Entrepreneurial Success Stories

Harry Ruda, CEO, Softricity, Inc., www.softricity.com,
Mr. Ruda's prestigious career spans over twenty-five years in the information and communications technology marketplace. Mr. Ruda joined the founders of Softricity as its CEO in June, 1999 when the company was still in the business planning stage and has continued in that role to the present time. Prior to Softricity, Mr. Ruda was President and CEO of ITS, a manufacturer of video access equipment for IP and ATM networks. ITS was acquired by Artel Video in 1999. Previous experience includes positions as General Manager, US Operations for Tennyson Technology, an Australian manufacturer of small office, integrated voice and data networking equipment, VP Sales and Marketing for Bridgeway Corporation, a network management systems company, and VP Field Operations for Bell Atlantic. Mr. Ruda also co-founded and was VP Sales and Marketing for Network Switching Systems, a manufacturer of integrated voice and data switching equipment which was later acquired by BBN Communications.

Mr. Ruda also founded and operated a global telecomm consulting business, Global Technologies, whose clients were composed of many of the world's leading telco's including: Bellcore, NYNEX, France Telecom, PacBell and GTE Services. Mr. Ruda has a BS in Management Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an MS in Operations Research from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Boston College.

Ralph Sheridan, Managing Partner, Value Management LLC, [email protected].
Ralph Sheridan is a former high tech CEO and expert in the application of technology to solve complex security problems. Ralph has been a frequent spokesman in the international media on technology solutions to cargo security for cross border trade. In addition, he has spoken on a range of subjects including the identification of special nuclear materials, body scanning for terrorists, and cyber threats to process control systems. From 1993 to 2003, he was CEO of American Science & Engineering where he established the company as a leader in cargo and vehicle inspection with 86 cargo inspection systems in ten countries. During that time the AS&E; was awarded 35 patents and introduced 15 new products increasing revenues from $11 million to $67 million.

Mr. Sheridan served as Chairman on the Public Safety and Justice Board of Advisors for RAND, and has served as a past board member of the American Electronics Association and the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves in board positions for emerging technology companies in analytical instrumentation software and network security software. Mr. Sheridan received both his BS in Chemistry and MBA from Ohio State University.

Louis Gudema, CEO, Magic Hour Communications, Inc.,
www.magic-hour.com
Louis Gudema is the founder and CEO of Magic Hour Communications, located in Watertown, MA. Louis has been using Magic Hour as a d/b/a for over 20 years, incorporated in 1994, and opened the office in 1998. Magic Hour has served some of the largest companies in the world, including IBM, Genzyme, The Boston Globe, Houghton Mifflin, Cognos, RSA Security, and Boston Scientific, as well as small companies and start-ups, such as Endeca, NewsEdge, SpeechWorks, and ON Technology. Magic Hour also has a strong presence in the non-profit vertical, with over 20 private school clients.

Magic Hour's business model has evolved considerably over the past seven years, as it grew dramatically during the dot-com boom, shrunk with the bust, and regrouped to begin growing again with a new strategy during the past three years. Magic Hour is currently looking for its first round of venture funding; Louis was selected to present Magic Hour's plan at the Mass Software Council Investment Conference in March, and the Connecticut Venture Group's Crossroads conference in April. Mr. Gudema received a Bachelor's Degree magna cum laude from The University of Michigan.

Robert Weber, Managing Director, Strategy Kinetics, LLC, www.strategykinetics.com.
Robert Weber is an entrepreneur, senior executive, consultant, inventor, author, and blogger. He is presently Managing Director, Strategy Kinetics, LLC, a Boston-based consultancy focused on the application of scenario planning to a broad range of corporate, industry, national, and global issues. Mr. Weber also writes at www.managingrights.com about digital rights management and related issues. Most recently, Mr. Weber was co-founder and SVP, Corporate & Market Development, at Evergreen Open Broadband, a wireless Internet services startup that was acquired by Mobilepro Corp in June, 2005. Previously Mr. Weber was SVP Business and Technology Strategy, InterTrust Technologies Corporation, where he made significant contributions to the company�s intellectual property. InterTrust went public in October, 1999. Mr. Weber has also been a Principal at Northeast Consulting Resources, Inc. (NCRI, prior to its being acquired by NerveWire). At NCRI, Mr. Weber�s consulting practice focused on the intersection of business and information technology strategy with a particular emphasis on Internet Services and technology-based companies. He is an inventor with 10 issued United States patents. Mr. Weber is presently a member of the IEEE Boston Entrepreneurs� Network and serves on their Advisory Board as Vice Chairman, Programs. Mr. Weber earned a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in Sociology.