October 31, 2024 – Bank of America Small Biz Update Mark Bennett, Canadian Health Care Entrepreneur Wayne Elliott and Voting Rights

School for Startups Radio

Mark Bennett – President of President of Bank of America Jacksonville

Mark K. Bennett is the newly appointed President of Bank of America Jacksonville, succeeding Greg Smith, who recently announced his retirement. In this role, Bennett connects the bank’s extensive resources across eight business lines to serve companies, families, and individuals throughout northeast Florida. He leads initiatives to strengthen local economic opportunity, support social concerns, and promote teammate health, safety, and engagement. With deep roots in Jacksonville and a strong commitment to community engagement, Bennett has built a notable reputation. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan describes him as embodying the bank’s commitment to stakeholder service, highlighting Bennett’s alignment with the legacy established by his predecessor. Joining Bank of America in 2003, Bennett has held leadership positions, including roles as Central and North Florida Market Executive, North and South Carolina Market Executive, and Senior Treasury Solutions Officer. He currently serves as Southeast Region Executive for Business Banking and heads the national Black and African American Business Owner Initiative. Bennett is highly active in his community, sitting on multiple boards including the Jax Chamber of Commerce, Communities In Schools Advisory Council, Leadership Jacksonville, and the North Florida Association of Financial Professionals. A Florida State University alumnus, Bennett earned degrees in management information systems and finance and later received a master’s in banking from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.
Wayne Elliott – Ship Recycling and Strauss Naturals Advocate

Wayne Elliott has been in the ship recycling business for 40 years. His company can take a 1000-foot-long ship and reduce it to a pile to reusable materials. He has grown into other areas such as battery recycling. He recounts his life-changing experience with SHD, a health supplement he stumbled upon after battling angina and its debilitating symptoms. Struggling with leg cramps, shortness of breath, night sweats, and chest pains, Wayne also grappled with anxiety and a lack of energy, resigning himself to the fate of heart-related issues that plagued his family. However, upon learning about SHD through a friend in Vancouver and being inspired by studies from renowned institutions like Harvard, Wayne decided to give it a try. Astonishingly, within two weeks of taking SHD, he noticed improvements in unexpected ways – his hearing returned, and his respiratory system cleared, leading to a significant boost in energy. Over the course of three months, Wayne transformed into a revitalized version of himself, feeling as energetic as he did decades ago. This transformation propelled him into a new phase of life where he actively engaged with others, becoming a spokesperson for Jim Strauss, the creator of SHD. Wayne’s involvement extended to radio shows and lectures, allowing him to share his incredible journey with thousands of people suffering from various health issues. His enthusiasm and dedication to natural health solutions led him to become a regular guest on radio networks in the USA and Canada, where he continued to spread the word about his positive experiences with SHD and its miraculous effects on individuals dealing with diabetes, heart disease, low energy, and clogged arteries. Wayne’s story highlights the power of painless, safe, and affordable health products, emphasizing the beauty of solutions that genuinely work. His gratitude towards Jim Strauss and the Strauss Heart Drops is profound, as he believes that without this intervention, he might not have been alive today, reinforcing the transformative impact of natural health remedies in the face of life-threatening conditions. Strauss Naturals is sponsoring the show with support for our radio-minute segments. Wayne says very simply that their products saved him. He became an advocate for the company and has been working with them for 29 years.