info@iiofoandp.org
888-204-4447 or 813-517-1740

Special Thanks to Andrew Learned from the House of Representatives for Visiting IIOP & Meeting the Students!

Special Thanks to Andrew Learned from the House of Representatives for Visiting IIOP & Meeting the Students!

Special Thanks to Andrew Learned from the House of Representatives for taking the time to Visit IIOP to Learn about the O & P Profession, along with getting the chance to meet all of our students.

Andrew was born in Sarasota, grew up in Valrico, and graduated High School in Fort Myers before enrolling at the University of Tampa. There, he studied economics, and government and world affairs in addition to his duties in the Navy ROTC program. During his junior year, Andrew was elected as the Student Body President and served as Company Commander for his Navy ROTC unit.

While at UT, Andrew took internship opportunities with County Commissioners Mark Sharpe and Kevin Beckner, where he learned the ins-and-outs of local government.

After graduation, Andrew commissioned as an officer into the United States Navy, serving on active duty for four years. He was a Surface Warfare Officer who specialized as his ship’s Boarding Officer. In that role, Andrew led small teams on boarding operations throughout two deployments to the Middle East and North Africa. In 2014, as a Lieutenant, Andrew transitioned to the United States Navy Reserves.

When Andrew returned home, he sold his home and maxed out his credit cards to open a neighborhood learning center called GradePower Learning. His location has since become the #1 new franchise in the 140-center-strong Oxford Learning family and won the President’s Award the following year for being #1 overall. Andrew has also been personally recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal in 2014 as an Up & Comer Under 30.

In 2016, Andrew returned to active service with the Navy to be the Lead Surface Planner for Commander Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade forward deployed to Bahrain. During this deployment, Andrew led surface coordination efforts during the crisis in the Bab-Al-Mandeb, when Huthi rebels were firing missiles at US and Coalition warships in the strategic choke-point. Andrew worked to protect and defend dozens of merchant shipping transits every day, thereby ensuring freedom of navigation for all friendly and neutral forces. For his efforts and service, Andrew received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.

Andrew was elected to the Florida House in November of 2020. He’s married to his college sweetheart Amanda and has twin 8-year-olds Flynn and Lola keeping him on his toes.