While at Shipley Geoff Gross, Class of 1998, was an avid basketball player and served as co-captain of the Boys’ Varsity team. In another role as co-head of the Social Committee, Mr. Gross searched for a new way to raise funds for the prom and took, from concept to implementation, a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “Shipley Football: Undefeated Since 1894.” Clearly, his affinity for innovation, curiosity, and creativity was already taking hold at Shipley, and Mr. Gross continued to build on these skills to become an entrepreneur and founder of three companies.

After Shipley, Mr. Gross earned a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship and Business from the University of Maryland and then followed in the family tradition of entrepreneurship by founding Tracking Now, LLC, a leader in GPS tracking systems for businesses. Despite launching his first company only two years after graduating from college, Mr. Gross was quoted in a 2009 Philadelphia Business Journal article as saying that his biggest professional disappointment was not starting his first business until he was 25. As you can see, he holds himself to high standards. In 2004, at age 27, Mr. Gross founded his second company, Medical Guardian, LLC, which is now a leading provider of home medical alert systems and employs more than 35 people. In fact, Mr. Gross received the Medical Alarm Dealer of the Year Award six consecutive times. In 2011, Mr. Gross followed his entrepreneurial spirit again and founded his third company, InStock.Com, a members-only mobile app and website that allows users to check real-time inventory and prices of their favorite products.

Mr. Gross is not just a businessman, though. In addition to founding three companies by the age of 31, Mr. Gross volunteers for several non-profit organizations, including the MS Society’s Greater Delaware Valley Chapter, for which he is the 2013 co-chair of Preakness at the Piazza, a young professional’s fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis. Mr. Gross also supports Shipley each year and has volunteered this year to host his Class Party for the Class of 1998’s 15th reunion.

We look forward to seeing more innovation, curiosity, and creativity from Mr. Gross as he tackles his next business venture, and we are pleased to present him with the 2013 Young Alumni Award.