BRYAN AYLSTOCK

Founding Partner, Aylstock Witkin Kries Overholtz, Pensacola

Aylstock has focused most of his law career on representing individuals injured by pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices and has grown the firm he founded in 2001 into a mass torts powerhouse.

EDUCATION: University of Florida’s Levin College of Law (JD), University of North Florida (BA)

FIRST JOB: I landed my first job at 14 as a dishwasher and later a busboy at a family-owned Italian restaurant in Jacksonville.

SOMETHING SURPRISING: I was a relatively shy kid growing up.

HOBBY/PASSION: Soccer is my hobby and my passion. I was fortunate to play collegiate soccer at University of North Florida and still play in pickup leagues today. All my children played or still play, and I think it is the most beautiful sport in the world to watch.

NONPROFIT PASSION: I love that Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the world’s poorest regions. Several years ago, my wife and children were invited to live aboard the Africa Mercy in Guinea, West Africa. Seeing the incredible volunteers — doctors, engineers, teachers — was life-changing. They treat conditions that are easily managed here but often go untreated elsewhere. It’s a powerful example of how nonprofits can truly make a difference.