SBC: Business Academy Seminar: Secrets for Success

The Small Business Council presents "Secrets for Success" as part of their Chamber Business Academy seminar series.  Enjoy lunch while hearing from some of Osceola County's most successful entrepreneurs.  Learn from their mistakes and triumphs and get their advice on anything and everything business!

The panelists:

Tom Franklin, KPM Franklin
Tom Franklin graduated from high school in 1957 before serving 4 years in the US Air Force.  He came to Osceola County in 1974 to serve as a V.P. & Project Manager for Landstar Homes.  In 1986 he founded Franklin, Hart, & Reid (now KPM Franklin), a Kissimmee civil engineering and land surverying firm of 74 employees.  He has served as Assistant Fire Chief of the Kissimmee Heights Volunteer Fire Department for 11 years, a member of Osceola Growth Management for 34 years, President of Help Now Osceola, Executive Director of the Osceola Legislative Effort, and as a member and Chairman of the Osceola County Planning Commission for 23 years.  He was twice appointed County Commissioner by the governor.

Linda Goodwin-Nichols, Goodwin Realty & Associates
Linda Goodwin-Nichols is the president of Goodwin Realty and has over four decades of experience in the Real Estate profession.  In addition, her community involvement in Osceola County has included terms as Mayor of the City of Kissimmee, Chairman of the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber Board of Directors, President of the Osceola County Association of Realtors, and City of Kissimmee Commissioner.

Atlee Mercer, Visions By Atlee
Atlee has lived in Osceola County for almost 30 years.  He has been a businessman for most of his life, primarily in software development, and has been elected Osceola County Commissioner and Osceola County Property Appraiser. He currently serves as Chairman of Osceola County Expressway Authority, the Community Advisory Committee for Metro Plan Orlando, and Osceola Regional Medical Center.

Mark McHugh, Gatorland
Mark McHugh holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and Master's degree in Marine Science frm the University of Texas at Austin.  Prior to becomig the CEO of Gatorland, he spent 13 years at Sea World as an animal trainer, researcher, and spokesperson.  He has served as Chairman of the Board of Visit Orlando, Experience Kissimmee, the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, and the Florida Attractions Association.  In 2010 he was inducted into the Central Florida Tourism Hall of Fame and in 2013 he received the Larson Lifetime Achievment Award for hospitality.  

Tom Tompkins, retired
Tom Tompkins founded Tompkins Development Company in 1972 and grew it to become the largest, privately-owned, single family detached homelbuilder in the state of Florida before he sold it to a Fortune 500 company.  He then founded Tompkins Heritage Homes, the largest privately owned homebuilder in the state of Florida, and now a division of KB Homes.  He is a co-founder of the Osceola Education Foundation, Community Vision, and the Valencia College Osceola Campus.  He is a former Chairman of the Kissimmee Planning and Zoning Board, the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, the Orlando Chamber of Commerce, and the Tourist Development Council of Osceola County.  He was governor-appointed to the Metropolitan Transporation Authority, Florida Housing Finance Agency, Education Blue Ribbon Task Force, and Work Force Development, among other committments and appointments.