Scott Riley
Founder
Scott Riley owned an advertising agency serving over 30 clients for whom he developed and created national advertising/trade campaigns. The agency was sold to a national advertising agency. Scott's broadcast industry expertise is also derived from his tenure as a Regional Manager for a TV and radio broadcast group, as well as his co-ownership and management of Special Events International. Scott was one of the founders of the GTE St. Pete Grand Prix, Scott was also instrumental in the development of the Real Estate Channel on cable TV.
Scott co-founded both Parker Communications Network, Inc., a satellite-based monitor system distributing commercials to large grocery chains throughout the country for companies such as Coca-Cola, General Mills, Procter & Gamble and Nabisco; and In Store Media, which worked with such major grocers as Publix, Kroger, and Albertson's to merchandise their private label products, through alliances with such national customers as Planters Nuts, Skippy Peanut Butter, Pepperidge Farms, Dr. Pepper, and ConAgra.
Since 1996, Scott has been part of the ownership group of Fintech, the largest alcohol payment company, processing over 30 billion dollars in payments annually. Scott was named CEO in 2005 and served in this capacity for more than 13 years until mid-2018 when he sold the majority of his stock to TA Associates and resigned in order to focus his efforts on the Tampa Bay community with an emphasis on education. He served on Fintech’s Board of Directors for more than 22 years.
Scott attended the University of South Florida majoring in Mass Communications and Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Scott was named Entrepreneur of the Year for the entire State of Florida by Ernst & Young and Outstanding Leader of the Year by the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. He was also recognized by ITFlorida as a finalist for IT Leader of the Year. Scott has been a guest speaker at numerous national seminars pertaining to retail vendor programs. Scott currently serves on the Board of Trustees and the John P. Lowth Entrepreneur Center Advisory Board of the University of Tampa, the Executive Advisory Council of the University of South Florida's Muma College of Business, the Advisory Board of USF’s Entrepreneurial College, the Board of Directors of the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement.
Scott was the Chairman of a committee that conducted an evaluation and feasibility study that resulted in Cristo Rey opening one of its high schools in Tampa. Cristo Rey is the largest network of high schools in the United States whose enrollment is limited to low-income youth. Scott is Chairman of the Board of Directors for Cristo Rey Tampa High School.
Scott and his family began the Riley Education Foundation to work with great organizations like Step Up for Students, Bridging the Achievement Gap, and Mary Help of Christians in order to provide educational opportunities for underprivileged children. The scholarships are provided to children ages K-12 whose families could not otherwise afford tuition.
Scott recently wrote the book Zero to 30 Billion!, in which he describes his entrepreneurial journey and offers many valuable “commonsense” lessons, in order to help and encourage others who have an entrepreneurial spirit.