LARRY R. ANDRUS:
 
LARRY R. ANDRUS




 
 
 
 
 
CEO of Trivalent Group, Inc., in Grandville. Trivalent provides managed services, disaster recovery and business continuity, networking and telecommunications, technology products, professional services, and IT consultancy. Andrus has been CEO since 2002, and brings sales, marketing, and financial expertise to his position, having previously served as vice president of AT&T Capital for the central region. He was a finalist for the Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007. Under his leadership, Trivalent has grown from $3 million in sales and 18 employees in 2003 to more than $22 million in sales and more than 60 employees throughout Michigan. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions over the past decade, the company has emerged as the foremost technology services provider in western Michigan. February 2011 marks the firm's 69th consecutive month of profitability. In 2009, Trivalent was one of four companies to receive the Integrity Award from the Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan. It also won a Corp! magazine Michigan Economic Bright Spot Award in 2009 and 2010, and was named one of western Michigan's "101 Best & Brightest Companies To Work For" in 2010. In 2011, MSPmentor named Trivalent one of the "World's Top 100 Managed Service Providers," and Andrus served as one of two panelists selected to discuss sales strategies on a webcast of the announcement. Andrus received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Alma College, where he currently serves on the board of trustees.


WHERE BORN: “Grand Rapids.”

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: “My parents because of their work ethic and my wife because she's always encouraging me to trust my instincts. I had two college coaches who were particularly influential to me - they challenged me to be the best student athlete I could be. Also, I have had opportunities to work for several very good managers, and I've learned that you can learn something from every one of them - if you're willing to.”

LAST BOOK READ: “Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni. It's about how to transition from traditional selling to a consultative selling style.”

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: “Optimistic, focused, consistent, and begins with the end in mind.”

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: “Opportunities for IT service providers will continue to grow because technology is becoming more virtual - any time anywhere, delivered in several versions of cloud options - so we have access to information no matter where it is. We think the small- and medium-sized business marketplace has the most business needs and most growth going forward. Our focus is helping business people manage, access, and store their data.”

FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL GADGET: “Netbook. It's easy to move around.”

FAVORITE PLACE: “Anywhere outdoors for activities with my family and friends.”

FAVORITE HOBBIES: “Travel and big game hunting. I have been to South Africa, California, out West and of course, Michigan.”

FAVORITE FOOD: “Seafood, especially Cajun.”

MY HIDDEN TALENT: “Landscaping. It is my great stress reliever and creative thinking time.”

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: “That I contributed, helped my teammates grow, and learned lessons along the way that I can share with others.”


Grant Thornton Website At the annual awards reception in April 2014, one Leader & Innovator from the previous 12 months will be selected as the Grant Thornton Leader & Innovator of the Year.