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.”

One of the best ways to get to know a community is to wander its neighborhoods, discovering at leisure all of its delightful hidden assets. That's not so easy to do when you're in another part of the country and trying to research a new home town. It's no answer at all for emergency responders who have moments to access a building, not weeks to get to know their way around. Two notable Rochester companies have found ways to apply very different patented technologies that enable you to get to know a community from your computer! Join us as we welcome Dick Kaplan, President and CEO of Pictometry, and Bob Bartosiewicz, Founder, President and CEO of CGI Communications, to Digital Rochester's Rising Stars!

Currently, more than 300 municipalities and 15,000 businesses nationwide are using CGI micro-movies to tell their stories on the web through CGI's eLocalLink subsidiary. One of the keys to their success is a patent pending technology that broadcasts streaming video via the Internet with just a mouse click. Bob will share the tales of his journey from founding Community Graphics in 1988 to the growing divisions of today's CGI Communications. (Learn more in Todd Grady's article in the Democrat & Chronicle.)

A month ago, when authorities cornered the Atlanta Courthouse shooting suspect, the SWAT team prepared for the capture with strategic information gained from Pictometry's patented imaging solution. Pictometry’s industry leading software enables users to easily access up to 12 different views of any property, building, highway, or other feature in a county in a 3D-like format. The software also enables users to create measurements such as distance, height, elevation, and area, directly from the oblique imagery as well as insert GIS content and other data. Counties across the country are using Pictometry's solutions for 9-1-1, emergency response and homeland security needs as well as assessment, appraisal and insurance applications. Dick Kaplan will talk about the path Pictometry has taken in building relationships with over 100 counties, nine major metropolitan areas and the federal government. (Find out more in the RNews coverage.)

[Register below]

SPEAKERS:

• Bob Bartosiewicz, President and CEO, CGI Communications, Inc.
• Richard A. Kaplan, President and CEO, Pictometry International Corp.

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:

Bob Bartosiewicz

Bob Bartosiewicz founded CGI Communications at the age of 25. Prior to CGI Communications, he owned and operated the largest electronic rust proofing franchise in the United States with over 150 auto dealers as customers. He later sold this company to an automotive group in New York. He started his sales career while attending Western Connecticut State University. Taking on the full curriculum at night, he took a full-time position at American Bureau Publications. During his five years with American Bureau Publications, he ranked #1 in advertising sales volume out of 275 nation-wide representatives. He was promoted to Vice-President of the New England Region upon his graduation from college at 22 years old.

Mr. Bartosiewicz is proud of his blue collar roots from a small steel mill town in Thomaston, Connecticut. His father, a Korean War Hero, worked 46 years at the Plume Atwood Plant. His mother was a secretary throughout her working life. He is the youngest of their 4 children. His parents will be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary on June 25th of this year!

Mr. Bartosiewicz has an extremely supportive wife of 14 years, named Kimberly, and four kids; Robert Jr., Blair, Alexa, and Brenna. Kimberly is a Registered Nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital, with an MBA from the University of New Haven.

The CGI executive team has been together for over 12 years. Frank Buono, Rich Madafferi, Hank Vinick, Bob Forys, Chris Sokal, Greg Thoen, Tim Corcoran, and Bob Greenebaum hold the roles of Vice-President and Treasurer.

Mr. Bartosiewicz is a “Persistence Advocate” as demonstrated by the limited number of occupational positions held by the age of 42. To date, he has held only 4 positions - with one being his newspaper route, which he held from 10 – 17 years old.

Richard A. Kaplan

Mr. Kaplan is the former President of Richland Industries, Inc., a retail floor covering chain. He was Chairman and co-founder of Resnick Media Associates, Inc., an advertising and marketing agency, and Blanton Communications, Inc., a computer software company. He was President of RAK Realty Corporation, a real estate development company. He is the former Chairman of the Board and founder of WorkSmart International Inc., a human resource development, publishing, and training company for multi-market, multinational corporations and organizations. He is also Chairman Emeritus and founder of the Maxim Group Inc, a publicly held company previously traded on the New York Stock Exchange (MXG). He also does consulting with various other businesses.

Mr. Kaplan has done private consulting, and guest lecturing on marketing, economics, and organizational development at universities as well as to many business groups.

Mr. Kaplan holds a black belt in karate, is an active member of his community and sits on the boards of many organizations such as: The American Cancer Society (former Chairman, Monroe County Division), Rochester Children’s Collaborative, Camp Good Days and Special Times, The Better Business Bureau (former Chairman), Rochester’s Child, the Martial Arts Center of Rochester, The Sojourner House, and the Rochester Broadway Theater League (Vice Chairman), etc. He has been the recipient of many community awards for his volunteer efforts.

Mr. Kaplan ran for the U.S. congress in 1998 and is also the creator of a new and unique theory, regarding social remediation in democracies, called C.A.R.I.N.G. He has written a book and lectured on the causes of, and the solutions to, problems facing our society. He attended Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Buffalo, where he majored in Accounting and minored in Economics.