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)
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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.
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SOMETHING SURPRISING
| I drink six Diet Cokes a day.
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FLORIDA ISSUE
| Proper training of manufacturing employees
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STAYING FIT
| I work out every morning at 5 a.m. I do 30 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of weight training.
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