Staff Reports
Two new members are joining the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees after appointments from the Florida Board of Governors.
The appointments are meant to provide fresh perspectives in entrepreneurship and law to the school, as well as expertise in the tech and defense industries.
Sumanth Neelam is CEO of Odin Group, a Kissimmee-based real estate company providing smart-home solutions to clients.
Eliot Peace, the other appointee, is Deputy General Counsel at General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in St. Petersburg.
The Board of Governors also reappointed Beth Kigel, the current Board Chair. She is an expert in transportation technology and city ecosystems, and serves as Vice President, national consultant and director of smart and connected solutions at HNTB, a leading national engineering and infrastructure design firm.
“These remarkable appointments solidify our leadership team with individuals who understand the bold-thinking approach that we embrace at Florida Poly,” Florida Poly President Devin Stephenson said. “Their knowledge and vision in such wide-ranging and critical areas will help shape the University’s future as we continue to fuel Florida’s high-tech economy through STEM education.”
Neelam began his career as a software engineer. He is a business leader and entrepreneur with an extensive technology background. In addition to his work as CEO of Odin Group, Neelam is the founder and CEO of Mentour Corporation, a New Jersey-based global services company specializing in digital services and consulting, delivering technology solutions and IT services for corporate clients.
“I am genuinely excited to serve on the Florida Poly Board of Trustees. STEM is my foundational academic background, and I am committed to helping the University fulfill its growth potential,” Neelam said.
Neelam earned his bachelor’s degree from Andhra Loyola College in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India, and a master’s degree from Hyderabad Central University in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Both degrees are in mathematics and computer science.
Neelam said he looks forward to contributing his broad experience and hopes it will bring valuable insight to the Board’s work.
“Florida Poly is a young university with tremendous growth potential, and I’m eager to support that in any capacity I can, including collaborating with teams, the state, and the corporate world to explore what’s possible,” he said. “The South has few tech universities, and Florida Poly stands out as a truly shining, rising star.”
Peace brings to the table a unique set of skills based on his background in law, the military and private defense and aerospace manufacturing.
Peace chairs the state’s Second District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission, a position for which he was nominated by Gov. Ron DeSantis. He also is a major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
“I’m excited about joining the board and looking forward to helping out and getting to work,” Peace said. “My varied experience matches up with Florida Poly’s commitment to the STEM subjects.”
Peace said his priorities as a Trustee include maintaining and improving the University’s academic quality, and ensuring the institution provides a good value for both taxpayers and students.
“I want to see Florida Poly become a nationally recognized STEM university and a well-known school with a stellar national reputation,” he said.
Peace earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and international affairs from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
The new Trustees will participate in their first full Board meeting on Tuesday, June 3.
