Donald M. Spero
Undergrad
college/major:
Engineering Physics.
Affiliations
at Cornell:
Crew, ZBT, Red Key, Quill & Dagger.
Advanced
degrees:
PhD, Physics,
Career/occupation: Technology
entrepreneur & CEO (Fusion Systems Corp, 1927-1992), Director of Center for
Entrepreneurship (University of Maryland, Smith School of Business, 2000-2004),
Co-founder & Managing Director of venture capital firm (New Markets Venture
Partners, 2003-present).
Honors
and awards:
U.S. Olympic single sculls finalist (Tokyo 1964), Henley Royal Regatta Diamond
Sculls winner (1965), World Champion single sculls (Bled, Yugoslavia 1966),
Rowing Ergometer World record for age 50-60 men (1992), five rowing Hall of
Fame awards (International, U.S., Local), 1991 Maryland Manufacturer of the
Year, 1992 Montgomery County, MD, High Technology Company of the Year, 1993 Sematech Quality Leadership Award.
Important affiliations: Board member or Chairman
of seven private and two public companies, Board member of National Association
of Manufacturers (1992), Board member/finance committee chairman/executive
committee of WETA Public TV/Radio (1998-2007), Co- founder and trustee of
National Rowing Foundation (1965-present), Director of Potomac River Sports
Foundation (1998-present), Member of D.C. Barbershop Harmony Society chorus and
Keener Chords barbershop quartet (1975-present).
Published work: 10 articles in the scientific
literature (1968-1973), "Patent
Protection or Piracy--A CEO Views Japan," Harvard Business Review,
September-October l990.
Marital
status:
Married.
Spouse: Nancy Chasen.
Children: Laura Chasen Spero and Richard Chasen Spero.
Grandchildren: # 1 due July, 2011.
Outstanding
Cornell memory:
Arriving as a freshman expecting to play on the tennis team but losing my first
round tournament match so quickly that I tried out that day for the crew (a sport unknown to me), making the first freshman
boat that was part of Cornell’s sweep of the 1998 Intercollegiate Rowing
Championships.
How
has your life differed from what you expected? In high school I’d
never heard of the terms technology entrepreneur, venture capitalist or rowing
world champion, nor the first two at Cornell, and therefore never expected to
be any of them.
Post-grad Cornell activities: Director of Cornell
Society of Engineers, Director of Cornell Rowing Association, Johnson School
Cornell Venture Challenge judge (2010, 2011).
Personal
reflections:
My Cornell experience taught me values - striving for excellence, teamwork,
loyalty to friends, integrity, service to good causes – that have been the
foundation for facing the challenges and achieving those successes encountered
on the unpredictable journey of life. The greatest joy is having a wonderful
wife and children, and our first grandchild due soon.