AUBURN HILLS – Mark Symonds, CEO and President of Plex Systems, has been named a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, Central Great Lakes region.
As an Entrepreneur of the Year award finalist, Symonds will be honored at the June 11 gala event at the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn on June 11. The recipients of the award will be named at the gala.
According to Ernst & Young, this award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. Finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges.
Since becoming CEO in 2006, Symonds has driven the company to dramatic growth in sales, jobs, visibility and influence. In 2008 alone, Plex added 52 new customers, increased revenue by 33 percent, and grew its employee base from 105 to 128. It ended the first quarter of 2009 with record-setting revenue growth of 25 percent and will be expanding into a new building in Auburn Hills later this year.
Plex Systems, provider of a leading-edge software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution for the manufacturing enterprise, had a solid customer base in automotive, especially precision metalformers, at the time Symonds joined the company. He has since expanded the company’s markets to include aerospace & defense manufacturers, medical device manufacturers, and food processors, all the while driving new enhancements in the product that enable manufacturers from all industries to achieve measurable business improvements.
Not only did Plex Systems add jobs in 2008 under Symonds’ leadership, the company is adding even more this year. And he continues to grow future Michigan talent by providing on-the-job technology training for students from Kettering University, Lawrence Technological University, and other local institutions that have partnered with Plex to offer co-op and intern programs. The culture Symonds fosters within the Plex Systems workforce motivates employees, supports and rewards teamwork, and provides outlets for creativity and altruism. The company has generously supported charitable organizations including the Gleaners Foodbank, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and others.
For more information, click on Plex.Com
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