Management Team

Chris Bennett, Florida Monthly's Most Intriguing Floridian (2006), is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of GovLive. He is a graduate of Harvard University's Technology, Innovation, Education master's program. Prior to his learning experience at Harvard, Chris studied management and marketing at The Wharton School of business, graduating first in his class.

Chris entered the world of emergency management in 2005 when he founded the popular hurricane preparedness site OneStorm.org, and later the all-hazards preparedness application ReadyTown. OneStorm is regarded as the most effective online tool for disaster preparedness, so much so that the State of Texas commissioned them to develop Texas Prepares in 2007. OneStorm also powers Publix Super Market's Storm Basics program.

In 2009, Bennett received the Public Information Award from Florida Governor Charlie Crist for helping citizens locate government news releases quickly during Tropical Storm Fay. This initiative sparked the idea for GovLive, connecting people everywhere with live-saving information.

Prior to forming GovLive, Chris co-founded America's Emergency Network (AEN) with former National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield and CBS National Hurricane Correspondent Bryan Norcross. Chris' application "AEN Mobile" was the third runner up in NAVTEQ's Location Based Services (LBS) challenge, helping people locate emergency information released near their current location.

Bennett's personal projects focus on using technology to help others. Hero Day grants wishes for children of fallen soldiers while Ankylosing Spondylitis Answers provides an online Q&A support group for people with AS.

Chris lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his girlfriend Janet and dog Puck. You may view his portfolio online here.

Paul Vickers is a true young entrepreneur, whose maverick-style philosophy has helped him attain unprecedented business achievements.

Paul Vickers career portfolio displays over 40 companies, which employ thousands of people globally. His rise to success includes the ever so popular Calgary based company, Penny Lane Entertainment Group, which showcases a premiere collection of some of Canada's top restaurants, nightclubs, and entertainment venues. One of those venues includes the worldwide famous, "Cowboys", which has spawned its own TV reality show that will air across Canada on City TV, in July of 2009.

Paul has served on a number of Committees and Boards for the City of Calgary. He firmly believes in giving back to the community and does so, tirelessly, with his work on various committees as well as, the many charities that he is involved with each year. From building homes and schools in impoverished areas of the world, to producing charity concerts/events, to supporting young athletes, Paul Vickers believes in power of giving back.

Rags to Riches would be an accurate way to describe his life. Paul was born in Trenton, Ontario, raised by a single mom in the tiny town of Frankford (population 1200). Living below the poverty line, age of 18, Paul's mother sent him to Fort McMurray, Alberta, to work labor jobs for the summer, and to hopefully change his own ways. He eventually moved down to Edmonton, and soon found his passion for business. Using his own credit cards, he bought his first nightclub called, Club Malibu, which eventually became his steppingstone to many other highly successful ventures, winning many business awards and accolades along the way. With Paul constantly traveling the world for new ideas, the secret to his success he says, is really quite simple: "Work hard and surround yourself with good people".

Most recently, Paul Vickers' focus has been on the globalization of his International Flood Control business which is the world's largest manufacturer of Tiger Dams™ System. This innovative product (21st century technology) is replacing the need for what we know as the sandbag (500 hundred year old system), providing leading-edge benefits for disaster relief, environmental disposal, the spread of disease, as well as, establishing many cost and labor benefits, versus the outdated sandbag itself. This company was instrumental in the relief process for some of the hardest hit communities in New Orleans, during Hurricane Katrina. International / U.S. Flood Control, currently operates in Canada, the United States, Germany, Japan, Czech Republic and England. His achievements have been documented by the Discovery Channel, CBS, CNN, FOX and Disaster TV to name a few. (Other business interests under Paul's umbrella also include golf courses and various land investments.)

As a family man now, Paul and his wife Danelle have three boys and he looks forward to the rewards he gets from both family and business, while continuing down the path of success, and living each day to the fullest...