Engineering talk centers on business

As an alumnus of the Wharton school, Rick Rasansky might seem an odd choice as keynote speaker for Engineer's Week. But in an age when a knowledge of cyberspace is as essential as familiarity with the Nasdaq, Rasansky is right on the money. As chief executive officer of eCal.com, Rasansky heads a company that is taking advantage of the merging of business and the Internet. Last night, on the first anniversary of eCal.com's founding, Rasansky spoke to about 60 students in the Towne Building about how his company of one grew into a corporation that now employs over 70 people and is continually expanding. Servicing a slew of companies, including Merrill Lynch and Nokia, eCal.com provides Web-based calendar services that let its clients know where they have to be and when. "One of the interesting things about our company is that we have revenue? we have to be careful how much we make, otherwise we wouldn't be an Internet company," Rasansky joked. The Texas native sported cowboy boots as he described the easy-going nature of his company's work environment and explained his vision for using technological innovations to expand opportunities for business. As an "Application Service Provider," eCal.com supplements the service of existing companies on the Internet by allowing their workers to access their schedules from anywhere in the world. Calling his application a "Three-Dimensional Calender," Rasansky explained how eCal.com facilitated communication by allowing the schedules of a myriad of people and companies to interact with each other. Rasansky recalled how he took Engineering classes even though he was a Wharton student, to supplement his interest in the field. "I feel like my knowledge of the engineering sector obviously wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for the Moore School," Rasansky said. Even though Rasansky's speech came as part of Engineer's Week, those in attendance represented several schools. All, however, held a common interest in how the real world would put their academic and personal skills to the test. "Everyone has a dream of becoming an instant millionaire [through an Internet start-up]," College sophomore Josef Hapli said. "With this presentation today, that would be the way to do it." Rasansky's ability to combine engineering and business know-how struck a chord with many in the audience. "It's a very good idea and it capitalizes on something that the market hasn't," first-year Engineering graduate student Phil Duba said.

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