Our Speakers

Benjamin Glossop, "BENNY", is a professional MMA fighter and kickboxer, a television host, and a motivational speaker. He is the owner of PURSUIT of FITNESS and the Head Coach of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and MMA at UFC GYM Clearwater. He is also a former firefighter of 7 years.

Benny enjoys the opportunity to speak with audiences, especially youths, about overcoming odds, belief in one’s self, and confidence building. The survivor of a tragic accident at the age of 10, Benny shares his story about growing up believing that anything is possible even when others tell you, “You Can’t”.

Education

Benny was raised in a small, tight-knit, farming community in Central Illinois. After high school he attended Northern Illinois University where he was a two sport athlete and earned his degree in Public / Interpersonal Communications. GO HUSKIES! While at NIU, Benny was involved in several University programs and campus clubs. He was a member of the Men’s Volleyball team and the University’s official club Taekwondo team. He was not only an athlete / fighter for NIU Taekwondo, he was also the Head Instructor of the University’s Taekwondo P.E. program.

Martial Arts

With nearly 25 years of martial arts experience Benny has had the opportunity to train with some of the best athletes in the world and to compete internationally. Through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Olympic Taekwondo, and Mixed Martial Arts he has not only trained and competed but he’s made a successful career of coaching and teaching.


Martial arts ranks include:

• Black Belt: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• Muay Thai: Coach, Trainer, Professional Fighter
• 3rd Degree Black Belt: Olympic Taekwondo
• 5th Degree Black Belt: American Kickboxing
• MMA: Coach, Trainer, Professional Fighter

Some of his martial arts highlights include:

• Featherweight fighter for the Griffin Elite National Team
• Competed and trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center
• Olympic Taekwondo: 5 time state champion, former Mid-West U.S. Champion, and veteran of two U.S. National Championships, 2000 Olympic Qualifier
• MMA: fought for the Troops at the first ever Pro MMA event at Camp Lejeune, U.S. Marines.

Fitness

Along with martial arts, Benny is also one of Tampa Bay's most sought after Elite Fitness Trainers & Kettlebell Coaches. He is a certified CF Kettlebell Coach, a certified Personal Trainer and a certified Strength & Conditioning Trainer (AMF). Benny is the founder of KettleSport Cross-Training and his client list includes professional athletes from Mixed Martial Arts, Major League Baseball, Professional Soccer, and Olympians.

Television / Media

Benny is a television host, personality, and spokesperson. He is the host of XPTV Sports and specializes in Combat Sports & Extreme Sports hosting and commentary. With close to 250 TV credits to date Benny has hosted shows for Mixed Martial Arts, Professional Arm Wrestling, Powerlifting, Collegiate National Powerlifting, Extreme Motorcycle Riding, and Mud Wars. His works and appearances list includes MTV, Fox Sports Net, HD NET, The Fight Network, MAV TV, SportSouth TV, Roku, Tru TV, and more. Along with these markets his work has spanned globally and he is seen daily in the European, South African, and Asian television markets. Other works include voice overs, Pay Per Views, commercials, radio, and DVD recordings. In 2012 he was a nominee for BEST TV COMMENTATOR at the Florida MMA Awards.

Believe in the power of you

With a wide variety of works and experiences, Benny, is never afraid to take on a new challenge and is never afraid to fail. Failure is part of the learning process and no great success story ever came without a struggle. That said, anything is possible when you believe in yourself and you wholeheartedly chase your dreams with a strong work ethic and a desire to win / succeed. He reminds you that ‘it’s up to you’. Nobody decides for you what you can or cannot do... so attack each day with a motivation to be 1% better than you were yesterday. Embrace the differences in the people around you, respect what others have to offer, and never give up on your dreams!!! Believe in the power of YOU!

ROB ZARRILLI, a man of passion and integrity, is more than just a motivational speaker. While his entertaining, inspiring, content-driven lectures bring classrooms and audiences to their feet, it’s Rob’s caring personality and personal guidance that garners him the endearing title of friend and mentor.

Whether it’s speaking, educating and entertaining large audiences at company functions or guiding and directing a struggling business back to life with a strategic plan and purpose, Rob’s message is consistent with the values that have made him a loving father, husband and friend.

Be accountable Be honest Be humble.

A graduate of St. John’s University, Zarrilli has numerous sales achievements and honors to his credit including the prestigious Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a single individual by the advertising industry for his work as founder and architect of The Leadership Institute, the pre-eminent University style training program for sales, leadership and personal growth and development.

The programs offered By Rob and his team consist of wide variety of training programs and topics available in person and online. Whether it’s a corporation looking for training and direction or individuals with a thirst to win and succeed, the impact and success has been overwhelming.

Zarrilli started his publishing career in New York. After two successful entrepreneurial stints, he relocated to Florida. In 1992, he joined The Flyer Magazine in Tampa as Vice President of Sales and successfully expanded The Flyer’s sales organization to over 400,000 in circulation. Later he was asked to head up their corporate training program helping the Flyer more than double in size in the Tampa Bay area. After the sale of the flyer to Harte-Hanks in 2005 Rob joined Mailbox Publishing as its president, expanding their distribution and sales dramatically in less than one year.

Today as the Founder and CEO of Zarrilli Training and consulting Rob offers his expertise as a keynote speaker and one of the premier sales and leadership trainers in the country. He is currently writing and presenting a Podcast series that is distributed to sales and leadership professionals throughout the country. Rob believes Life is like the game of tennis,

“The one who serves rarely loses.”

Teaching Middle School
Kim Trotto has been a teacher for 20 years, working with middle school students for 16 years and emphasis with gifted students for 12 years. She is proud to have led her video journalism students to numerous Educational Media Awards. Kim created a program where older students encourage younger students that won a National Character Promising Practice award. She was awarded with the Excel Award for Excellence in Teaching and was an Outstanding Educator of the Year Nominee.

Inspiration & Motivation
Kim’s main intention is to create things that help others; consequently she founded Soul Blissed Circle, LLC, an inspirational website, media and lifestyle brand. She has trained with Gabrielle Bernstein focusing on teaching people how to fully understand that they are deeply supported at all times. Kim regularly presents at Retrouvaille with her husband, Mike.

Kim designed Mirror Motivators™, a product aimed to inspire both kids and adults and is the creator of The Global Healing System™. She encourages many through her inspirational videos and meditations. Matter Beautifully and Feel Your Undeniable Worth, are two of the pillars of Kim’s philosophy and message.

Education
Kim is a graduate of the University of Florida and enjoys watching a wild amount of football with her family. Go Gators!

Dr. Sheri B. Predmore is a Florida Native that has spent her life’s work educating students with and without disabilities and leading educators through the modeling of effective teaching practices. She has impacted students and educators at the local, state, and national levels over the course of 24 years. Her teaching and leadership career includes the pinnacles of “Palm Beach County Teacher of the Year”, to National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Florida state coordinator and co-author of the National Board Standards for Exceptional Student Education.

Dr. Predmore’s education vitae includes; H.B Plant high school, Indian River Community College, University of Tampa, University of South Florida, and Nova Southeastern University where she attained her doctorate of education in Organization and Administration and Special Education. She attained her National Boards and applied her knowledge to mentor and lead educators. She has spoken to both students and educators at Florida Future Educators, teachers at the National Board Conventions in Washington, D.C., Council for Exceptional Children Florida Conference, and more. She is known for her expertise to develop and implement programs for specific goals with both small and large groups of students and professionals.

Dr. Predmore was an All American Swimmer at the University of Tampa and uses the combination of athletic experience, formal education, and professional teaching experience as the drive and determination for student’s to identify and reach their personal and educational goals.

Dr. Predmore currently resides with her husband, Kurt Predmore, High School Science Teacher and USA Southeast Zone Water Polo Coach/Chair, and three children/young adults, Connor, 20 (at Florida State University), Tristan 18, and Sonia 8.

The Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch and Park was founded in 2013 by Wounded Warrior Mike Delancey, a Pinellas Park resident who himself was critically injured in a sniper ​attack during military combat in Iraq and has confronted his own life changing injuries.

Please visit WWW.WOUNDEDWARRIORSABILITIESRANCH.ORG for more information.

Karen is a dedicated, goal-driven professional with over 20 years of leadership experience and teacher/manager development. Having been a teacher, turnaround principal, national leadership consultant, and Chief Academic Officer in turnaround schools, and is currently an Associate at CT3 where she coaches and develops leaders. Karen is particularly skilled at leading and supporting others in changing culture and increasing outcomes that will yield dramatic results for children.

Karen has extensive experience serving in K–12 environments in traditional public, charter, and private schools. She has effectively coached, developed, and managed principals and leadership teams at schools of all sizes. She has also designed and led trainings on diversity, leadership, and educating boys of color.

Karen holds a Master’s in Secondary Education from The George Washington University and a Master’s in Supervision and Administration from Trinity University.

James DeVriendt is the consummate professional. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Management with a focus on Leadership and is pursuing an advanced degree in Healthcare Administration through the University of Michigan. Never one to rest on his base, James continues developing his knowledge and skillsets to not only help himself improve, but to help those around him. He has made a career out of developing others, knowing the fundamentals of true success depend on how well those around him perform.

James is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran with a wealth of technical expertise. He has spent much of his career developing sales strategies for Fortune 100 and 500 companies and is acclaimed public speaker. Despite over 20 years of professional experience, James continues to dedicate several hours a week to developing his employees and raising their quality of work experience.

Passionate in all he does, James spends just as much time giving back to the community. Through the years James has taught public speaking to inner city children and donates his time and energy to multiple organizations and coaching youth hockey. James does this for one simple reason; it’s the right thing to do. He recently decided to turn his creativity to writing. His first book, Shine is the reflections of early life experiences that have made him into the man, the executive, the husband, and leader he is today.

James currently resides in central Florida with his wife and their three children.

His book, Shine: Important Sales and Leadership Lessons I Learned As a Kid introduces readers to some valuable foundational life and business lessons, most of which the author learned as a child growing up in Grayling, Michigan. These insightful principles can be used to strengthen sales and leadership results or for improving the success of any career.

Available now on Amazon