Jon Hirschtick
As a young entrepreneur, Jon Hirschtick observed that most businesses fail to gauge what customers will buy and overestimate the market for their products. Hirschtick researched the computer-aided design (CAD) software market in depth to determine what it lacked. Based on his findings, he and five co-founders created SolidWorks Corporation in 1993 with a mission to provide affordable, easy-to-use, 3D mechanical design software that would slash design time and accelerate product time to market.
Within three years, Hirschtick and his partners had built such a successful enterprise that they were able to sell it to global product lifecycle technology giant Dassault Systèmes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) for $310 million. SolidWorks leads the mainstream CAD market with more than 490,000 commercial and educational users and revenues of $249 million in 2005.
Hirschtick’s entrepreneurial drive evolved shortly after earning his master’s degree at MIT when he and a partner raised several million dollars in venture capital to start engineering firm Premise Inc. They later sold the company to design software maker Computervision, and Hirschtick joined its management team for two years before resigning to launch SolidWorks.
Hirschtick is a sought-after speaker for national forums on business and financial issues and has spoken at MIT and Stanford on entrepreneurial education. He has been a guest lecturer on entrepreneurship at Babson College and has taught CAD engineering at MIT. Additionally, Hirschtick is chair of the Hirschtick Family Foundation, a philanthropic group dedicated primarily to supporting engineering education; he serves as president of the New England region of the American Technion Society; and he is a member of the MIT Mechanical Engineering Department’s visiting committee.
Mr. Hirschtick has great respect for success. As such, he very much admires the amazing work of the Chabad Movement and its worldwide operation. Watching Chabad grow throughout his involvement over the last eight years, he is proud of how the movement has developed and expanded.
Hirschtick is very grateful to the Al-Mighty for his many blessing and is always looking for ways to give back to the community and help others. He reluctantly agreed to accept this honor in memory of the ones perished at the Chabad house in Mumbai, in order to help Chabad of Merrimack Valley to further its activities of fostering Jewish awareness, education, and pride.
Barry Finegold
Barry Finegold began his career of public service in 1996 when he was elected to the Andover Board of Selectmen. He was then elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1997, where he has continued to serve the 17th Essex District.
Barry graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in 1993, where he majored in government with a concentration in business. Attending night classes, Representative Finegold graduated from the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover, and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1998. He is presently a partner with the law firm of Dalton & Finegold, LLP. Finegold also holds a Masters in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
On Beacon Hill, Representative Finegold has long been an advocate of green technology and has worked hard on issues ranging from the Safe Havens Act to the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Road Map. Representative Finegold was recently appointed to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
Representative Finegold is very active in many communal causes and institutions, both in the Jewish community and in the general community at large. His work for and involvement in many worthwhile efforts is well-known. If there is a good cause that needs help, Barry is there to do whatever he can and more.
Barry Finegold is the prime example of warm, caring, respected leadership in our local Jewish community and is deeply involved in Chabad’s work. Our community is fortunate to have Representative Finegold together with his wife Amy and two young daughters amongst us in Andover, MA
Michael Blank
Michael Blank was born in 1950 in Newton, Massachusetts. He and his wife Patricia (member MetroWest Israel Action Leaders Committee) are the proud parents of two sons, Aaron and Sam, and one daughter, Julie. Aaron, their oldest son, has made Aliyah and lives in Tel Aviv while Sam is in college and their daughter, Julie, lives and works in Manhattan.
Passionate about Hebrew and Judaic studies amongst the various programs Chabad offers, Michael is a staunch supporter of Chabad’s various educational services and outreach activities, which are successfully reaching unaffiliated families and bringing them back to the Jewish community. Michael & Patricia have taught their children that education and hard work can be “the great equalizer” – with hard work and a curious mind they could achieve and succeed.
As Michael awaits his visit with Rabbi Bronstein each week, he pursues a careeer and leads a productive life with Principal Braintree Street Realty LLC. He also devotes time to enjoy his hobbies and interests including tennis, traveling and volunteer work to benefit our community.
In addition to Chabad of Merrimack Valley, Michael supports many other worthy causes and is an active board member of Jewish National Fund, New England and Miller Convertible Fund.