Warrington alumni represent about 40% of the 2022 Gator100 companies
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida recognized the 2022 Gator100 honorees on Friday, April 22 during its first in-person ceremony in almost two years, including 45 Warrington alumni who were represented on the list.
Presented by the UF Alumni Association, the Gator100 honors the 100 fastest-growing Gator-owned or Gator-led businesses in the world. The event serves not only as a setting where UF’s elite entrepreneurs can gather and share their talents and wisdom, but as an inspiration to fellow Gators to be a part of this exclusive group.
Warrington alumni made up a solid portion of the businesses honored as part of the Gator100, with 39 of the 100 companies on the list led or owned by Business Gators.
Three of the companies in the Gator100 top 10 were Business Gator led or owned, including No. 1 Onicx Group (Vice President Arjun Choudhary), No. 2 Bearbottom Clothing (Founder Robert Felder and Director of Operations Megan Simon) and No. 9 Invisors (Partner Keith Diego). Of the top 20 Gator100 companies, eight are led or owned by Warrington alumni.
Since the first Gator100 eight years ago, four companies whose leaders have roots at Warrington have been on the list for several years. Skye Perry’s SSP Innovations (No. 26) has been on the list for seven years. Abode Luxury Rentals (No. 73), co-founded by Rob Alday, has been on the list for six years. AspireEDU (No. 24), of which Don VanDemark is CTO, and JWB Real Estate Capital (No. 50), led by Alex Sifakis, Gregg Cohen, Adam Rigel and Adam Eiseman, have been on the list of five years.
Even into the second year of the pandemic, Gator100 honorees totaled $3.9 billion in earned revenues. Almost half of the companies on the list, 47 in total, were first time recipients of the Gator100 award. Twenty-nine of the alumni on the list hold two or more degrees from UF. The earliest class year represented on the list is 1969 and the most recent is 2018. There are 75 companies in Florida represented on the list, with South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia being the home to many other businesses on the Gator100.
Gator100 companies have been in business for at least five years and have annual revenues of $250,000 or more. The Gator100 is ranked by compound annual growth rate (CAGR), which is used to determine year- over-year growth over the past three years. CAGR is determined by global accounting firm Ernst & Young, which ensures confidentiality of financial submissions and the integrity of the Gator100. View the complete list of Gator100 honorees.
To qualify for the Gator100, companies must have been in business for five years or more as of Oct. 29, 2021 and have had verifiable annual revenues of $250,000 or more every year since 2018.
Additionally, a UF alumnus or alumni must have met one of the following three leadership criteria:
- Owned 50 percent or more of the company
- Served as the company’s chief executive
- Founded the company and been active as a member of the most senior management team
