Studs from the swamp

As Florida's land grant school, the University of Florida has a role to create business leaders statewide.

It's succeeding in that mission. In its second annual Gator100, the university recognized the 100 fastest-growing Gator-owned or Gator-led companies nationwide. This year, 13 Gulf Coast-based businesses made the top 100, ranked by compound annual growth rates from 2012 through 2015. In addition to being led by a UF alum at the founder or ownership level, companies on the list must have been in business for five years or more as of Oct. 1 and have had verifiable annual revenues of at least $250,000 in 2012.

The growth rates on the list range from 147.49% (Fort Lauderdale-based Orangetheory Fitness) to 22.73% (Middleburg-based Artsy Abode). Among Gulf Coast companies, Cabinets.com achieved the most rapid growth, with a rate of 125.97%. That firm ranked fourth overall.