Airstream Ventures LLC founder and CEO Alan Verlander says the inspiration for his Jacksonville-based sports promotion and management company goes back to 1996.
At the time, Verlander was director of marketing and operations at Gator Bowl Sports Inc. He said a bellman stopped him as he entered the Marriott Sawgrass, one of the team hotels for the annual college football classic.
“He asked me if I was with the Gator Bowl. When I said yes, he thanked me and then said he made a lot of tips that week, so he was able to do things for his kids that he wouldn’t be able to do if we didn’t have the game,” Verlander said.