Award Presented by GrowFL, in Association with the Edward Lowe Foundation
Honors Upcoming Second-Stage Businesses throughout Florida

Rockledge, Fla. (August 22, 2014) – SeaDek is proud to have been selected as one of fifty leading second-stage companies chosen from more than 500 nominations statewide, as this year’s Florida Companies to Watch^SM winners. All 2014 winners will join an esteemed group of 150 Florida alumni honored over the past three years.

Florida Companies to Watch
Presented by GrowFL, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation
Thursday, October 23, 2014
6:00 pm
Hard Rock Live, CityWalk
Orlando, Florida

Florida Companies to Watch is an awards program that celebrates privately held second-stage companies headquartered in the state. To be eligible, applicants must employ between 6 and 99 full-time equivalent employees and have between $750,000 and $50 million in annual revenue or working capital in place. Awardees are selected for demonstrating the intent and capacity to grow based on employee or sales growth, exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, sustainable competitive advantage, outstanding corporate culture, inspired community giving and other notable strengths.

“Florida Companies to Watch is honored to recognize another outstanding group of stage-two companies,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute and associate vice president for the University of Central Florida’s Office of Research and Commercialization. This is our fourth year of celebrating second-stage business leaders throughout the state of Florida. The companies selected for the Florida Companies to Watch awards program stand out among their peers as companies that should be celebrated. In Florida, they account for 5 percent of the companies and nearly 30 percent of the jobs. These companies make a difference and we’re happy to offer the recognition they deserve.”

“It is such a good feeling to be creating jobs again and providing a dynamic economic engine in our own community. We survived the recession and have come out the other side a stronger, better company.” – Jason Gardner, CoOwner and VP of Marketing and Advertising at SeaDek Marine Products

Florida Companies to Watch is unique because of its focus on second-stage companies and the wide-ranging industries they represent. The impact of these companies on Florida’s economy is immense, and this year’s honorees are examples of such companies in the state. Overall, the 2014 winners had $370 million in total annual revenue in 2013, which was a 36 percent increase in total annual revenue compared to 2012. They employed 1,757 full-time equivalent employees, with 462 net new jobs projected for 2014.

2014 Sponsors include Wells Fargo, TWSquared, University of Central Florida, Florida High Tech Corridor, atLarge, Inc., Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, Filmscape, OUC, AMTIS Inc., Enterprise Florida, Fifth Third Bank, Florida Power & Light, Insperity, LSQ Funding, Sorensen Moving & Storage, SunTrust, USF Connect. For more details on Florida Companies to Watch, visit  flctw.growfl.com or email info@growfl.com. Sponsorships for the 2014 event are still available.

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About SeaDek:
SeaDek manufactures a wide range of marine products for OEM boat builders,
after-market customers and marine retailers. SeaDek non-skid materials offer safe and comfortable alternatives to molded-in non-skid, paint-on textures and other marine traction products currently available.  Made from UV protected non- absorbent foam, SeaDek features an innovative, textured micro-dot surface for added non-slip characteristics or a unique brushed faux teak finish.

Formulated with an acrylic based high-bond 3M™ pressure sensitive adhesive, SeaDek’s robust, peel-and-stick application makes it easy to install and requires no mounting of hardware.  Easy to clean and highly stain resistant, the product also provides protection for boat surfaces, especially in high traffic areas as seen on the tender.

For more information about SeaDek and its wide range of products and capabilities please visit: www.seadek.com.

About GrowFL:
GrowFL was created in 2009 by the Florida legislature as an economic development program focused on assisting second-stage growth companies prosper in the state of Florida. By providing strategies, resources and support to second-stage companies for next level growth through Strategic Research and peer-to-peer CEO mentoring, GrowFL helps companies overcome obstacles to growth and leads them towards prosperity. Based on the philosophy of Economic Gardening^®, to grow existing businesses in a community, region or state, GrowFL, the Florida Economic Gardening Institute, is a critical component to the state’s economic development strategy and Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. GrowFL is a statewide economic development organization certified by the National Center for Economic Gardening through the Edward Lowe Foundation. Website: growfl.com