The Monroe Street Journal

Issue date: 3/5/01 Section: Corporate

Media Credit: MSJ

As part of a strategy course at the UMBS, I had the opportunity to interview Stanford Ovshinsky, the founder, CEO, and principal shareholder of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (“ECD”) based in Troy, Michigan. Although he never went to college, he serves as the perfect UMBS role model if we look to his record of achievement in technology, leadership, entrepreneurship, and corporate citizenship. Excerpts from my interview follow.

Q: How did ECD begin?

A: My wife and I formed the company on January 1, 1960. Our operation started as a small storefront in Detroit. We wanted to use science and technology to solve the world’s serious social problems. We decided to focus our efforts on energy, in hopes of achieving “the ultimate”—by that I mean using hydrogen and the sun as the energy source. We wanted to begin the process of decoupling energy from fossil fuels to a basic mechanism of photons, electrons, and protons. Since fossil fuels have been in use for a million and a half years, this would be a fundamental change.



Q: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?

A: Having done what we said we were going to do.



Q: What was your most difficult moment?

A: Every moment was difficult, really. We were trying to fundamentally change the way people were thinking. When you think about it—the way nature has built our brains—stability is a requirement. Change is disruptive and uncomfortable. But science is a meritocracy. We have had the support of some of the greatest scientists—for example, I.I. Rabi and Linus Pauling. We were fortunate to have many supporters all over the world—without them, we probably wouldn’t have made it.



Q: What will next decade look like for ECD?

A: You’re going to see huge new industries appearing—in information as well as energy. It’s revolutionary. Even though I’m at an age when most people retire, I feel like things are just beginning. Just look at the nickel metal hydride battery—you can find them everywhere now—in cell phones, in cars. We originated nickel metal hydride batteries.



Q: Have you found yourself the focus of more attention lately, considering the power crisis in California?

A: Yes. It’s nice to know we’re in demand. We look upon ourselves as problem solvers, as resources. That’s what business should be about. California has always been a leader in terms of accepting new technologies, so there’s a good fit for us.

Continued...

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