Innovation and Entrepreneurship series continues Nov. 5

A Skidmore alumnus who now heads GE Corporate Financial Services, and a local venture capitalist with ties to RPI will participate in Skidmore?s new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Speakers Series with talks scheduled this month.

Richard Laxer, who graduated with a degree in business from Skidmore in 1983 and is now president and CEO of GE?s principal corporate lending business, will discuss ?Corporate Innovation: An Evening with the President and CEO of GE Capital,? Wednesday, Nov. 5. Bela Musits, managing director of High Peaks Venture Capital Partners, will lecture on ?Start-up Success: Identifying High-Potential Opportunities and What It Takes to Pursue Them? at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20. Both talks will be in Davis Auditorium, Palamountain Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

Laxer, who assumed his post in March of this year, oversees more than $74 billion in assets and 3,800 employees. He previously was president and CEO of GE Capital Solutions, which provides leasing, financing, and asset management operations in 30 countries and has assets of more than $92 billion. Before than, he led GE Corporate Financial Services? London-based European businesses, responsible for factoring and transaction activities, including leveraged finance, corporate restructurings, and distressed/secondary debt investments.

Bela Musits, an accomplished technologist, entrepreneur, and business advisor, has founded two venture-backed companies and has held senior management and technical positions at the corporate research labs of both IBM and GE.

Prior to his current position, Musits was the director of RPI?s Incubator Program, where he led the internationally recognized program in identifying, creating, and growing new technology ventures and commercializing university-developed technology. He provided management assistance to more than 40 companies in the areas of capital acquisition, growth strategies, and general business principles.

Skidmore?s Innovations and Entrepreneurship Series has been organized by William Wales, visiting professor of business strategy. His goal in presenting the program is to emphasize ?innovation is ever-present in business. Creativity matters, and is what propels the world forward,? said Wales.