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Contagious Energy

Volunteering with the Enterprise Forum helps garner some business acumen for Matt Haggerty '83.

Some volunteers just bring a different level of passion to an organization. Take alumnus Matt Haggerty '83. When Haggerty was a junior, he already knew he wanted to start his own business. So when he discovered the MIT Enterprise Forum, an organization created by the Alumni Association to promote the formation and growth of technology-oriented start-up companies, he decided to attend.

“I had been fascinated by entrepreneurial endeavors for some time,” mused Haggerty, “so the Enterprise Forum seemed interesting. After one meeting I was hooked.”

Haggerty has been involved with the Enterprise Forum ever since, first as an attendee to the Forum’s entrepreneurial seminars, and later as a volunteer officer. “For me, the Enterprise Forum became contagious,” said Haggerty. “I mean, MIT is a very contagious atmosphere to begin with. The energy level is high. The sense of accomplishment and can-do is everywhere. And then I discovered the Forum, which was focused on the very subject that fascinated me. It felt very comfortable from the start.”

Haggerty earned a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1983, and his masters in 1985. A year later, he started his dream by launching his own company, Product Genesis, headquartered in Cambridge not far from campus (www.productgenesis.com).

A few years later, Haggerty stepped up his involvement with the Enterprise Forum, becoming chair of the sponsorship committee for the Cambridge chapter of the Forum. “I was very involved with the Cambridge chapter at that time,” said Haggerty. “We were hosting 40 to 50 events a year, had over 2,000 members, and had lined up over two dozen corporate sponsors. The Forum was growing fast and it was a lot of fun.”
Haggerty went on to serve as Chair of the Cambridge Chapter for a few years, and then took a hiatus to focus on Product Genesis which was growing rapidly.

“The majority of our work at Product Genesis is developing new technology products,” said Haggerty, “and we tend to focus on the medical, industrial, consumer, automotive, and aerospace markets.” As the name implies, Product Genesis specializes in developing and launching new products, and they focus on both technology start-ups and Fortune 100 companies. The company has hundreds of successful launches to its credit, and an impressive list of clients, including Bausch & Lomb, Glaxo-Wellcome, Nike, GE, and even NASA.

Asked if he had garnered some of this business acumen from his time with the Enterprise Forum, Haggerty didn’t hesitate. “Definitely. The Enterprise Forum can tap into MIT’s tremendous intellectual resources, and bring some of the world’s leading business minds, engineers, and scientists to the forefront. It’s a great environment for learning.”

Haggerty was recruited again by the Enterprise Forum in 2001, and was asked to serve as chairman of the national chapter of the Enterprise Forum.

“I had gotten quite a bit from attending the Forum’s seminars, so it was only natural to want to give something back,” said Haggerty. “It’s really rewarding to participate with 30 or 40 other volunteers who devote their time, energy, and ideas. I continue to be amazed and, frankly, inspired by this participation.”

Christine Tempesta, who works with the MIT Enterprise Forum in her role as director of alumni activities, considers Matt Haggerty the quintessential volunteer.

“Matt is a top-notch volunteer for the Forum,” said Tempesta. “His entrepreneurial experience is outstanding, his enthusiasm contagious, and his willingness to roll-up his sleeves and dig in to a project is truly impressive.”

Haggerty smiles when he talks about entrepreneurs, which he says are all about energy.

“That’s one of the benefits of volunteering with the Forum,” said Haggerty. “The energy level is very contagious.”

Haggerty has served as chairman of the national office for three years, and his term will end come July.

“I’m sure I’ll stay involved with the Forum in some capacity,” says Haggerty, “because I find volunteering for the organization very rewarding. And I like to stay connected to the Institute in general. It’s a great resource for me, as I’m hooked on trying to turn dreams into reality. It’s what my company is all about, what the Enterprise Forum is about, and in some ways, what MIT is all about.”