RocGrowth Candids
Designed to educate, inspire, and connect Rochester’s entrepreneurs, this speaker series features a local founder who shares personal stories and lessons learned on the path to building a successful company.

RocGrowth Candids: Erica Fee, KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival
RocGrowth Candids in November was held at City Center. It featured Erica Fee, festival producer of the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival Alex Zapesochny, publisher of the Rochester Beacon, led the discussion.

RocGrowth Candids: Omni-ID’s George Daddis and Ralph Dandrea, ITX
RocGrowth Candids in September was held at City Center. It featured George Daddis, CEO of Omni-ID, and Ralph Dandrea CEO of ITX. Alex Zapesochny, publisher of the Rochester Beacon, led the discussion.

RocGrowth Candids: UVC’s Nasir Ali and Marnie Lavigne of Launch NY
Marnie Lavigne, CEO of Launch NY and Nasir Ali, CEO of Upstate Venture Connect. RocGrowth Candids in July was held at City Center. It featured Nasir Ali, CEO of Upstate Venture Connect and Managing Director of StartFast Venture Accelerator, and Marnie LaVigne, CEO of Launch NY. Both Nasir and Marnie have had successful entrepreneurial careers, […]

RocGrowth Candids: UR’s Julia Maddox and RIT’s Jim Hall
RocGrowth Candids in May was held at Rochester Institute of Technology’s Magic Spell Studios. It featured Julia Maddox, director of the Barbara J. Burger iZone at the University of Rochester and Jim Hall, dean of University Studies at RIT. Alex Zapesochny, publisher of the Rochester Beacon, led the discussion.

RocGrowth Candids: Zach Sarkis of NYHempLab and Michele Liddle of The Perfect Granola
RocGrowth Candids in March was at a new location in March. It featured Zach Sarkis, cofounder of Flower City Solutions and NYHempLab, and The Perfect Granola founder Michele Liddle. Alex Zapesochny, publisher of the Rochester Beacon, lead the discussion. The new location for Candids is 3 City Center, 180 S. Clinton Ave., across from Washington […]

RocGrowth Candids: Ben Wood and Patrick Bosek, Why Rochester
Nasier Ali leads a discussion with Ben Wood, CEO of ViewSPORT, and Patrick Bosek, CEO or Jorsek, at RocGrowth Candids Jan. 9, 2019 at Downstairs Cabaret Theatre. The pair are building high-potential companies that capitalize on our region’s great talent pool and healthy environment for startups.

RocGrowth Candids: Dan Schneiderman and Robert Mostyn
Dan Schneiderman and Robert Mostyn were featured Nov. 7 at Downstairs Cabaret Theatre for RocGrowth Candids. While being employed by RIT, each has extended their reach into the community much beyond the campus boundaries. Stephen Jacobs, RIT professor and visiting scholar for the National Center for the History of Electronic Games, led the discussion. Schneiderman, […]

RocGrowth Candids: Mark Oney of EmployeeChannel and Dan Diefendorf of LiveTiles
Mark Oney of EmployeeChannel and Dan Diefendorf of LiveTiles were featured Sept. 5, 2018 at RocGrowth Candids. Alex Zapesochny conducted the interview. Oney is a Rochester Institute of Technology graduate residing in the Bay Area. This is his eighth startup, and he chose to establish his software development team in Rochester. Diefendorf is an area […]

RocGrowth Candids: ‘Innovation in the Arts’
Jonathan Binstock, Director of the Memorial Art Gallery, moderates a panel that includes Bleu Cease, executive director and curator of the internationally recognized Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), K.C. Sullivan, co-founder and director of UUU Art Collective, and noted and distinctive artist Sarah Rutherford. Click here for more details on the new RocGrowth Candids Arts […]

RocGrowth Candids: Dr. David Munson, RIT president
Dr. David Munson Jr., President, Rochester Institute of Technology. January 3, 2018.