ROBERT SIRES
FOUNDER & CEO, AMERICAN ELITE MOLDING, CRESTVIEW
Sires started the company 21 years ago and has grown it from four employees to 175. The firm, which produces more than 1.5 billion cable ties a year, has more than $30 million in sales annually and expects to reach $50 million within the next few years. “We’ve had 15 straight years of double-digit growth,” Sires says. “We pay well above average, and we offer 100% funded employee health insurance and a matching 401(k) program. The recent expansion of our facility had a $16-million capital impact on the local community.” He serves on the board of the University of West Florida.
| EDUCATION | Quinnipiac University (BA) |
| PROFESSIONAL EVOLUTION | I started as an accountant, became a CPA and then decided to move to the entrepreneurial world some 30 years ago. My first company was what we call today a “disruptive” company in the offsite fueling industry. |
| SOMETHING SURPRISING | I drink six Diet Cokes a day. |
| FLORIDA ISSUE | Proper training of manufacturing employees |
| STAYING FIT | I work out every morning at 5 a.m. I do 30 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of weight training. |