Five Bulldog 100 companies linked to the Mary Frances Early College of Education
Five Bulldog 100 companies linked to the Mary Frances Early College of Education
The University of Georgia’s 2021 Bulldog 100 list honors five alumni from the Mary Frances Early College of Education.
This annual recognition, sponsored by the UGA Alumni Association, recognizes the fastest-growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni. The winners were measured by their business’s compounded annual growth rate over a three-year period. The 2021 Bulldog 100 list is based on submitted financial information for 2017-19.
This year, all five businesses with ties to the College of Education have made the list two years in a row:
ADD’s Personal Care Pharmacy Bogart, GA
Rachel Florence (BSED ‘05)
ADD’s Personal Care Pharmacy specializes in long-term care support for nursing homes, assisted living centers, and home-bound patients, focusing on personal, face-to-face interactions with customers and their families.
“It is an honor to be named alongside so many successful UGA businesses,” said Florence. “I offer my sincerest gratitude to the Mary Frances Early College of Education and to my professors without whom this experience wouldn’t have been possible. Serving my community has been a joy and a privilege that I am grateful for every single day.”
ASW Distillery Atlanta, GA
Kelly Chasteen (BSED ‘00)
ASW Distillery is Georgia’s largest whiskey maker, combining Scottish traditions with Southern style to make its award-winning products. ASW has expanded with two additional buildings in Atlanta’s West End and one near Truist Park.
“At ASW Distillery, we pride ourselves on not only providing customers with an excellent product, but also a fun and educational experience,” said Chasteen. “Our primary marketing tool is our tasting rooms, which allow our guests to learn the manufacturing process for craft spirits and the history of whiskey.”
Buckhead Beans Marietta, GA
Matthew Ades (AB ‘94, MED ‘96)
Buckhead Beans provides locally roasted and sourced artisan coffees and other breakroom products to offices in the Atlanta area.
“The year 2020 has been a tough year for the majority, if not all of us, and it was a welcome bright spot to be named back to the Bulldog 100 for a second straight year,” said Ades. “Buckhead Beans has withstood the test from the pandemic and is poised to move forward in 2021. Go Dawgs!”
FTM Travel Brentwood, TN
Christy Shadday (BSED ‘93)
FTM Travel specializes in turning vacation dreams into dream vacations. Whether it’s a Disney destination, Universal Parks & Resorts visit, or overseas, FTM is a one-stop shop for all-inclusive resorts, custom tours, honeymoons, cruises and more.
“I’m so grateful for my education and how it has helped me turn a dream into a reality,” said Shadday. “I sincerely appreciate every person who has supported our business by trusting us with their vacation plans and for those who have poured their knowledge into us to be the travel agency we have grown to be today.”
The Brokery Forsyth, GA
Denise Emami (BSED ‘97, MSW ‘00)
The Brokery serves residential and commercial property sales and recently expanded operations to include both company-held commercial real estate and home renovations.
“George and I are honored for our business to be named two years in a row to UGA’s Bulldog 100,” said Emami, who co-owns The Brokery with her husband and UGA alumnus George (AB ‘01, MBA ‘10). “We work hard to run an honest, knowledgeable, and steadfast business for our employees, our clients and our community.”
The UGA Alumni Association will host the annual Bulldog 100 celebration virtually on February 11, 2021.