Finisar Corporation
Frank H. Levinson founded Finisar in April 1987 and has served as a member of our Board of Directors since February 1988 and as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Technical Officer since August 1999. Mr. Levinson also served as our Chief Executive Officer from February 1988 to August 1999. From September 1980 to December 1983, Mr. Levinson was a Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories. From January 1984 to July 1984, he was a Member of Technical Staff at Bellcore, a provider of services and products to the communications industry. From April 1985 to December 1985, Mr. Levinson was the principal optical scientist at Raychem Corporation, and from January 1986 to February 1988, he was Optical Department Manager at Raynet, Inc., a fiber optic systems company. Mr. Levinson holds a B.S. in Mathematics/Physics from Butler University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Virginia.
Related Links: investor.finisar.com
Last Updated: Wed, Apr 19, 2006
| Category | Title | Author/Speaker | Organization | Length | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | Innovate Fast and Keep The Team Small and Focused | Frank Levinson | Finisar | 02:05 | 10/2001 |
| Video | How Does Going Public Change You and Your Company? | Frank Levinson | Finisar | 01:55 | 10/2001 |
| Video | Envisioning The Future For Optics | Frank Levinson | Finisar | 02:16 | 10/2001 |
| Video | Changing Finisar Technology and Business Practices | Frank Levinson | Finisar | 04:16 | 10/2001 |
| Video | Importance of Family In Building a Start-up | Frank Levinson | Finisar | 02:25 | 10/2001 |
| Video | Managing The Leverage of Customer Input on Product Development | Frank Levinson | Finisar | 02:37 | 10/2001 |
Levinson talks about how competition is unavoidable among businesses, and in the high-tech industry, it's fast-paced and often cutthroat. Keeping ahead of the competition comes down to two things, according to him: quick innovation and keeping your team small and focused.
Inevitably, when a company goes public, there's an enormous amount of change that takes place, says Levinson. While the IPO may be an indication of financial success, the true measure is within the company, and maintaining a level of normalcy and maintaing the company's original culture, he adds.
Levinson believes leadership skills are vital in maintaining a successful company. These skills include being able to see into the future, and predict where the company should go. He talks about the possible future of Finisar.
As a company grows and develops, it is possible that its methods for design and production change, says Levinson. The company may also look to new avenues of possible innovations. He describes the changes Finisar has seen over the years.
When starting a company, it's important to tell your family that they'll rarely see you, says Levinson, and to tell them how important they are to the whole process. The stress involved with a startup is often mind-boggling, and the support of family can be the saving grace, he adds.
Clearly, without producing something that meets a customer's needs, says Levinson, a business is not a good position to succeed. However, it's important that the business create its own goals and work to fulfill its own needs as well. He describes the best methods to reaching a compromise in this situation.