NFL star buys into Tampa firm

TAMPA — Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has bought an ownership stake in VertiMax, a locally based athletic training system company.

Terms of the deal weren't released. However, in a release, Rice says he has used VertiMax for five years. “I'm excited to be a part-owner of a company that is going to change everything and make a real difference providing athletes new ways to develop their abilities and at the same time open up opportunities for athletes of all ages everywhere,” Rice says in the release. “I've been completely sold on the VertiMax for years as it is the best product I've ever used to develop my power and speed. So you can imagine I was pretty excited when VertiMax approached me with this opportunity.”

Tampa-based VertiMax founder and CEO Mike Wehrell, a former football player at the University of Florida, built the VertiMax system to help athletes build up leg power, speed and vertical jumping ability. “We are very excited to have Ray buy into our company and its vision,” Wehrell says in the release. “Ray told me that he wished that he had a VertiMax when he was growing up and that the youth athletes he works with that also use VertiMax are always excited about what VertiMax has done for their speed and vertical.”