Paradi, Joseph

ChemE 6T5, MASc 6T6, PhD 7T5
Inducted: 2010

Dr. Paradi has distinguished himself through the practice, study and teaching of engineering entrepreneurship.

A three-time graduate of the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, he founded Dataline Inc. in 1969, which grew to become an industry leader in providing real-time database and communication-oriented services. He has founded or led the growth of 11 companies and has been a member of numerous industry organizations. Always an entrepreneur, he continues to be involved in the management of four lucrative small businesses: Parcorp Ltd., Translucent Technologies Inc., Softek Computer Services Ltd. and VeraPar Kft.

Professor Paradi has also been a dedicated instructor and researcher of entrepreneurship and the management of technology. He rejoined Chemical Engineering in 1983 as an adjunct professor and in 1991 he became a full-time professor. He now holds the Chair in Information Engineering and is Executive Director of the Centre for Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship (CMTE), which he founded in the Faculty. He has taught 13 undergraduate courses and five graduate courses, and supervised 12 PhD candidates, 43 MASc candidates, seven MEng candidates and 137 BASc theses (183 students). His distinctions include:

•    Entrepreneur of the Year, Information Industry Association (Financial Services Industry Division), 1988
•    Fellow, Canadian Academy of Engineers, 1997
•    Distinguished Member Award, Innovation Management Association of Canada, 1999
•    NSERC Synergy Award, 2005
•    Speaker of Council for Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, 2002 – 2006
•    Ontario Professional Engineers Engineering Medal for Entrepreneurship, 2010