Our Founders

Peter Abramo, Ph.D., CEO & Co-Founder of MEAPA

MEAPA co-founder Peter Abramo holds a Ph.D. in history from Temple University with undergraduate degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University.  His professional background includes pharmaceutical marketing research, sales strategy, and product acquisition working with a number of international companies and brands.  Dr. Abramo helped create and was the first Executive Director of a university-based technology business incubator working with start-up companies, the U.S. Army, and entrepreneurs.  He has been a frequent contributor at National Business Incubator Association training sessions and has conducted a variety of entrepreneurship workshops. He is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute and has subsequently developed courses and conducted training for a national audience through EDI in the areas of strategic planning and entrepreneurship.  He holds the Barnabus Endowed Lectureship in Entrepreneurship at the University of Central Oklahoma.  His economic development experience ranges from the local to the state levels and includes directorships on workforce, economic development, and technology boards.  An interest in a wide variety of topics has led him to take an interdisciplinary approach to all of his work that gives him a unique viewpoint which clients find very valuable.  With his colleague Michael Edmondson, Dr. Abramo has written five books and numerous articles.  He lives on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma where he shares an interest in creative blacksmithing with his wife who is the state’s first certified female farrier.

Michael Edmondson, Ph.D., President & Co-Founder of MEAPA

Dr. Edmondson has experience working with a variety of companies ranging from international multi-billion dollar firms to two-person technology start-ups. His industry exposure includes pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical device, education, consumer goods and services. His professional background includes non-profit work, curriculum development, international sales and marketing, investor presentations, strategic planning, branding, marketing research, business development and consumer incentive marketing programs.  In August 2007 Philadelphia's Empowerment Group awarded Dr. Edmondson their Award for Entrepreneurial Inspiration in recognition of his commitment to inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs throughout the Philadelphia region. He is also a frequent speaker at local universities as well as events for entrepreneurs and small business owners and works closely with several regional business incubators.  In July 2009 Dr. Edmondson was awarded an invitation into The Heritage Who's Who Among Business Executives 2009-2010 edition for his lifetime achievement.  With his colleague Peter Abramo, Dr. Edmondson has written five books and numerous articles.  He is also an adjunct teaching entrepreneurship for Drexel University.  Dr. Edmondson holds a B.A. from Cabrini College, a Master's from Villanova University and a Ph.D. from Temple University where he focused on diplomacy, economic history and political philosophy.