today, he is the Co-Founder of Aspen RxHealth, a company that provides clinical pharmacy services to health plans, strategic partners, provider groups, and life sciences organizations via a mobile-based technology platform. This platform intelligently matches pharmacists with patients to enrich the experience, drive medication adherence, and improve overall health outcomes. Aspen RxHealth’s community of more than 7,000 pharmacists empowers patients with the information and action plans they need to achieve optimal outcomes from their medications.
Li first got his start in 1996 as a VP of technology at Elsevier. From there, he went on to Avatar Solutions, before eventually rising to the position of co-founder & CTO at VUCA Health, his most recent role prior to joining Aspen RxHealth. Li graduated from the University of Florida with an M.S. in electrical and computer engineering, from the University of Southern Mississippi with an M.S. in physics, and from Sun Yat-sen University with an undergraduate degree in physics.
4. Samyr Qureshi
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knack
Samyr Qureshi co-founded the ed tech startup, Knack, in 2015, also serving as the company’s CEO. Knack is a peer-to-peer tutoring platform enabling higher education institutions to supplement existing academic support services and create a more personalized, equitable, and accessible support experience for every student at scale, from freshman through senior year. Through Knack, schools match students who recently completed a course with students currently taking it, helping them learn the material.
Previously, Qureshi was a technology account executive at Gartner and before that an iOS product advisor at Apple. Qureshi earned an undergraduate degree in law and criminology from the University of Florida.
5. Joseph Vattamattam
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chairman of the Board, Healthmap Solutions
Healthmap Solutions evolved from an early-stage company to a national market leader in kidney health management under the leadership, direction, and strategic vision of its Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Chairman of the Board of Healthmap Solutions, Joseph Vattamattam. Healthmap Solutions is an NCQA-accredited kidney population health management company serving health plans, health systems, accountable care organizations, and provider groups seeking a value-based solution to improve the lives of Americans living with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.
Vattamattam has extensive experience developing, underwriting, pricing, and managing value-creating healthcare programs across multiple niches under the healthcare umbrella. Previously, during his tenure as vice president, medical economics at CareCentrix and director, health services at WellCare Health Plans, Vattamattam drove organic growth, product development, acquisitions, and business process improvement.
Prior to WellCare, Vattamattam was an investment banker at Wells Fargo, where he provided capital market and mergers and acquisitions advisory services to organizations in the IT Services sector. He earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Florida and his master’s in business administration from Georgetown University.
6. Ron Roma
Founder and Executive Chairman, Healthesystems
Ron Roma began his professional career 43 years ago. Today, he is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Healthesystems, a specialty provider of innovative medical cost management solutions for the workers' compensation industry. The company’s diverse suite of services includes a leading Pharmacy Benefit Management Program and Clinical Review Services as well as a revolutionary Ancillary Benefits Management program for managing and adjudicating ancillary medical services.
Roma first got his start in 1981 as a vice president of sales at PMSI. From there, he rose to become founder and chairman at Prospective Health/PHI, his most recent position prior to joining Healthesystems. Roma graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy with a PharmD.
7. Lonny Ostrander
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, PuzzleHR
Lonny Ostrander is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PuzzleHR, a leading name in the HR Solutions space. PuzzleHR delivers a complete range of outsourced HR solutions, including benefit and payroll management, talent acquisition, learning and development, and engagement.
Ostrander began his career as the owner of a boutique consulting firm in Palm Beach, Florida before starting his 28-year tenure at Paychex in 1991. His accomplishments during his time there include leading the successful integration of the National Business Solutions PEO. Eventually, Ostrander was named an officer of Paychex and executive vice president of the human resource services division. Ostrander retired from Paychex in 2016 and co-founded Pygmalion Consulting Group, a leading HCM Sales Consulting Firm. Ostrander earned an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of South Florida.
8. Robert Ritchie
Chief Executive Officer & Founder, American Integrity
Robert Ritchie is the Chief Executive Officer & Founder of American Integrity Insurance, the fifth largest Florida-domiciled residential property insurer, with over 300,000 customers and represented by more than 1,000 independent agents. The Tampa-based company offers sound and comprehensive property insurance solutions, including traditional home insurance and coverage for vacant homes, condominiums, manufactured homes, rental and seasonal homes, umbrella insurance, golf carts, X-Wind policies, cyber coverage, and watercraft.
An insurance industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience, Ritchie has built and transformed businesses ranging from startups to large national insurance companies. His vast background includes specialty niche insurers, such as American Modern, national carriers, including AIG and CNA, and conglomerates, including GE Insurance Solutions. He brings this experience to benefit American Integrity and its policyholders.
Before joining American Integrity, Ritchie was an EVP at American Modern Insurance Group and before that, SVP at GE Insurance Solutions. Earlier in his career, he worked with Maryland Casualty as a director. Ritchie graduated from the University of Evansville with a B.S. in finance and a minor in music.
9. William (Bill) Kerr
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Avalon Healthcare Solutions
William (Bill) Kerr began his professional career 24 years ago. Today, he is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Avalon Healthcare Solutions, the world’s first and only Lab Insights company, using lab science expertise and proprietary analytics to help healthcare insurers proactively inform appropriate care and improve clinical outcomes. Avalon is pioneering a new era of value-driven care with its Lab Insights Program that captures, digitizes, and analyzes lab results in real time to provide actionable insights for earlier disease detection, ensure appropriate treatment protocols, and drive down overall costs.
Kerr first got his start in 2000 as a vice president of professional networks at Independence Blue Cross. From there, he went on to Blue Cross and Blue Shield Florida, before eventually rising to chief medical and growth officer at CareCentrix, his most recent position prior to joining Avalon Healthcare Solutions. Kerr graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Medicine with an MD in medicine, from the University of Houston-Clear Lake with an MBA in healthcare, and from the University of Arkansas with an undergraduate degree in chemistry.
10. Dharmesh Shingala
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knovos
Dharmesh Shingala spent more than a decade developing and applying efficient and cost-effective solutions for various clients before founding Knovos in 2002. As Co-Founder and CEO, he sets the company’s strategic direction and leads all aspects of the business. Shingala harnessed his innovative energy and foresight to create unparalleled eDiscovery and Information Governance solutions for some of the world’s most influential law firms, corporations, and government agencies, helping them solve data challenges, improve efficiencies, and enhance security. For over 18 years, Knovos has used its engineering resources to automate, integrate, and innovate information management solutions.
In 1994, Shingala founded GDS Systems, the parent software company of Knovos, which worked primarily with the United States Government. Shingala earned his M.S. in computer science from Virginia Tech and an undergraduate degree in production engineering & management from the National Institute of Technology Calicut.
11. Tomáš Krátký
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Manta
Tomáš Krátký is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Manta, a company that grew from a small group of 6 innovators to an award-winning global team. Manta provides a world-class automated approach to visualize, optimize, and modernize how data moves through organizations through code-level lineage, with the ability to handle even the most complex data environments. Manta automatically scans these environments with the power of over 50 scanners, building a powerful map of all data pipelines.
Krátký’s career spans 21 years, working as a software developer, data engineer, and consultant prior to founding Manta. His past roles include research and development director at Profinit and, prior to that, he was an associate teacher at Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Information Technologies. Earlier in his career, he worked with Trustica s.r.o. as a Java developer. Krátký graduated from Czech Technical University in Prague with an undergraduate degree in computers and software engineering.
12. Shashank Saxena
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Workday VNDLY
Shashank Saxena began his professional career 17 years ago, and today, he is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Workday VNDLY. Workday is a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources. The company’s applications for financial management, human resources, planning, spend management, and analytics are built with artificial intelligence and machine learning to help organizations around the world embrace the future of work.
Saxena first got his start in 2007 as a development officer at Uptown Consortium, Inc. From there, he went on to Citi, before eventually rising to angel inventor at Sonero.ai, his most recent position prior to joining VNDLY. Saxena graduated from the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business with his M.S. in information systems and an MBA in finance.
13. Adrian I. Martinez
Co-Founder & Managing Director, EKS Group
Adrian Martinez is the Co-Founder & Managing Director of EKS Group, a company that provides a wide range of services for its clients, including HUMINT and surveillance training. Their employees and consultants are responsive, flexible, and readily deployable to assist with the client’s unique needs.
Previously, Martinez was a president at PRIMER Network and before that an owner and managing partner at EKS-Security Services, LLC. Earlier in his career, he worked with the U.S. Army as a foreign area officer. Martinez earned an M.A. in Latin American studies and political science from the University of Florida and an undergraduate degree in aeronautical studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
14. Neil Vaswani
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Corestream
Neil Vaswani is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Corestream, a leading provider of employee benefits technology solutions that enable organizations to effectively manage and deliver employee benefits programs. With a comprehensive suite of innovative products and services, Corestream empowers employers to enhance employee well-being, reduce administrative burden, and drive measurable talent attraction and retention outcomes. By simplifying benefits administration and improving employee engagement, Corestream helps organizations optimize their benefits programs and improve the overall employee experience.
Vaswani brings 26 years of experience to this role. Before joining Corestream, he was a VP at SmartFlex and before that a director of marketing at Diamond Impact. Earlier in his career, he worked with Thomson Reuters as an associate. Vaswani graduated from Babson College with an undergraduate degree in entrepreneurship and finance.
15. Tracy Clark
Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, Elite365
Tracy Clark has been a leader in the healthcare industry for over 25 years, launching Elite365 in 2022. Elite365 focuses on elevating healthcare staffing, providing medical professionals with top career opportunities and healthcare facilities with the skilled specialists needed to cover urgent workforce gaps and optimize long-term coverage.
Clark first got his start in 1987 as a captain at USMC Special Operations. From there, he went on to Pinecrest Rehabilitation- Tenet Healthcare, before eventually rising to chief operating officer at Interim HealthCare Inc., his most recent position before joining Elite365. Clark graduated from the University of South Florida with an M.A. in Lean Six Sigma management, from Chadwick University with an MBA in marketing, and received his undergraduate degree from Baptist University.
16. Yogi Goswami
Co-Founder and Chief Science & Technology Advisor, Molekule
Yogi Goswami is the Co-Founder and Chief Science & Technology Advisor of Molekule, a company that designs and manufactures air purifiers using Photo-electrochemical (PECO) technology, to purify indoor air. With the largest range of proprietary, FDA-cleared air purification devices on the market, Molekule is providing consumers, business owners, and medical professionals with hardware and software solutions to better understand and improve indoor air quality.
Goswami is an inventor, entrepreneur, and educator. His previous roles include chief science and technology advisor at SunBorne Energy and before that, chairman and management committee member at ASME - ITI. Earlier in his career, he worked with the International Solar Energy Society as a president. Goswami earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Auburn University and an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering.
17. Dan Khasis
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Route4Me
Dan Khasis is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Route4Me. This route optimization platform streamlines and integrates mission-critical last-mile workflows, including route planning, dispatch, tracking, driver efficiency, delivery management, and customer experience. Route4Me analytics enable continuous improvement with real-time visibility, actual vs. plan KPIs, and a complete audit trail of last-mile activity. The app is used by numerous Fortune 500 companies, in addition to small and mid-sized businesses, resulting in reduced driving routes by millions of miles.
Khasis is a lifelong entrepreneur and co-founded and invested in more than 15 startups. Before joining Route4Me, he was a founder & CEO at CalcMoolator and before that a shadow CTO at Confidential. Earlier in his career, he worked with Paradox as a founder, CEO & CTO. Khasis earned an undergraduate degree in computer science.
18. Kevin Collins
Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Global Widget
Kevin Collins launched Global Widget, a next-generation manufacturer of premium health and wellness products, in 2016. In his role as Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer, he drives the company’s mission of formulating, manufacturing, and distributing the industry’s most trusted products for health-conscious consumers everywhere, with a focus on gummy production. They proudly support a diverse line of in-house brands while also developing a variety of product lines as a leading contract manufacturer.
Before founding Global Widget, Collins was a successful real estate professional specializing in buying, rehabilitating, and selling rental portfolios. Since 2016, Collins has used his leadership expertise and experience in managing various teams to lead Global Widget’s sales, marketing, design, and product marketing development teams as the business has scaled to several brands and products. Collins attributes the success of Global Widget to its commitment to quality and compliance through its in-house sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and compliance teams. Collins graduated from the University of South Florida with an undergraduate degree in business, management, marketing, and related support services.
19. David Osterweil
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Fitlife Foods
David Osterweil is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fitlife Foods. Fitlife Foods is the Southeast's leading fresh-prepared meals retail and delivery company with millions of meals served annually. Their vision is to provide customers with flavorful, yet balanced meals and snacks that promote healthier living.
Previously, Osterweil was a director of product marketing, development & innovation at Carrabba's Italian Grill and before that a director of business development at Bloomin' Brands, Inc. Earlier in his career he worked with eTour.com (Ask.com) as a marketing manager. Osterweil earned an MBA in finance and marketing from the American University - Kogod School of Business and an undergraduate degree in managing and marketing from the University of Miami.
20. Debra Livingston
Chief Executive Officer, Owner & Founder, ReEmployAbility
Debra Livingston is the Chief Executive Officer, Owner & Founder of ReEmployAbility. Founded in 2003, ReEmployAbility is the largest national provider of early return-to-work services and transitional employment programs. Utilizing their accredited, national network of nonprofit partners, they create innovative programs to help accommodate injured workers in their transition back to work.
Livingston’s career spans 34 years, and before joining ReEmployAbility, she was a claim account executive at Wells Fargo Insurance Services. Prior to that, she was a director of workers' compensation claims at Staff Leasing. Earlier in her career she worked with Aetna Life & Casualty as a WC claims adjuster. Livingston graduated from Florida State University with an undergraduate degree in marketing.
21. Adam Teitelman
Co-Founder, Rocket Doctor
Adam Teitelman is the Co-Founder of Rocket Doctor, a technology-driven digital health platform and marketplace that empowers healthcare providers to break down the barriers that prevent patients from accessing high-quality, comprehensive, and affordable care, especially those on Medicaid and in rural and remote communities. They integrate a unique patient support system, advanced medical devices, and AI-fueled software to provide doctors with the tools and resources they need to run successful, care-focused virtual practices. Since the company’s launch two and a half years ago, they have coordinated a system of care with over 400 MDs and 250,000 visits.
Teitelman first got his start in 2017 as a sales executive at Snagajob. From there, he went on to Bridge To Health Medical and Dental, before eventually rising to chief revenue officer at Healee. Teitelman graduated from Georgetown University with an M.A. in international human resource management and from Towson University with an undergraduate degree in industrial and organizational psychology.
22. David Bellini
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, CyberFOX
David Bellini is the Chief Executive Officer of CyberFOX. CyberFOX is a global cybersecurity solutions provider focused on privileged access management (PAM) and password management for managed service providers (MSPs). Its flagship products, Password Boss for password management and AutoElevate for PAM, supply critical elements of a comprehensive security strategy. CyberFOX is able to make complex security simple while providing affordable and efficient solutions for its clients.
Previously, Bellini was a co-founder and president of international at ConnectWise. After ConnectWise was acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in 2019, Bellini became CEO of Password Boss. In 2020, Bellini, along with a group of investors, acquired Password Boss, and the same group later acquired AutoElevate in August 2021. Bellini earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Florida.
23. Julius Davis
Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, VoltAir
Julius Davis is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of VoltAir, Inc., a privately owned corporation that provides mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering design services with offices in Tampa, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta, and Nashville.
Davis has more than 26 years of experience in engineering services for a variety of building types, including airports, hospitals, schools, office buildings, industrial facilities, and many other industries. He is a native of Tampa, and attended the University of South Florida where he majored in electrical engineering. Following graduation in 1993, Davis accepted a graduate-level engineering position with a firm in Tallahassee, Florida, and excelled rapidly in his career. He became a project manager and associate in less than 10 years, ultimately relocating back to Tampa, where he founded VoltAir Inc. in 2006. In 2014, Davis received his MBA at the University of South Florida.
24. Pat Duffy
Co-Founder, The Giving Block
Pat Duffy co-founded The Giving Block in 2018, creating a new fundraising category called “Crypto Philanthropy.” The Giving Block, a Shift4 company, makes cryptocurrency fundraising easy for nonprofits while empowering donors to give Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to their favorite causes. The Giving Block currently enables more than 1,000 mission-driven companies, charities, universities, and faith-based organizations of all sizes to accept cryptocurrency donations and helps them maximize their fundraising outcomes with strategic consulting and personal support.
Duffy first got his start in 2015 as a project coordinator of global public policy & government relations at Merck. From there, he went on to PhRMA, before eventually rising to integration director at Lupus Foundation of America, Inc., his most recent position before co-founding The Giving Block. Duffy graduated from Wake Forest University with an undergraduate degree in political science and international affairs and communication.
25. Nate Lenz
Founding Partner, Co-Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, Concurrent
Nate Lenz has over a decade of financial industry experience, currently serving as the Founding Partner, Co-Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of Concurrent. Concurrent is a hands-on, consultative partner that empowers advisors with the independence, control, and flexibility they need to better care for their clients. They provide the foundation, scale, and resources to allow advisors to focus on the best use of their time with clients. Concurrent is one of the largest and fastest-growing registered investment advisors in the country.
Previously, Lenz was a vice president of succession planning & acquisitions at Raymond James Financial, Inc. He earned an undergraduate degree in economics from Columbia University.
