Home: Riverside, CT. Age: Need to know basis. Birthplace: New York, NY. Profession: Pre-built machine learning software solutions. Organization: ElectrifAi. Title: CEO. Significant other: Britta Scott. Alma mater: Columbia; Harvard Business School.
Current project: How machine learning can be helpful in preventing human trafficking. Latest contribution to others: Tutoring. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Creating a machine learning product company. Hobbies: International affairs. Recent travel or adventure: Peru. Last book read: Amp It Up, by Frank Slootman. Recently viewed and recommended: White Lotus (HBO).
Personality profile: Tenacious, curious, humble. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Competitive. Moral compass: The Bible. How do you define a perfect friendship? Unqualified understanding, trust and availability. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Transparent. What is your greatest joy? My family. What is your greatest fear? Failure. What is your guilty pleasure? Dark chocolate. What word or phrase do you use far too often? What’s the bottom line? What natural talent have you neglected? Painting. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? TV interviewers. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Put in the bank. What is at the top of your bucket list? Attending all ATP tennis grand slams. How do you relieve stress? Exercise. What is your go-to workout? Push-ups, Peloton, free weights. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? The ocean.
What was your first paying job? Mergers and acquisitions banker. What was your favorite college course? Columbia College Core Curriculum. What was your favorite childhood toy or game? Tennis. What book have you repeatedly read? Connect the Dots, by John Chambers. What movie have you repeatedly watched? Wedding Crashers. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A prayer. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My wife. What’s the best advice you received growing up? Press on. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Listen and reflect. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? The internet. What is your favorite app? Uber. What is your go-to source of news and information? The Wall Street Journal. What company or organization do you most admire? Apple. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? The Iran hostage crisis. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? A sports career-ending injury.
What is your big idea?
To enable mid-sized companies who cannot afford or retain expensive data scientist access to pre-built machine learning models.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Enabling companies to drive business value quickly through pre-built ML solutions. What change would you like to see in the world? Digital technology brought to every country ubiquitously. What message do you want to send out into the world? Love and respect each other and the diversity of humanity. What widely held belief do you reject? We are all equal. What mega-trend most excites you? Computer vision. What mega-trend most concerns you? GPT.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Persistence. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? George Clooney. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? Dietrich Bonhoeffer. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A professional athlete. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? Our pets. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Praying. What advice would you give your younger self? Listen and reflect. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? There are a few…. What period in your life would you do differently, if you could? My twenties.
Personal mission: Improving peoples’ lives through tech. Personal motto: Press on. Favorite quote: “Do your job” (Bill Belichick). Desired epitaph: He helped others selflessly and without need for recognition.
