Don Glisson, Jr. Awarded Prestigious Entrepreneurial Excellence Award
March 19, 2001

Don Glisson, Jr., President of Triad Financial Services, Inc., is one of the three winners of the 2001 Jim Moran Institute's Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. The award program, currently in its 6th year, was designed to recognize the importance and achievement of Florida's outstanding entrepreneurs who have been financially successful while also giving back to their community. 

Mr. Glisson has helped his family-owned manufactured housing finance company grow from a small local business with 8 employees to a company that has four branch offices, operates in 20 states, and employs over 115 people. 

Over the last few years, Triad Financial Services, Inc. has experienced tremendous growth, positioning it as one of the ten largest manufactured home loan originators in the country. 

Triad Financial Services, Inc., has been named by The University of Florida as one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in Florida for three consecutive years. Triad, with a three-year revenue increase of 231.78%, ranked number 26 on the 2000 list, up from 36th in 1999 and 53rd in 1998. Triad Financial was also named by the Jacksonville Business Journal as the 5th fastest growing privately held company in Northeast Florida for 2000, up from 9th place in 1999. 

Triad Financial Services is also a key player in the national "Remember our Forgotten Heroes, Help for Homeless Veterans" program, a joint effort with Miss America 2000, Heather French, and the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) that will provide brand new manufactured homes to formerly homeless veterans throughout the country at significantly reduced prices. Miss America 2000, Heather French, made the plight of homeless veterans her sole agenda during her reign. Mr. Glisson and his company are working closely with MHI on the program and have been integral in securing financing for all of the homes presented so far and are honored to be a part of Miss America's goal of giving veterans a hand up and allowing them to fulfill their dream of home ownership. 

Locally, Triad participates in the Jacksonville based Children's Home Society Christmas program where employees of Triad Financial Services adopt several families and provide them with Christmas dinner and gifts. The employees, together with matching support from Triad, currently provide Christmas for four needy families in the Jacksonville area. 

Award winners must own a controlling interest in a private or publicly owned business that is located primarily in Florida; is at least three years old; has business sales in excess of one million dollars in 1999; demonstrates a track record of increasing profitability; and contributes to the good name of entrepreneurship in Florida.