Eric Krausz:  

Attended Columbia College right out of high school. First three semesters were sort of OK. Fourth semester was a disaster of epic proportions. I was granted a voluntary withdrawal. Worked at Beckson Industrial (plastic pump factory in Clinton) for a year. Transferred to UConn Storrs campus effective summer 1982. Majored in sociology. Took a math or statistics course each semester there. Graduated summa cum laude in 1984. Back to struggling - Radio Shack, McDonald's. Ouch. Landed a job as a research assistant at the Pierce Foundation Laboratory (affiliated with Yale) in New Haven. Discovered the joy of computing with an Apple 2e. Turned out I had a knack for programming. Went to night school at Computer Processing Institute (now defunct). The instructor there was impressed. He encouraged me to apply for a programmer trainee position at NASDAQ in Trumbull. Worked there for 7 years. I didn't like the stifling office politics there. Went back to UConn for an MBA in finance. A professor there asked if anyone was a programmer. A former student of his was looking for someone with a background in both programming and finance. Worked at Aetna for 8 years. Tried and failed to start an online business. Got a job at XL Group. Took a break and then back to work at my current employer: Com...Expand for more