Florida State University alumnus and Kennesaw State University lecturer John “JD” Doughney IV will deliver the keynote address at FSU’s 2025 Seminole 100 Celebration on Saturday, February 22, at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.
The annual Seminole 100 list and celebration recognizes the fastest-growing businesses owned or managed by FSU alumni and represents some of the most innovative and profitable companies in the U.S.
Doughney is a two-time FSU graduate with bachelor’s degrees in communication and political science (2002) and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication (2003). He also holds an MBA from Emory University and has a distinguished career that spans over two decades. He teaches international marketing, advertising, and social media at Kennesaw State University.
“I am honored to return to Florida State University to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and accomplishments of my fellow alumni,” Doughney said. “The Seminole 100 honorees exemplify the innovation, dedication, and leadership that make FSU alumni so exceptional.”
Before his position at Kennesaw State University, Doughney served as chief marketing officer at Bay Point Advisors, an Atlanta-based hedge fund with $1 billion in assets under management, where he led strategic growth initiatives to expand internationally and enhance brand presence.
Earlier in his career, Doughney held leadership roles at Coca-Cola Co. and Glaceau, where he helped scale the VitaminWater and Smart Water brands from a $175 million startup to over $1 billion in annual revenue. He also worked in brand marketing at Red Bull North America and E&J Gallo Winery. He also had an 11-year tenure at Meta, spearheading global partnerships with leading consumer packaged goods and automotive companies. He was instrumental in developing award-winning global advertising campaigns for top brands like Toyota and Coca-Cola. Under his leadership, Meta’s market cap grew from $50 billion to $1.5 trillion, and his team generated over $1.5 billion in annual revenue.
Of all the Seminole 100 honorees, 25 COSSPP alumni were recognized as among the fastest-growing, innovative, and profitable businesses owned or managed by Florida State University alumni. The list below, in alphabetical order, is unveiled at the annual celebration in ranked order, culminating with the announcement of the No. 1 alumni-owned business.
EY, a multinational financial services firm, verified the information submitted by each company and ranked the businesses based on compound annual growth rate over the last three years.
The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship is the presenting sponsor for Florida State University’s Seminole 100 Celebration, alongside the primary host, the FSU Alumni Association.
Tickets to the 2025 Seminole 100 are available at gonol.es/S100. For more information about the event, including sponsorship opportunities, visit seminole100.fsu.edu.
COSSPP 2025 Seminole 100 Honorees:
- Abyde, Tampa, FL – Matthew P. DiBlasi (B.S. ‘07)
- Agostino Utilities, Tallahassee, FL – Albert J. Augustine (B.S. ‘16)
- Carter and Leonardo Environmental Services LLC, Winter Haven, FL – James M. Leonardo (B.S. ‘18)
- Coastal Detox, Palm City, FL – Ross Tucker (B.S. ‘16)
- EnLight.Energy, Fort Pierce, FL – Julio D. Hernandez (B.S. ‘04)
- Evergreen Solutions, Tallahassee, FL – Jeffery Ling (B.S. ’94 & ’96)
- Excellere IT Services, Jacksonville, FL – Charlie Burnett (B.S, ‘17)
- Imperial Fence Supply, Signal Mountain, TN – Todd P. Jefferies (B.S. ‘02)
- Kupanda Capital, McLean, VA – Bobby J. Pittman (B.S. Degree ‘97)
- Caldwell Banker Hartung Realtor, Tallahassee, FL – Lisa B. Carey (B.S. ’90)
- Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, North Palm Beach, FL – Lake H. Lytal, Jr. (B.S. ’62)
- NDM Hospitality Services, Boca Raton, FL – Nicholas R. Falcone (B.S. ‘10)
- NLS Cleaning LLC, Tallahassee, FL – Nile H. Lawrence-Stample (B.S. ’15)
- OmniCon, Tallahassee, FL – Rachel Rippee (B.S. ’09)
- On The Ball, Oakland Park, FL – Marc Nudelberg (B.S. ’09)
- Professional Building Services, Lake Worth, FL – Craig Saxner (B.S. ’86)
- R&D Construction & Roofing, Miami, FL – Jovanny Roque (B.S. ’03)
- Revell Media, Tallahassee, FL – James Revell (B.S. ’09 & ’12)
- Sanchez Fischer Levine, Miami, FL – Fausto Sanchez (B.S. ’06)
- Sanchez Fischer Levine, Miami, FL – David M. Levine (B.S. ’07)
- SRI Management, Perry, FL – Donald W. Bishop, Jr. (B.S. ’05)
- TAL Search Group, Tallahassee, FL – John D. McFarlain (B.S. ’97)
- The Nieves Law Firm, APC, City, FL – ALUMNI NAME (B.S. ’13)
- Trulight, Crawfordville, FL – Mathue Briggs (B.S. ’17)
- Who We Play For, Tallahassee, FL – Kyle K. Easton (B.S. ’14)