Terry Van Der Tuuk’s exposure to businesses began early. As a boy, he observed his father’s ventures in business. Some of his businesses were successful; others were not. Through it all, he recognized his father’s deep determination. To this day, Van Der Tuuk credits his father for his own focus and determination to succeed at business.
In 1963, Van Der Tuuk graduated from Michigan State University, then served three years as an officer in the Navy, and went on to graduate from University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School in 1968 with an MBA. Equipped with academic and practical business experience, he moved into careers in consulting, sales and executive management in several businesses. All the while, he searched for an opportunity to put his skills to work at an entrepreneurial level.
He found that opportunity in 1978. Van Der Tuuk purchased Graphic Technology, Inc. (GTI), then a failing, fledgling bar code manufacturer. He saw something in GTI and managed to turn the company around in short order. Following several years of dramatic growth of over 50% per year, Van Der Tuuk took GTI public on the American Stock Exchange in 1983.
In 1988, Forbes ranked GTI as “The Best Small Growth Company in America.” And in 1989, Nitto-Denko Corporation purchased GTI, and Van Der Tuuk remained active as Chairman for 11 years.