Veterans’ Pathway to Business Success is a non-profit, entrepreneurial grant program for Florida’s Veterans who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq. They announced recently that highly decorated Marine veteran Mark Llano, President and CEO of Source One Distributors, has joined its Board of Directors. Mark served in the Gulf War and has been presented with many entrepreneurial awards during his time at Source One, including the National Veteran Owned Business Association’s Vetrepreneur® of the Year Award, the United States Small Business Administration’s Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year Award (Florida) and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2011 Florida Award (Distribution & Manufacturing). According to Ernst & Young LLP, the award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
Recipients of grants from Veterans’ Pathway are Veteran entrepreneurs who are hoping to start their own business or who have an established business and are seeking funding for expansion. The main requirements for receiving funding are for Veterans who:
• have served in Afghanistan or Iraq after September 11, 2001;
• have, or are eligible for, an honorable discharge;
• reside in Florida and can provide proof of residency; and
• present a detailed business plan for eventual approval by the Veterans’ Pathway Board of Directors.
Major General Joe Taluto, US Army Retired and Vice President of the Veterans Pathway Board of Directors commented, “We believe Mark Llano will bring immense value to Veterans’ Pathway mission. Not only is he a highly respected and decorated Marine, he has achieved great professional success as an entrepreneur following his military service. Mark exemplifies the business leader we want our Veterans to become: Entrepreneurs with the vision, determination and leadership skills to succeed.” Major General Taluto went on to say that “I am greatly impressed by Mark’s life story, the adversity he overcame and the courage and skill it took to build a successful business. I have met many great leaders over my 44 years of military service. Mark’s character and integrity ranks with some of the best I have known.”
