Alumni from Case Western Reserve University have created and guided extremely successful businesses around the world and The Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship is excited to recognize and highlight their achievements. Click on the alumni below to read about their entrepreneurial journey.
Meet Justin Bellante (CWR ’01, ’02), who is the founder, president, and chief operating officer (COO) of BioIQ. BioIQ mails at-home diagnostic test kits directly to consumers’ that are able to check for various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and more. The test kits are coupled with an online user experience which allows consumers are to track and manage their health in a new and more convenient way.
Meet Alan Marcovecchio (CWR ’96), who is the co-founder and president of AtaCor Medical. AtaCor Medical provides a new approach to cardiac pacing by delivering temporary pacing without needing to enter the heart, vascular system, or cath lab. The result is a reliable, prompt, imaging-free temporary pacing without the discomfort, risk, and limitations of traditional methods.
Meet Kari Cunningham (DEN ’10, ’12), who is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the owner of Panther Pediatric Dentistry. Panther Pediatric Dentistry is Euclid’s only dental office specifically dedicated to taking care of the dental needs of children up to 12-years-old. The practice strives to make a difference by serving as a resource and support system for parents and caregivers so children can achieve optimal oral and overall health.
Meet Nick Deeter (MGT '86), who is the chairman of the board and CEO of Wishbone Medical. As a pediatric orthopedic company, WishBone Medical is focused globally on the unmet needs of children suffering from orthopedic issues. The company creates implants that take into account the major physiological elements that differentiate children’s anatomies from that of adults. As a result, pediatric patients are able to receive implants that better fit their needs.
Meet Bob Vucenovic (MGT ’95), who was the founder and CEO of Evia Business Partners. Evia Business Partners is a premier management consulting firm that utilizes a unique problem-solving mindset to deliver solutions to their clients. The firm works closely with their clients in order to create a specific course of action that will resolve any myriad of business issues.
Meet Charu Ramanathan, PhD (GRS '00,'04), who is co-founder and CEO of Vitalxchange. Vitalxchange is a digital ecosystem where parents and providers caring for special needs children can partner to help children thrive. On the digital platform, parents are matched to highly experienced mentors and experts to guide them along every step of the way.
Meet John Knific (CWR '09), who is the co-founder, president & COO of Wisr, Inc. Wisr is a mobile-friendly platform that helps university students find and talk with alumni who are eager to share their advice and expertise. As a result, students can browse Wisr to find alumni working in fields that they are interested in exploring, and then request a one-to-one advisory session. The platform suggests conversation topics, streamlines the scheduling process and even provides a free telephone conference bridge.
Meet John Kobs (CWR '03) who is the CEO and founder of Apartment List. Apartment List is a free service that assists people in finding their next home. The company uses a method of trust and transparency by surveying individuals in order to produce personalized results. As a result, it becomes easy to discover places with the perfect combination of price, location and amenities.
Meet Ketal Patel (GRS ’97), who is the co-founder and CTO of Vitalxchange. Vitalxchange is a digital ecosystem where parents and providers caring for special needs children can partner to help children thrive. On the digital platform, parents are matched to highly experienced mentors and experts to guide them along every step of the way.
Having grown up as an independent thinker, Chaz Berman (CWR ‘73) felt destined to become an entrepreneur. Now, he is the CEO of Grower’s Secret, an organic fertilizer company that is good for both a farmer’s business and the earth.
While attending Vanderbilt University, Michael Ackermann (ENG ‘07, ENG ‘09, biomedical engineering) had originally planned to become a physician. His love for research, however, took him in a new direction. Now, he is the co-founder and chairman of Tarsus Pharmaceuticals.