Five Questions For Doug Rademacher, former CIO of American Power Conversion

Photograph by Mark Ostow

1

Light Within
"The job I was doing as CIO wasn't my passion, and I wanted to live my passion. There's a critical need for math and science teachers, especially in Rhode Island. What could be better than turning the light bulb on in kids' heads?"

2

All In The Family
Rademacher's wife, Cindy, also had a stint as APC's CIO, from 1992 to 1996. They've been married 15 years, and she's founder of a Montessori school in Rhode Island, where she still volunteers.

3

Low-Tech House
Despite their common tech backgrounds, neither Rademacher is a gadget freak at home. "I don't have an iPod, and we just broke down and bought a new video camera. Our other one was 8 years old."

4

Next Gen
Rademacher's 10-year-old son taught himself how to program in Basic on a hand-me-down Apple II from his grandfather, and now he's teaching himself Java on a PC. "Even if you don't become a tech pro, learning to program focuses you to think more logically," dad says.

5

No Littering
Like his mother, a professional artist, Rademacher enjoys painting in watercolors, mostly landscapes. Just don't let him catch you littering on his real-life vistas. "I hate people emptying their car ashtrays out the window. It shows such a lack of respect."