TAMPA, FL – Feb. 2, 2018 – Seven University of South Florida alumni age 35 and younger will be recognized as Outstanding Young Alumni for their exceptional professional and charitable contributions.
The award recipients boast an array of accomplishments, from a lawyer committed to philanthropy and public service, to a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player who has excelled in business and charity, to visionary entrepreneurs changing the marketplace through innovation and tenacity. They will receive their awards on May 18, 2018 at a special ceremony followed by a panel discussion during which they’ll share some of their secrets for success.
USF’s Outstanding Young Alumni for 2018 are:
Hannibal L. Baldwin, Finance ’11, USF St. Petersburg – co-founder and co-CEO of award-winning tech company SiteZeus; co-founder of the popular Yogurtology franchise; and co-founder of B3 Ventures private equity and venture capital fund
R. Grant Baxley, Management Information Systems ’07 – founder and CEO of TeleVoIPs, a Tampa-based telecom company serving businesses across the country; named Emerging Technology Leader of the Year, Technology Connector of the Year, and earned TeleVoIPs a USF Fast 56 award for growing businesses
Vincent Terrell Jackson, Management ’16 – former San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver; co-owner of multiple successful Tampa Bay businesses including CTV Capital real estate investment firm and Cask Social Kitchen; founder-president of Jackson in Action 83 Foundation, a Pro Players Insiders Top 10 NFL Player Foundation
Maja Lacevic, English and International Studies ’09 – arrived in the United States as a Bosnian war refugee and is now a business transactions and health care attorney with Trenam Law; has been steadfast in her dedication to service through groups including USF Women in Leadership and Philanthropy and the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Division
Reuben Pressman, Entrepreneurship ’11, USF St. Petersburg – founder and CEO of Presence, an education technology platform used by more than 100 higher educational institutions to increase student engagement, graduation rates, and workforce readiness; also deeply involved in community nonprofits and economic development in St. Petersburg
Joel Raney, Civil Engineering ’11 – CEO of Raney’s Inc., an online retailer of custom accessories for trucks that has made repeat appearances on Inc. 5000’s list of fastest-growing companies and is a two-time top 25 USF Fast 56 award recipient; founder of South Florida Strong, a USF apparel company
Dr. Venessa Walker, Biomedical Sciences ’04 – chiropractic physician, owner of Walker Chiropractic and Wellness Center and an international health and wellness speaker dedicated to numerous charitable causes, from work with USF alumni groups to religious groups to civic groups, including Boys and Girls Clubs and the Fort Lauderdale Chapter of the Links, Inc.
About the USF Alumni Association
The USF Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of former students and friends of the University of South Florida. The association helps USF’s 325,000 alumni stay connected and provides meaningful ways for USF Bulls to support, promote and protect their university. For more information, visitwww.usfalumni.org, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USFalumni or follow us on Twitter @USFAlumniAssn.
About the USF Outstanding Young Alumnus Award
The USF Outstanding Young Alumnus Award was established in 2004 to annually recognize young alumni who have demonstrated emerging and unique innovation, creativity and success in their careers. An awards ceremony and panel discussion featuring the 2018 recipients is planned for 6 p.m. May 18 at the Gibbons Alumni Center in Tampa. Tickets are $50 and go on sale March 1 at www.usfalumni.org/oyaa.