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Protected Trust and Florida Polytechnic University Announce Industry Partnership

November 21, 2013

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Protected Trust this week signed an industry partnership agreement with Florida Polytechnic University that will help to ensure industry-relevant learning experiences for Florida Poly students while connecting Protected Trust with emerging high-tech talent.

As an industry partner, Protected Trust will support the University through activities that include providing industry insight and analysis, serving on University advisory boards, conducting joint research and joint teaching projects, collaborating on product development, informing University curriculum, supporting the efforts of the University’s Foundation and opening career development opportunities to Florida Poly students and graduates.

“Protected Trust is a perfect example of entrepreneurism and innovation – qualities that also define Florida Poly and that we hope to instill in our students,” said Florida Poly Chief Operating Officer Ava Parker. “We are absolutely thrilled to have Protected Trust as a partner, and their engagement will help ensure Florida has even more innovative entrepreneurs to build its future.”

“We are pleased to become an industry partner with Florida Polytechnic,” said Ingram Leedy, CEO of Protected Trust. “We believe in its focus on applied learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We look forward to using our people and resources to help support the University’s mission.”

Leedy has also committed to funding two institutional scholarships for Florida Poly students for the next four years.

Florida Polytechnic University is the newest member of the State University System of Florida and the only state university dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Florida Poly works closely with industry partners to offer students practical experience by engaging in real-world problem solving, internships, applied research and business leadership opportunities. The campus, currently under construction, is located in Lakeland, Fla. along the I-4 High Tech Corridor. Inaugural classes begin August 2014.

Based in Winter Haven, Protected Trust offers cloud-based products and services to keep digital information assets secure, private and compliant. While the company enables organizations to securely communicate electronic information via simple user experiences today, it is also preparing for the emerging digital security needs of tomorrow while complying with the latest, ever-evolving governmental regulatory standards.

Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Director of Communications
863-874-8557

Session Details

This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.

Presenter Profile

Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.