Charles Garcia

Charles Patrick García has worked for three U.S. Presidents, a Cabinet Secretary, a state Governor, and a four star General. Most recently, he has emerged as a state leader and national policy maker on issues of education facing the nation. Today, the media characterizes Mr. García as "A Jack of All Trades" for his success across many fields as a highly decorated military officer, community leader, author, philanthropist, attorney, former White House Fellow and provocative speaker. In 1997, at the age of 36, he founded Sterling Financial Group of Companies with three people in the cleaned out broom closet of another firm. Since that inauspicious beginning, the company has grown into a global financial services organization with more than 60 offices in 7 countries. Along the way, the firm and its founder have earned numerous business and industry accolades. Sterling Financial was named as the number one fastest growing company in the United States by Hispanic Business magazine and that same year the company earned a place in Inc magazine's prestigious top-ten list as the eighth fastest growing company in the country in its annual Top 500 survey. For two consecutive years in Florida, where the firm was founded, Sterling Financial was identified by the University of Florida Fisher School of Accounting as the number one fastest growing privately held firm.