Message from the President & CEO
Thomas M. Shannon
For information regarding our accomplishments of 2021, follow the link to our 2021 Annual Report.
Dear Friends of BrightStar:
I am pleased to provide you with our 2021 annual report. As we move into 2022, it is almost incomprehensible to me that BrightStar has entered its tenth year of operation. We incorporated in 2013 and began deploying money in 2014.
As always, our annual reports are meant to tell the stories of the companies in which we have invested, and provide metrics of the Wisconsin job growth that they have created. More often than not, the companies thoroughly impress us with the fascinating ideas and unlimited energy that continues to spawn from the entrepreneurial sectors of our state.
This year I am happy to announce that effective April 1, 2022, the BrightStar Board has appointed Todd Sobotka as our full-time Executive Director. The Foundation newly created this position to satisfy the need for a leader to build and manage our substantial accumulation of portfolio companies. Todd, like Fred Raasch, our Vice President and Business Manager, has been affiliated with us in some way since the very beginning. He has BrightStar in his blood, heading our investment committee since day one. Todd will be responsible for BrightStar’s daily activities. He will report to the Board through me as chairman, as I will remain active in the organization. Todd will grow our foundation to its next level, and with that growth, fully realize the intent of our founders: to make Wisconsin a better place to live and work by creating jobs in high-growth technology-based companies. Please read the following annual report to hear just how this is happening!
Thank you for your support of BrightStar!