CEO Shirl Penney: From the depths of poverty to running a billion-dollar business

Shirl Penney’s life — from homeless teen to founding a $90 billion financial services company — is a made-for-Hollywood story. It’s also a story of grit, guts and grandfatherly lessons.

  • By Louis Llovio
  • | 5:00 a.m. March 22, 2024
  • | 0 Free Articles Remaining!
Shirl Penney is the founder of Dynasty Financial Partners now based in St. Petersburg.
Shirl Penney is the founder of Dynasty Financial Partners now based in St. Petersburg.
Photo by Mark Wemple
  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
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Shirl Penney was born in Eastport, Maine, when his mother was 16.

Chances are, he says, she would have put him for adoption if not for his step-grandfather, Clarence Townsend, who took him in. The man was 60 years old, completely broke, handicapped and only had a fourth-grade education.

 

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