Tina Meskel (M.B.A. '07)
Antoinette “Tina” Meskel graduated from the University of North Florida in 2007 with a Master’s of Business Administration. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Since 2008, Meskel has owned and operated her own business, Meskel & Associates Engineering PLLC (MAE).
“The business management education was very important to my progress at the time and instrumental in my decision to start my own business a year after I graduated,” Meskel said.
After 17 years in her field, Meskel moved from technical work to management, sparking an interest to go back to school and earn her M.B.A. Since she started her business, she has grown MAE from one employee to 25 and generated more than $2.8 million in annual revenue. Meskel is also a licensed engineer in both Florida and Georgia.
“UNF is important to my business,” she said. “We employ two full-time UNF engineering graduates, and [currently] three engineering interns!”
Meskel stays engaged with the University by not only employing UNF graduates and interns, but by connecting with engineering societies, and holding events, such as Engineers Week, that draw UNF student participation. MAE also provides scholarship funds for college-bound high school students and college freshmen.
She also serves on the JAX Chamber and represents the Transportation and Logistics Council. In February 2019, Meskel was named Overall Small Business Leader of the Year by the JAX Chamber.
Currently, the business owner is building a home in Jacksonville’s Riverside area and getting to know her new neighborhood by exploring farmers markets, yard sales and other events.