Frank Piasecki, president of market data solutions provider Activ Financial, tells Finextra how he went from floor sweeper at his father's helicopter factory to a leadership position in global market data.
Name: Frank Piasecki
Date and place of birth: Pennsylvania, 1966
Residence: New York City, NY
Marital status: infatuatedly married since college
Education: Boston University, B.A., 1986
Career path:
- Piasecki Aircraft Corp. ‘PiAC’ (from birth-’87)
- Independent Film Production- Truck Driver, Grip, Assistant Director (’87-‘88)
- Securities Research Group, Inc. (’89-’90)
- A-T Financial Information, Inc. (’90-’01)
- -Acquired by Primark ‘99-‘01
- -Subsequently bought by Thomson Financial
- ACTIV Financial Systems, Inc. (2002-now)
Current posts: President, ACTIV Financial
What was your first job? Shop sweeper at aircraft shop
Which business leaders do you most admire? The ones who retain career long clients and partners.
If you weren't in your current job, which company would you most like to lead? The Globe Theatre in London.
Do you read books on management theory? If, so which has influenced you the most? Partially finished only one, by Peter Drucker, who avoided re-stating the obvious.
What has been your best experience in business? Winning business over established large scale competition.
What keeps you awake at night? One or other of my children.
How do you relax? Planting trees
Favorite Web site: www.realclearpolitics.com
Desert island disc/book: Time Tough, Toots & the Maytals; The Iliad, Homer