Valerie Lavin Featured in TBBW 'Tampa Army Vet' Profile

Tampa, FL – November 7, 2025 – Valerie Ellis Lavin, retired U.S. Army First Sergeant and Founder/CEO of Luminary Global, was featured in Tampa Bay Business & Wealth Magazine's profile "Meet the Tampa Army Vet Powering New Startups."

The article highlights her personal journey from 21 years of military service (including US CENTCOM leadership, deployments to Korea and Iraq, and Bronze Star Medal) to empowering Tampa Bay's veterans and first responders through entrepreneurship. It focuses on her co-founding of Action Zone in 2018—a nonprofit providing education, mentorship, networking, and programs (Activate, Incubate, Accelerate) to help military-connected individuals launch and scale businesses—while also noting Luminary Global's role in delivering emergency preparedness solutions, tactical gear, and medical supplies to prevent preventable deaths.

The profile underscores how her experiences transitioning from the Army inspired Action Zone, turning service skills into successful startups and creating economic opportunities for veterans and first responders in the region.

"I'm passionate about helping veterans and first responders build their own paths—whether through business ownership or having the right tools for emergencies," said Valerie Ellis Lavin. "This feature is a great reminder of the impact we can make when we invest in each other."

For the full profile, see: Meet the Tampa Army Vet Powering New Startups | TBBW.

Luminary Global is a veteran-owned emergency preparedness company founded in June 2016 by retired U.S. Army First Sergeant Valerie Ellis Lavin. Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, the company provides high-quality emergency medical solutions, tactical gear, and customized kits to citizens, first responders, agencies, and military personnel. Committed to duty, discipline, and dependability, Luminary Global operates independently with no affiliations to other entities. Expect the Unexpected – Be Prepared. Learn more at luminaryglobal.com. Follow our AI Transparency statement for brand integrity details.