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The Entrepreneur Alumni Awards ceremony held Thursday night at the Lowth Entrepreneurship Center on campus welcomed home alumni and gave students the opportunity to network with those who once sat where they are now. 

Frank Ghannadian, dean of the Sykes College of Business, was given an “Outstanding Service to Entrepreneurs” recognition. 

“Dr. Ghannadian has been instrumental in his leadership, in growing the Sykes College of Business, and working with us hand-in-hand, in building what you see here today, the Lowth Entrepreneurship Center,” said Dean Koutroumanis, associate director of the Center, in announcing the award. 

Ghannadian looked on in surprise, among the crowd of faculty, staff, alumni and students in the room, before approaching the podium to say a few words. 

He later joked that if he had known about the recognition beforehand, he would have tried to “twist some arms” to humbly defer the recognition to others. 

Ghannadian noted that when he joined the University in 2007, the College of Business had only 1,500 students. There are now over 5,500 students. The faculty then numbered about 50, he said. Now there are over 160 full-time faculty members — and more with part-time faculty. 

“The blessing has been that the University of Tampa has been my home,” Ghannadian said, adding that when he started, he never expected to be here 18 years later. He joked that it’s like being invited to celebrate the birth of a baby and then getting invited to their high school graduation. 

Ghannadian announced in August that he would be stepping down from his position at the end of this academic year. 

The overall message of the night was about welcoming alumni home to the University of Tampa, strengthening connection to the entrepreneurship program.

Two UTampa alums also were given honors at the event.  

Steve Ciarleglio ’05 was given the 2026 Innovator Award. He is the founder and CEO of Novus Informatics, a healthcare technology company he established in 2012 to help hospitals improve supply chain efficiency.  

Ciarleglio noted that what he took away from the University was not only the academics, but the people and the relationships he built while he was a student. 

Alexis Alegre-Castro ’25 received the 2026 Young Entrepreneur Award.  

Alegre-Castro is the founder and CEO of Give Back Snacks, a mission-driven food startup offering single-ingredient, freeze-dried fruit snacks through a “buy one, give back” model that supports hunger relief. The company donates the equivalent of one meal per unit sold to Feeding Tampa Bay, a local food bank.  

“Literally a year ago, I was sitting in this exact spot but giving a pitch about my business model and getting feedback from all of my professors,” Alegre-Castro said. “I really couldn't do it without all of the feedback that I got, all of the guidance and leadership that I got.  

“I hope that you guys leave here inspired and encouraged to do the same thing for yourselves, because you guys can all do it, absolutely,” she added to students in attendance.