Encouraged by her mother, Gwyn R. Picerne really wanted to effect change in the eyes of an adoptive family. She wanted to focus on children 12 and older. It is the most unwanted group in the world to adopt, and she wanted to change that. Ms. Picerne began her professional career as the owner of Ultimate Swimwear in 1995, where she remained for a decade before co-founding and serving as president of another company, Embraced by Grace, in 2006. Since then, she has been the owner of P&P Hospitality and Sterling Trade Services, as well as the chief executive officer of Diversitas Enterprises LLC. The company helps and trains athletes not to lose money.
Prior to the start of her professional career, Ms. Picerne pursued a formal education at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in organization management in 2012. Throughout her career thus far, she has owned restaurants in airports, had showrooms in Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta and New York, and given financial advice. Ms. Picerne attributes her success to her diligence; she follows through, and doesn’t just introduce deals. Moving forward, she would like to focus more on her company’s women empowerment.
A member of the Orphans First board, Ms. Picerne gives a scholarship for $20,000 a year annually to a single woman to attend Palm Beach Atlantic University so she can obtain an education. Likewise, she gives a $2,500 scholarship to WBE of Central Florida that goes towards a young woman’s tuition. She has also appeared on numerous TV shows in both Russia and Colombia to encourage older children.
Ms. Picerne also maintains involvement with many organizations related to her field including the Citrus Club, the Women Business Association and Women Business Enterprises. In light of her myriad achievements, she was honored with the Congressional Award by Angels in Adoption in 2010 and 2015. Today, Ms. Picerne is married to her loving husband Bob, with whom she has raised two biological children and 15 adopted children. She has been known to enjoy reading, working out and spending time with her children in her spare time.
As a woman who also loves God, Ms. Picerne loves children and she would do so much for them; they are our future. She would like to be remembered for her strength, and she taught her older daughters to be strong. She would also like to be noted as someone who really fought for civil rights for everyone and for everyone to be equal.
