Let the Sun Shine

Lennar Corporation

Ever heard of a win-win-win situation? Consider this: National home builder Lennar Corporation has found a practical way to help the planet, save home buyers up to 50 percent on their hefty electric bills and—when those home owners sell—increase their homes’ resale values.

Early this year, the company vowed to make solar power systems standard on all new homes it builds in the Bay Area. To accomplish the mission, Lennar partnered with SunPower, which makes aesthetically pleasing solar panels that are incorporated into the roof itself (as opposed to those unsightly roof-mounted racks that became popular in the 1970s). Lennar has already completed its first solar project, the Milano community in San Ramon. Next up are the company’s Paloma, Escalante and Stafford Place communities (also located in San Ramon), representing approximately 400 homes.

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On the Upgrade

Brocade Communications

One challenge that all companies face is keeping up with the growing influx of data in our increasingly information-rich world. Enter Brocade Communications, which offers customers state-of-the-art platforms and services to intelligently connect, manage and optimize their IT resources in shared storage environments.

With one eye on the future, Brocade boosted its firepower by acquiring McDATA on January 29, thereby creating the world’s leading storage networking company. Brocade says the acquisition will strengthen its ability to protect and extend customers’ investments and will allow the company, with new skills and resources under its roof, to broaden the range of solutions and services it offers.

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Tenant Profile: Robert P. Lee

Robert P. Lee, co-founder of Achievo Corp., saw a good thing coming, and his five-year-old company, which outsources software development and IT services to China, has reaped the benefits. Achievo already has 1,600 employees in offices around the globe and projects a staggering 80 percent annual growth rate.

Most CEOs recognize the need for outsourcing, “but the challenge is how to go about it,” says Lee, who holds a Ph.D. in computer science from UCLA and was a top executive at IBM and later CEO at Insignia and at Inxight. “That’s why Achievo was founded. We make it very easy to utilize lower-cost software development talents abroad.”

Résumé
Name: Robert P. Lee
Title: Chairman and CEO
Company: Achievo Corp.
Location: BR3
Number of employees: 1,600
Year company was founded: 2002
Number of years at Bishop Ranch: Nine months

Company Profile
Headquarters: Bishop Ranch
Business: “To supply global software and outsourcing services.”
Business approach: “We use a front end plus back end software service delivery model that allows us to be very easy to do business with.”
Biggest challenge: “Managing growth. We expect to grow organically as well as with mergers and expansions. This combined growth is expected to be 80 percent a year. Any time you grow that much, it’s not easy.”
Biggest risk taken: “Investing in the infrastructure of this company to support our growth rate.”
Favorite task: “Calling on customers.”
Least favorite task: “When I have to explain outsourcing to people who have a misconception about it and miss what a great opportunity it is for our country.”
Your source of inspiration: “I’m inspired by what companies in India have been able to do as pioneers of software outsourcing. It inspires me to do even better.”

Personal Philosophy
Best way to motivate staff: “Empower them and let them do what they’re great at.”
Suggestions for up-and-coming executives: “Balance a sense of urgency with patience.”
A goal you still want to achieve: “I’d like to see Achievo have 10,000 employees in five years and be traded publicly.”
Off Hours
Favorite stress-buster: “I enjoy watching good movies, particularly the kind that aren’t realistic. They transport me to a different world and occupy my mind for that time.”
Favorite vacation spot: “I go to China a lot. It’s so big, so many places to go.”
Favorite music: “Pop music from the 1960s and 1970s.”
Favorite cause: “I’m on the board of another company, Osel, which is developing new medicines to help prevent certain types of diseases. If they’re successful, they could make a difference in the world in our lifetime.”

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