Saunders College of Business will recognize Marc Fiore with Vanden Brul Award

Marc Fiore, president and founding owner of Mindex, a Rochester, N.Y.-based software development company, is the 2024 recipient of the Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award, presented by Saunders College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology.

The award, marking the 40th anniversary of its establishment in 1984, is given annually to a successful individual or individuals who developed a business that improved the Rochester economy or whose innovative management skills changed the course of an existing business or industry.

The recipient is selected by a committee of area civic leaders, business leaders, former awardees, and RIT faculty and staff, symbolizing the important connection between RIT and the Rochester business community. Fiore will be honored at the Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award Luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25, inside the Susan R. Holliday Center at the newly renovated and expanded Saunders College. Registration remains open until June 14.

Fiore graduated from SUNY Polytechnic Institute with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He started Mindex in 1994 at 27 years old—even before he had an email account—driven by his entrepreneurial spirit and vision for technological innovation.

Under Fiore’s leadership, the company specializing in software development services has expanded over the years by seizing emerging technological opportunities. Today, Mindex has grown to a workforce of nearly 400 highly skilled employees and is widely recognized for its innovative products and services. These include full-stack agile software development, cloud professional services, and its flagship K-12 student management system, SchoolTool, designed for New York state school districts.

Mindex’s recognition as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner, and deep technical expertise and commitment to delivery with innovation and intelligence for the past 30 years has made the company a preferred vendor for both private and public organizations tackling software and data challenges.

While leading Mindex to be recognized as a Greater Rochester Chamber Top 100 Company, No. 1 Software Developer, and A Great Place to Work, Fiore has devoted his time and resources to giving back to the Rochester community through multiple area charitable foundations. The company annually chooses a charity to sponsor based on employee nominations. His desire to invest in the economics and vibrancy of the city of Rochester, and to attract and retain talent in the region, led to a partnership with a developer to build a new Mindex headquarters in the city’s downtown.

Fiore’s steadfast belief in education as the key to success is reflected in Mindex’s strong connection with RIT. Many of the company’s employees are RIT graduates, and Mindex maintains a co-op program with the university. Additionally, Mindex supports multiple technology-centric clubs at RIT to foster student growth in technology.

“It was a humbling experience when I first learned about receiving the award,” recalled Fiore. “I read about Herbert Vanden Brul and was inspired by his entrepreneurial spirit and everything he did for Rochester. I also looked at past winners and their accomplishments and was honored to receive this award in the same company as many great people.”

“I moved to Rochester in 1991 and immediately fell in love with Rochester and the community,” he added. “As Mindex has experienced success, I have taken as many opportunities as possible to give back to Rochester, including ensuring we built our new headquarters downtown. I hope to continue contributing to Mr. Vanden Brul’s vision for Rochester.”

“Marc Fiore is a wonderful exemplification of the 40th anniversary of the Vanden Brul Award, honoring the region’s foremost business minds and innovators,” said Saunders College Dean Jacqueline Mozrall. “We are proud to honor Marc, who regularly demonstrates the ideals of successful entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, and an inspiring commitment to the Rochester community.”

Fiore resides in Webster, N.Y., with his wife, Andrea. Together, the couple has two sons, Coz and Matt.

Saunders College also will honor three RIT students with the Hebert W. Vanden Brul Student Entrepreneurial Award. This award recognizes outstanding RIT undergraduate or graduate students who have demonstrated the potential to become successful entrepreneurs. The students will find out their placement of finish at the awards ceremony on June 25.

• Edis Hadzija, a senior economics student from Kosovo, is the entrepreneurial force behind Balkan Exim. His company is actively helping to boost the economies of more than five countries.
• Nathan Irving (motion picture science) is a creative technologist, software developer, and imaging engineer from Union Springs, N.Y. He is advancing metrology equipment to create consumer-accessible measurement tools.
• Valeria Marin-Montealegre, from Rochester, N.Y., currently pursuing a Ph.D. in mechanical and industrial engineering, is a biomedical engineer with a master’s degree in product development engineering and the founder of HUMANBX S.A.S, a biomedical design and additive manufacturing company located in the southwest of Colombia.

Past Vanden Brul award recipients include Dwight “Kip” Palmer, a fifth-generation CEO of Palmer Food Services and the Palmer Family of Companies; Susan R. Holliday ‘85 (MBA), former president, publisher, and owner of the Rochester Business Journal; Mark Davitt, founding CEO of ConServe; and E. Philip Saunders, Saunders Management Co. Inc.

Information about the Vanden Brul award is available on the Saunders College website.