Clarkson University alumnus Russel Marvin, founder and chief executive officer of LC Drives in Potsdam, N.Y., will speak at Clarkson’s December Recognition Ceremony on Saturday, December 21.
The University holds the special December ceremony for graduates who are not planning to return for the May commencement. Marvin, who earned both his Ph.D. and bachelor of science degrees in engineering from Clarkson, will address students and their families.
Marvin, who has been CEO of LC Drives since 2012 when he co-founded the company, also serves as a member of its board of directors. He oversees all aspects of the business, including day-to-day operations, financing, and strategy development. Marvin led the efforts to secure more than $20 million in public and private funding for ongoing operations and filed the first 10 patent applications related to the company’s unique motor designs and associated manufacturing processes.
Prior to LC Drives, Marvin founded Optiwind, where he served as CEO from 2007-2012 and raised $15 million in funding from private and public sources, including Charles River Ventures. Under his leadership, Optiwind completed a production-intent 300 kW, 200-foot-tall wind turbine. Prior to founding Optiwind, he served as COO of MTI Micro where he led the company’s efforts to commercialize fuel cells for portable applications.
From 2000-2004, Marvin served as director, VP, and CTO of TRC, where he brought new motor and fan technology to the company, and introduced manufacturing initiatives that improved gross margins by 30 percent. From 1998-2000, he was VP of engineering at Plug Power during which time the company achieved a successful initial public offering. Prior to Plug Power, Marvin served as director of engineering for Axiohm Transaction Solutions Inc., as a project leader for Eastman Kodak’s Clinical Products Division, and as a senior mechanical engineer for NCR’s printer division.
In addition to his two Clarkson degrees, Marvin earned a master of science in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He holds 46 issued U.S. patents and has professional engineering certifications in both New York and Connecticut.
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