Brief profiles of 15 Inc. 500 CEOs.
Company Profiles
#17: JOHN LAU
Lautek Corp.
Sells computers to corporations
Growing Up
Mother Teacher, garment factory worker
Father Salesman, waiter in Chinese restaurant
Hometowns Hong Kong; New York City's Chinatown
Education M.S. physics
Jobs Vice-president of global data network at Shearson/American Express
Getting Here
"I had a lot of ideas in my mind, and I wanted to do them much faster than my management, so I decided, hey, I really need to do things on my own. So I started Lautek in the basement of my house."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "It seems I have no choice. To drive as much as possible is part of my inner self."
Family in Business Wife, cofounder and VP; brother-in-law, chairman
What's Changed "When I talk to end users -- or sometimes to purchasing people -- they don't see me as the regular white-man majority. That continues today. It's not frustrating, just part of life."
Lose Sleep Over Cash flow
Workweek 75 hours
Last Vacation Haven't taken a week since starting company
Use a PC? Yes
What's Next May go public
Footnote
"There's so much I can do; looking back at things, I could have done so much better. In work and life, too. But there's no use in looking back. I've liked the momentum. There was nothing, then something was created -- something to the best of my ability. That's probably the driving force."
#35: ERIC KRISS
MediVision Inc.
Operates 30 eye health-care centers
Growing Up
Mother Marriage counselor
Father Physician and professor
Hometown Palo Alto, Calif.
Education B.A. music, M.B.A.
Jobs Started a music magazine; wrote music books; editor at a weaving magazine; consultant at Bain & Co. and cofounded Bain's VC arm
Getting Here
"Bain studied this business for Bausch & Lomb, which decided not to pursue it; I was at Bain Capital, read the business plan we put together -- which now had no company behind it -- and decided to buy the idea from Bausch."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Ben Franklin -- his balanced approach to life
Family in Business None
What's Changed "We spent the first two years intensely following competitive developments, organizing a strategy to make it more difficult for competitors to enter. I'm not concerned about that anymore. If a company started next week it wouldn't bother me."
Lose Sleep Over Government regulations, especially Medicare reimbursement
Workweek 50 hours
Last Vacation "I don't think I've taken two consecutive weeks off since eighth grade."
Use a PC? Yes, and also at home
What's Next Have plans to sell company by the end of the year
Footnote
"I'm not a workaholic. I never work on weekends or at night. I always spend time with the family. I'm amazed at people who say they work 16 hours a day, because you know what? I think I've probably got 4 or 5 good hours a day."
#74: ERNEST PROVETTI
Trinity Products Inc.
Manufacturer of motors for model racing cars
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Longshoreman
Hometown Brooklyn, N.Y.
Education B.A. philosophy; seminary student
Jobs Catering, rental car agency
Getting Here
"Building engines was just something to subsidize my own hobby. I didn't expect to make a living at it. Eventually I talked my mother into letting me pull the furniture out of the house, and I built a factory in our apartment. My mother still lives in Brooklyn -- with furniture."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Donald Trump. "I'd give up half my net worth to have lunch with him."
Family in Business None
What's Changed "What mattered back then was ego. It was driving me just to win the race. Now, I read everything I can get my hands on to learn about business."
Lose Sleep Over Wondering when the racing fad will fade
Workweek 50 hours
Last Vacation September '88, to Florida and Hawaii. "My first vacation in six years."
Use a PC? Yes, a laptop
What's Next Opening a nightclub/restaurant in New York City
Footnote
"I took theology, philosophy, Greek, and Latin for 12 years; I didn't know The Wall Street Journal from a third-grade catechism. And today I hooked up my laptop into CompuServe so I could check my stock quotes. If someone had told me a few years ago that I'd be checking a few hundred thousand dollars of stock prices, I would have said you're crazy."
#125: ANDREW DOPPELT
National Investigative Services Corp.
Corporate and financial investigator
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Owned manufacturing company
Hometown Highland Park, Ill.
Education J.D.
Jobs IRS special agent; father's company
Getting Here
"Having come from a big bureaucracy and having worked for my father, I didn't want to put myself back in the position of being subordinate. The best way to avoid that was to be my own boss."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "There are certain measurements you can use to tell whether your company is becoming a force: being invited to give speeches in places you've never heard of; getting clients you never tried to develop but who've heard of you."
