AeroStar Named One of 50 Florida Companies to Watch

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August 4, 2019
News Release
For Immediate Release

50 FLORIDA COMPANIES YOU WILL WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO

— Entrepreneurial styles, corporate cultures give these second-stage companies competitive advantages—

KISSIMMEE, Florida, August 4, 2019— AeroStar Training Services is pleased to announce 50 statewide companies expected to see significant growth over the next several years. AeroStar was selected to be included on this list from more than 500 nominees for Florida Companies to WatchSM, a statewide program managed by economic development group GrowFL, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation.  

AeroStar’s management team, competitive market position, and strong community involvement were among several factors that put them in contention for the award.   

“These stand-out companies are all led by entrepreneurs, and have demonstrated their capacity and intent to grow,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, GrowFL executive director. “They also all have critical intellectual property or a niche position that gives them a competitive edge in their markets,” he said. 

Deidra Toye, AeroStar’s owner and CEO said, “We are grateful for this opportunity to be recognized by GrowFL for our contribution to the aviation industry and to Central Florida’s economy. We look forward to continuing to partner with the community and other aviation organizations to train world-class pilots and overcome the existing pilot shortage.” 

Joining AeroStar on the Florida Companies to Watch list are the following Florida-based businesses:

Company Name City County Primary Business
Accelirate, Inc. Sunrise Broward Information Technology
ADVOS Legal, PLLC Ponte Vedra Beach St. Johns Legal Services
AeroStar Training Services, LLC Kissimmee Osceola  Transportation and Warehousing
Align Business Advisory Services Winter Park Orange Finance and Insurance
Beryl Project Engineering Tampa Hillsborough Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
BioDerm, Inc. Largo Pinellas Manufacturing
Centerline Brackets St. Augustine St. Johns Manufacturing 
Cottrell Title & Escrow Naples Collier Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Crevalle Boats Wildwood Sumter Manufacturing
Davis Industrial Tampa  Hillsborough Manufacturing
Dedicated IT Riviera Beach Palm Beach Information Technology 
EarthBalance North Port Sarasota Other Services (except Public Administration) 
ECHO UES, Inc. Tampa Hillsborough Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
Express Freight, Inc. Orlando Orange Transportation and Warehousing 
FLYMOTION Tampa Hillsborough Information Technology 
FutureCow Sanford Seminole Manufacturing
Global Jetcare, Inc. Brooksville Hernando Health Care and Social Assistance
Kira Labs, Inc. Pompano Beach Broward Manufacturing 
MagicalButter.com Port Richey Pasco Manufacturing
MAS Environmental, LLC Tampa Hillsborough Waste Management and Remediation Services 
McCormick Stevenson Corporation Clearwater Pinellas Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
Mettauer Environmental Alva Lee Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 
Mother Kombucha St. Petersburg Pinellas Manufacturing
National Drug Screening, Inc. Melbourne Brevard Other Services (except Public Administration) 
Neobroadband, Inc. Doral Miami-Dade Telecommunications
OCULUS Surgical, Inc. Port St. Lucie St. Lucie Manufacturing 
OIT, LLC Miami Lakes Miami-Dade Telecommunications
OnMed, LLC Clearwater Pinellas Health Care and Social Assistance
OnPay Solutions, Inc. Jacksonville  Duval Information Technology 
PeakActivity Boynton Beach Palm Beach Computer Systems Design and Related Services
Pepine Realty Gainesville Alachua Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Powerful Foods, LLC Miami Miami-Dade Retail Trade
Probability and Statistics, Inc. Palm Bay Brevard Information Technology
Raider Outboards, Inc. Titusville Brevard Scientific Research and Development 
Rudram Engineering, Inc. Rockledge Brevard Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 
SiteREADY Tampa Hillsborough Information Technology
Smart Baking Company Sanford Seminole Accommodation and Food Services
Solar Stik, Inc. St. Augustine St. Johns Scientific Research and Development 
Steamroller Studios  Mount Dora Lake Arts, Entertainment and Recreation 
StrataPT, LLC Osprey Sarasota Administrative and Support Services 
TeleVoIPs Brandon Hillsborough Telecommunications
The Lunz Group Lakeland Polk Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 
TheraPeeds Family Center Davie Broward Health Care and Social Assistance
Tomahawk Robotics Melbourne Brevard Computer Systems Design and Related Services
Total Nutrition Technology Leesburg Lake Manufacturing 
VeraData Fort Myers Lee Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
Vistra Communications Lutz Hillsborough Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
Waypoint Contracting, Inc. Miami Miami-Dade Construction
WestCMR, LLC Clearwater Pinellas Other Services (except Public Administration) 
Wild Florida Kenansville Osceola Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

“This list recognizes second-stage Florida companies with passionate leaders who are making a difference in growing and diversifying our economy,” said Jennifer Barrows, GrowFL Chairman of the GrowFL Advisory Board and Business Development Executive with WithumSmith+Brown, PC.  Second-stage companies are defined as those with 6 to 150 full-time employees and between $750,000 and $100 million in annual revenue. There are many programs and incubators promoting start-up businesses; GrowFL is the only Florida program that focuses exclusively on second-stage companies.

From 2015 through 2018, these companies generated $923 million in revenue and added 935 employees, reflecting a 123.9% increase in revenue and 131% increase in jobs for the four-year period. That translates into a 31% average annual revenue growth and 32.2% average annual growth in employees.

These companies projected continued growth in 2019, with a 34.8% revenue increase and 36.8% growth in employees compared to 2018. If their projections hold, these companies will have generated $1.38 billion in revenue and added 1,541 employees over the last five years — a 201.9% increase in revenue and 216% increase in jobs since 2015.

Companies named to the list will be officially recognized at the 9th Annual Florida Companies to Watch Celebration on November 14, 2019 at the Hard Rock Live, Universal City Walk in Orlando, FL.  Tickets are on sale now for the awards ceremony.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.growfl.com/flctw19/about-flctw/

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About AeroStar Training Services:

AeroStar Training Services is located in the Greater Orlando area, in the heart of Kissimmee, Florida. AeroStar provides the highest quality initial pilot training, ATP-CTP, Airbus & Boeing Type Ratings for the global aviation industry by delivering tangible, timely, and cost effective results. AeroStar was founded by a team of experienced aviation professionals in 2008 with a vision that aviation training should be affordable, state-of-the-art, and provide an enjoyable learning experience for all students. We focus on the highest quality training, yet making it affordable and flexible, to meet the needs of our customers’ busy schedules.

AeroStar Training Services
Media Contact: Robin Frey, Director of Marketing

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (407) 888-9011  

AboutGrowFL:

GrowFL is dedicated to support and accelerate the growth of second-stage companies throughout Florida, by providing their leaders focused, efficient, and timely access to resources they deem important, such as connections with other second-stage company leaders, and to professional organizations whose expertise, experience, and products lead to the second-stage company’s continued growth and prosperity resulting in diversification and growth of Florida’s economy.  Second-stage growth companies have at least 10 employees and a $1 million in revenue and possess an intent and desire to grow beyond second-stage.  Website: growfl.com https://www.growfl.com/flctw19/about-flctw/

About the Edward Lowe Foundation: 

Established in 1985, the Edward Lowe Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship through research, recognition and educational programs, which are delivered through entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs). The foundation focuses on second-stage companies — those that have moved beyond the startup phase and seek significant, steady growth. In addition, the foundation has a second mission of land stewardship and is committed to preserving the natural resources and historically significant structures at Big Rock Valley, its 2,000-acre home in southwest Michigan.

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