Spotlights
Spotlight on Creativity June 2009
As President of Lyquix, Ruben is responsible for overall operations, management, client development, and consulting. He has extensive experience working in the Internet and telecommunications industries for Fortune Global 100 companies and his own businesses since 1997.
Prior to founding Lyquix, Ruben was a Solution Sales Manager at Nokia, responsible for the Operation Support Systems product line in the Northeast region of the United States.
He started his career as a freelance website developer, and since then he has served numerous businesses in industries such as manufacturing, retail, entertainment, professional services, and non-profit. In 2000 Ruben earned his Bachelor's degree in Electronic Engineering from the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Venezuela. From 1999 to 2008 Ruben worked for Lucent Technologies and Nokia performing various roles including systems deployment, operations and maintenance, technical support, project management, and sales, serving large telecommunications operators such as BellSouth, Telecom Italia, Entel, Telefonica Movistar, America Movil, Cingular, AT&T, T-Mobile and Comcast.
Ruben is a member of the Volunteering Committee of the Young Professionals Network of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, member of the Advisory Board of the Professional Mentoring Network of the Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and member of the Board of Casa de Venezuela Delaware Valley.
Your name:
Ruben Reyes
Firm/company:
Lyquix
Occupation:
President
Current Location:
Philadelphia
Hometown:
Caracas, Venezuela
Favorite Philadelphia neighborhood:
Society Hill, and Rittenhouse Square
Best advice you've ever been given:
You have the power to steer your career in any direction you want.
Your favorite thing about living in the Philadelphia Region:
People are very friendly, there are so many activities, and I really like the fact that the city has so much history.
Your favorite thing about working in the Philadelphia Region:
Work with world-class professionals of all areas. People in Philadelphia are very open to diversity and the experience that people like me can bring from other parts of the world.
How would you market the Philadelphia Region to professionals outside the region?
As a relatively new-comer, I can tell you that people in Philadelphia are very friendly, and I had enjoyed my time here.
In Philadelphia you will never be bored. As one of the largest and most-diverse cities in the country you will be meeting lots new friends in very short time. You will be enjoying all sorts of entertainment activities, including world-class museums, historic sites, neighborhood and fancy bars, restaurants with food from around the globe, parks, squares, etc. Philadelphia has professional baseball, football, hockey and basketball teams (soccer coming soon). You will be only 1 hour from Atlantic City, 2 hours from New York City, and 2 ½ hours from Washington.
If you are looking for networking events, in Philadelphia you will have to choose among several different options that are available every day for all interests. And if you want to contribute to the community you can join or volunteer on the many fantastic non-profit organizations based in the region.
And, on the current economic environment, Philadelphia economy is doing better than other parts of the country.
What advice would you give to young professionals trying to break into your industry?
To compete and be successful it is not enough to have good technical skills; you must also be good at working with others (co-workers, providers, customers), and good at communicating your ideas and opinions.
How has the IT industry in Philadelphia evolved in the past ten years?
Philadelphia has not been traditionally one of the main IT centers in the nation. However, in my opinion, this is changing, fueled by three different forces. First, the development of industries such as education, healthcare, biotech, and creative industries, open opportunities and demand for IT products and services. Second, large companies like Comcast, Unisys, SAP, SunGuard, SEI Investments, and Lockheed Martin, together with small- and medium-size firms are growing the relevance of the Philadelphia region in the IT industry. And third, more and more graduates of IT-related fields from Philadelphia universities and technical institutes are staying in the region.
Description of your business/company:
Lyquix’s mission is to help businesses grow sales and profitability, increase operational efficiency, and control risks by the proper implementation and management of Information Technology.
Lyquix was born from the firm conviction that Information Technology can have a tremendous positive impact on the performance of any organization. However, organizations are faced with the challenge of complexity, constant change, and countless options and vendors to choose from.
Through our consulting and development services, and with our unique approach we help businesses take advantage of Information Technology.
To learn more about Ruben and his work in the region, visit www.lyquix.com.