MEET OUR Experts in residence
These individuals volunteer their time to help local entrepreneurs grow great businesses in our community.
MEET OUR EXPERTS IN RESIDENCE
Our mentor panel has a diverse set of backgrounds and experience. Among these 41 highly-skilled mentors, there is over 420 years of business ownership and 455 years as C-suite executives. These individuals are motivated by the opportunity to help the entrepreneurs and businesses in our community.
Bob Anderson
Senior Vice President, SunTrust now Truist Financial
Lew Anderson
Retired Navy Surface Warfare Office
Tosh Belsinger
Vice President of Development, Catalyst HRE
Cover Brooks
Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley
Jason Crawford
Founder, One In A Row Ventures
President, ARCO Marine, and AmCoat Industrial
Buddy Cummings
Co-founder and Partner, Cummings Camp Programs, LLC
Nikki Cummings
Co-founder and CEO, Cummings Camp Programs, LLC
Dean Dalrymple
Partner / Principal, Dalrymple Sallis Architecture
Robert L. Foster
Division Manager, Apogee.us Telecom
Rachael Gillette
President, Studer Community Institute
Sterling Gilliam
Director, National Naval Aviation Museum
Travis Goins
President, EBI Management Group
Dr. Jessica Griffen
Chairwoman and CEO, The Urban Development Center, Inc.
Ashton Hayward
President, Andrews Research & Education Foundation
Bob Hart
Retired Attorney
Chris Heaney
Deputy Supervisor of Elections for Operations, Escambia County, FL
Phil Higgins
Vice President, Cox Media Florida-Georgia-Alabama
James Hosman
Market President, Centennial Bank
Craig Hrabar
Business Consultant
Jerry Jackson
Retired, GM Deepwater Projects, Royal Dutch Shell
Kimeran Johnson
Chief People Officer, Studer Family of Companies
James Mann
CEO, M4 Sciences Corporation
University of West Florida, Mechanical Engineering (courtesy appointment)
Curt Morse
Vice President of Private Banking, The First Private Bank
Mike Myhre
Relationship Manager, FSA Advisory Group
Mort O’Sullivan
Retired Managing Member of the Gulf Coast Region Warren Averett, LLC CPAs & Advisors
Tom Patterson
CEO, The JETTY IoT
Lloyd Reshard
CEO, Cognitive Big Data Systems
John A. Rigsby
CEO, eduocity, LLC
Patrick Rooney
Director of Entrepreneurial Development, CO:LAB
Kristine Rushing
Risk Consultant, Rushing Insurance, LLC
Kathy Sandstrom
Retired Senior Partner, Heitman, LLC
Julie Sheppard
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel, IHMC
Jill Thomas
E-Commerce Specialist and Founder, Sole Sister Ramblers
Bert Thornton
Retired COO and Vice Chairman Emeritus, Waffle House, Inc.
Carlton Ulmer
Healthcare Advisor
David Uslan
Shareholder, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund
James Waters
Entrepreneur, Co-Founder and Forder CTO, Performance Matters
![Bill Wein 1 Cropped[70]](https://thespringpensacola.com/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Bill-Wein-1-Cropped70-e1664303770164-circle.jpg "Bill Wein 1 Cropped[70]")
Bill Wein
Executive Chairman, IMS Consulting and Expert Services
Walker Wilson
Executive Director, Downtown Improvement Board
President/Owner, Bay Lumber Trading
Janet Woolman
Chief of Business Operations & People Officer, OxeFit
Veronique Zayas
Founder and Creative Director, HatchMark Studio
In Memoriam
Rodney Jackson
Director of Business Engagement, Studer Community Institute / The Spring
Rodney, our dear friend and colleague, tragically passed away on August 9, 2022. As the Director of Business Engagement for The Spring / Studer Community Institute, Rodney helped 60+ local small business owners and entrepreneurs acquire capital and grow their business. He served as a trusted advisor and mentor to many in our community. Rodney came to SCI with more than 28 years of banking experience, which included leading retail and commercial teams. In addition, he held the role of SBA product manager. He was instrumental in serving on several boards to include the inaugural Board of Trustees for the Community Maritime Park, Escambia County Planning Board, Escambia Board of Adjustment, and the Pensacola CRA Advisory Board.
To learn more about Rodney's life and the legacy he leaves behind, click here.
The Spring VMS Program would not be possible without the support of our partners:
