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Bio:
Thanh Hodinh, known to his friends and associates as "Tommy," is a Vietnamese refugee who came to the United States in 1973. In 1976, Tommy earned a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas-El Paso. After his graduation, Tommy joined IBM where he worked for the next 15 years. His tenure at IBM included Management in Sales, Operations, Product Line Development, and Quality Engineering. He continued to further his studies at IBM and completed numerous courses at the IBM Sales and Management School.
In 1990, Tommy co-founded MagRabbit, Inc. MagRabbit initially started as a diskette and CD duplication company. Today MagRabbit is a leading third party logistics (3PL) provider offering various fulfillment, value-added logistics, and transportation services to Fortune 1000 companies.
Community involvement:
Tommy currently holds the following positions:
* Chairman and CEO of MagRabbit
* VideoServers, Board of Advisors
* Austin Children's Museum, Board Member
* Texas Asian Chamber of Commerce, Co-founder and Past Chairman of the Board
* Central/South Texas Minority Business Council, Austin, TX Board Member
*Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin, *TX Member, Past Board of Directors
People's Community Clinic, Austin, TX, Board Member
*Huston-Tillotson College, Austin, TX, Trustee
Person most admired:
The person I most admire is Michael Dell. Mr. Dell started his company with a very simple principle that other business leaders either overlooked or were not able to implement. I also admire Mr. Dell because he readily embraces change and understands that companies must listen to their customers and be flexible.
Favorite book:
My favorite book is Jack Welch's "Straight From the Gut." I truly appreciate Mr. Welch's ability to think strategically and his ability to articulate a vision that was clear and concise. I also respect his ability to teach the value of change and not becoming complacent.
What I enjoy most about my work:
I enjoy working with my team to develop solutions that help solve our customer's challenges. I also enjoy building relationships with our customers, suppliers, and my employees. In addition, I enjoy thinking about the future and how our organization will look five to ten years down the road.
Greatest accomplishment:
I believe my greatest accomplishment was having the courage to leave IBM and venture out to start my own company. I am also proud of how my company has reengineered itself over the years, by actively listening to our customers and understanding their goals. As a result of our efforts, MagRabbit was recognized as the national minority supplier of the year in 2001.
Greatest challenge:
MagRabbit was started as a software manufacturing company and we had to quickly evolve into a logistics organization as our original core competency became a relatively obsolete service. I learned that a company must continously reinvent itself and never become complacent. I also learned that if you listen to customers that will help you chart your future roadmap.
Advances I envision in my field over the next 10 years:
I continue to see technology playing a key role in the logistics industry. We have only begun to see the advances that can be made in providing real-time visibility to help organizations' maximize their respective supply chains. In the future, products being shipped around the world will be able to be tracked to the piece part level wherever they might be at a given point in time.
Strategies to maintain balance in my life:
In order to maintain balance in my life, I exercise regularly to include attending yoga sessions. I also ensure I truly relax on the weekends in order to be fresh for the coming week. I also believe strongly in community service which helps me balance priorities and allows me to see what is truly important in life. I also try to maximize the time I spend with family and friends.
Advice for emerging entrepreneurs:
I would advise emerging entrepreneurs that one good idea is not enough. You must constantly be looking forward and have a vision for your organization. You must also be able to indentify true competitive advantages that can not be readily imitated. I would also say that change must be your friend and it must be embraced. It is not easy work, but time most be spent building relationships because success can not be expected overnight. In addition, I would recommend seeking the advice of others so you can avoid the mistakes they may have made before you.
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