Staff Writer
Elite Central Florida was created in 2022 to celebrate the most elite organizations in the Central Florida region. We acknowledge businesses, non-profit organizations, and community leaders that focus on supporting, enriching, and going above and beyond in their communities. Are you ready to meet the winners?
Category: Elite Community Business – Large Business
Winner: FBC Mortgage
Joe Nunziata is the Co-CEO and president of FBC Mortgage – you will know of his company if you have been at any community event, concert, or game at the UCF Stadium. Joe invests in more than community assets; he sponsors our local police and first responders financially and through his vast network. He sits on the boards and supports the FBC Mortgage Foundation, Blue Line, Orange County, Seminole County, and Osceola County Sheriff Foundation. His service to those who serve our community embodies what a community leader should be.
Category: Elite Community Business – Midsize Business
Winner: Schellman
Avani Desai is the CEO of Schellman & Company, LLC. She serves and volunteers throughout Central Florida with a focus on helping women and children. Avani is one of the most powerful women in business in Central Florida. She and her family also create a positive impact by volunteering at soup kitchens on holidays, ensuring local children have gifts under the tree at Christmas, and never feel left out during any holiday. She uses her network to ensure that kids who need school supplies or extra meals are taken care of.
Category: Elite Community Business – Minority Owned
Winner: Ms. Corporate America
The Ms. Corporate America Organization, LLC (MCAO) is a business-friendly competition honoring corporate professionals, business leaders, and CEOs. Our unique platform gives professional women a national stage to promote themselves, highlight their company, and serve their community. They promote self-development by helping contestants enhance self-confidence, strengthen leadership skills, and accomplish personal and professional goals while also establishing lasting friendships with other professional women.
Category: Elite Community Business – Small Business
Winner: Dance It Studio
Dance It Studio Orlando has been doing business in Central Florida for the past 11 years, positively changing lives one step at a time.
Category: Elite Community Business – Veteran-Owned
Winner: Sandberg and Associates
Sandberg and Associates Private Investigations is a private investigation company providing good ethics and morals by helping families work on their cases.
Category: Elite Community Business – Women-Owned
Winner: Michelle Markey
Michelle Markey is making waves! Between being Ms. Titusville Petite, working with a women’s empowerment organization, and starting her own non-profit to help families with kids with special needs, Michelle is remarkable! Michelle is starting a non-profit to assist families with kids who have special needs. She is a single mom, raising a special needs kiddo, and very passionate that families get the support and community they need. She is also active in mentoring a local teen, volunteering, and speaking to youth about women’s empowerment.
Category: Elite Community Hero – Non-profit Leader
Winner: Danielle Adams
Danielle Adams is a community leader, influencer, and radio host. She has been featured on Tamron Hall and in Ebony Magazine for her input on beauty culture and self-esteem. She has received awards for decreasing racial biases from local non-profits. She has also worked with community leaders to decrease racial bias in Sanford, FL. She is passionate and uses her influence to bring organizations together to make a change. Danielle Adams is on the board of the Picnic Project, a non-profit that works to build food security in Sanford. The Picnic Project provides grocery assistance and community meals to families and advocates for a healthy and vibrant local food shed.
Category: Elite Community Non-Profit
Winner: Innocent Lives Foundation
The Innocent Lives Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit whose mission is to identify anonymous child predators to help bring them to justice. They work closely with law enforcement to help locate, track, and identify people who create child abuse material or traffick children.
Category: Elite Medical Practice
Winner: K2 Medical Research
At K2 Medical Research, people come first. Clinical research is perceived to be invasive, impersonal, and cold. K2 has made it its mission to drop this outdated stigma and begin a new standard of how clinical trials are delivered, a standard founded on respect, compassion, and warmth. They aim to give their patients a sense of autonomy, equity, and dignity and provide tools that will allow them to advocate for their health using the latest advancements in the industry.
Category: Elite Travel Destination
Winner: Westgate Resorts
Westgate Resorts was founded in 1982 and operates as a subsidiary of Central Florida Investments, Inc. (CFI). Starting with a 16-unit resort at Westgate Vacation Villas, it now encompasses more than 14,000 villas at 22 beautiful resorts in premiere travel destinations throughout the United States. Employing about 10,000 people, Westgate Resorts has expanded into the largest privately held corporation in the Central Florida area.
Winners receive their awards at the inaugural Elite Central Florida Social Awards. Photo Credit: Joe Brooks Photography
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