Our Team

Mike Emokpae

Founder

Mike Emokpae was born and raised in Miami, Florida, in a family of hardworking immigrants who came to the United States in pursuit of the American dream. His father, an entrepreneur, founded his own CPA firm, instilling in Mike the values of perseverance, business acumen, and community impact. Watching his father build and grow his practice inspired Mike to one day own and operate a business that provides stability for his family and meaningful employment for others.

Mike founded Cypress Legacy Partners with the vision of acquiring and operating a small business that serves a critical need in the community while fostering long-term growth. His goal is to build upon an existing company’s success, ensuring continuity for employees, customers, and stakeholders while implementing strategic improvements for sustainable expansion.

Before launching Cypress Legacy Partners, Mike spent over a decade in business analytics, strategic decision-making, and operational leadership across the healthcare and medical device industries.

Axogen, Inc. (2018 – Present): Mike plays a key role in revenue growth initiatives, business intelligence, and financial modeling. He works closely with executive leadership to identify market opportunities, optimize pricing strategies, and enhance operational efficiency. His expertise in data-driven decision-making and process automation has led to improved commercial performance and long-term scalability.

RTI Surgical, Inc. (2009 – 2018): During his tenure at RTI Surgical, Mike led strategic planning and pricing initiatives, focusing on revenue optimization and market expansion. He spearheaded business analytics efforts, developed financial models, and implemented data visualization tools to drive profitability and corporate decision-making.

Mike earned his Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and a Master’s degree from the University of Florida. He is deeply involved in the Gainesville community and is passionate about fostering small business growth. A dedicated fitness enthusiast, Mike actively competes in extreme mud obstacle races and enjoys pushing himself in endurance and strength challenges.

Through Cypress Legacy Partners, Mike is committed to identifying and acquiring a strong, stable business where he can apply his expertise in operations, analytics, and leadership to drive long-term success.