High-tech companies are sprouting up throughout the region, helping to revitalize 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.”

Ever wonder what becomes of the entrepreneurs with the great ideas who present at DR’s Entrepreneurs & Angels? Some are still working toward making their vision a reality, but others are well down the road to delivering on their promise. We’re pleased to recognize the success of E&A alumni, Austin Haines and George Daddis, as they’re promoted to Rising Stars!

Austin Haines is President and Chief Executive Officer of Instant Images, Inc. Living proof that success can be a life-long habit, Austin has invested over twenty years growing businesses in the photo industry. The first successful business launched by this serial entrepreneur was Instant Photo, the first one-hour photo finisher in town. Following close behind was Professional Imaging Labs, which turned profitable within 18 short months. In 1995, he entered the world of digital imaging with In-Seitz, Inc. and four years later he launched DigiQuick Portrait Studios. The proprietary marketing, sales training and development methods created for this business enabled the first DigiQuick to be reprinted 7 more times across Rochester and Buffalo and has them teed up for success at they morph into Cl!x, Austin’s latest brainchild!

George E. Daddis, Jr., PhD is Chairman, CEO and President of InSciTek Microsystems, Inc., which he founded with partners, James Herrmann, and Jeff Szczepanski. The trio are seasoned engineering executives from Kodak and Xerox who have worked together as an effective, award-winning team since 1993. InSciTek’s lead product, Allworx™, is a business communications solution that combines phone, network, messaging, internet and scheduling into one powerful box. InSciTek closed an additional $4 million in investment this summer as the venture community bought into the truly unprecedented simplicity, comprehensiveness, and affordability of Allworx 10x.

Come hear "The Rest of the Story” as two visionaries share the journey from concept to delivery of innovative products that meet previously unmet needs for their respective customers.

[Register below]

SPEAKERS:

• George E. Daddis Jr., PhD, Chairman, CEO, and President,
  InSciTek Microsystems, Inc.
• Austin Haines, President and CEO, Instant Images, Inc., parent company of
  Digiquick Portrait Studios and Cl!x

AGENDA:

7:30-8:00 am	Refreshments and Networking
8:00-9:00 am	Presentations and Q&A
9:00-9:30 am	Networking

SPONSORS:

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

George E. Daddis Jr., PhD.

George has extensive experience in leading people in delivering digital products to the marketplace. His business management skills are enhanced by his ability to establish a market-focused vision, build highly capable organizations, and manage quick and efficient product commercialization. George has over 15 years of experience in software and digital hardware technologies with a focus in communications and networking, embedded systems, and imaging technologies.

Prior to founding InSciTek, George served as an Engineering Manager in the software and systems division of Xerox Engineering Systems. There he established and managed a multi-functional platform engineering team to create and develop the ground breaking AccXES client/server architecture for the XES family of printers and scanners. This platform earned industry-wide recognition, and set time-to-market, cost and performance benchmarks within Xerox.

Earlier in his career, George worked at Eastman Kodak where he managed and rapidly expanded a PostScript andraster printer controller platform that powered such award-winning Kodak desktop color printers as the XLS 8600 PS and DCP 9000.

George received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University in Computer Engineering. He has published academic papers in communication/data convergence and super scalar computer architecture. He is active in several entrepreneurial organizations including New York's Upstate Alliance for Innovation.

Austin Haines

Austin Haines is a Founder, Chief Creative Officer, and Director of Clix as well as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Instant Images Inc. which is doing business as DigiQuick Portrait Studios in the Rochester, NY area. Mr. Haines has over twenty years of photo industry and entrepreneurial experience. He was a key player in the start of Instant Photo, the first one-hour photo finisher in Rochester, NY. Mr. Haines championed a 1500% growth rate over 4 years as 6 new locations were added.

In 1987, Mr. Haines opened Professional Imaging Labs, a professional photofinishing lab that catered to wedding and portrait photographers. Within eighteen months, Professional Imaging was consistently profitable and had captured a majority market share in Rochester, NY. After selling his interest in Professional Imaging in 1995, Mr. Haines entered the world of digital imaging with In-Seitz, Inc. where as Vice President of Sales; he immersed himself in digital technology, and digital systems. Five years later, armed with a clear vision and solid understanding of the digital photography business, Mr. Haines launched DigiQuick Portrait Studios. At DigiQuick, he developed and implemented proprietary marketing, sales training, and development methods that enabled expansion to currently seven locations in Rochester and Buffalo, NY.