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Bio:
Sada is a successful and well-known Austin entrepreneur who has founded six companies in the past 25 years. Prior to founding SozoTek, Sada served as Chairman & CEO of Psionic Technologies, Inc., an Internet Security software company acquired by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) in 2002. In 1995, he co-founded Applied Science Fiction, a company specializing in a digital dry film process and digital photo enhancement and restoration whose technologies were recently acquired by Kodak (NYSE: EK). Sada previously owned Triumph Flexo Industries which was acquired by American Greetings (NYSE: AM) in 1994.
Sada Cumber brings extensive experience and leadership in imaging, lending and technology-based industries. He has a business background in senior management, marketing and an applied expertise in driving internal and external forces that change the enterprise, technologies and product usage.
Sada specializes in national and global network strategy, strategic marketing, business planning and institutional building. He also brings special leadership skills that have earned him a reputation for being fair, self-assured, decisive and trustworthy. He is an engaging coach who fosters an environment of excitement, passion and a feeling of camaraderie. Sada is a highly result-oriented leader with strength of character that encourages, empowers and elevates others to the next level.
Sada has served on numerous boards, civic/community organizations, advisory councils and foundations. He is regularly invited by national and international organizations to speak on Ethics of Persuasion, Ethnic Entrepreneurship and Governance. He has been extensively written and quoted in numerous national and international publications such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Scribe Business (German), Austin American Statesman, Business Journal and other publications.
Community involvement:
? Governor?s Business Council
? Chairman-Small Business Council, Austin Chamber of Commerce
? Advisory Council, University of Texas, College of Fine Arts
? The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) ?Advisory board member Houston chapter, Charter member of Austin Chapter
? His Highness the Aga Khan Council for Southwest USA (Two term president)
? Board of Trustees, Photo Marketing Association International
? Board of Trustees, Digital Imaging Marketing Association
? Board of Trustees, Association of Photo CD Users
? Board of Directors, Foundation of Religion Studies, Texas
? Life Member, Buck Rogers Group
Person most admired:
His Highness the Aga Khan, a Harvard graduate and an international philanthropist. He has created several contemporary institutions which truly reflect and translate ethics of faith, in several developing countries. These institutions work toward improving living conditions and creating new opportunities for the people regardless of their caste or religion. (www.akdn.org).
Favorite book:
"Daring Visionaries" by Ray Smilor: Spirit behind men and women who possess incredible drive, vision, and ability to motivate others...persist in the face of adversity, and win converts to their cause.
What I enjoy most about my work:
My position provides me with an opportunity to work with great people and great minds. My work not only enables me to give back to my community in terms of new job opportunities but also helps me influence and instill in today?s younger generation the ethical and moral values that have helped me mold my life. I also find the process of starting and building a company from scratch fascinating. Finally, this process allows me to learn and grow.
Greatest accomplishment:
Learning to appreciate my wife, Mumtaz and my children Rabia (daughter-23) and Ali (son-18) and their full support and participation in keeping our family as one loving unit.
Greatest challenge:
My greatest challenge in life was ?Expectations?! As I mature, I have learned not to ?expect? ? but to give and share. It is in the giving that we ultimately receive.
Advances I envision in my field over the next 10 years:
My goodness! ? Amazing opportunities and growth in the field of imaging and telephony. In the next 10 years - communicating with images will be the norm.
Strategies to maintain balance in my life:
The anchor that helps me stay grounded in my life is my family and my core value system. I make it a point to take time to be active in contributing towards community development. It is my way of paying back to my roots.
Advice for emerging entrepreneurs:
Sure ? we can a build an enterprise as large as we want, but we must remember, that if we cannot maintain balance in our life, then it is not worth anything. Family and personal values come first, period!
Also, we must not forget that in our capitalist environment, creation of wealth is very important, but proper distribution of wealth is even more important as it brings social responsibility with it.
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