A 30-year business veteran, Eric Suder is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ESI, a leading manufacturer of digital and IP-based communications systems.
Suder possesses broad experience in sales, marketing, and product management. Prior to founding ESI, he held executive-level management positions in both telecommunications and other industries with companies including Candela Electronics, Unisys, Qwip Systems, and Exxon Office Systems.
Since founding Estech Systems, Inc., in October of 1987, Suder has drawn on his technical and business expertise to lead ESI from its humble beginnings through the unprecedented growth of today. ESI has been awarded eight patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and Suder continues to drive innovation throughout the company. Under Suder’s leadership, ESI has been able to sustain a profitable, high-growth, and debt-free business model since the company’s inception.
Suder’s strong commitment to social responsibility has led ESI to develop and participate in numerous global and community programs dedicated to have a positive impact on the lives of others. ESI’s “Success with Significance” philosophy is an integral part of the company’s mission statement.
Examples of the company’s generosity include: establishment of the ESI Humanitarian Relief Fund in partnership with MediSend International; a secondary education student mentoring program; fundraising efforts to fight cancer; and sponsorship of the arts through support of the world-famous Dallas Symphony. Other institutions benefiting from ESI’s support include Habitat for Humanity, the Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center, Shared Housing, and Dallas Social Venture Partners.
One of Suder’s personal interests has been to help students with academic potential fulfill their goals through higher education. He funds direct scholarships for selected children of ESI employees. Suder also funded endowments to the University of Texas and his alma mater, West Virginia University, enabling these institutions to provide 10 scholarships each year to qualified students with financial need.
After learning about the particular challenges first-generation students encounter in pursuing their college degrees, he created the Suder Foundation in 2008 to direct additional resources toward their support. Through its First Scholars Program, the Suder Foundation will dramatically improve the graduation rate of these first-generation students by providing them financial, academic, emotional, and social assistance at selected state universities throughout the United States.
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DID YOU KNOW?
First-generation college students are likely to have taken less rigorous courses in high school, as a result of their lack of information about the college preparation process.
• Scholars Program overview
(updated 07/20/2010)
