Eric Handa ’97 treasured his time at Bryant for more than just his Economics major.
“William Sweeney, Ph.D., was my mentor at the University and my advisor for my capstone project,” explains Handa. “He taught us that to examine and solve economic issues, we must also look at the human aspect. We should look at things with empathy.”
And when it comes to forecasting, there is no magic formula. “Most people overstate the short term and underestimate the long term,” he says.
“Look at the impact of giving both money and time – or either – to Bryant. It’s measurable, and for me, ultimately, it’s the right thing to do.”
Eleven years ago, when Handa co-founded his business, AP Telecom, a leading telecom and fiber consulting business specializing in emerging markets, he was living in Hong Kong. “We’ve built a nice niche in international telecommunication,” he says. “But my point of view has always been that I’m enabling people to connect on a global level.”
Handa points out that while a lot of focus has been on China in telecommunications, recent events have revealed the flaw of relying on one market. “There are systematic risks out of China. But there are a lot of growth markets. Like Africa. At this point, the world still only has a 50% connectivity rate.”
Despite the surge of his company’s success, Handa always finds time to connect back to Bryant, whether it’s hosting students at events while he was abroad, donating to scholarships and to the University at the leadership level, mentoring students, speaking to classes, or hosting events at his country club in Naples, FL.
“Everyone has to find their own reasons to give back,” he says. “I am fortunate to have traveled and experienced a lot, and those experiences provided me with a different perspective from some peers. But it all began with the strong sense of responsibility instilled by my parents, who taught us to ‘Learn, Earn, and Serve.' Look at the impact of giving both money and time – or either – to Bryant. It’s measurable, and for me, ultimately, it is the right thing to do.”
Currently, Handa serves on the Dean’s Council for the Bryant University College of Business, where his decades of experience in international markets provide valuable insight and guidance.
