Stephen J. Ciesinski ’70 was in January appointed vice president of strategic business development for SRI International, an independent, nonprofit research and development organization.
In the new role, Ciesinski will oversee SRI's innovation partnership programs, commercial research and development business development, international offices, corporate energy initiatives, strategic marketing and other corporate programs. Ciesinski, the former chairman of Union’s Board of Trustees, will report directly to Curt Carlson, president and CEO of SRI.
“Steve Ciesinski brings with him the right skills and experience to help SRI grow strategically as the premier independent source of high-value innovations to clients worldwide,” Carlson said.
Ciesinski has held executive positions in a variety of industries and businesses. His past executive experience includes senior positions in such industries as semiconductor equipment, telecommunications and wireless, IT infrastructure, applications software, Web 2.0 technology and medical devices.
Most recently, he was chairman and CEO of Laszlo Systems, a software company specializing in cutting-edge Web development applications. In that role, he was responsible for raising funds and shaping the company’s business model. He grew the company from virtually no sales to multi-million dollar annual bookings, successfully managed a growth strategy, and established a strong customer base.
Ciesinski joined Union’s Board of Trutees in 1993 as a term trustee. He has served as an alumni admissions representative, is a member of Friends of Union Athletics, and has hosted alumni events. He received a bachelor of science in electrical engineering and a bachelor of arts in modern languages and a master’s degree from Stanford University. A Dean’s List student and member of Chi Psi, he played varsity lacrosse and football, receiving Little All America mention in the latter.