Robert Fuller
Management graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, MBA from Troy State University, PhD degree from Oregon State University. Experienced entrepreneur and entrepreneurship educator, specializing in helping companies achieve sustainable growth.
| Headline: | Educator |
| Work status: | Employed Full-Time |
| Website: | http://www.beysterinstitute.ucsd.edu |
| Industries: | Computing, Education, Information Technology, Retail, Travel |
| Skills: | Business, Entrepreneurship, Guerrilla marketing, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Negotiation, Public speaking |
| Location: | San Diego, CA |
| Groups: | Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship (QRCE), UCSD Entrepreneur Challenge |
| Visas: | Russia, Middle East, North Africa, South Asia |
| Interested in: | Helping members of my groups, Meeting new people, Mentoring, Offering Expertise, Professional opportunities, Providing services to startups |
| Tags: | consultant, entrepreneurship educator, growth coach |
| Schools: | Oregon State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy State University |
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | Beyster Institute, Rady School of Management, University of California San Diego (prior to July 2004 known as Foundation for Enterprise Development) |
| Position: | Director of Entrepreneurial Programs |
| Time period: | November 2002 - Present |
| Description: | Primary responsibilities include:
• Responsible for managing innovative training programs to accelerate entrepreneurship in emerging economies by providing advanced business training to growth-oriented entrepreneurs. • Direct and oversee development and management of entrepreneurship centers in emerging economies. Led start-up and program development for U.S. Russia Center for Entrepreneurship in Moscow, Russia and Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence in Bahrain. Provide programmatic guidance for expatriate center directors and host nation staff. • Developed and implemented a comprehensive assessment tool for entrepreneurship center programs and staff. Output of tool informs strategic and operational planning processes for growth and sustainability of the center. • Oversee and assist in development of curricula, courses, seminars and peer-learning activities that enhance the teaching skills of entrepreneurship educators. Led the USAID South Asia Professional Exchange and Training Dynamic Entrepreneurship Classroom (DEC) program for faculty from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, both in the U.S. and at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India. Also conducted DEC for 28 faculty from 19 universities and institutes across Russia. • Lead Middle East Entrepreneur Training in the U.S. (MEET US) program, bringing entrepreneurs and senior manager s from 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa to the U.S. for entrepreneurial leadership training. Created and managed Visiting Entrepreneurs’ program, matching entrepreneurs from selected countries with U.S. counterparts. • Identify and develop other training programs for entrepreneurs in the U.S. and internationally. Project and development manager of short-term training programs for foreign scientists, educators and entrepreneurs on topics ranging from small business development to regional economic development by promoting entrepreneurship. • Manage conferences and workshops on entrepreneurship and other leading business strategies. |
| Employer: | Harris School of Business, Faulkner University |
| Position: | Adjunct Professor |
| Time period: | September 1987 - Present |
| Description: | Taught Directed Study Seminars for the Executive Bachelor of Business Administration and Masters in Human Resources programs in Strategic Management, International Culture and Business, Organizational Behavior, and Introduction to Management. |
| Employer: | Management Department, San Diego State University |
| Position: | Lecturer |
| Time period: | August 2004 - December 2004 |
| Description: | Taught Management 743, Seminar in Business Plan Development in the Entrepreneurship track of the MBA program. |
| Employer: | QualityLogic Regional Software Quality Assurance Lab |
| Position: | General Manager |
| Time period: | December 1999 - November 2002 |
| Description: | Managed outsource software quality assurance & testing lab doing $4.2 million annual revenue in the development and deployment of software testing and quality assurance services to the Internet, Telecommunications, mobile applications/handheld device, educational services software OEM and aerospace markets. Responsible for setting the strategic direction and leading operations of the technology organization including budgeting, financial management, personnel management, strategic planning and goal development.
Specific accomplishments included: • Led high performance cross-functional team of 60+ including software developers, QA engineers, software testers, sales associates and technical recruiting personnel. • Researched customer needs, interviewed clients and developed technical sales proposals and bids. • Directed Project Managers and Account Managers in developing pre-sales technical solutions for prospective clients. • Drove organizational growth through improved contract win rates; increased revenues by 45%, increased profitability through cost savings and productivity increases. |
| Employer: | Everett Community College |
| Position: | Dean of Business and Advanced Technology |
| Time period: | July 1996 - September 1999 |
| Description: | Senior educational leader directing strategic planning, budgeting ($12 million), curriculum development, instruction, advisory affairs, faculty/staff development, accreditation, and operations management for assigned departments in aviation maintenance, accounting, business administration, business technology, computer information systems, CAD drafting, CNC machining, engineering, economics, management, marketing, and manufacturing quality assurance. Led staff of 5 administrators, 126 full-time and adjunct faculty, and 12 classified staff.
Specific accomplishments included: • Led outsourcing consortium of three regional colleges to take over CAD drafting training programs for a large multinational aircraft manufacturer. Constructed computer labs, hired instructors, created curriculum and taught company-specific and general engineering technology certificate programs. • Vocational Dean for all vocational training programs on campus, coordinating programs between community and technical colleges, local business and industry, and the state university campuses. • Directed off-site business training center providing entrepreneurship, supervisory and computer skills training, as well as industry certifications such as APICS, ASQ, Microsoft and Cisco. |
| Employer: | Rogue Community College |
| Position: | Director of Extended Programs |
| Time period: | May 1993 - June 1996 |
| Description: | Directed college’s largest off campus center, business/industry outreach and customized contract training programs. Consulted extensively with small and medium sized enterprises on organization, leadership and management best practices, tools and techniques to maximize enterprise value and effectiveness. Led staff of 2 administrators, 85 full-time and adjunct faculty, and 5 classified staff.
Specific accomplishments included: • Developed and led innovative training programs in entrepreneurship and small- and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) for displaced homemakers, welfare-to-work recipients and other economically disadvantaged clients. • Formed flexible manufacturing cell with five start-up companies to exploit shared CNC machining technology. Established training programs for machine operators and business owners/managers. |
| Employer: | Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) |
| Position: | Deputy Program Manager |
| Time period: | December 1989 - May 1993 |
| Description: | Directed program acquisition activities for a $400 million, 5 year Department of Defense Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance contract to modernize Air Force command and control systems, including software development, systems engineering, project management, configuration management and contract/sub-contract deliverables management for USAF program management office.
Specific accomplishments included: • Managed Foreign Military Sales effort with NATO/SHAPE Technical Center in The Netherlands, Royal Netherlands Air Force, Belgian Ministry of Defense, Turkish Ministry of Defense and ANZUS Combined Air Task Force. • Directed $3 million program for USAF adoption of RAF/CINCUKAIR Air Staff Management Aid computer information system. • Facilitated regional SAIC “Mentor-Protégé” program, providing training and technical assistance to small, disadvantaged (women and minority-owned) software companies in government acquisition policies and growth strategies. Managed sub-contractor and vendor arrangements with them on major DoD projects. |
| Employer: | Alabama Department of Mental Health |
| Position: | Assistant Director, Planning and Research |
| Time period: | December 1988 - December 1989 |
| Description: | Directed ‘top-down, bottom-up’ strategic planning activities for large statewide governmental agency (approx. 1900 employees).
Specific accomplishments included: • Created and facilitated constituent-driven, state-wide strategic planning process for 3 service divisions. Compliance driven by P.L. 99-660 requiring change of services to the mentally ill, mentally retarded and drug abusers to ensure service in the “least restrictive environment.” |
| Employer: | Faulkner University |
| Position: | BBA Program Coordinator |
| Time period: | June 1988 - December 1988 |
| Description: | Developed accredited curriculum for accelerated Bachelor of Business Administration program directed at working adults. Recruited first student cohort, hired faculty, scheduled courses, managed logistics for program roll-out. |
| Employer: | Advanced Business Concepts |
| Position: | Business Counselor |
| Time period: | June 1987 - December 1999 |
| Description: | Created and managed Management and Administrative Services consulting agency. Facilitated business planning, feasibility studies and strategic planning for manufacturing and services companies in the U.S. and U.K. Led annual strategic planning process for state-wide hospital association. |
| Employer: | FFE Inc. |
| Position: | Chief Financial Officer |
| Time period: | July 1986 - May 1993 |
| Description: | Co-founding owner and senior financial manager for a retail florist and gift shop. Directed strategic planning, business planning and day-to-day bookkeeping, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable operations over the entire lifecycle of the business from start-up, operations, and sale. |
EDUCATION
| University: | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Degree: | Management , BSc |
| University: | Oregon State University |
| Degree: | Doctor of Education |
| University: | Troy State University |
| Degree: | Strategic Management, MBA |
PUBLICATIONS
| Articles: | - An Empirical Comparison of the Absorptive Capacity and Responsiveness of Russian and American Growth-Oriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), doctoral dissertation defense, Oregon State University, April 10, 2008.
- Research on Russian Growth Entrepreneurs, presentation at the 2008 USASBE National Conference, San Antonio, Texas, January 13, 2008. - Dynamic Entrepreneurship Classroom, training for university faculty in state-of-the-art techniques for effectively teaching entrepreneurship, Russian Institute of Management, St. Petersburg, Russia, November 15 – 17, 2007. - Collaboration for Business and Civil Society Organization Leaders, workshop for building action plans to support advocacy and reform efforts in MENA region, Dead Sea, Jordan, September 4 – 6, 2007. - Dynamic Entrepreneurship Classroom, training for university faculty in state-of-the-art techniques for effectively teaching entrepreneurship, Moscow Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, October 4 – 7, 2006. - FastTrac for Russia, train-the-trainer certification workshop for first cadre of FastTrac instructors in Russia, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, September 25 – October 3, 2006. - Strategic Planning for Civil Society Organizations, Four-part series, seminar for Middle East Entrepreneur Training in the U.S. (MEET US) program, San Diego, CA, September 2006. - Growth Entrepreneurs: Catalysts for Economic Development, article in the July 2006 issue of Leading Companies E-zine, online magazine. - Dynamic Entrepreneurship Classroom, training for university faculty in state-of-the-art techniques for effectively teaching entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad, India, January 2006. - Visioning Your Business Future, interactive presentation for young women in the State Department’s Business Internship Program, Tunis, Tunisia, November 2005. - FastTrac for Russia, train-the-trainer certification workshop for first cadre of FastTrac instructors in Russia, Moscow, Russia, September 2004. - International Entrepreneurship: Europe lags Africa and the Americas, article in the March 2004 issue of Leading Companies E-zine, online magazine. - Advanced Business Training Methodology™: Innovative Pedagogy for Entrepreneurship Education, presentation to judges for 2004 Innovative Pedagogy Award, 18th Annual U.S. Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) National Conference, Dallas, January 2004. - Sharing the Teaching Wealth: A Clearinghouse for Best Teaching Practices, Entrepreneurship Education Division Workshop, 18th Annual USASBE National Conference, Dallas, January 2004. - A Methodology for Learning-Focused Entrepreneurship Education for Growth Entrepreneurs, paper submitted for publication in the 18th Annual USASBE National Conference Proceedings, November 2003. - Economic Revitalization through Entrepreneurship: Report on the Russia—U.S. Entrepreneurship Forum, September 24, 2003, Moscow, Russia, prepared for U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, November 2003. - Financing Entrepreneurial Projects: Importance of Learning in Moving up the “Capital Food Chain”, presentation at the American-Jordanian Expo, Amman, Jordan, October 2003. - Accelerating Job Creation and Economic Productivity: Expanding Financing Opportunities for Minority Businesses, policy brief submitted to U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, April 2003. |
INFORMATION
| Memberships: | - Member (2003 – 2008), U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE).
- Member (2007 – 2008), Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC). |
