2022 Fast 56

THE USF ALUMNI LEADING the fastest-growing businesses in 2022 come from all corners of the university, from engineering and education to criminology, geology and psychology.

The best represented academic discipline this year? Accounting.

The 10th annual USF Fast 56 awards in September celebrated the 56 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by alumni. A nod to USF’s founding year, 1956, awards are based on revenue and independently tabulated and ranked by accounting firm and Alumni Association sponsor Cherry Bekaert. The 56 winning businesses don’t learn where they fall in the ranking until the event’s countdown to No. 1, making for a dramatic, high-energy evening.

“You’re a particularly special Fast 56 cohort because in 10 years, this program has grown into one of USF’s most popular recognition events. That makes for a lot of nominations – many hundreds this year – and some fierce competition,” emcee Bill McCausland, MBA ’96, Life Member, told the crowd. He’s vice president and executive director of the USF Alumni Association, which created and hosts the program.

This year, No. 1 went to Ideal Agent and its Bull leaders: founder and CEO Steve Johnston, co-founder and CTO Zavier Rodriguez, and co-founder and VP of IT Gavin Scott. Established in 2016, it’s the nation’s fastest-growing real estate services company.

The Fast 56 also includes two awards recognizing larger companies, which don’t tend to have the growth spurts favored by Fast 56 criteria. The Accelerator Award, for the company with the largest percentage of cumulative growth and more than $20 million dollars in annual revenue, went to PainTeq LLC and Charles Girsch, founder and executive vice president. The company ranked No. 1 in 2021.

The Apex Award recognizes the company with the highest annual revenue. This year’s recipient was Baldwin Risk Partners, or BRP, and its founding partner, Elizabeth Krystyn. The company provides insurance and risk management solutions. In August, BRP’s gift of $5.2 million to the Muma College of Business School of Risk Management and Insurance helped ensure a talent pipeline in the high-demand field and renamed the school.

The annual awards have launched the Fast 56 scholarship fund and forged new business alliances – one famously outlined on a cocktail napkin when two Bull business leaders met for the first time.

Nominations for the 2023 Fast 56 will open in the spring. Visit usfalumni.org/fast56 for updates.

Ideal Agent is a full-service real estate services company that makes the home-buying and selling process easy and profitable.

JVB Architect provides a wide range of professional services relating to development services, planning, design, interiors and leasing support services.

A medical device innovator, PainTEQ’s LinQ therapy aims to immediately provide clinical benefits to individuals living with incapacitating lower back pain.

On-it Construction is a full-service facility maintenance and management company servicing Florida and 42 other states.

Marketing Direction provides outsourced marketing teams to companies that demand world-class marketing but cannot justify the expense of a full-time marketing department.

Whether patients suffer from low libido, fatigue, mood swings or muscle loss, Matrix Hormones’ clinic tailors treatments to specifically meet their needs.

Baldwin Risk Partners is a collection of entrepreneurs and insurance professionals who deliver indispensable insurance and risk management solutions.

Westminster Pharmaceuticals provides high-quality generic pharmaceuticals that address health issues in key therapeutic areas

Pipas Law is a personal injury and civil litigation law firm with offices in St. Petersburg and Tampa.

Forno Nardona builds Italian-styled outdoor and indoor real fire brick pizza ovens for residential and commercial use.