ROCHESTER, NY (June 12, 2024) The Saunders College of Business at RIT has announced that Marc Fiore, president and founding owner of Mindex, is the 2024 recipient of the Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award!
Established in 1984 and commemorating its 40th anniversary, the Vanden Brul Award is given annually to a successful individual or individuals who developed a business that improved the Rochester economy (or whose innovative management skills changed the course of an existing business or industry).
Marc was selected by a committee of area civic leaders, business leaders, former awardees, and RIT faculty and staff, symbolizing the important connection between RIT and the Rochester business community.
“It was a humbling experience when I first learned about receiving the award,” recalled Fiore. “I read about Herbert Vanden Brul and was inspired by his entrepreneurial spirit and everything he did for Rochester. I also looked at past winners and their accomplishments and was honored to receive this award in the same company as many great people.”
While leading Mindex to be recognized as a Greater Rochester Chamber Top 100 Company, No. 1 Software Developer, and A Great Place to Work, Fiore has devoted his time and resources to giving back to the Rochester community through multiple area charitable foundations. The company annually chooses a charity to sponsor based on employee nominations. His desire to invest in the economics and vibrancy of the city of Rochester, and to attract and retain talent in the region, led to a partnership with a developer to build a new Mindex headquarters in the city’s downtown.
Fiore’s steadfast belief in education as the key to success is reflected in Mindex’s strong connection with RIT. Many of the company’s employees are RIT graduates, and Mindex maintains a co-op program with the university. Additionally, Mindex supports multiple technology-centric clubs at RIT to foster student growth in technology.
“Marc Fiore is a wonderful exemplification of the 40th anniversary of the Vanden Brul Award, honoring the region’s foremost business minds and innovators,” said Saunders College Dean Jacqueline Mozrall. “We are proud to honor Marc, who regularly demonstrates the ideals of successful entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, and an inspiring commitment to the Rochester community.”
Read RIT's full article, where they share more about this prestigious award, Marc Fiore and Mindex, as well as RIT students being recognized at the Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award Luncheon June 25th for their potential to become successful entrepreneurs.
Under Fiore’s leadership, Mindex has expanded over the years by seizing emerging technological opportunities. Today, Mindex has grown to a workforce of nearly 400 highly skilled employees and is widely recognized for its innovative products and services. These include full-stack agile software development, cloud professional services, and its flagship K-12 student management system, SchoolTool, designed for New York state school districts.
Mindex’s recognition as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner, and deep technical expertise and commitment to delivery with innovation and intelligence for the past 30 years has made the company a preferred vendor for both private and public organizations tackling software and data challenges.