BRIAN PHILPOT
CEO & PRINCIPAL OWNER, AGAMERICA LENDING, LAKELAND
AgAmerica, with about 100 employees, focuses on agricultural real estate financing and custom loan packages to suit the specific needs of American farmers. Philpot started his career as a lawyer, transitioned to real estate investor and then a portfolio manager. He founded AGAmerica a decade ago. In the past five years, the company — the only nationwide agricultural mortgage REIT in America — has quadrupled. “Agribusiness is volatile, but by providing flexible loans, we help farmers do what they do best — feed American families,” he says.
| EDUCATION | Florida State University (BS), University of Florida (JD) |
| CIVIC EFFORT | A group of us started an education think tank a few years ago to study the educational options in our community. We hired full-time staff and academics to collect and analyze the data regarding our local students, and we traveled the United States studying best practices to apply in our community. |
| SOMETHING SURPRISING | I used to sell newspapers door to door in college. It was one of the most influential jobs of my career. |
| READING | Resetting the Table, by Robert Paarlberg |