![]() But in the process, he and Holland, the company’s COO, became all too familiar with the health care industry’s challenges in tracking patient data. “The tumor was basically trying to cut off circulation between my head and body,” said James.įortunately, a combination of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery was able to rid James of the cancer. “I started feeling this pressure in my head.” After seeing countless doctors at multiple hospitals, James was diagnosed with a malignant chest tumor that had grown to become the size of a softball. “I was out to dinner with my then-girlfriend, who later became my wife,” recounted James, the company’s CEO. Things were going well, and the business trajectory was promising. One of their earliest successes was helping the Philadelphia School District implement a SmartCard ID program that could be used to track student attendance and reduce truancy rates-a project that earned James and Holland multiple local awards, including the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce’s “Innovative Business of the Year” award in 2007. Eventually, Connexus expanded its service line to offer IT consulting services, with customers that included chemical manufacturer Rohm and Haas and the Philadelphia Parking Authority. The technology they provided allowed members of those groups to better manage information and sell products and services online. True to its roots, the company remains based in Philadelphia today.Īt the outset, Connexus primarily worked with agencies that lacked in-house IT capacity. Conceived in Drexel University’s Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship, the startup offered custom software and online portals for users to manage and exchange data securely. In 2003, the pair teamed up to launch Connexus Technology. Holland went on to earn his degree in computer science in 2001, and James followed a year later, earning his degree in information systems. The two hit it off and remained friends during their studies. James was just entering Drexel University and Holland was one of the speakers at orientation. They enjoyed the work enough, but both had an entrepreneurial spirit that was pushing him toward becoming his own boss. Both worked for large corporations during their Drexel co-op program. BIPOC Entrepreneurship Through AcquisitionĬonnexus Leadership Turns Personal Hardship into Business Successĭrexel University graduates Lawrence James and Chris Holland were like many of their peers. ![]()
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