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Gravitas-Summer2017-DigitalEdition

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" L orna Taylor is a woman who brings a great deal of integrity to the table, which explains why so many boards seek out her participation. A tireless patron of the arts, she dedicates her life to the good work she accomplishes at the office as well as good works for her community. Born and raised in Oregon by a minister and a schoolteacher, Taylor was exposed to entrepreneurial endeavors as a means of survival by her young pastor father in a small town ministry. She shared that her first entrepreneurial adventures were selling greeting cards door to door and the jewelry business she and her sister began as small children. Her sister was the artist crafting the bracelets and necklaces, while she herself took up the tasks of sales and marketing. Taylor's undergraduate studies were in psychology/philosophy at a small college in Washington, which eventually led her to the Princeton eological Seminary and graduate studies in social ethics. From there she followed her passion to make a difference with a job at Greenpeace, where she quickly became one of their top directors. In fact, she first visited St. Petersburg while on a Greenpeace mission. Taylor had a professional epiphany while recounting her financial struggles to her mother, who reminded her that she didn't have to work in the nonprofit industry. She could go out into the private sector, make a substantial amount of money, and then decide how she would like to support the causes about which she was most passionate. at moment marked a turning point for Taylor; within two months she shifted gears in her career. She eventually became the president and CEO of Premier Eye Care, a national leader in providing high-quality, innovative and affordable solutions for managed medical and routine eye care. Under Taylor's leadership, Premier has been ranked for five consecutive years as one of the "Best Companies to Work For" by Florida Trend magazine, one of the state's fastest-growing companies for the past two years by the Florida Business Journals, and one of the 75 "Best Places to People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost." – Dalai Lama XIV Work for Millennials" in the nation by the Center for Generational Kinetics. Along the way, Taylor learned that community service can be a way to live a spiritual life. She serves on a number of boards: the Moffitt Medical Group (MMG) Board of Directors, the Board of Directors for Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture & the Arts and the Boards of Trustees for e Dalí Museum and also the University of Tampa, to name just a few. Taylor lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she enjoys her three rescue pups, travel, art and the vibrant cultural life of the Tampa Bay area. LEFT TO RIGHT: Taylor abroad in Israel during her graduate studies. Taylor with her sisters and mother. Taylor with some of her top team members at Premier Eye Care. Photo at left and above by Alex McKnight. Subscribe at GravitasMag.com | 47

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