President & CEO, uRefer
Bio: Paul Vlasic possesses a unique blend of deep private-equity investment and venture capital experience combined with over two decades of leadership in start-ups, operations, and finance. A skilled visionary entrepreneur, Paul has been involved in the creation and success of multiple companies ranging from market research to healthcare, and to this day continues to have a role in each one. He is a founding partner of RSVP Capital, an early-stage venture firm focused on technology-based accelerators, green energy and the health and sustainable living sectors. He is also the previous CEO and current Chairman of Amplifinity, a market research company focused on managing customer advocacy programs to drive word-of-mouth advertising and increase revenue, loyalty and profitability specifically for enterprises. He is an active member of the Investment Committee for the Illinois Innovation Accelerator, a $10 million for-profit early-stage investment fund created to provide seed-stage investing and the first external professional capital raised by companies.
Paul’s ownership perspective and unique insight are honed from his membership and management of the family’s investment group, Vlasic Investments (VILLCo). He has been an active participant in VILLCo’s growth, focusing on asset allocation and operational entities such as private equity, venture capital, mezzanine and specialty finance. For nearly ten years, Paul played key executive roles in the leadership of O/E Systems & O/E Enterprise Solutions, a $190 million provider of IT consulting, integrated solutions and leased assets. He led the transformation and repositioning of the firm’s services business to achieve continued success in the new information technology market.
Practical by nature, Paul has earned a reputation as an adroit and thoughtful decision-maker. His keen management approach and passion for watching companies and their people grow and prosper lend a spirit of excitement to all his endeavors. Paul holds an M.B.A. with Distinction from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is active in numerous Boards and community activities.