Robert Felton co-founded the San Francisco-based Indus in 1988 as a provider of application software packages for customers in the electric utilities, petrochemical, heavy manufacturing, transportation and packaged goods industries. The company grew rapidly and, in 1993, was ranked third in Inc. magazine's list of the 500 fastest-growing privately held companies. As CEO, Felton played a key role in preparing the company's initial public offering, which occurred in February 1996. During this critical period, Felton kept all 450 employees updated on the IPO, sharing with them confidential information. Felton is a firm believer in open lines of communication in all levels of the corporation. To that end, Indus employees regularly post work summaries on an electronic bulletin board where colleagues may read and offer comments on various projects. Felton's belief that open employee communication offers a vital competitive advantage to Indus was the subject of a column in the Jan. 10 issue of The Wall Street Journal. Felton earned a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University in 1961 and a Master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Washington in 1971.
Alan Pike teaches management writing and oral communication at the Johnson School. He has taught writing and other communications courses at various schools throughout Cornell, at Syracuse University, and has consulted with corporations on management communications. Professor Pike also directs the outdoor leadership/team development program and has presented papers on communications and leadership issues. Note: Alan Pike, 65, a senior lecturer in communication who taught generations of business leaders at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management, died of heart failure Jan. 7, 2006 in his Ithaca home.
Since graduating from college, Steve Banjamin has had three careers and is now inventing his fourth. From 1982 to 1988 he worked in the Air Freight industry, as Vice President Strategic Planning for Burlington Air Express. The best part of that job was designing a hub and spoke system, and buying the cargo airplanes needed to support that system. Much of that original design is still in place including several of the airplanes Steve purchased more than 15 years ago. In 1988 Steve and his wife, Sheri, started The Benjamin Group Inc., a public relations agency working with high technology companies. Initially the company started in Silicon Valley, but eventually spread to Orange County, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon as well. By the time the firm was sold in July 1999 it employed 115 people. Steve moved out of the company in July 2002 after the purchase agreement was complete. Steve's wife still remains with purchasing company (Weber Shandwick) as the head of their technology practice. In 1992, concurrent with being CFO of Benjamin Group, Steve got into the Customer Loyalty consulting business in partnership with Burke Inc., a Cincinnati-based market research firm. Steve was able to develop and manage significant relationships with key high tech companies like Sun Microsystems and Applied Materials. Starting in July 2002 Steve decided he wanted to work less and spend more time with his children (Megan 14.5 and Cody 12.5). He's been busy doing the things most dads wish they could do but often don't have time for. In addition to spending time with his kids, Steve is a trustee for Hillbrook School (a k through 8 school), and is helping the school raise $6.0 million to rebuild the campus. Steve Benjamin holds a Bachelors and Masters of Engineering as well as an MBA from Cornell University.
Mike Homer is the Chairman of Kontiki. He is also an investor and advisor to several Silicon Valley startups, including Opsware (formerly Loudcloud), Tellme Networks, Palm, and TiVo. Previously, Mike was a Senior Vice President at America Online. Before the acquisition of Netscape by AOL, he held various executive positions at Netscape Communications, including Executive Vice President and General Manager of Netscape Netcenter, and Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Earlier in his career, Mike gained valuable experience as Vice President of Engineering at EO Corporation and as Vice President of Marketing at GO Corporation. From 1982 to 1991, Mike held various technical and management positions at Apple Computer. Mike Homer earned a B.S. from the University of California at Berkeley.
Richard Hayman was President and Co-Owner of Hayman Systems before it was acquired by MICROS Systems, Inc. in December 1999. Hayman Systems was founded as a cash register company in 1938 by Stanley Hayman but under Richard Hayman's leadership, grew to become a value-added reseller and systems integrator of point-of-sale systems to the hospitality and retail industries. Richard Hayman received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University in 1967.
Patrick Mulcahy is Chief Executive Officer of Energizer, Inc. His retirement from the company was announced in the fall of 2004. Mulcahy joined Ralston in 1968 and has served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Eveready Battery Company, Inc. since 1987. Mulcahy served as co-Chief Executive Officer and co-President of Ralston from October 1997 to June 1999. He served as Ralston's Vice President and Director, Corporate Strategic Planning and Administration, 1984--1986. Patrick Mulcahy received Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Science from Cornell University. He also holds an MBA from Cornell's Johnson School.
John Alexander is president and founder of The CBORD Group, Inc., a company inspired by his foodservice experience at Cornell University. While earning an undergraduate degree in physics, John worked in several capacities for the Department of Dining Services at Cornell, including managing the university's first two "Pickup Store" convenience stores. Later, as assistant business manager, he developed the dining department's systems for food production and cost control. John Alexander is a graduate of Cornell University
Richard Sayre is a Professor of Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology at Ohio State University and co-founder of Phycotransgenics, L.L.C. Phycotransgenics is a biotechnology company that specializes in the development of transgenic algae that have market-driven properties. Markets that the company is focusing on include animal health, animal feed, bioremediation, environmental monitoring and biopesticides. Richard received his undergraduate degree from Humboldt State University in California and his Ph. D. in Biology from the University of Iowa. He has completed postdoctoral research at Florida State University, University of Kentucky, and Harvard University.
Rob Ryan earned national attention when he grew his 1989 start-up company, Ascend Communications, Inc., to more than $500 million in sales by 1995. Lucent Technologies acquired Ascend in 1999 for $23 billion, in what was termed at the time, the "largest technology merger ever."
Back surgery sidelined Ryan from Ascend in June of 1995, but soon after his recovery he reinvented himself as a "boot camp mentor" at his Montana ranch and began helping budding high-tech entrepreneurs formulate winning business plans and teaching them how to sell their ideas. Since Entrepreneur America began, Ryan has counseled dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs and as a result, 18 companies have been founded and mentored by his organization. Three of those companies rose to billion-dollar valuations.
Ryan received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University.