Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> June 17, 2016
Stephen T. Zarrilli is President and CEO of Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. Over the course of a 30-year career, Mr. Zarrilli has served as CEO and CFO of both publicly traded and privately held, venture-backed companies. Having been directly involved with the launch of two businesses, Mr. Zarrilli understands the operational and strategic challenges that entrepreneurs face. He understands what it takes to build a great company based on his deep domain expertise as an entrepreneur, board member and financier. Mr. Zarrilli’s public and private company experience complements Safeguard’s rich history and ensures a strong, disciplined infrastructure going forward. In addition to his responsibilities at Safeguard, Mr. Zarrilli is a board member for Safeguard’s partner companies, Apprenda, Pneuron and Transactis; University City Science Center; and Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ:VRTS). In addition, Mr. Zarrilli is Chairman of the board at Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania — BFTP/SEP; and Chair, board of trustees at LaSalle University. Mr. Zarrilli is a graduate of LaSalle University in Philadelphia, earning a B.S. degree in accounting. He is a former Certified Public Accountant, and is a frequent lecturer on corporate governance, financial management, organizational and capital development matters. He also completed the Advanced Management Program — AMP — at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Profile
TWST: Tell us about Safeguard Scientifics' background.
Mr. Zarrilli: The company has now been in existence for 63 years. It was launched back in 1953 as a small