"A Case Study: Evolution from Entrepreneurship to Philanthropy" presented by Randy Boyd, Founder & CEO of Radio Systems - Makers of PetSafe

Most businesses have a mission. PetSafe is one of the few that are on a mission. Remember the 1993 film “Groundhog Day” where Bill Murray lived the same day over and over again? Randy Boyd is living his dream Groundhog Day, which he describes as leading a company of creative people that are working together on an important task everyday for a great mission. Protect, teach, love is the PetSafe ethos. For Randy, that ethos has extended into the community and beyond.
 
As an entrepreneur, Boyd hit the ground running in 1991 when he founded Radio Systems Corporation, makers of PetSafe®. Among early success stories, the company sold $1 million worth of products in the first six months. Since then, this innovative, solution-driven company has grown 40% each year, has expanded into 52 countries, leads the industry in patents, and produces over 4,000 technology based pet products under trusted brand names such as PetSafe and Invisible Fence.
 
On August 10, successful entrepreneur turned philanthropist Randy Boyd will speak about how his company and mission have evolved into a force for good. By helping Knoxville earn the distinction of Most Pet Friendly Community in America with the development of six public dog parks in the area, starting and growing tnAchieves which has given over 34,000 high schools students across Tennessee the opportunity to attend community college at no cost to them with mentor support since its inception in 2008, and partnering with the University of Tennessee and Knox County Schools to help disadvantaged students obtain a well-rounded education at Pond Gap Elementary’s community school program... Boyd is empowering others to protect, teach, and love more than they imagined.
 
What is your Groundhog Day? Are you living your dream? Come hear how Randy discovered the joy of living (and working) to give. You, too, could wake up one day and find that you are living your Groundhog Day and helping to leave the world a little better than you found it.

Meet Our Speaker: Randy Boyd

Randy Boyd is the Chairman, CEO, majority shareholder, and founder of Radio Systems Corporation, which he started in January of 1991.  

Radio Systems is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has over 600 associates worldwide with offices in seven countries. The company produces over 4,000 technology based pet products under brand names such as Invisible Fence, PetSafe, SportDOG, and Premier. It is a private company with sales over $300 million. 

Mr. Boyd is currently on the Board of Clayton Bank Corp., a Knoxville based community bank. He is also on the Board of several non-profit organizations including Innovation Valley, tnAchieves (Chairman), Webb School, Boys and Girls Club of East Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, National Parks Conservation Association, The East Tennessee Historical Society, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Zoo, University of Tennessee College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council, University of Tennessee Alumni Association, Tennesseans for Economic Progress and Knox County's Great Schools Partnership.

In addition, Mr. Boyd has contributed significantly to improving animal welfare. Radio Systems has provided the funds to create six public dogs parks in the Knoxville area and has spearheaded a collaborative effort to make Knoxville the most pet friendly community in America. As a part of this effort, Mr. Boyd has supported the development of a new Animal Adoption Center in Knoxville that will more than double the number of spay and neuter procedures that can be performed annually in Knoxville. In early 2010, the company donated $250,000 to the Blount County Animal Center as well as funded the PetSafe Chair of companion animal behavior within the Small Animal Clinical Sciences department of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee. 

Mr. Boyd has received several awards including Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the year for the Southeast in 2008, Tennessee Business Magazine’s CEO of the Year in 2009, UT’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2009, and was inducted into Junior Achievement’s East Tennessee Hall of Fame in 2008.  

He received a degree from The University of Tennessee in Industrial Management in 1979 and a Masters in Liberal Studies from Oklahoma University in 1988. He is married to his wife Jenny, has two sons, a dog (Spanky) two cats (Sebastian and Wolfgang), and a parrot (Max).

(Photo of Boyd at Pond Gap Elementary is courtesy of Saul Young, Knoxville News Sentinel.)

 

Coffee, light breakfast, and TLC served.