Orlando, FL. November 30, 2017 - Robert Palmer, the founder and CEO of RP Funding, was the recipient of the 2017 Entrepreneurial Vanguard Award from Junior Achievement of Central Florida.

"I am honored to receive this prestigious award from such an outstanding organization as Junior Achievement of Central Florida," said Palmer. "Our company has made a commitment to the communities we serve and every day we aspire to do whatever we can to make them a better place to work and live."

The Entrepreneurial Vanguard Award recognizes entrepreneurs whose innovative business endeavors have flourished and who continue the model of free enterprise in Central Florida. In addition to Palmer, other award recipients honored by Junior Achievement of Central Florida included local business leaders Meg Crofton, former President of Walt Disney World; Randy Berridge, a tech innovator in Central Florida; and Tom Sittema, CEO of CNL Financial Group.

Founded in 1961, Junior Achievement has inspired more than a million Central Florida students. The organization's mission is to help students make the connection between what they learn in school and what they will need to know for the future, ultimately enabling them to succeed in a global economy.