Bob Geras
President of LaSalle Investments, Incorporated
Bob is currently President of LaSalle Investments, Incorporated. Termed “a virtual Renaissance Man of Entrepreneurship” in a David Lundy Chicago Sun-Times interview, “one of the Big Three ‘old-timer’ angels in Chicago” in Crain's Chicago Business, and featured in a July 2005 cover story in INC. magazine on “Angels in America.” Bob was given the “Angel of the Year-2002” award by the Chicago Software Association at their Annual CityLIGHTS ceremony in recognition of “Many years of exceptional service in fostering and encouraging Entrepreneurship in Chicago’s Technology Community.” In December 2004 at the Illinois Venture Capital Association’s Annual Awards Night, Bob was presented the Fellows Award for “Extraordinary leadership in early stage venture funding in Illinois.” In addition, on March 1, 2006 Bob was also inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. In addition to having been an active investor and mentor in many other deals, Bob was co-founder of budget motel chain Sixpence Inns in 1970 which was acquired by Motel 6 for over $200 million in 1989. In 1986 he bought MEDX, Inc., a troubled Rolling Meadows medical equipment company, and in 5 years turned it around and sold the company for 26 times his cost. Since 1990, he’s been a co-founder Chairman and the largest shareholder of publicly traded Merge Healthcare (MRGE), the industry leader in eHealth connectivity products for medical imaging. Merge now has sales of around $100 million and a market worth of $450 million. Formerly he was a shareholder and director of the Pullman Bank in Chicago, IsoData, a radioimmunoassay blood analyzing equipment manufacturer, and Alexon, maker of ELISA diagnostic kits for detecting intestinal parasites. Bob is currently a director and/or investor in VideoHomeTours, ShowingTime.com, Exadigm, NexVu, 20/20 Technologies, Advanced Diamond Technologies, Intellext, Bias Power, and OrthoScan. In April 2005, Bob became Interim President and CEO of Arryx, Inc., a Chicago technology company that employs holographic laser steering at microscopic and nanoscopic levels. In the January 2006 issue of INC. Magazine, Arryx was selected as one of “three early stage technology companies Most Likely to Succeed.” A graduate of Northwestern University, Bob has been a member of the Union League Club since 1965.
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