Les Neumann
Hudson Valley Center for Innovation
Mr. Neumann has always had an affinity for early stage business development, especially in the area of emerging technology and innovation. As a graduate of New York’s School of Visual Arts, Mr. Neumann took full advantage of his creative insights and applied them in various business ventures.
Les is the current Managing Director of the Hudson Valley Center for Innovation, a business incubator/accelerator which he co-founded in 2005. Mr. Neumann conceived of the HVCFI’s unique business proposition to assist regional entrepreneurs by accelerating the development and commercialization of their products and services through the support of a team of Executive Mentors and cultivated business professionals and contacts.
Mr. Neumann also currently serves as the CEO of a regional early stage solar development company. He was formally the COO of a virtual reality development company, Director of New Technologies for a global cosmetic sampling company as well as co-owner of a point-of-purchase display brokerage specializing in interactive display techniques.
Mr. Neumann has several patents and was a contributing author of a recently published book on branding and experiential marketing techniques (Living Brands). Les also founded and was CEO of Interpreter Inc. in Westminster, Colorado which he took public in 1983. The company developed a series of hardware/software devices dedicated to document translation and transmission. Interpreter Inc. was the first company to be granted the use of a video prospectus and Les was instrumental in convincing the Securities and Exchange Commission to honor digitally produced signatures as authentic for filing SEC documents. Mr. Neumann serves as the current Chair of the Rockland Business Association’s Technology Initiative and serves as a Director with a Mergers & Acquisition Company.
Les is married to an understanding wife, enjoys restoring British sports cars and would one day like to take a vacation for more than 5 days.