Norman Alesi, President & COO, Laurus Technologies Inc., Lake Forest MBA Class of 1995
By Barbara Wang
Norm Alesi, LFGSM class of 1995, always knew that he wanted to build things. An engineer with a degree from Purdue University, Alesi's entrepreneurial spirit instinctively drew him to business. His desire to learn all aspects of business management brought him to LFGSM. "LFGSM offered the entire package of tools I needed to gain real world know-how covering all aspects of managing a business. From accounting and finance to marketing and human resources - everything I learned then, I use today."
Working as a management consultant following graduation, Alesi spied opportunity. The IT consulting community largely ignored affordable, premier-level services for middle-market companies. In 1999, Alesi and four partners founded Laurus Technologies to design, build and secure advanced information systems for middle-market companies.
Laurus Technologies has faced many of the same challenges confronting most technology firms during the recent tech market crash. Yet, it survived where others have failed. As President of Laurus, Alesi uses the real world expertise gained at LFGSM to navigate today's volatile business climate. Today Laurus Technologies has grown to 15 employees, and Sun Microsystems, Oracle, Veritas, Hitachi Data Systems and other best-of-class industry partners refer to Laurus Technologies as a top consultant in its area.
A firm believer in LFGSM's "learn from experience" philosophy, Alesi recalls learning from his Intra/Entrepreneurship professor Jim Vahle the factors that investors really evaluate when reviewing business plans. "I used skills I learned at LFGSM to develop our company's business plan. Based on this plan, Laurus was one of the few companies selected to address a key conference of venture capitalists. LFGSM’s entrepreneurial skills course was invaluable."
It hasn't always been easy steering a start-up company to success. However, by keeping a steadfast focus on delivering true value to clients, developing strong relationships with quality partners, and sticking to a solid business plan, Alesi has proven his vision has staying power. Latin for "success," Laurus has lived up to its name. Judging by Alesi's accomplishments, LFGSM has lived up to its name as well.
Back