Richard O. Warther, President and CEO, Vanguard ID Systems, Inc.
Bar code industry pioneer Rick Warther has been in the Auto ID industry since 1979. Prior to founding Vanguard ID Systems in 1987, he worked for the Graphic Technology and Data Documents Systems divisions of Pitney Bowes in Kansas City, Kansas. He also served as Vice President of Sales for Ampersand Data Graphics in Needham, Massachusetts.
A successful entrepreneur and leading innovator, Warther holds 13 United States Patents for bar coded, magnetic striped and radio frequency (RFID) transaction devices. He was the first to laser print on plastic, creating the first bar coded membership/ID card. He invented the first bar coded key tag. To date, Vanguard ID Systems has issued more than 1 billion of these popular tags. He also pioneered “Flip Chip” RFID key tags for contactless transactions.
Warther is listed in Who’s Who in Business and Industry. He also is a Program Facilitator for Strategic Coach, which provides a forum where successful entrepreneurs can strategize. The group meets four times a year in Chicago.
In his leisure time, Warther enjoys aviation and other pursuits. He holds a private pilot’s license (instrument rated) and volunteers as an Angel Flight pilot, providing medical air transportation for patients in need. He also serves on the board of the American Helicopter Museum. Warther has also served as a Championship Auto Racing Technical Official (CART).
He holds a bachelor of science degree in Communications from Kent State University.
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PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL, July 11-17, 2008