MARTY TIBBITTS:
 
MARTY TIBBITTS




 
 
 
 
 
Founder and Chairman of the BOSS companies in St. Clair Shores. Tibbitts is an entrepreneur with companies in several fields, including telecom, software, Web technologies, security, and defense. He also has private equity investments in several incubation-stage companies. The BOSS companies include b.o.s.s., a telecommunications company; BOSSdev Inc., a creative and software development company; SnapXT Inc., a database integrator; DefenderTech International Solutions Inc., which has created a system for threat detection; and ETS Development Inc., a public safety management software. In addition, Tibbitts has investments in other companies. He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization and TEC Detroit and recently was named a 40 under 40 by Crain’s Detroit Business. Tibbitts received his bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University.


WHERE BORN: "Long Beach, California. My family moved to Michigan in 1982 when I was 14 years old for my father’s job in the auto industry."

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: "My father, Larry, for his leadership and perseverance. I also respect Igor Sikorsky, a pioneer of aviation who designed the first four-engine fixed-wing aircraft and the first successful helicopter."

LAST BOOK READ: "I usually read two or three at a time, so right now it’s Everything Is Miscellaneous: The Power of the New Digital Disorder by David Weinberger, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen, and for light reading Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century by Orson Scott Card."

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: "Visionary, aggressive, driven, resourceful, intense."

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: "Which field? I’m interested in so many and have brought many of them into my family of companies, including telecommunications, security and defense, public safety, creative development, and information management. Information management is a great area right now. It’s really expanding, driven by the interests and demands of consumers to gather, organize, and manage information – not to mention sharing it and collaborating with it. Information silos will be a thing of the past. In the field of entrepreneurialism, Michigan is a great place to be an entrepreneur."

FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL GADGET: "My Tablet PC."

FAVORITE PLACE: "Anywhere in the sky or under water."

FAVORITE HOBBY: "I’m a certified scuba diver and love to explore. I’m also a licensed pilot with over 600 hours logged in the last five years. I fly a Piper Aerostar and a Cirrus SR20. When I first started flying I was interested in the Gyrocopter, but it’s not as practical."

FAVORITE FOOD: "I love sugar. Skittles would be my favorite. But any sour candy will do."

MY HIDDEN TALENT: "I juggle. I learned how to in college because I thought it would be a good challenge. But instead it’s become a stress reliever for me."

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: "I love the old Woody Allen quote, ‘I don't want to be immortal through my works. I want to be immortal by not dying.’ I also want to be the guy who made his life’s work his life’s enjoyment. Work should be fun."

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.