The top three finalists from the new program, organized by �鶹ӳ����ý Alumni, are creating jobs, strengthening communities and introducing innovative approaches in industries ranging from health care and hospitality to technology, finance and motorsports.

Their origin stories are shaped by education, family, friendships, unexpected career turns and the ability to adapt. �鶹ӳ����ý helped the Ever Upward honorees build the knowledge, relationships and confidence to turn their ideas into impact. Rodney M. Grabowski, �鶹ӳ����ý’s senior vice president for and CEO of the �鶹ӳ����ý Foundation, connected the honorees’ work to the university’s founding mission.

“�鶹ӳ����ý was founded to support the space program … to launch humanity even further. And that spirit still defines us today,” Grabowski says. “We’re launching students into careers and leadership positions in every industry. We’re launching ideas from our classrooms and labs into the real world.”

Recognizing Excellence

Ever Upward is �鶹ӳ����ý’s first program recognizing the fastest-growing Knight-owned and Knight-led businesses around the world. The 2026 rankings were based on cumulative percentage revenue growth over a consecutive three-year period, using calendar years 2022 through 2024.

Explore ways to

�鶹ӳ����ý Alumni accepted applications in January before announcing the top 25 finalists in June. Companies were ranked by percentage of cumulative annual growth in revenue. The final rankings were revealed at a special celebration in August.

Grabowski says, “The success of Knight-led businesses is part of the momentum shaping �鶹ӳ����ý’s future. Through the university’s $3.5 billion campaign, �鶹ӳ����ý is investing in people, ideas, research and partnerships that will help bring tomorrow within reach.”

“These companies demonstrate the transformational power of entrepreneurship,” says Mike Harding, �鶹ӳ����ý associate vice president for partnerships. “As they grow, their success creates opportunities for employees, strengthens the industries and communities they serve and inspires other entrepreneurs to pursue their own ideas.”

Learn more about this year’s top three finalists. 

No. 3: Reception 24/7

Ryan Rapolti ’11MBA, founder and CEO of Reception 24/7, traces his approach to leadership to experiences he had at home.

Rapolti watched his mother return to college while raising a family, which shaped his understanding of perseverance. His stepfather’s work in vocational rehabilitation also influenced his belief that business can be a vehicle for helping people.

Those influences became part of the foundation for Reception 24/7, which provides around-the-clock answering services for businesses. As artificial intelligence reshapes customer service, the company combines aspects of that technology with human support so clients can remain responsive and accessible. Rapolti applies the same people-first philosophy to the company’s workplace culture.

For Rapolti, innovation begins with understanding what both clients and employees need, then using technology to strengthen rather than replace human connection.

“You take away so many things from the �鶹ӳ����ý experience — not just what you learn in a textbook or from the professor, but from the people sitting next to you,” says Rapolti. “I am so excited to have been in the top three. Being able to grow quickly is great. Hopefully it will allow us to hire more �鶹ӳ����ý graduates and continue to do great things with the university.”

No. 2: Sebring Driving Club

Four years ago, W. Paul Jones ’94 had a choice to make: accept his fate or pivot.

Jones was the longtime managing director of the Palm Beach Driving Club before the historic raceway shuttered its gates in 2022. When an opportunity to purchase the Sebring International Raceway appeared in front of him, Jones decided to take action.

Jones, who had extensive hospitality management experience, returned to his longtime interest when he founded the Sebring Driving Club, creating memorable experiences in the form of a private driving community. The club gives members access to Sebring International Raceway and a place to connect through a shared interest in motorsports.

By turning the traditional track experience into a year-round membership community, Jones found a new business model.

Jones challenges aspiring entrepreneurs to take the leap and dare to chart their own paths forward.

“Don’t be afraid to fail,” says Jones. “Start your company and keep on going. Go at it with passion.”

No. 1: Coastal Investment Company

For Coastal Investment Company founders Keith Ahrens ’08, Travis Barr ’09, Tyler Bloechinger ’09 and Carey Sobel ’09, entrepreneurship was shaped by friendships that began at �鶹ӳ����ý.

The partners built a diversified investment company that acquires and grows businesses across multiple industries. Their model combines complementary expertise with a hands-on approach to identifying opportunities, supporting leadership teams and helping companies reach their next stage of growth.

They credit �鶹ӳ����ý with providing the mentors, networks and entrepreneurial environment that gave them the confidence to take risks and ultimately launch Coastal together. Those connections remain central to the company’s culture, from hiring fellow Knights and drawing talent from their �鶹ӳ����ý networks to mentoring students and young alumni.

“We met at �鶹ӳ����ý, continued on, kept in touch and pushed each other,” says Bloechinger. “Relationships are so important. People are what will lead to your success.”

Coastal’s approach shows how different perspectives and complementary strengths can create a more collaborative model for growth.

Celebrating the Top 25

Interested in Ever Upward? Details about the next application period, including eligibility for 2027 honorees, will be announced at .

See the final rankings below.

1. Coastal Investment Company

• Tyler Bloechinger ’09 

• Keith Ahrens ’08 

• Travis Barr ’09 

• Carey Sobel ’09 

2. Sebring Driving Club

• W. Paul Jones ’94 

3. Reception 24/7

• Ryan Rapolti ’11MBA

4. Orange Tree Staffing

• Mardly Smith ’95 

• Craig Smith ’94 

5. Quadrant Engineering, P.C.

• Rafiqul Chowdhury ’09 ’11MS 

6. Island Direct Primary Care

• John Rothwell III ’13 ’15MS ’18DNP

7. Martin Aquatic Design and Engineering

• Josh Martin ’07 

8. Maymont Senior Care

• Nichole Blake-Little ’15 

9. Boys Electrical Contractors

• Kyle Nylander ’02 ’09 

10. Brewlando

• Shara Sooknarine Pathak ’04

11. Qu5 Services, Inc.

• Zachary Quandt ’84 

12. I’m All Ears

• Shelby Roemer ’08

13. Strategos Group

• Adam Giery ’08 ’11MA 

14. CJS Communications

• Christopher Slaven ’13 

• Alexander Fackler Sr. ’11 

15. Space Coast Pool School

• Lauren Broom ’00 

16. Buckalew Hospitality

• David “Skee” Buckalew ’05

17. Knight Federal Solutions

• Chris Baeten ’03 

18. Boston Data Pro, LLC

• Rajeev Verma ’04MS

19. McGinniss Himmel Insurance Agency

• Allen McGinniss ’05

20. Threaded Marketing Group

• Kelly Jo Jefferis ’04 

21. Garney Construction

• Matthew Reaves ’05 

22. aVenue Event Group

• Sean Hughes Jr. ’10 

23. S Cook Productions, LLC

• Stacey Cook ’99 

24. Global Ktech

• Kannan Srinivasan ’96MS 

25. Kavaliro

• Mark Moore ’99 

• John Mahony ’96

• Diane Mahony ’96 ’01MEd 

• Bill Peppler ’96 

To celebrate that rise, �鶹ӳ����ý Alumni has launched Ever Upward: Fastest-Growing Knight Businesses — a new annual awards program honoring Knight-owned or -led companies demonstrating significant revenue growth, innovation and leadership.

Ever Upward is about more than recognition. It honors how far ideas can travel, and reminds the �鶹ӳ����ý community that ambition doesn’t end at graduation. For Knights in business, the direction has always been clear: ever upward.

“Ever Upward … shines a light on Knight-led businesses that are scaling with purpose.” — Rodney Grabowski, senior vice president for advancement and partnerships at �鶹ӳ����ý

“Our alumni are building companies that are growing rapidly and making a real impact in their industries and communities,” says Rodney Grabowski, �鶹ӳ����ý’s senior vice president for Advancement and Partnerships and CEO of the �鶹ӳ����ý Foundation. “Ever Upward recognizes success and the entrepreneurial drive behind it. This program shines a light on Knight-led businesses that are scaling with purpose.”

Honorees will be recognized at a signature awards event on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, bringing together alumni entrepreneurs, university leadership and business leaders to celebrate remarkable achievements and share insights.

Inspired by �鶹ӳ����ý’s unwavering charge to reach higher, Ever Upward acknowledges businesses whose growth reflects perseverance and vision. Recognition is based solely on verified financial performance over a three-year period — spotlighting companies that are truly rising.

Eligible businesses will be ranked by their cumulative percentage revenue growth across their 12-month reporting periods for 2022, 2023 and 2024. To ensure the highest levels of transparency and trust, all rankings will be independently tabulated, so recognition lands exactly where it’s earned.

Applications for the inaugural Ever Upward awards open Feb. 3 and close March 26.

Unlike traditional business awards that are driven by nominations or subjective criteria, Ever Upward is determined entirely by performance data. All financial information will be submitted directly to Carr, Riggs & Ingram — the program’s official tabulation partner and a nationally ranked accounting and advisory firm — ensuring confidentiality and independent verification throughout the process.

Applications for the inaugural Ever Upward awards will open Feb. 3. Eligible companies must have been in operation since at least January 2022, meet minimum revenue thresholds and be Knight-owned or led. 

“Our alumni don’t just represent �鶹ӳ����ý, they extend it,” says Michael Harding, �鶹ӳ����ý associate vice president for partnerships. “Ever Upward celebrates Knight-owned and Knight-led businesses whose leadership and momentum mirror the ambition of this university and uniquely position them to build powerful partnerships with �鶹ӳ����ý.”

The application deadline is Thursday, March 26, 2026. Finalists will be announced in early summer, with full rankings revealed at the August awards celebration.

For eligibility requirements and application details, visit the .

The new directors are Jim Adamczyk ’02 ’04MBA, Marshall Cohn ’11MS, Irene McNutt ’94 ’95MSA and Tom Riordan ’78 ’79MSEE. The new committee advisors are Ron Hancock ’78 and Todd Feintuch ’04.

“Welcoming new members to the �鶹ӳ����ý Foundation Board is one of the most energizing moments in our annual cycle,” says Board Chair Stuart Heaton. “These individuals bring with them not only a wealth of experience and insight, but also a shared passion for �鶹ӳ����ý’s mission and future. Together, we are shaping a legacy of purpose, progress and possibility.”

The �鶹ӳ����ý Foundation Board of Directors has six permanent standing committees. Hancock has been appointed to the governance committee and Feintuch to the investment committee. As the university continues to evolve and grow, these members, via their respective committees, will provide vital insight into the foundation’s governance activities and financial practices.

“These elections mark more than a routine transition — they reflect our commitment to bold leadership and a future defined by excellence,” says Rod Grabowski, senior vice president for advancement and partnerships and CEO of the �鶹ӳ����ý Foundation. “The individuals joining our board and committees embody the values, vision and momentum that define �鶹ӳ����ý. Their insight, influence and passion will help shape a legacy of innovation, philanthropy and impact that will resonate across generations of Knights to come.”

New �鶹ӳ����ý Foundation Directors and Advisors

Directors

Adamczyk, senior executive vice president/chief strategy officer, of FAIRWINDS Credit Union, brings two decades of financial leadership to the board. A �鶹ӳ����ý alum and former intern with FAIRWINDS, Adamczyk has been recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Orlando Business Journal and serves on numerous regional economic and nonprofit boards.

Cohn, co-founder of The Dunhill Companies, has over 30 years of experience in commercial real estate and has served as a valued resource to �鶹ӳ����ý’s real estate programs through the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate.

McNutt, a principal at Rehmann, is a leading authority in employee benefit plans and auditing services. She has been a trusted advisor in industries ranging from professional services to manufacturing and has mentored many through her leadership in accounting and finance.

Riordan, CEO of Aril Inc., is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur with a legacy of innovation in semiconductor development. Riordan has also demonstrated a strong commitment to giving back through the Thomas J. Riordan and Herbert C. Towle Endowed Professorship Fund at �鶹ӳ����ý.

Advisors

Hancock, a retired GE executive and consultant for The Total Innovation Group Inc., brings his organizational development expertise to the governance committee. Hancock also has a strong background in community and nonprofit service.

Todd Feintuch, executive vice president and chief wealth officer at Seacoast Bank, oversees wealth and trust services for high-net-worth clients. He brings more than two decades of experience in wealth management to the foundation’s investment committee.

With the addition of these six leaders, the �鶹ӳ����ý Foundation is poised to continue advancing its commitment to student success, faculty excellence and innovative partnerships across the region and beyond.

For more information about the foundation and its board of directors, visit .