WHAT MAKES AN ENTREPRENEUR TICK?
Is it the entrepreneurial spirit and drive that motivates a leader to reach new heights or to begin a new path?
High-tech companies are sprouting up throughout the region, one of the driving forces in the revitalization that has taken place in our local economy. Rising Stars, a quarterly event, showcases the entrepreneurs who are building some of Rochester’s most successful technology companies. It offers an opportunity to hear their personal stories and meet the individuals behind Rochester’s “rising stars”.
Please join us to hear how two local leaders have tapped into their ambitions and are demonstrating success in two very different ways.
DATE: Thursday, October 8, 2009
TIME: 7:30 – 9:30 am
LOCATION: Bausch Auditorium inside the Rochester Museum & Science Center, 657 East Ave., Rochester, NY
From a local family business to a global leader, RAF Tabtronics has earned its status as a world class manufacturer of magnetic components, creating advanced electromagnetic technologies and customized solutions for the world’s leading power technology companies. Learn about President James Tabbi’s path for growth and sustainability as a technology manufacturer.
Bringing with him many years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies, CEO John Hart has included starting new companies as part of his repertoire.
Come hear about John’s roadmap to success building companies in the Rochester region and specifically about Lumetrics, a measurement technology company servicing the medical, pharmaceutical, food packaging, eye-care products and coating industries.
The Rising Stars series gives us an ‘up close and personal’ look at what it takes to found and grow a successful business in the Rochester region.
This event is free, but pre-registration is required. Event is limited to 135 participants, so be sure to register early! Click here to REGISTER TODAY!
SPEAKERS:
- James Tabbi, President & COO, RAF Tabtronics, LLC
- John Hart, CEO, Lumetrics, Inc.
AGENDA:
- 7:30 – 8:00 am Refreshments and Networking
- 8:00 – 9:00 am Presentations
- 9:00 – 9:30 am Q&A and Meet the Speakers
SPONSORED BY:
The Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester is ranked among the top business schools nationally and internationally by media and publications such as BusinessWeek, the Financial Times of London, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal. You’ve always stood out among your peers. Now it is time to take the next step to make your mark on the rest of the world. The Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester, is the place to do it!
Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE) is a regional economic development organization that supports business attraction and expansion, as well as entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the Greater Rochester, NY nine-county region. GRE collaborates with businesses, universities, not-for-profit organizations and government unifying regional economic development activities. GRE is pleased to support Rochester’s Rising Stars!
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
JAMES TABBI, President & COO, RAF Tabtronics, LLC
James began his career at Tabtronics on the shop floor in 1980 doing various production assignments leading to a position in Quality Assurance. His interest and schooling in computer programming at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) led to the creation and implementation of a computerized purchasing and inventory control system. This resulted in the position of Purchasing and Materials Control Manager in 1988. During this time, James re-engineered the company’s purchasing systems to maximize efficiency and customer delivery time.
In 1990 he was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Operations where an extensive re-engineering process utilizing Group Technology and Cellular Manufacturing led Tabtronics to improved lean operations and increased levels of customer service and conformance quality.
In 1994 James took over as President and continued the process of improvement by overseeing a major plant expansion, along with the implementation of Visual Manufacturing, a computerized enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
In 2000, James led the acquisition of the Specialty Magnetics Division of CEN Electronics, and a subsequent facility expansion and relocation project.
James has also led the company’s ISO9001:1994 and ISO9001:2000 certification efforts.
Learn more about RAF Tabtronics at: www.raftabtronics.com
JOHN HART, CEO, Lumetrics, Inc.
John has over 30 years of engineering, business development and general management experience with Fortune 500 firms such as Bausch and Lomb and Allergan. John also has extensive expertise in startup companies with the development of Lumetrics, ASE Instruments, and Holotek, all companies in the field of Optics, Photonics and Imaging.
John was an early board member of the Rochester Regional Photonics cluster, a not for profit trade association, and is its current Board President. In addition, John is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Infotonics Technology Center, New York Photonics and Lumetrics.
In March of 2003, John and his 3 other founding partners successfully licensed novel technology from the research labs of Eastman Kodak and formed Lumetrics to develop and commercialize a series of products. Lumetrics received initial pre-seed funding from High Technology of Rochester, seed funding from University Technology Seed fund (managed by Trillium), 2 angel investor rounds of convertible debentures and in late 2005, an “A” round of investment led by Stonehenge Capital, New York State Small Business Technology Investment Fund and the Rochester Angel Network.
Lumetrics manufactures and sells its products (trade name OptiGauge) into its 3 primary markets; Optics, Medical devices, and Ophthalmic, and has significant numbers of systems deployed worldwide.
Learn more about Lumetrics at: www.lumetrics.com
