Technology >> CEO Interviews >> September 7, 1998
BRETT KINGSTONE is Chairman & CEO of Super Vision International, Inc. At
the age of 19, while attending Stanford University, Brett Kingstone
established his first fiber optic display manufacturing facility in a
garage near campus. Upon his graduation, the company continued to
receive orders from customers including Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney
EPCOT Center. Mr. Kingstone is the author of The Student Entrepreneur's
Guide, McGraw-Hill 1990 and The Dynamos, John Wiley and Sons 1987. He
currently holds five U.S. patents and twenty four foreign patents on
fiber optic cable, light source and fiber optic flat panel television
display. Mr. Kingstone founded Super Vision in 1990 and currently serves
as Chairman and CEO. Super Vision manufactures fiber optic lighting
products that replaces neon and incandescent signage and lighting
systems while utilizing only one-third of the electrical consumption.
Super Vision has been credited with building the world's largest fiber
optic sign for AT&T in New York's Times Square as well as other landmark
fiber optic sign and lighting cable installations worldwide including:
Coca-Cola Bottle in Times Square, NY, Tokyo Dome and Hanayashiki
Amusement Park in Tokyo, Blockbuster Video in Ft. Lauderdale, Planet
Hollywood in New York, Cancun, Chicago, London, Moscow and Jakarta, Walt
Disney World in Orlando, Tokyo Disneyland, Euro Disneyland in Paris,
Blackpool Pleasure Beach in England, Universal Studios Florida and
Darden/Red Lobster Restaurants nationwide. Super Vision grew in the last
four years from $1 million to $10 million in sales. They have 52
lighting representatives distributing their fiber optic Sideglow TM and
Endglow TM products throughout the United States and 37 international
distributors worldwide. Profile
TWST: Give us a background summary a bit of an historical view of SuperVision International. And then, if you would, bring us up-to-date, what
are the key challenges and the key opportunities