Mike was born to Gary and Alene Keller on December 11, 1977, in Philadelphia, PA. He grew up with his elder sister, Amy Keller, in Palm Harbor, Florida and graduated from East Lake High School in 1996. Mike was a proud alumnus of the University of South Florida, where he earned a degree in Management Information Systems in 1999. While attending USF, Mike met his wife, Kendra Conte, from Long Island, NY. After marrying in 1999 and moving to Brandon, Florida, the couple had three children who Mike adored: Morgan (11), Trenton (8), and Reagan (4). Soon after college, Mike became the founding partner, President, and CTO of International Direct Selling Technology Corporation, a leading software technology provider to the direct selling industry. Mike inspired others with his devotion to community service. Although he enjoyed professional success, he enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He held the rank of sergeant and served as a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mike published a memoire of his experiences at Abu Ghraib prison, titled “Torture Central: E-mails from Abu Ghraib”, which received critical acclaim and led to him serving as the Story and Production Adviser for the movie, “The Boys of Abu Ghraib.”
Mike chaired the Florida Commission on Human Relations after being appointed by the Governor. He served as a member of the Florida Interagency Human Trafficking Workgroup and the Public Library Board. He traveled as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention and worked as a member of the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee. Mike was very active with the University of South Florida's College of Business and Alumni Association. He also contributed as a trooper in the Tampa Rough Riders and a member of Avila Country Club. Most of all, Mike loved the abundant laughter he shared with Kendra, supporting Morgan’s passion for competitive cheerleading, coaching Trent’s baseball team, and boating from their waterfront home with Reagan. Mike loved discussing the latest news stories with his dad, talking about history and international affairs with his mom, and sharing stories about their childhood and their own kids with his sister, Amy. The entire family enjoyed many exciting travel adventures together through the years, including dedicated weeks at the beach every summer, regular trips to Disney World, Caribbean cruises, and European vacations. In addition to being passionate about his family, Mike enjoyed hanging out with his lifelong best friend, Brandon Cathey, building his business with his co-founder and friend, Ian Cordell, and cheering for USF Bulls’ football with family and friends. Mike was truly one of a kind. He is survived by his wife (Kendra), children (Morgan, Trenton, and Reagan), parents (Gary and Alene Keller), sister (Amy Keller), nephews (Kael, Ryan, and Jason), grandmother (Ellen Keller), as well as many other family members and friends who loved him dearly. Funeral services will be held at Stowers Funeral Home, 401 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon, Florida 33511 on Friday, February 26, 2016. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., followed by a service from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Burial will take place at Sarasota National Veteran’s Cemetery at a later date. Please contact Stowers Funeral Home at (813) 689-1211 for more information about the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Michael G. Keller Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of South Florida. Please contact Kemel Thompson at (813)-974-1891 or www.usfalumni.org/keller to make a tax deductible gift.
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