Greater Philadelphia
Veteran Shark Tank BY JAN L. APPLE
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It is that experience and an unwavering passion that led Archawski to establish the Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network in 2011, the largest of its kind in the region. And shortly thereafter, in 2012, to create the Greater Philadelphia Veteran Shark Tank, modeled after the popular television show. On December 3, 2018, the 6th Annual Greater Philadelphia Veteran Shark Tank was held at the historic Union League on Broad Street. The keynote speaker at the sold-out event was war hero and retired United States Marine Corps Lt. Col. Justin Constantine. While in Iraq, Constantine suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Navy Corpsman and Marines saved his life. Today, he runs his own business as an inspirational speaker and veteran employment expert. The evening marked the kickoff to the region’s Army/Navy week. This was the ideal time to hold the event, explained Archawski, as many veterans and military supporters are already flocking to the city for a patriotic week. The Shark Tank is led by an eight-person committee, chaired by Joe Crandall, a veteran Navy Seal. Archawski serves on the committee along with veteran entrepreneurs and former contestants. The event is about much more than just winning a competition. The committee’s overriding mission is for veterans to succeed. The 2018 event’s presenting sponsor, Comcast-NBCUniversal, awarded a cash prize of $25,000 to US Coast Guard veteran James Rolin, who also serves in the Montana Army National Guard. He is co-founder with wife, US Coast Guard veteran Kathy Rolin, of Cowboy Cricket Farms. The Bozeman, Montana based business employs sustainable farming using crickets (insects) to manufacture certain food products. (Find them on the web at cowboycrickets.com.)
Photos Gary Altoonian
or as far back as he can recall, Alex Archawski has been driven to serve his country. The Navy veteran, 45, also understands—firsthand—the pain, frustration and challenges of searching for gainful employment.
L to R - David Gaulin (Comcast), Justin Constantine (USMC Veteran - Keynote Speaker), James Rolin (winner, 6th Annual Greater Philadelphia Veteran Shark Tank - co-founder of Cowboy Cricket Farms), Alex Archawski (founder of Veteran Shark Tank).
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12/19/18 9:01 AM