Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com February 27, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 5 Margolis has aggressive growth ambitions for FMi Chemical By John Stearns jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com B ob Margolis has known Harry Fine, owner of FMi Chemical Inc. in Bloomfield, for 25-plus years. So when Fine, a chemist whose com- pany makes a silicone used primarily for seals in jet engines, needed someone to help lead and manage FMi's growth, he approached Margolis, who has a diverse background in everything from business development to ownership. FMi has aggressive growth plans, said Margolis, president of business develop- ment, who joined FMi last fall. "We believe in the industry that we're in, with the products that we have, we can grow 300 to 400 percent over the next few years," he said. FMi makes a sili- cone used to form abradable seals, many of which go directly into Pratt & Whitney jet engines or into engines at overhaul and repair centers. The product, located in the engine surrounding the fan blades, is used on the front, or cool, side of the engine. It's rated up to 550 degrees and is laboratory certified to engine makers' high-level specifications. FMi also takes in other manufacturers' nonmetallic materials for testing and cus- tom repackaging. Margolis, 58, described his manage- ment style as liking to work with smart people, giving them tools they need to suc- ceed and getting out of their way. Without a chemistry background, "I only have one choice … to try and lead and manage effectively and motivate," he said. Margolis' business education began under his father, who started Crest Blue- print in Farmington in 1956 and for which Margolis left early from college in 1977 when his father sought his help. The business served the architecture, engineering and construction community, making blueprints and selling related sup- plies. The building industry boomed in the 1980s and so did Crest. The blueprint industry morphed into reprographics in the late-'80s, when Mar- golis' father began phasing into retire- ment and the business eventually became known as Crest Graphics. Margolis took over fully in 1990 head- ing a company that would double in employees, to 33, over his time there. He sold in 1999 to a company acquiring blue- print firms, but stayed onboard. The com- pany went public in 2005 and Margolis left in 2006 as its focus changed. That year, he joined West Hartford's Fathom, which helps organizations estab- lish or reshape their identity, in business development and worked there until 2009. Fathom partner Brent Robertson described Margolis as a truly genuine per- son. His generosity and desire to connect with people on a human scale differenti- ate him, Robertson said. After Fathom, Margolis joined The Alli- ance for Nonprofit Growth and Opportunity as chief operating officer, and helped it grow before leav- ing in 2013. He then joined the construc- tion management division of STV|DPM as director of busi- ness development, where he worked most recently, and about the same time started his own business, LifeSafe Training, as a nights and weekends endeavor he continues today. LifeSafe trains individuals and families on firearms safety, including teaching chil- dren what to do if they find a gun. An accom- plished marksman, Margolis is a certified instructor for pistols, rifles and shotguns. He also sells guns as a federal firearms licensee, after reviewing buyers' needs. "It's very custom," he said. "I'm dead- set against people making buying errors with guns." He also teaches pistol permit classes and tactical defense and takes classes from former elite special forces to stay sharp. Margolis is proud of his diverse career and tried to make the most of every opportunity. "I'm a big believer that opportunities don't come to you, you create opportunity," he said. Margolis and his wife, Carole, a resi- dential Realtor in Simsbury, have two grown children. Margolis said golf and guns are his diversions. A signed photo of him with late golfing legend Arnold Palmer, whom Margolis met about 20 years ago while playing with a friend at Palmer's Bay Hill Club in Florida, hangs over his desk as a special memory. n H B J P H O T O | J O H N S T E A R N S Bob Margolis holds a base material in one tube and a catalyst in the other. When mixed and heated they make a silicone seal. Bob Margolis President of business development, FMi Chemical Inc., Bloomfield. Highest education: Attended what is now Central Connecticut State University, but left before graduating to join his family business in 1977. Executive insights: "My dad taught me a lot. He taught me to work hard, he taught me to work smart, he taught me to respect other people and he taught me to be generous." EXECUTIVE PROFILE Check out a video clip of Bob Margolis's interview at hartfordbusiness.com. 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