University of Florida’s Gator 100 taps Naples company led by Class of 1987 alum Stephen Myers, a neurobiology graduate turned pilot, tech entrepreneur
The University of Florida and its Alumni Association are honoring Elite Jets of Naples and alumnus Stephen Myers, Class of 1987, as one of the state’s fastest-growing, Gator-led businesses.
Now in its 10th year, the Gator 100 annually recognizes business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs who are also University of Florida graduates. Elite Jets, a charter aircraft service based at Naples Airport, is one of just three Southwest Florida honorees and the only Collier County business on the newly released 2024 list.
“As a lifelong Floridian and proud Gator, this recognition is deeply personal,” said Myers, CAM, executive vice president at Elite Jets. “More importantly, it’s a testament to the dedicated colleagues with whom I serve each day and whose efforts are critical to our team’s continued success and growth.”
At Elite Jets, Myers oversees day-to-day operations such as flight scheduling, aircraft maintenance, customer service, information technology, sales, marketing and community relations. He also ensures compliance with FAA regulations, manages training and safety initiatives, and pilots Embraer Phenom 300 and Legacy 500 jets.
Launching his career as an entrepreneur in the tech industry, Myers founded companies that provided IT services, commercial-use drone products and services, custom software development, drone pilot training and instruction, computer forensics, e-commerce solutions, intelligent building automation and more.
A graduate of Naples High School, Myers earned a Bachelor of Science degree in neurobiology while in Gainesville. More recently, he is a Leadership Florida graduate, Class of 2023.
Myers is certified as a Computer Forensics Examiner through Kennesaw State University, with a specialty in data encryption and security. He completed the Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program through the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
and then