Content area
Full Text
Profile
Charles Roe has noticed some intrinsic qualities that define entrepreneurs like himself. "They tend to be fearlessly optimistic, and have learned to constructively handle failure and rejection. They also usually have an unshakable faith in what they are doing," he observes. "Of course, many engineers are uncomfortable with the risk-taking associated with starting a company. However, I've found the potential rewards to be worth the risk."
Roe is the co-founder and chief technology officer of Aigisys (Cleveland, OH), a biotechnology company that uses algae to produce nutritional oils and higb-protein additives for the supplement, food and beverage, animal feed, and pharmaceutical industries. Running a start-up company, he believes, "gives me greater ability to influence the direction of the organization and more autonomy to determine where to focus my time and resources. I value being able to choose where, when, how, and what I work on." He also enjoys "the thrill of pitching my company to potential investors, as well as recruiting and persuading other people to join in my endeavors." Working for himself and his stakeholders also motivates him to succeed.
Roe received his BS and MS in chemical engineering at the Univ. of Pittsburgh and the Univ. of Pennsylvania, respectively, before earning a PbD in chemical engineering at Michigan Tech....