About HiTech Initiatives

    HiTech Initiatives
      Business & Management Consulting
         Elevating your Business to New Heights

HTI was founded to help start-up companies and business managers create and execute a winning strategy to increase sales and profitability. It has a network of personnel with expertise in all facets of business.

John Ricardi has over 30 years of experience in a variety of technical industries — semiconductor, life sciences, biotechnology, satellite communications, automotive, aerospace, test and measurement, industrial and computer peripherals. He has served in numerous management positions with responsibilities for general management, business development, product development, national and international sales/marketing, engineering operations and raising funds. He has managed businesses from pre-revenues start-up to $70M in annual revenues.

Prior to starting HiTech Initiatives, he was Vice President/GM Sensor Products Division at JMAR Technologies where he led the company's biotech initiative from its conception in 2004 and was responsible for all aspects of the Sensor business. His team brought a unique water contamination monitoring system from concept to production in less than 18 months. Initial sales contracts were obtained prior to production and a hybrid sales force of nearly 20 agents was in place within six months and generated over $300K of revenues in that period.

Previously, he co-founded NTec Systems an emerging Canadian semiconductor equipment company where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer. Within one year, he raised over $500K of capital from Canadian investors with a compelling business plan and established relationships.

From January, 2000 until January, 2002, he served as President and CEO of Advanced Laser and Fusion Technology, Inc., where he was instrumental in the effort to transition the company from an R&D operation to a commercial corporation and formed a strategic marketing alliance with Canon of Japan.

From 1997 through 1999, he served as Vice President of Corporate Development for JMAR Technologies, Inc. and as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing of JMAR’s Precision Systems operation in Chatsworth, California. He developed a strategic plan to accelerate growth through international market expansion, building client relations, targeting key accounts and restructuring the sales, marketing, product development, R&D and service groups. Sales were elevated by 33% to $19M in revenue within 1 year.

Prior to JMAR, he held GM and senior business development positions with Datron Advanced Technologies (now a subsidiary of L3 Com), a manufacturer of advanced satellite communications products where he expanded their business to foreign and commercial markets resulting in a 59% increase of new order sales to $44M in the first year through restructuring and refocusing the group. At Airpax Corporation (now a division of Siemens AG), he managed an automotive component business that he grew from $19M to over $70M at 19% EBITDA in 5 years and later managed all sales and marketing for the corporation and increased sales 20% in 2 years to $220M.

Upon obtaining a master's degree in electrical engineering from Northeastern University in Boston, John started his career at Texas Instruments. During his tenure there, he held many positions, one of which enabled him to bring a product from concept to production and formed the basis for his training in business development and general management.