Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship has debuted SFA 100, a new initiative designed to identify and celebrate the 100 fastest-growing Lumberjack-led businesses in the world. Nominations and applications for the 2027 rankings are currently open and will be accepted through Nov. 1, 2026.
The SFA 100 recognizes the success, innovation and contributions of the top 100 alumni-owned businesses that embody the legacy, values and entrepreneurial spirit of SFA and ACE. ACE established the SFA 100 in 2025 in collaboration with Greg Price ’80, chief financial officer of Decisio Health in Houston and an angel investor and former judge of SFA’s Lumberjack Entrepreneurship Competition.
“The SFA 100 is a transformative milestone for the Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship and our entire university community,” said Dr. Todd Brown, associate vice president of academic affairs. “We are incredibly excited to shine a spotlight on the visionary alumni successful entrepreneurial ventures. We are not only honoring their hard work but also inspiring the next generation of SFA students. It is a privilege to finally recognize these leaders and showcase the profound economic impact our graduates are making across the world.”
The SFA 100 rankings will be calculated based on each applicant's compound annual growth rate in sales or revenue over a three-year period spanning 2023, 2024 and 2025.
To be eligible for the SFA 100, companies must meet specific longevity, revenue and leadership criteria. For this inaugural ranking of companies, each nominee or applicant must have been in continuous operation for at least five years as of Dec. 31, 2025, and have generated revenues of at least $200,000 every fiscal year since Jan. 1, 2023.
Furthermore, the business must be Lumberjack-founded, owned or led. Eligible leaders must hold a C-suite title, such as CEO, chair or managing partner, or own a majority stake of 50% or more. Former students who attended SFA but did not formally complete their degrees remain eligible to apply.
The honored companies will be announced publicly at an SFA awards ceremony, increasing businesses’ visibility by sharing company names, logos, Lumberjack leadership names, contact information, locations and other self-reported information.
“This initiative is more than just a ranking,” said Dr. Hollie Smith, ACE executive director of community partnerships. “By fostering these partnerships, we are creating a powerful network of Lumberjack entrepreneurs and innovation. As an alumnus, I’m so excited to connect with fellow alumni. We are eager to celebrate their resilience and success while building new opportunities for mentorship and growth that will benefit our students and the entire SFA community for years to come.”
While waiting to hear back on the SFA 100, alumni are encouraged to add their businesses to the Lumberjack Alumni-Owned Business Directory, which can be found online at sfasu.edu/ace/business-directory.
The inaugural SFA 100 list will be unveiled during a special awards celebration in April 2027. Honored business leaders will participate in a luncheon revealing the rankings, deliver keynote speeches, engage in class presentations and network with college deans and SFA leadership.
To ensure the utmost integrity and financial privacy, all baseline financial data is submitted directly to an independent accounting firm, Carr, Riggs & Ingram. The financial data is kept strictly confidential; neither SFA nor The University of Texas System will have access to the raw numbers, and they will receive only the final, verified rankings for the awards.
To fill out an application for your business, visit gosfa.com/SFA100_application. To nominate a business, visit gosfa.com/SFA100_nomination.
To learn more about the SFA 100, visit sfasu.edu/ace/sfa100, or contact Smith at hsmith@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-2988.