Five Warrington alumni, one student selected as 2026 40 Gators Under 40

Warrington alumni and students are defining success in business, health, sports, real estate and more. This year, five graduates and one student from the Warrington College of Business have been selected as 40 Gators Under 40 by the University of Florida Alumni Association. 

40 Gators Under 40 seeks to honor outstanding young alumni marked by remarkable professional success, an unwavering commitment to service and a deep connection to UF. 

Read more about how the Warrington College of Business alumni and students reflect excellence on the 2026 40 Gators Under 40 list.

Ben Chase (BSBA ‘14)

Director of NIL Strategy | University Athletic Association/Florida Gators

Chase works diligently for the Florida Gators with more than four years of experience in Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) strategy. Chase first became a Gator through his undergraduate studies in business administration. He then earned his Juris Doctor at the George Washington University Law School.

Chase’s professional career includes two associate attorney positions and a director position in national strategy and programming at Blueprint Sports & Entertainment. His shift in career towards NIL began in 2021, marked by pivoting Blueprint Sports’ initial model into a NIL Collective Start-up and Operations Management Firm and selling it to more than 50 universities across the United States. 

Chase joined the Florida Gators in 2023 and currently works with more than 500 athletes across 21 sports, connecting them with meaningful opportunities that align with their personal brands. He has also led a national network of NIL administrators toward maximizing opportunities for their athletes. His work has led UF to be recognized as the university with the most NIL deals; one deal generated $75,000 in two months and is projected to generate $150,000 annually. Last year, Chase was named the 2025 NIL Director of the Year by the NIL Store. His accomplishments not only reflect his expertise but also his unwavering dedication to his alma mater. 

Beth Elletson (BABA ‘09)

Vice President of Human Resources | Banyan Treatment Centers

Elletson has been at the forefront of innovation moments and helping others thrive through her mission-focused work. During her time at the University of Florida, she focused on nonprofits and raised more than $350,000 for Tim Tebow’s First and 15 nonprofit. She has worked in various human resources roles throughout her professional career, including Enterprise Holdings, Hayes Locums, Encompass and the Miami Marlins.  

In 2021, she founded Abe, a career-intelligence platform designed for companies and professionals to use during the hiring process. Abe has served more than 1,000 students and earned three recognitions: Top 100 Startup at eMerge Americas, winner of South Florida Innovation Day’s pitch competition and recipient of the South Florida Tech Hub Collaboration of the Year award. 

Elletson currently serves as the vice president of human resources for Banyan Treatment Centers, a behavioral healthcare organization. She leads more than 1,500 employees across the country aligned with Banyan’s mission to provide community, collaboration and care to individuals in recovery. Her people strategy focuses on building scalable HR infrastructure, strengthening leadership and supporting teams. Beyond her work, she focuses on mentorship through the Junior Achievement of South Florida and the Circle of Change Leadership Experience. Ultimately, her life is dedicated to serving others and enacting change, one life at a time. 

Lilly Ferreira (MBA ‘17)

Senior Real Estate Associate | Brown Harris Stevens

Ferreira’s foundation for her successful career began before her time at the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in finance, she launched and later sold Tradwinds Media Partners, a public relations, marketing and event management firm in 2016. She furthered her education through UF’s MBA program, where she was named Matherly Scholar and worked as a brand management consultant for the UF MBA Marketing Team. 

Ferreira’s professional roles included project manager at NextEra Energy Resources and general manager at WS Development before she moved into real estate in Palm Beach, Florida. She currently works at Brown Harris Stevens as a senior realtor associate. She has sold over $175 million in residential properties and was listed in the top 1.5% of realtors in the county by the Wall Street Journal. 

Ferreira is also a published author; she has sold more than 10,000 copies of her children’s book “Life and Lilly: A Palm Beach Adventure.” As a fourth-generation resident of Palm Beach, she captures her childhood memories at home in her book. Her book also supports her philanthropic efforts as she donates 10% of the profits to animal rescue organizations. Above all, Ferreira keeps her role as a mother to two beautiful girls central to all that she accomplishes. 

Alan Thompson (BABA ‘21)

CEO | Stingray Branding

Thompson grew up with entrepreneurship painted on the walls of his house. As a third-generation small business owner, Thompson has grown up focused on innovation and servitude. He served in the Army before earning a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Florida. 

In 2008, he founded Stingray Branding, a marketing agency in South Carolina that has successfully served more than 600 clients. His work has grown his clients from start-ups to million-dollar businesses, reaching up to $27 million. Stingray Branding is now the most awarded marketing company in South Carolina. Thompson also founded the Great Business Network and cofounded the North Charleston Chamber of Commerce, leading hundreds of members. 

The love for his alma mater marks Thompson’s servitude. He has volunteered as a Charleston Gator Club board member for almost seven years. He also helped develop Florida Victorious as a fractional chief marketing officer and Gator Collective. Overall, his entrepreneurial spirit has driven him to empower leaders and create businesses across different industries. 

Sam Warfield (BSBA ‘08)

Head of Infrastructure | Pennybacker 

Warfield is a double Gator, graduating from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in finance and a Juris Doctor from UF’s College of Law. He began his professional career in 2011 as a senior associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. He specialized in the power and infrastructure sector, working on mergers and acquisitions. 

He later transitioned to a managing director position at Arroyo Investments, a private equity firm focused on power and energy infrastructure. He currently serves as the head of infrastructure managing director for Pennybacker Capital, a nationwide investment firm. He joined the company in 2022 to build an infrastructure investment platform; his team consists of eight infrastructure investment professionals. Warfield has raised more than $700 million from global institutional investors and made three control equity investments. 

Warfield’s career is marked by prestige and excellence. He was recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as a “Rising Star” in M&A in New York in 2015 and a member of the UF Hall of Fame. Warfield is also a proud husband to UF alumna Rachel and a father to three sons: Jacon, Zach and Asher. 

Brandon Spikes (MBA ‘27)

Director of Player Development | University of Florida Athletics Association

Spikes has been defending the orange and blue since 2006 as a linebacker for the Florida Gators. During his time with the Gators, he won two national championships in 2006 and 2008. He was later named to the UF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. After college, he was selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft to play for the New England Patriots. He continued his professional football career as a starting linebacker and defensive captain for the Buffalo Bills. 

Spikes has now returned to the Florida Gators as a director of player development with GatorMade. He focuses on creating professional development opportunities for Gator football student-athletes, assisting with life-skill programs and supporting recruitment efforts. He also uses his network to prepare NFL Pro Scout visits for student-athletes. His community-focused efforts include hosting free youth football clinics, participating in mentorship programs for underserved youth and supporting nonprofit initiatives. 

Alongside his career and community work, Spikes is pursuing an MBA at UF. His business studies only further his mission of mentorship and his goal of helping others build their legacy.