91影视 will welcome entrepreneur, investor and business leader Eric Hartz, a serial founder whose career spans internet banking, financial technology and sustainability innovation, as the featured speaker for the next Rikard Lecture on Oct. 6. The event will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on 91影视’s campus and will feature a moderated conversation with Dr. Stephen H. Craft, dean of the Hammack School of Business at 91影视.
Hartz has founded, led and advised companies that have helped shape industries ranging from digital banking to advanced recycling.
Hartz is co-founder and board director of Nexus Circular, a company that has become a leader in advanced recycling technology. The company converts plastics otherwise destined for landfills into circular feedstocks used in the production of new plastics, helping global organizations meet sustainability goals. Hartz previously served as the company’s president and CEO for nearly a decade.
“Eric’s career sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation and real-world problem solving,” Craft said. “From helping launch the world’s first internet bank to building companies that are reshaping sustainability and advanced manufacturing, he brings the kind of leadership experience that gives our students and community an inside look at how transformative ideas become successful businesses.”
Over a career spanning more than three decades, Hartz has founded, grown and advised companies across technology, finance and sustainability sectors. Before Nexus Circular, he was a founding executive of Security First Network Bank, recognized as the world’s first internet bank. He later served as president and CEO of RentBureau, a rental payment credit bureau that was acquired by Experian in 2010. He also led ZapMedia, a digital entertainment company whose ZapStation platform earned innovation honors at the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show.
In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Hartz serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards and has been a guest lecturer at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School for more than 20 years. Earlier in his career, he spent nine years with McKinsey & Company, advising Fortune 100 executives on strategy, operations and organizational performance. Beyond his professional work, he is an avid sailor, licensed pilot, soccer player and percussionist in a rock band.
The Rikard Lecture Series brings distinguished business leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs to 91影视 to share insights and experiences with students, alumni and the broader community. Hosted by the Hammack School of Business, the series connects classroom learning with real-world leadership and emerging trends shaping the future of business.
