Top Tigers 2016

—2016— Top Tigers 2016

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Top Tigers 2016

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CONTENTS

8 / Top Tigers Class of 2016:

25 / The Auburn University Launch Innovation Grants Program and Networking Session

Introducing the second annual AU Entrepreneurship Summit

10 / Letter from Dean Hardgrave

30 / Where are they now?

2015 Top Tigers success stories

12 / Keynote Speaker Kevin Harrington

Advice, insights, and encouragement for the Top Tigers class of 2016

13 / The Roar of the Entrepreneur

TOP TIGERS 2016

32 / Sponsor Social 34 / Auburn University Advisory Council

The 2016 Entrepreneurship Summit

16 / Top Tiger Statistics 17 / MAKING THE LIST:

Warren Averett ranks Top Tigers

18 / 2016 Top Tigers Winners

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TOP TIGERS CLASS OF 2016

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/ Winners: $250,000 $5,000,000 category

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/ Winners: $5,000,0001 $20,000,000 category

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/ Winners: $20,000,000+ category

AGENDA THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2016 Business Casual Attire Participants arrive afternoon/evening Top Tigers Reception at Ag Heritage Park—Red Barn 6p.m.-8p.m.

FRIDAY APRIL 22, 2016 Business Attire Welcome Breakfast/ Check in 7:30a.m.-9a.m.

(AU Hotel and Conference Center Rotunda) Tiger Cage Competition Finals (managed by Raymond J. Harbert College of Business) 9a.m.-10:15a.m. Open to all (Auditorium) Student competition (undergraduate and graduate) Concurrent Sessions 10:30a.m.-11:15a.m. Open to all AU LAUNCH Innovation Grants Program (Auditorium) Top Tigers Networking Session (Ballroom B) Student Panel with Kevin Harrington 10:30a.m.-11:15a.m.

Open to Tiger Cage Students (Governor’s Room / CLOSED SESSION) Top Tigers Awards Luncheon and Presentation 11:30a.m.-1:30p.m.

(Ballroom A) Keynote Speaker: Kevin Harrington Top Tigers 2016

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Welcome to the Second Annual Auburn University Entrepreneurship Summit

April 21 and 22, 2016 The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center

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reated by the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, Auburn University’s Entrepreneurship Summit honors the efforts of Auburn University’s business leaders and innovators and occurs on a variety of entertaining and informative levels.

The summit offers a daylong program aimed at honoring alumni and students from each of Auburn University’s 12 degree-granting colleges and schools.

New for 2016 is the Auburn University Launch Innovation Grant Program, which looks to bring the school’s faculty more fully into the celebration of entrepreneurship.

The Launch Program’s specific goal, according to its founders, is to advance the commercial potential of Auburn innovations and bring them closer to licensing, either to an existing company or to a proposed start-up company.

The Entrepreneurship Summit will again this year be divided into the following events: 8 Top Tigers 2016

Tiger Cage: With a nod to ABC’s popular “Shark Tank” program, Tiger Cage challenges undergraduate and graduate students to compete for funding and other prizes that will help them turn their big ideas into thriving businesses. Competitors have the opportunity to receive mentorship from successful alumni entrepreneurs and other experts before submitting final proposals.

Top Tigers: Business Alabama magazine and the accounting firm Warren Averett partner for this program which recognizes the fastgrowing businesses founded, owned, operated, or led by Auburn University alumni. Nominees are evaluated based on revenue growth and their ability to operate in a manner consistent with the Auburn Creed. Original “Shark Tank” panelist and entrepreneur Kevin Harrington is the keynote speaker.

Entrepreneur of the Year Awards: Open to alumni from each of Auburn University’s colleges, the Entrepreneur and Young Entrepreneur

of the Year Awards honor business leaders for outstanding individual excellence.

The first Top Tigers recognitions were awarded April 24, 2015.

GreenSky, a small business and consumer credit provider, took top honors in the large company category (revenue in excess of $20 million).

Deshazo Automation, a developer of robotics and manufacturer of overhead cranes, was the top winner in the medium company division (revenue range of $5 million to $20 million).

Leading the pack of small companies (revenue up to $5 million) was BrightWhistle, a digital marketing and lead provider for healthcare systems.

Organizers are hoping for even greater things this year as Auburn’s spirit of entrepreneurial creativity continues to be fanned by its leaders.

Business Alabama, a statewide business publication now in its 31st year, will again serve as an event co-sponsor.

BY DAVE HELMS

Letter from Dean Hardgrave

Celebrating Auburn’s Entrepreneurial Spirit

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aunching and leading a business requires a special sort of resilience given the fact that roughly 90 percent of start-ups fail. The process of turning a rough concept into a sustainable business is fraught with peril.You may not be able to secure the necessary capital to gain a foothold. The competition may be better. The timing may be wrong.

Knowing the risks, what compels so many Auburn University people to pursue the goal of being among the fortunate few, the successful 10 percent? SimplyProse CEO Jacob Wright explained it this way: “… There’s a unique sense of purpose in working with others in the unknown. I have to know. I have to try.”

Incidentally, Wright is a senior finance major in the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business who will graduate in May. He and two of his fellow students turned down guaranteed job offers and comfortable starting salaries to follow their entrepreneurial muse. Their company, which launched in the fall of 2015, grew out of the Tiger Cage competition, a component of the Auburn University Entrepreneurship Summit.

Auburn University alumni have a proud history of navigating the unknown that Wright described. They have succeeded on Main Street and Wall Street, as small business owners and as leaders of some of the world’s most valuable and visible companies. They have launched successful start-ups and helped established businesses unlock new possibilities.

As we celebrate fast-growing Top Tigers companies and individual Entrepreneur and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winners, we find that the honorees reinforce Auburn University’s reputation for equipping its graduates to create, inspire, and lead. Nearly every college within the university is represented on a list that touches a vast assortment of industries including architecture and construction, healthcare, e-commerce and retail, technology, manufacturing, supply chain and logistics, consulting, and even craft beer.

Each of these companies, and the Auburn graduates who lead them, possesses a unique story to tell. But the common thread is that they are all guided by what the late Auburn professor, historian, and football coach George Petrie described as “a spirit that is not afraid.”

War Eagle!

Bill Hardgrave, Ph.D. Dean and Wells Fargo Professor Raymond J. Harbert College of Business Auburn University

10 Top Tigers 2016

Keynote Speaker Kevin Harrington Advice, insights, and encouragement for the Top Tigers class of 2016.

BY JESSICA ARMSTRONG

I

nfomercial pioneer Kevin Harrington—one of the original panelists of ABC’s “Shark Tank”—returns again this year as the keynote speaker at the Top Tigers luncheon and to judge the Tiger Cage competition that is modeled after the popular network show.

A successful entrepreneur for 40 years, Harrington once told Entrepreneur magazine that never being complacent and cruise control is what drives his entrepreneurial spirit. “I always keep my eye open for the next home run,” he says.

That’s just what Harrington will be doing when he judges this year’s Tiger Cage contestants—keeping his eye open for Auburn University student entrepreneurs ready to hit a home run with their business ideas.

The Tiger Cage competition is open to individual competitors and teams of up to six Auburn University students. Teams must be led by an active student, but Auburn University alumni are allowed to join teams.

Interdisciplinary teams of students representing various colleges, schools, and departments are invited and encouraged to participate.

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In addition to conceiving the infomercial, Harrington pioneered the “As Seen on TV” industry and has launched over 500 products resulting in more than $5 billion in sales worldwide with recognizable brands sold by such celebrities as Jack LaLanne and George Foreman.

Harrington is co-founder of the Electronic Retailers Association, a global direct-to-consumer organization that includes 450 companies in 45 countries. He also co-founded the worldwide Entrepreneurs Organization.

Harrington’s career as an entrepreneur began in the early 1980s when he started Quantum International with $25,000 and turned it into a $500 million-a-year business. After selling his interested in Quantum, he partnered with the Home Shopping Network to form the highly successful HSN Direct.

Today, Harrington operates a private consulting firm, working with companies to increase distribution, analyze electronic retailing opportunities, and create effective marketing strategies. He’s often quoted in such publications as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Fortune and on news shows such as CBS Morning News and Good Morning America.

In addition, Harrington is a regular contributor to Forbes.com and Inc.com, and is the author of Act Now! How I Turn Ideas Into Million Dollar Products and Key Person of Influence.

Last year, Harrington enjoyed the Entrepreneurship Summit so much that he bought an Auburn Universitylogo necktie as a memento and expressed his desire to return in 2016.

Event organizers took him up on his offer—an easy decision since he was such a hit the first time.

Harrington once told Entrepreneur magazine that never being complacent and cruise control is what drives his entrepreneurial spirit. “I always keep my eye open for the next home run.”

THE ROAR OF THE ENTREPRENEUR

BY DAVE HELMS

THE 2016 ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT

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hen outsiders think of Auburn University, football likely comes to mind. But on April 21 and 22, the university will be the place for start-up fever when a fusion of talent gathers on the Plains.

Student entrepreneurs and their mentors, along with noted alumni, faculty and moderators will take part April 22 in the second annual Entrepreneurship Summit sponsored by the Auburn University Raymond J. Harbert College of Business.

The Entrepreneurship Summit honors alumni and students from each of Auburn University’s 12 degreegranting colleges and schools. Held

at the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center, both established and up-and-coming business leaders and innovators will participate in several events.

The Tiger Cage competition, a witty take on ABC’s popular Shark Tank television show (think tigers instead of sharks), challenges undergraduate and graduate students to vie for funding and other prizes to help turn their dreams and ideas into actual businesses.

Also part of the Summit is Top Tigers, presented in partnership with Business Alabama magazine and the accounting firm Warren Averett.

This program salutes rapidly growing businesses founded, operated or led by Auburn University alumni. Nominees are evaluated on revenue growth and

their ability to operate following the Auburn Creed, the time-honored code that encapsulates the university’s ethos.

The Entrepreneur and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards are open to alumni from each of Auburn University’s colleges. The awards honor alumni who, through their entrepreneurial drive, have made significant contributions to their professions.

Says AU’s College of Business Dean Bill Hardgrave, “Last year the Entrepreneurship Summit exceeded our expectations and this year will be even better. The (participation) numbers are up and the quality has improved. This is a culmination of a lot of our events into a single day, and this year we’ve added faculty contributions as a fourth component.”

Top Tigers 2016

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The aim of this new component, called LAUNCH Innovation Grants Program Faculty Pitch Competition, is to inspire faculty and staff to pursue commercializing the technologies they have developed, explains Lakami Baker, associate professor of management and managing director of AU‘s Lowder Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurship.

The LAUNCH program was initiated by AU’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, which has set aside $100,000 to focus on innovation and moving university inventions closer to commercialization.

“We thought a good fit for the program was to link it with our Entrepreneurship Summit,” Baker says. “So, after our students pitch, we will hear from our faculty inventors.

This allows us not only to showcase our student entrepreneurs, but our faculty inventors as well. Hopefully, the business community that is present will see that the entrepreneurial spirit is flying high throughout all areas of Auburn University.”

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Kevin Harrington, a judge in the first two seasons of “Shark Tank,” judged the 2015 Tiger Cage competition and returns this year as a judge. A pioneer in the infomercial concept, Harrington is listed among the 100 best entrepreneurs in the world by Entrepreneur magazine.

Tiger Cage is open to individual competitors and teams of up to six Auburn University students. Baker says this year’s competitors represent a diverse group of students, who will be competing in business, engineering, human science, building science, aerospace and other fields.

“For example, we have student ideas that are geared to resolve some of our daily aches and pains, change the way we exchange our contact information, and improve our shower experience,” Baker says. “We also have a team with an app that has the potential of saving athletic programs thousands of dollars each year.”

Of the eight semi-finalists, about half are app related and the other half are technology and consumer products related. The semifinalists were selected

in February and will make their pitch again April 15. The top four will advance to the final round.

“I believe it is going to be tough for the judges to decide on the top four to move on to the finals because they are all fairly strong,” Baker says.

Each team will have 10 minutes to give their presentation and take questions from the judges. The presentation is designed to simulate a typical pitch to a venture capital firm. While the final scoring will be based primarily on the material each team presents during its final pitch, the teams will also be judged on the written component of their application and pitch.

A total of $17,000 will be distributed to the winning teams to cover business expenses that are associated with a start-up. The grand prize winner will receive $10,000, second place receives $5,000 and third place $2,000.

The grand prize winner will also have access to the resources offered by the Auburn Business Incubator for up to one year. All winners will be offered $30,000 in legal assistance from Wilson

Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a Menlo Park law firm whose specialties include entrepreneurial start-ups.

“We have a rich history of entrepreneurs who want to give back and help the next generation of students,” says Dean Hardgrave about the Tiger Cage. “We give them money, free legal advice, and put them in our incubator. The easy path would be `I’ll teach you everything I know, then goodbye and good luck.’ Instead, we want to nurture these student entrepreneurs so they stay right here and build their companies right here.”

The Tiger Cage final round will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. April 22 in the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center. It is free and open to the public.

Honoree for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year is Stacy Brown, founder of the Auburn-based Chicken Salad Chick and a graduate of Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts.

The company has 49 restaurants across the Southeast.

The 2016 Young Entrepreneur of the Year honoree is Cameron Doody, an Auburn University business graduate who co-founded the Chattanooga-based Bellhops, which uses college students employed as independent contractors to help people move their household items nationwide. The company raised $13.5 million in venture capital last year.

John Brown, chairman emeritus of Stryker Corporation, was inducted last year as the Hall of Fame’s first member.

Brown earned a chemical engineering from Auburn University in 1957 and helped Stryker grow from a small, family-owned business into a medical equipment company with an annual revenue of over $9 million.

Top Tigers 2016

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I N D U S T R I E S

Accounting Advertising/Media Architecture Commercial Banking Conglomerate Construction Distribution Engineering Financial Services Fitness Food and Beverage Healthcare Hospitality

Manufacturing Marketing Music Recording Nonprofit Real Estate Retail Staffing & Recruiting Technology Telecommunications Transportation Veterinary Medicine Wholesale

ALABAMA

STATISTICS

44% 274%

AVERAGE GROWTH RATE ACROSS ALL TOP TIGERS

29 CITIES

HIGHEST GROWTH RATE ACROSS ALL TOP TIGERS

Birmingham (18) Foley (1)

40

COMPANIES

Harpersville (1) Homewood (2) Hoover (1) Huntsville (6) Madison (1)

13

CITIES

Mobile (2) Opelika (3) Pelham (2) Prattville (1) Tuscaloosa (1) Wetumpka (1)

Total Number of 2016 Top Tigers: 60

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STATES

P E R C E N TA G E

67% 16 Top Tigers 2016

Average Growth in Small Business Category

G R O W T H

43%

Average Growth in Medium Business Category

23%

Average Growth in Large Business Category

MAKING THE LIST:

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WARREN AVERETT RANKS TOP TIGERS

aking it into the Top Tigers fastest growing businesses is quite an accomplishment. The evaluation of the nominees took into account each business’s compounded growth rate over a three year period.

These companies have thrived and taken advantage of a growing economy despite challenges like price sensitivity, growing competition, and increasing regulations. The alumni leaders for these companies have represented the best of the best in their respective industries, and they honor their alma mater with their accomplishments.

To determine the 2016 class and the rankings, Warren Averett CPAs and Advisors completed the application process by asking each company to submit its gross revenue numbers for the years 2011 through 2014, using 2011 as the base year. The team calculated the compounded annual growth rate based on the information provided by each company verified under the guidelines of the program. From this information, all the winners were ranked. We are proud to reveal that 33 of the Top Tigers are returning from last year. These companies are continuing to innovate. Maintaining the status quo just will not do for them.

After reviewing the qualifications, Warren Averett found an average growth rate of 23% for the large category, 43% for the medium category and 67% for the small category. The average growth rate across all Top Tigers is 44%. And, the Top Tiger with the highest growth rate was 274%. By comparison for 2014 nationwide, all private company’s growth rate was 8.6%. For those private companies with gross revenue below $5 million, the growth rate was 7.0%. This comparison shows you how impressive our Top Tigers are.

Top Tigers represent a total of seven states. Companies are located as far west as California and as far north as Illinois, though the vast majority of our Top Tigers are located in the Southeast with 40 companies in 13 cities throughout Alabama.

Top Tigers represents more than 25 industries. From advertising to architecture, from fitness to veterinary medicine, from tailgate assembly to technology, the Top Tiger companies are diverse and innovative.

Auburn University has made and continues to make great contributions to our lives—both professionally and personally.

There is no doubt that Auburn alumni produce a great source of talent for leaders in a wide variety of fields.

—Dick Ingwersen, Warren Averett

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CONGRAT U L AT I O N S TO T H E 2 01 6 WINNERS: UP TO $5,000,000 CATEGORY

President, CEO: Jonathan McConnell Meridian is a veteran-owned business that focuses on providing security and intelligence solutions to commercial entities in high risk environments. Meridian employs combat-decorated Marine veterans dedicated to protecting clients and their property. Meridian has licenses in 38 ports worldwide and has conducted ground security operations in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Mobile, AL / meridian.us

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President/CEO: Michael Johnson

Founding Partner: Wayne Harris

Elite Transit Solutions, LLC

Bridgeworth, LLC clients

is a full service logistics and

benefit from 350 years of

transportation company

combined experience. With

specializing in service and

diverse backgrounds and

cost savings through efficient

a wide range of areas of

internal processes. Their

specialty, they collaborate

strategic initiative is to fully

and share the latest planning

understand current and

strategies. They call it

future customers’ needs for

“Drawing on a Wealth of

transportations and logistics

Knowledge.� The team

in order to create a custom fit

approach helps deliver more

solution for each client.

strategic thinking for clients

Miami, FL

throughout their financial lives.

elitetransitsolutions.com

Birmingham, AL bridgeworthfinancial.com

WINNERS: UP TO $5,000,000 CATEGORY CONTINUED

President & CEO: Joshua Brant

Owner: Lisa H. Walker

Allegiance provides electronic and non-cash payment processing solutions to customers through direct sales channels, indirect distribution, associations, and bank referral partnerships with community and regional banks.

Clear Title, LLC is passionate about navigating customers through the closing process. Promoting a culture of helping others, being knowledgeable, staying compliant, and providing protection and education to customers is paramount. The staff is accessible and processes are prompt and straightforward. Clear Title, LLC has a clear mission: to be the catalyst for a smooth real estate transaction from start to finish.

Charlotte, NC allegiancemerchantservices.com

Owner: Dr. Grayson Carter Zorn With a goal to provide the highest quality of veterinary care and services possible, Friendship Veterinary Hospital strives to enhance the quality of life of companion animals by focusing on every patient individually.

Fort Walton Beach, FL friendshipvethospital.com

Gulf Shores, AL / GetClearTitle.com

APPLESEED WORKSHOP President and Architect: Michael Gibson Vice President and General Contractor: Ben Strout Appleseed’s mission is to play a major role in the revitalization of downtown Birmingham and the surrounding communities.

Throughout the company’s eight year history, the firm has focused on design and preservation for today and future generations.

Birmingham, AL appleseedworkshop.com

Founder: Trey Goldstein Partner: Jeremy Brown

Franchise Owner: Stephaine J Buffaloe

Partnership, quality, honest communication, and better project management are the commitments Cotton Construction makes to every client and every project. More than a general contractor, Cotton Construction helps clients visualize their project from start to finish. With a network of architects, designers, and artisans, Cotton Construction is a full-service project manager.

Home Instead Senior Care of Tuscaloosa seeks to enhance the lives of seniors and their families. The company provides companionship, meal prep, personal care, and respite services. They are also working to change the trajectory of the current epidemic with the Alzheimer’s disease.

Tuscaloosa, AL / homeinstead.com

Birmingham, AL cottonconstructioninc.com CEO: Scott Ferguson ChartCapture provides doctors with a cloud-based software solution that currently archives over 184 million pages of medical records data and is growing by over 4.2 million pages per month.

ChartCapture software provides doctors with an easy way to archive and access patient medical information from legacy systems (paper and electronic).

Birmingham, AL / chartcapture.com

CEO and Founder: Forrest Walden

President: Ryan Cooper CEO and CTO: Matthew Greer DMS Inc. is dedicated to providing exceptional service with a one-onone relationship with customers.

They strive to understand customers’ marketing needs and produce items at the fairest price available.

Pelham, AL / dmscolor.com

Iron Tribe Fitness is a group personal training company founded in Birmingham, Alabama.

They lead the industry in creating fitness communities that change lives by providing fun and intense workouts for their clients in a positive and encouraging community. They have 40 locations in 14 states from Miami, FL to Seattle, WA. Birmingham, AL irontribefitness.com

Top Tigers 2016

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WINNERS: UP TO $5,000,000 CATEGORY CONTINUED

COO: Andy Redman In the US, only 9% of students from low-income communities graduate from college. OneGoal Fellows is changing this reality: 84% of OneGoal high school graduates enrolled in college, and 77% of OneGoal fellows are persisting in college (or have graduated). By the 2016-2017 academic school year, OneGoal will impact more than 9,000 students across 5 regions in 190 high schools nationwide.

CFP, CPA/PFS: Scott Mondore CFP, CPA/PFS: David F. Painter Founded in 2006, Southern Financial Group, LLC, is a registered investment advisory that provides comprehensive investment management services offering over 50 years of combined experience in the financial industry.

Huntsville, AL thesouthernfinancialgroup.com

Chicago, IL onegoalgraduation.org

President and Director of Tax Services: Brett S. Sheedy Partners Tax & Accounting, LLC provides timely, accurate, and convenient tax and accounting services and valuable informative consulting advice at a reasonable price. Clients gain peace of mind so they can focus on the parts of their business and life that are most important. A retail tax and bookkeeping provider, Partners Tax & Accounting has four offices and over 4,000 clients in the Birmingham metro area.

Birmingham, AL / partnerstax.com

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT DECISIONS

Birmingham, AL / shanwalt.com

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Richard L. Taylor III Taylor Workshop specializes in helping businesses validate or fail their ideas faster and more economically. They do this by offering designful solutions as well as managing the production of fullscale prototypes. Turning a vision into a tangible object or space can bring a tremendous amount of insight and value to a company and the innovation process.

Atlanta, GA taylorworkshop.com

David F Painter, C Todd Holder SMD is a talent management and analytics company enabling businesses to monetize people management, ultimately accelerating and optimizing business results and ROI. Since the launch of SMD Link, more than 500,000 assessments have been conducted and analyzed on the platform. The platform includes assessmentsfor hiring, employee engagement, employee development (360), and career development.

Birmingham, AL / smdhr.com

Principal: Len Shannon Shannon Waltchack transforms and enriches lives and communities through their love of real estate. A full-service firm offering brokerage, investment, and property management services throughout the southeast, their experienced team of real estate professionals provides a full array of services with over 100 years of combined experience.

TAYLOR WORKSHOP LLC

President/CEO: Parker Duffey COO: Michael Otwell Tailgate Guys provides superior service to the game day fan, the university, and the community.

Tailgate Guys offers precise attention to detail, a passion for guest service, innovative branding, and consistent operational execution.

Opelika, AL / tailgateguys.com

Owner and President: Tiffany Morse Tryst Showroom is a wholesale showroom that represents women’s clothing and accessory brands to Southeastern-based retailers. Started in 2010, Tryst has grown to a portfolio of nine brands. Their mission is simple: Give customers great brands, impeccable service, and a lasting relationship that goes beyond this year’s hottest trend.

Atlanta, GA trystshowroom.com

CEO: Byron Kelley President: James Kelley Wire Road Studios provides world class services for music and audio production. Their client base spans the full spectrum of music from rock to classical. Clients include Atlantic, Columbia, Epic, Motown, RCA, and Sony Music. They provide services for advertising agencies, movie studios, and national television networks such as Sony Pictures, 20TH Century Fox, HBO, Disney, ABC, NBC, CBS, and more. Awards include four gold and four silver Addy awards.

Houston, TX wireroadstudios.com

Do you have what it takes to be a To nominate a business, or your own business, send business name and contact info to Troy Johnson at ltj0001@auburn.edu TO QUALIFY: 1. Company must be owned or led by an Auburn University alumnus.

2. Must be in business for at least 4 full years by their fiscal year ending 2015.

3. Company’s revenues must be at least $250,000.

4. Company must operate in a manner consistent with the Auburn Creed.

Deadline for nominations:

The Auburn Creed I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work.

I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully.

I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.

I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid, and in clean sports that develop these qualities.

I believe in obedience to law because it protects the rights of all.

I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.

I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by “doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God.” And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.

—George Petrie (1945)

November 15, 2016.

Top Tigers 2016

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CO N G RAT U L AT I O N S TO TH E 2016 WINNERS: $5,000,000-$20,000,000 CATEGORY BLUE COMPANIES TM

Founder & President: Jon Butts

CEO: Lee K. Carroll Owner: Lauren Carroll

President: Jeffrey Powell

Muscle Up Marketing is a

The first “Blue Company”

The mission of First Baldwin

full-service marketing agency,

was formed in 2005 as a

Insurance is to provide

specializing in campaigns for

family-owned interior design

customers with More Choices™

the fitness industry. Founded

and construction business

of insurance coverage

in 2011 with a motto of “Less

servicing select Southeastern

and price through access

Hassle. More Members,” Muscle

clients. Founders Lee and

to more carriers. Holding

Up Marketing takes on the

Lauren Carroll have since

themselves accountable as

burden of marketing and

leveraged their respective

“Trusted Advisors,” First

promotions for health club

experience in development,

Baldwin Insurance delivers

owners, while strengthening

construction, and interior

an enhanced customer

their client response rates

design to create a synergistic

experience through personal

through innovative product

platform of development and

contact, professional advice,

offerings and strategies.

design organizations that

and excellent service.

Rosewell, GA muscleupmarketing.com

operate in both the residential and commercial markets.

Atlanta, GA bluecompanies.com constructiononline.com

22 Top Tigers 2016

Foley, AL firstbaldwininsurance.com

WINNERS: $5,000,000-$20,000,000 CATEGORY CONTINUED

President and CEO: Stan Sargent Chairperson/Majority Owner Julie Martz CEO: Garrett Martz 4M Research is a woman-owned R&D corporation supporting the Department of Defense with engineering analysis, software development and integration, and test and evaluation expertise. The 4M workforce supports customers in many locations across the United States as well as locations in foreign counties. 4M Research credits their explosive growth to their commitment to excellence and promise to always put customers first.

Huntsville, AL 4mresearch.com

CFO: Mark E. Lolley APR is an engineering firm solely dedicated to delivering worldclass automotive performance products. Headquartered in Opelika, Alabama, APR employs over 60 talented individuals from around the world. Their goal is to provide the end user “Performance Without Compromise.”

Opelika, AL and Ochsenhausen, Germany goapr.com

Clear Winds Technologies is an IT solutions company that helps organizations of all types achieve their goals through the use of technology. Clear Winds’ services include assessing, designing, implementing, and supporting systems and networks in addition to development of applications to enhance productivity. Clear Winds also offers cloud computing, managed services, hosting, and colocation services.

Birmingham, AL clearwinds.net

Founder: Richard Moss CFO: Dusty Pritchett DealNews scours over 2,000 online retailers to deliver the best 300+ deals every day—the kind you’d normally only see on Black Friday. They verify that each deal is valid, determine the lowest total price, and confirm the product is from a reputable retailer. They take bargains seriously and share what they find with you.

Huntsville, AL New York City, NY, Dublin, Ireland DealNews.com, Inc.

President: Courtney Mason Vice President: Russell Pate Chicken Scratch, LLC owns and operates multiple Zaxby’s restaurants in the greater Birmingham area. Their Mission: To consistently create encore experiences that enrich lives one person at a time.

Birmingham, AL zaxbys.com

President and Owner: G. Fenn Church Church Transportation & Logistics, Inc. is a dry van motor carrier located in Birmingham, Alabama.

The company has 90 employees and is involved in warehousing and logistics serving the 48 contiguous United States.

Founder and Managing Partner: Brian Pitts Partners: J.G. Carver and Ben Branch ITAC Solutions mission is to position themselves as the strategic business partner for recruitment and placement of talented individuals, create winning situations for clientcompanies, contract consultants, and their internal team. With four offices in the southeast, they are well-equipped to help all positions of professionals, whether its someone at the front desk or corner office.

Birmingham, AL itacsolutions.com

Birmingham, AL churchtransportation.net

Top Tigers 2016

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WINNERS: $5,000,000-$20,000,000 CATEGORY CONTINUED

Chairman and CEO: Walter Woltosz

CEO: Scott B. Reed, CFO: Ronald C. Jackson Head of Banking: Sam A. Scalici Head of Risk and Credit: Forest W. Whatley, Jr. The core disciplines of Oakworth Capital Bank’s service model are commercial banking, private banking, and wealth management/ trust. Their goal is to “bring the bank to you” through a combination of personalized service from professional associates and the support of innovative technology.

Birmingham, AL oakworthcapital.com

Simulations Plus designs, develops, licenses, and supports simulation and modeling software for research and development in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, cosmetics, and aerospace industries. In addition, they provide consulting services to each industry. The company has a global customer base covering North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Lancaster, CA simulations-plus.com

President and CEO: Andrew R. Schroeder President, CEO: Jimmy Stubbs Founded in 2006, River Bank & Trust has emerged as one of the largest Alabama-based community banks. Their mission is to build relationships so they can understand and meet their communities’ financial needs.

If given the opportunity, they promise to provide service that runs deep.

Prattville, AL riverbankandtrust.com

SCS has provided the highest quality fabricated structural steel to the industrial and commercial construction industry for over 20 years. A leader in steel construction throughout the United States, SCS provides high value and professional services.

VP/Treasurer, Co-Owner: William Siegel President, Co-Owner: David Siegel Twin offers both new construction and renovation services in the areas of Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood, and Vestavia Hills, providing three integrated services: Construction, Interiors, and Cabinets. This three-fold company is designed to better serve homeowners by offering a one-stop location for building, renovation, and design resources.

Twin approaches every project with integrity, a commitment to quality, and an understanding for the need to maintain open clientbuilder communication. Twin’s commitment extends beyond a single project. “We do not just work in an area, but we become an integral part by giving back and serving in the communities.”

Homewood, AL twincompanies.com

Harpersville, AL scssteel.com

AUBURN UNIVERSITY: THROUGH THE YEARS • Chartered in 1856 as the East Alabama Male College, Auburn University opened in 1859 and became affiliated with the Methodist Church.

• The college closed from 1861 to 1866 because of the Civil War. The church handed over legal control to the state in 1872 because of financial problems.

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• Women were admitted in 1892, making Auburn the oldest fouryear, coeducational school in the state and the second-oldest in the southeast.

• Auburn University at Montgomery was established as a separately accredited campus in 1967.

Current enrollment at AUM is about 5,200.

• Since it was chartered, Auburn University has had four official names: 1. East Alabama Male College (1856-72) 2. Agricultural and Mechanical College (1872-99) 3. Alabama Polytechnic Institute (1899-1960) 4. Auburn University (1960-present)

The Auburn University Launch Innovation Grants Program and Networking Session Sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care

T

here’s a tricky bit of landscape that must be negotiated by entrepreneurs, located somewhere between the place where the light bulb illuminates, perhaps deep in a university lab or conference room, and the factory floor or work space where a final product is offered up to the market at large. “It’s sometimes called the commercialization gap, or Valley of Death,” says Brian Wright, associate director for commercialization at Auburn University. A college professor develops a widget that looks good but is far from being on the shelf. Industry buyers or government contractors like the looks of it but want to get involved when it’s derisked and closer to market.

Angel investing, where people who’ve already made some money in business seek to assist the newer arrivals with capital, can sometimes help. But good ideas are still overlooked. This is the problem to be addressed by the Auburn University Launch Innovation Grants Program. Announced last December by Auburn University’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, the program is an internal, competitive grant program designed to support proof-of-commercial concept research.

According to its website, the program’s goal is to advance the commercial potential of Auburn innovations and bring them closer to licensing, either to an existing company or to a proposed start-up company. Such licensing could then provide revenues back to Auburn in the form of fees, royalties or equity ownership, some of which would be shared with the inventors as well as academic units and labs of the inventors under the Auburn University Patent Policy.

There’s also some serious money involved. A pool of $100,000 per competition has been collected to go into Launch awards and may be awarded to one entry or split among multiple entries. Awards may be less than what is requested if a smaller project is deemed more appropriate. Auburn is also considering the raising of an endowment fund to create a larger award pool for future competitions.

“Auburn as an institution has a tremendous depth and breadth of research, and commercializing solutions for the real world is a real priority, so the Launch awards will be one new way to bring some of these Auburn solutions to market,” says Mary Shirley-Howell, director of development for the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development.

“This is one way for us to encourage people coming up in the ranks of academia to look at solution-directed research to create great things that will move beyond Toomer’s Corner and into the world.” Along with the Launch Innovation Grants Program announcement on Friday, Top Tigers award winners will also be taking part in a 45-minute networking event during which they’ll have time to interact and talk shop.

The hope for the networking event is that it allows some creative sparks to be exchanged, according to Troy Johnson, director for communications and marketing at Auburn’s Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. “In some cases, Top Tigers may meet colleagues who, while representing other industries, may have shared interests,” Johnson said. “Some of the discussions may also lead to business relationships between companies.”

BY DAVE HELMS

Founded in 1994 by Paul and Lori Hogan of Omaha, Nebraska, Home Instead Senior Care has grown into a national network of locally-owned franchises.

Franchise Business Review recently named Home Instead the Top Senior Care Franchise of the Year. Home Instead has ranked in the top-five list for best franchise opportunities in four out of the last five years. This award comes from the only program to rank companies based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction.

“This award is the result of the consistent passion and commitment that exists within every corner of our organization,” said Jeff Huber, president and CEO of Home Instead Inc. franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network.

In Alabama, Home Instead Senior Care has been in operation since 1997 and now has nine franchise offices across the state.

The Hogan’s Story: When Paul Hogan was caring for his grandmother, he realized the need for non-medical home care and elder companionship services to help seniors live independently at home. Helping his grandmother remain at home, where she enjoyed life past age 100, gave Paul and his wife, Lori, the desire to help other families with aging loved ones.

The company began by serving a few families in Omaha. It has since grown to over 1,000 franchises that provide in-home senior care from Topeka to Tokyo.

Recently, Home Instead developed a program aimed at helping business owners better identify patrons with Alzheimer’s Disease. The Alzheimer’s Friendly Business program provides techniques to ensure customers with Alzheimer’s are treated with compassion and respect.

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CO N G RAT U L AT I O N S TO TH E 2016 PMS 375 c-46 m-0 y-100 k-0 r-149 g-214 b-0

PMS 7689 c-78 m-33 y-7 k-0 r-40 g-141 b-193

WI NNER S : $ 2 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 + CATE GO RY PMS 361 c-75 m-3 y-100 k-0 r-63 g-174 b-42

President: Rollins Montgomery

President and CEO: David Zalik

CEO: Tee Green VP, Business & Corporate Development: Greg Shilling

Montgomery Transport

GreenSky is a leading financial

Greenway Health delivers

specializes in over-length and

technology company that

advanced health information

over-width hauls. They have

develops and operates

services and software

the equipment to haul heavy,

proprietary, paperless point

that empowers providers,

oversize loads with their state-

of sale payment and credit

consumers, and payers with

of-the-art equipment. They

platforms. GreenSky instantly

access to correct information

understand each customer’s

underwrites, originates, and

and insights enabling

unique needs and have

services consumer loans in all

coordinated, efficient, and

built a business around high

50 states, via online, mobile,

effective care in a value-driven

safety standards, talented

and offline channels, on

environment. Greenway serves

professionals, strong customer

behalf of state and federally

more than 75,000 providers

relationships, advanced and

chartered banks.

in nearly 10,000 organizations

innovative technology, new and well-maintained equipment, good core values, and a sincere dedication to the flatbed logistics industry.

Birmingham, AL montgomeryllc.com

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Atlanta, GA greenskycredit.com

across over 40 specialties, touching more than 100 million lives.

Carrollton, GA greenwayhealth.com

WINNERS: $20,000,000+ CATEGORY CONTINUED

President/CEO: Stephen M. Nordness Automation Personnel Services, Inc. provides staffing solutions to customers from coast to coast.

They specialize in providing light industrial employees to meet temporary or contingent needs in warehousing, manufacturing, assembly and production lines. Over the last 25 years, Automation has grown from a small, single office to 31 branch offices in 10 states and has become a major player in the staffing industry.

Pelham, AL apstemps.com

CEO and Chairman: James H Carroll President: Philip R Carroll Sales Representative: David B Carroll Carroll Air Systems, Inc. is a multiline manufacturers’ representative in engineering sales of air conditioning equipment for the institutional, commercial, and health care industry. Their goal is to ensure satisfaction with the owners, architects, engineers, and contractors who either specify or buy their systems and equipment. Offices are located in Tampa, Ft. Myers, and Altamonte Springs (Orlando, Florida). Sales engineers in the Florida offices serve customer needs and highlytrained technicians provide equipment and technical support.

Tampa, FL carrollair.com

Chairman and President: John G. Beard Home Health & Hospice is Alabama’s oldest and largest family-owned, Medicarecertified home health agency.

Alacare is dedicated to providing patients the highest level of skilled nursing, rehabilitative, palliative, and hospice care in the most costeffective environment—the patient’s own home.

Birmingham, AL alacare.com

President & CEO David Gray Daxko is a leading provider of mission-critical software solutions to member-based nonprofits.

Daxko’s solutions help customers achieve high levels of operational efficiency, increase engagement with their constituents, and drive community impact to expand their mission.

Birmingham, AL / daxko.com

Founder and CTO: Mark Spencer Digium, Inc. is a privately held communications technology company. Digium specializes in developing and manufacturing communications hardware and telephony software—most notably the open-source telephony platform Asterisk.

Huntsville, AL / digium.com

President, CEO: Laurie Dasher Dasher Technologies is a premier IT solution provider that delivers expert technical resources along with trusted account executives to architect and deliver complete IT solutions and services to help clients deliver on goals, plans, and objectives.

Birmingham, AL Campbell, CA dasher.com

COO and CFO: David Walker Founded in 1944 by the late Elton B. Stephens, EBSCO Industries, Inc. has evolved into a global company with businesses in a range of industries including information services, publishing and digital media, outdoor products, real estate, manufacturing and distribution, and business services. EBSCO operates divisions and subsidiaries in 23 countries. EBSCO Information Services is the leading provider of discovery services, databases and other information resources for libraries worldwide.

Birmingham, AL • ebscoind.com

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WINNERS: $20,000,000+ CATEGORY CONTINUED

Owners: Larry Jones, Lee Davis CFO: Brian Roth CFO: A. Sims Garrison Development and Construction Manager: Paul Darden Fairway Investments is a real estate investment and development firm and is a sister company to Thompson Tractor Company, the Caterpillar equipment deal for the state.

Fairway invests in commercial real estate properties and developments in the Sunbelt Region of the United States and has accumulated an investment portfolio worth almost $500 million.

Birmingham, AL fairwayinvestments.com

Senior VP/ Principal Bridge Engineer: W. Denney Pate, P.E. Vice President / Senior Project Director: Jeff M. Walters, P.E. Since 1978, FIGG has utilized the latest proven design methods, developed exceptional designs, and provided superior construction engineering and inspection. Their mission is to create bridges that are cost effective, have a longer life, respect the environment, and are aesthetically pleasing.

Tallahassee, FL figgbridge.com

IndusTREE is a group of companies in the forestry industry operations. Services include basic land management, timber management, real estate investment, manufacturing (sawmills), and railroad crosstie output. The IndusTREE Advantage comes from vertical integration at all levels of the forest products industry supply chain—giving IndusTREE deeper insight into forest products market conditions and trends and more leverage during negotiations and transactions.

IndusTREE’s long-term relationships with major players throughout the forest products industry mean landowners who work with IndusTREE get the best timber prices possible. The owners and majority of forestry professionals are Auburn Forestry School graduates.

Mayer Electric Supply, a regional wholesale distributor of electrical equipment and supplies, lighting, factory automation, tools, and communication equipment, serves contractors, industrials, utilities, and commercial businesses and institutions with new construction and maintenance components, parts, equipment, and supplies. A third-generation family-owned business, Mayer Electric Supply was founded in Birmingham in 1930 and is a certified woman-owned business.

Mayer’s nearly 1,200 associates serve customers in 11 states with 54 branch locations and distribution facilities.

Birmingham, AL mayerelectric.com

Wetumka, AL industreecompanies.com

SVP, North American Sales: Rob Consoli Liaison is a global integration and data management company.

Thier cloud-based solutions are tailored to solve today’s complex data problems, while building a robust foundation for tomorrow.

Liaison has over 7,000 customers in 46 countries that rely on the company’s solutions to solve their data integration and data management challenges.

Atlanta, GA liaison.com

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EVP / CFO: David L Morgan Regional VP: Dale Sanders Controller: Karen Smith VP of Comm and Ind Development: Bill Stone

President and CEO: Dale Katechis Founded as a funky little brewpub in 1997, Oskar Blues Brewery launched the craft beer-in-a-can apocalypse in 2002, using a tabletop machine that sealed one can at a time.

In 2008, the makers of the topselling pale ale in Colorado, Dale’s Pale Ale, added a brewery and now distributes trail-blazing craft brews throughout the U.S. Canada, Sweden and the U.K. Longmont, CO oskarblues.com

WINNERS: $20,000,000+ CATEGORY CONTINUED

Owner: Dana Town President: Ben Kirkland VP Sales: Chris Taylor Regional Directors of Operations: Ken Motzenbecker, Rob Crockett Roadrunner Intermodal Services, a subsidiary of Roadrunner Transportation Systems (RRTS), provides support to a national network of 26 terminals strategically located at major rail and port operations offering flexible and responsive drayage service. The company’s philosophy is founded a high standard of service to customers, commitment to and from employees, and an ethical approach to conducting business. Their mission is to provide the shipping community with a high-quality drayage carrier that is national in scope, while offering value-added services to enhance customer’s logistics experience.

Mt Pleasant, SC / rrts.com

SEA Wire and Cable, Inc. supplies wire, cable, heat shrinkable tubing, connectors, backshells, termination devices, molded shapes, and other harness creation/protection devices to the military and commercial aerospace markets.

Madison, AL / sea-wire.com

Director: Mike Fuller Executive VP: Rodney Rushing VP and CFO Bud Foshee Senior VP- Private Banking: Chris Robbins ServisFirst is a full-service commercial bank focused on providing business and personal financial services through competitive products and state-of-the-art technology. As of December 31, 2015 the Bank has accumulated over $5.1 billion in assets.

Birmingham, AL servisfirstbank.com

President: Michael C Rogers Sec/Treas/Exec VP: Steven A Willard Rogers & Willard is recognized as a leading builder in the southeast for diverse construction services.

Their theme “Built Lean. Build Smart,” is the backbone of their philosophy. A small, streamlined group, Rogers & Willard is able to complete for projects in a highly cost-efficient manner. A veteran group, they have the experience to take advantage of intelligent, cost-saving opportunities without diluting standards. “When you build smart, you can handle even the most difficult projects… on strict timetables… on budget.”

Mobile, AL / rogerswillard.com

President & CEO: Jeff Huntley, Sr General Manager: Jeffery Huntley, Jr Customer Service Manager: Stephanie Wellman / Industrial Design Specialist: Philip Denton T-H Marine Supplies is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of parts and accessories for recreational boats. Manufacturing and distributing over 3,000 products sold by major boating and fishing accessory retailers, the familyowned business employs over 125 people in three plants.

Huntsville, AL / thmarine.com

President: John Watson Torch provides engineering services and solutions to the Department of Defense in weapon system performance, modeling and simulation, information technology, manned and unmanned aviation, test and evaluation, and technology research and development. Employee-owned, the company has ten locations in six states. In 2015, annual revenues were close to $232 million.

Huntsville, AL / torchtechnologies.com

Owners: Bryan Stone and Mitchell Martin Stone Martin Builders is a regional leader in building energy-efficient homes that feature luxury designs, quality, and value. SMB gives homeowners what they want—energy savings that will be enjoyed for the life of the home and standard features that include the very best materials, design, and finishes.

Opelika, AL stonemartinbuilders.com

President: Robert A Wilson VP/Sales Manager: James R Wilson Secretary/Sales: Mark A Wilson Wilson Lumber supplies Huntsville area homeowners, builders, and remodelers with quality products, excellent service, and competitive prices.

Huntsville, AL / wilsonlumber.net

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Logo over stock photo of parking Lot

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Three teams that participated in last year’s inaugural Tiger Cage competition have successfully launched. The three startup companies are completely different, yet they all provide services that make life a little easier.

T

he 2015 grand prize winner, PARKING GRID TECHNOLOGIES, was founded by AU engineering students to help drivers find vacant parking spaces.

The company recently earned an additional $12,500 in funding while competing at Baylor University’s New Venture Competition for college student-led startups.

Never again drive around looking for open parking spots with Parking Grid Technologies’ SmartSpot app, which allows motorists to locate the closest vacant parking space. In sensorenabled lots, drivers can see live data of parking availability. A SmartSpot iOS app will soon be available.

Auburn University has purchased 30 Top Tigers 2016

the SmartSpot system for the company’s pilot program. The system will be tested on a parking lot on campus with the goal to expand to all Auburn University parking lots.

“SmartSpot has been a success for us, but it is just the starting point. This pilot program at Auburn has given us incredible experience in what it takes to implement our product,” says CEO and cofounder Jonathan Philip, an undergraduate student at Auburn University studying mechanical engineering with a minor focusing on engineering management and product innovation. “As we look to the future, we hope to expand to more campuses, as well as move into private city parking facilities across the nation. We believe by creating strategic partnerships and the right hustle, we will be able to become

a serious player in the smart parking industry,” says Philip.

Parking Grid Technologies COO and cofounder Alex Wakefield is involved in the same fields of study at Auburn University as Philip. The company’s founding member and CTO Brandon Eidson received his PhD in electrical engineering at Auburn University in 2015.

Philip says the Tiger Cage competition provided the momentum and encouragement needed to start the company. “We learned valuable skills in pitching and evaluating our business model that created a foundation on which to move forward,” he says.

Other winning teams in the 2015 Tiger Cage competition were SIMPLYPROSE, an online platform for writers, and Tennibot, a robotic

roaming tennis ball collector. And both were among the six finalists at Alabama Launchpad, a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama that supports entrepreneurship.

SimplyProse received $40,000 in funding from Alabama Launchpad and exhibited at TechCrunch Disrupt’s Start-Up Alley in San Francisco, one of the world’s premier startup conferences. With its winnings from Lauchpad, SimplyProse plans to fund its marketing endeavors, both digital and traditional, and further expand its user base.

Writing can be a lonely endeavor— but not with SimplyProse. SimplyProse provides an online space for writers to write with others. Live-editing capabilities are offered, along with the means to connect with other writers and work in teams.

“Tiger Cage provided us with invaluable resources and knowledge on how to effectively explain a business model,” notes SimplyProse founder and AU finance major Jacob Wright. “Our mentors helped greatly and I don’t think we would have had

the success we’ve had thus far without the platform to fail, learn and grow,” he says. Wright says the concept for SimplyProse originated out of a love for writing and identifying the confusion experienced by online writing communities.

“We found that the average writer has difficulties in receiving helpful feedback and in connecting with more experienced professionals who can further advance their writing careers.

Writers are continually looking to grow through collaboration and perspective.

Our goal is to provide a platform where that growth can take place.”

TENNIBOT is a company that has come to the rescue for tennis players who enjoy the game but hate picking up the balls. Now, there’s no need to waste time collecting balls rolling all over the court thanks to the company’s robotic roaming tennis ball collector.

The patent-pending device uses sophisticated sensors, an exclusive ball collecting mechanism, and an open source object-identification algorithm to easily collect balls in a short amount of time. Tennibot can carry up to 120 tennis balls and works on all

court surfaces.

In addition, the company has unveiled wearable tracking technology called Perform—the only tennis tracker on the market that allows tennis players to upload coaching data into an app and compare their shots with others.

Within the next few years, the goal is to finalize the products, start selling them online through distributors and eventually launch international sales.

“We believe that Tennibot and Perform will revolutionize the way people have been playing tennis for years,” says CEO and founder Haitham Eletrabi, an avid tennis player himself. Eletrabi is also a post-doctoral researcher in Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

“Tiger Cage helped us refine our business model, understand our potential customers, and focus our financial forecasts,” Eletrabi says. “In addition to the prize money, the mentoring we received was a key factor in our progress.”

BY JESSICA ARMSTRONG

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SOCIAL & LUNCHEON

32 Top Tigers 2016

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This team approach helps us deliver more strategic thinking for our clients throughout their financial lives.

During his 30-year career, Ken DeWitt has served over 150 companies with revenues from $1 million to $50+ million as a trusted advisor through his CPA and interim CFO practices.

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Since 1978, FIGG has utilized the latest proven design methods, developed exceptional designs, and provided superior construction engineering and inspection. Their mission is to create bridges that are cost effective, have a longer life, respect the environment, and are aesthetically pleasing. profits, cash flows, banker relationships, and quality of life for the owners.

ServisFirst is a full-service commercial bank focused on providing business and personal financial services through competitive products and state-ofthe-art technology. As of December 31, 2015 the Bank has accumulated over $5.1 billion in assets.

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36 Top Tigers 2016