93186

Whittington Vara Instructor Information

Director of Operations

Wave Contact Lens System

After a successful corporate career spanning R&D to Marketing, I developed expertise in new venture finance while working as a business analyst in a technology incubator. While employed full-time with a start-up enterprise, I was also the founding faculty member of the University of Florida's professional MSEntrepreneurship program teaching Venture Finance and New Venture Creation. The Journal of Business Valuation and Economic Loss Analysis published my paper, "Risk-Based New Venture Valulation Technique: Win-Win for Entrepreneur and Investor" in 2013.

 

Experience

Director of Operations : Wave Contact Lens System - [2006-03 to Current]
WCLS provides software for designing custom corneal topography based contact lenses.

Visiting Professor : University of Florida - [2003-09 to 2014-04]
Founding faculty in the professional MSEntrepreneurship program teaching Venture Finance, New Venture Creation, Marketing Analysis Seminar. In 2011, migrated to the full-time MSE program teaching the Lean Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program.PMSE Outstanding Faculty Award in 2005, 2008.

Senior Business Analyst : Enterprise North Florida Corporation - [1997-10 to 2006-03]
ENFC was a technology incubator providing start-up companies access to institutional and private investors.

Owner : VARA & Associates - [1996-09 to 1997-10]

Media Products Manager : Anacomp Magnetics, Inc. - [1994-10 to 1996-08]

Director of Marketing : Graham Magnetics Inc. - [1991-10 to 1994-09]

Director of Product Line Management : Graham Magnetics, Inc. - [1989-10 to 1991-09]

Manager of Quality Engineering : Graham Magnetics, Inc. - [1988-10 to 1989-09]

Director of Research & Devellopment : Graham Magnetics, Inc. - [1981-10 to 1988-09]

Senior Process Engineer/Section Manager : Ampex Corporation - [1977-09 to 1981-10]

Continuous Dye Range Supervisor : Milliken & Company - [1976-04 to 1977-09]

 

Education

Symposia for Entrepreneurship Educators, Entrepreneurship education : Babson College - [2012 to 2012]

The Lean Launchpad Educators Program, Entrepreneurship education : University of California-Berkeley - [2012 to 2012]

MBA, Business Administration with Marketing emphasis : Texas Christian University - [1988 to 1991]

BSChE, Chemical Engineering : University of Florida - [1973 to 1976]