Kelly Reeser, flanked by Steve Millaway, left, and her husband, Chris, received a 2024 Pinnacle Award from 850 Business Magazine at a luncheon held at the WaterColor LakeHouse in South Walton County.
In meetings at the offices of the FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance and later at the alliance’s CO:LAB Pensacola business incubator, Kelly Reeser impressed Steve Millaway as someone he would like to work with.
Millaway stopped by CO:LAB in 2018 as part of his effort to understand and better become a part of Northwest Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Reeser was employed as CO:LAB’s director at the time, and Millaway was in the midst of establishing TechFarms Capital (TFC).
When Millaway mentioned that he might be looking for a partner in the new enterprise, Reeser jumped at the prospect. Within minutes, a deal was reached. Reeser would be moving from economic development and business incubation to the more speculative world of VC as a managing director at TFC.
“That’s a big change, and Kelly has made it in perfect form,” Millaway said. “One of the best decisions I’ve made is to partner with Kelly, and the relationship keeps getting better.”
Not long after Reeser arrived at TFC, the fund added a third partner in CPA Mort O’Sullivan.
Millaway is far from alone in recognizing TFC managing director Reeser’s business prowess and success. In March, she received a prestigious Pinnacle Award from 850 Business Magazine, which is circulated throughout Northwest Florida. The awards are reserved for women who have distinguished themselves professionally and contributed markedly to the betterment of their communities.
Reeser is pleased that in the six years since she joined TechFarms Capital, the financial resources available to business founders in the region have “grown tremendously.”
“Entrepreneurship isn’t to be taken lightly nor should it be feared,” Reeser has said. “So many people get stuck in coming up with the next big idea, but it’s really about identifying a problem you’re uniquely qualified to solve and being audacious enough to take action.”
Millaway is impressed by Reeser’s intelligence, friendliness and integrity.
For Reeser, for TechFarms Capital and for Northwest Florida and beyond, they have proven to be a winning combination.
This story was written by Steve Bornhoft of TechFarms.
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