EAST LANSING – GiftZip.Com, started by MSU MBA Sam Hogg, is adding another Spartan to its staff, the first at the executive level. John Gwillim, an MSU Finance alum who has been working in Boston, will be joining GiftZip.Com as Chief Operations Officer.
Gwillim joins GiftZip.com from Boston-based BNY ConvergEx, a successful 2006 Bank of New York spin-off providing software solutions for hedge fund trading markets.
“The ability to come back to Michigan and still work in a fast-moving, high-tech environment was something I really wanted to pursue,” Gwillim said. “I’m from Michigan, I’ve known Sam a long time, and GiftZip.com is a very attractive opportunity poised for growth. The more I looked at it, the more it made sense to me.”
Hogg credits a changing East Lansing entrepreneurial culture for attracting talent like Gwillim away from Boston, often thought of as second only to Silicon Valley as a hub for technology start-ups.
“It is no secret. If you build it, they will come,” Hogg said.
Hogg said showcasing the Technology Innovation Center (where GiftZip.com is located) as well as other MSU-based start-ups will keep more of talent in the area and even get some to talented professionals to return.
GiftZip.com connects consumers to hundreds of retailers that offer eGift cards, promoting greener gift giving while eliminating the use of harmful plastics.
For more information, click on GiftZip.Com
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