Loading ...ANN ARBOR, MICH. – Bank of Ann Arbor is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard (Rick) D. Snyder to its Board of Directors.
Rick co-founded and is the Chairman and CEO of Ardesta, LLC. Ardesta is one of the nation’s largest investment firms focused on micro and nanotechnology companies.
He also founded and led Avalon Investments, Inc., a venture capital company targeted at investments in technology-oriented ventures. Prior to that he served as Executive Vice President and then President and COO of Gateway, Inc. In addition, he served as a non executive Chairman of the Board of Gateway, Inc. Rick studied at the University of Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of General Studies degree with high distinction in 1977, a Masters of Business Administration with distinction in 1979, and a Juris Doctor in 1982.
Rick is active in community affairs and has held leadership positions in a variety of charitable and economic development organizations. Currently, Rick serves as founding Chairman of Ann Arbor SPARK, the economic development organization for the Ann Arbor region. In addition, Rick is active on the board of directors or advisory boards of several privately held companies and community and educational organizations, including The Henry Ford, The Nature Conservancy – Michigan Chapter, the New Economy Initiative, and The University of Michigan. Rick is also a member of the Michigan Bar Association.
“I am excited about joining the Bank’s board,” said Rick Snyder. “Having an outstanding community bank here is important to both our economy and our quality of life.”
“The addition of Rick to our Board will be a tremendous asset in helping us grow our Technology Industry Group, one of our areas of strategic focus,” said Tim Marshall, President and CEO, Bank of Ann Arbor. “Rick’s experience of growing local companies into worldwide businesses brings a new dimension to our team”.
Marshall continued, “His depth and breadth of experience, including his 9 years as a certified public accountant with Coopers and Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers), helping Gateway Computers grow from a privately held $600 million company to a NYSE traded global organization with revenues in excess of $6 billion, and his recent venture capital endeavors, will be a great addition to our Board of Directors. In addition, no one questions the passion Rick has for the betterment of our community and the State of Michigan”.
About Ardesta, LLC
Ardesta was formed in October 2000, when it raised almost $100 million in private funding. Ardesta had since established itself as the leader in commercializing Small Tech products. Ardesta served as the bridge between the universities/research laboratories involved in cutting edge basic research and the customers searching for product solutions that Small Tech can provide. In that role, Ardesta created five Small Tech start-up companies (many involving technology licensed from universities) and had invested in a number of early stage companies focusing on Small Tech’s role in next generation products for the areas of Communications, Energy, Environmental Safety/Security, and Medical Diagnostics and Treatment.
Ardesta developed strong relationships with over a dozen premier Small Tech research institutions. The relationships provide Ardesta with access to key intellectual property, the top specialists in the field, and an inside view as to the direction of the technology and industry.
Ardesta also established one of the world’s largest networks of intellectual capital focused on Small Tech, with experienced management and technical resources and a world-class technical advisory board. The web site is www.ardesta.com.
About Bank of Ann Arbor
Bank of Ann Arbor is a locally owned and operated bank with total assets and assets under management of nearly $1 billion, serving people and businesses in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and throughout Washtenaw County with offices at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor, in the Traver Village Shopping Center, on West Michigan Avenue in downtown Ypsilanti, across from the Arborland Mall, at the corner of Stadium and Liberty streets, and on West Ellsworth Road. The web site is www.bankofannarbor.com.
Ann Arbor, MI