RETHINKING THE SUPPLY CHAIN: THRIVE Farmers has designed a revolutionary new business model that for the first time in history decouples coffee from the toxic connection to volatile commodities markets, thereby aligning the interests of farmers with those who are buying and consuming their coffee. Thrive's revenue sharing model creates stable, predictable, and profitable long-term pricing for farmers, providing true economic sustainability, and transforming families and communities that produce coffee. Thrive has found that it's social impact model resonates with many enterprises who want their purchasing power to have a positive impact on the world. In 2016, Thrive Farmers was the 19th fastest growing company in America as ranked by INC Magazine on the the INC 500 annual list. To read the story and to learn about the transformational power of this innovative business model, visit us at www.ThriveFarmers.com/press/#TogetherCultivatingGood

While Thrive Farmers was founded to be a for profit, market solution focused on economic sustainability across agricultural crops, the heart behind the movement was to positively impact the lives of people. The ThriveWorx Foundation was formed as a way to invest more deeply in the communities where Thrive Farmers is doing business, and over a long period of time. The goal is life change and community transformation and there are five key pillars of this effort:1) Agricultural Excellence2) Financial Excellence3) Leadership Development4) Community Empowerment5) Environmental StewardshipThe ThrirveWorx Foundation seeks out partnerships with entities who have expertise, resources and a calling for one of these pillars and then facilitates deployment of programs to engage these communities and leading transformational change.

I’m excited to be a member of Founders Pledge. We’re a global community of entrepreneurs finding and funding solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Every member, including myself, has made a legally binding commitment to donate a portion of personal proceeds on liquidity to social causes. The Founders Pledge team provides charity research and vetting, a global network of experts, and end-to-end giving infrastructure, and they take no cuts and charge no fees. They also host community events across the globe. Drop me a message if you want to be put in touch.

A concept that began in 2000 and iterated until full-scale commercial launch in 2004, Implantable Provider Group (IPG) works with commercial insurance carriers to provide management solutions in the complex world of high-cost implantable devices - a $150B+ market. The company's Implantable Device Management offerings improve quality, affordability and patient access to life-saving and life-enhancing medical device therapies. IPG focuses on large, fast-growth device intensive markets, such as cardiology, neurology, spinal and orthopedic implants. In 2009, in the first relationship of its kind, IPG contracted with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida as its designated implantable device management company, handling device coordination, billing, replacement, tracking, and other services for the health plan's statewide ambulatory surgery center network which later expanding into hospitals. Other major health plans have since followed suit including other major Blue Cross Blue Shield and national payor plans, and the company is accelerating growth as more payors look for solutions to manage the challenges associated with implantable device therapies.In early 2010, Sequoia Capital (www.sequoiacap.com) made a significant investment to partner with IPG in pursuing this rapidly developing market. This marked the first investment in the Southeast by the Silicon Valley icon in over 10 years.In 2008, IPG was recognized by INC Magazine as #138 of the 500 fastest growing private companies in America - and #6 in the Healthcare Industry. In the same year, Michael was chosen by Catalyst Magazine as #4 out of Atlanta's Top 25 Entrepreneurs. In 2009, IPG was selected as a finalist in two categories for Tech America's Spirit of Endeavor Awards. In 2011, Forbes Magazine ranked IPG at #5 in their list of 100 Most Promising Companies in America. And, IPG has gone on to receive numerous other honors and awards.For more information visit www.IPG.com.

HealthCorp of America was established to provide non-surgical outpatient treatment services for coronary heart disease utilizing an innovative therapy developed at Harvard several decades prior. Early efforts led to Medicare and ultimately commercial reimbursement policies. Board member through 2006.The first to offer this therapy in Atlanta, HealthCorp gained extensive media coverage from every major network including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CNN. Eventually most major care centers in Atlanta integrated this therapy into their offering including Emory & St. Joseph's hospitals and major cardiology practices, most of whom worked with HealthCorp for a number of years.