Cornell honors Rheonix CEO, Galvin, as Entrepreneur of the Year

ITHACA — Cornell University has recognized Gregory Galvin, chairman and CEO of Rheonix, Inc., as its Entrepreneur of the Year.

Rheonix, a Lansing–based developer of automated molecular-testing products, announced the award in a news release distributed today.

Cornell honored Galvin during its Entrepreneurship@Cornell annual conference, which continues today and Friday, Rheonix said in a news release.

Entrepreneurship@Cornell is a two-day confab that promotes entrepreneurship education, experiential-learning opportunities, according to the Cornell website.

“I am honored to be recognized in this manner by my alma mater and am grateful to everyone who has contributed to the success of my entrepreneurial efforts,” Galvin said in the news release.

Besides his role with Rheonix, Galvin also serves as chairman and CEO of Mezmeriz Inc. in Ithaca, a developer of micromechanical scanning-mirror devices.

He is also the co-founder and former CEO of Kionix Inc., a global inertial-sensor manufacturer.

Rheonix spun out of Kionix, Inc. in late 2008.

Galvin in 1993 launched Kionix Inc. to commercialize a novel micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology.

He sold the Kionix optical-switching technologies to San Jose, Calif.–based Calient Networks Inc., according to Rheonix.

Galvin then spun out Rheonix Inc. to capitalize on non-MEMS-based microfluidic pursuits in the molecular-diagnostic industry. He then sold the Kionix inertial-sensor business to Japan–based Rohm Co. Ltd.

Galvin has published more than 20 technical papers and holds 58 patents. He is a member of the Cornell University board of trustees, the Cornell Engineering College Council, and the advisory council of Entrepreneurship@Cornell, according to Rheonix.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com