Louis Hernandez Jr.

When Avid Technology CEO Gary Greenfield resigned on February 11, Avid's board appointed Louis Hernandez Jr., one of its own, to the company's top spot. Hernandez, the former Chairman of the Board and CEO of Open Solutions, a technology provider to global financial institutions, turns out to have a surprisingly interesting and varied mix of experiences and interests that dovetail nicely with Avid's technical and creative missions. 

1. He's been on the Avid board of directors since 2008, which means he should already know Avid customers well — and also what the company has been through during the difficult past few years of transitions and layoffs. 

2. He's an avid photographer.

3. He founded a nonprofit to help underprivileged kids in school and give them leadership training for future careers.

4. One of his favorite musical artists is Grammy-nominated Trombone Shorty.

5. While president of Open Solutions, he self-published two books about the financial crisis: Too Small to Fail and Saving the American Dream.

6. His former company was named one of the “25 Fastest-Growing Technology Companies” by Forbes in 2006 on a list that also included Google and eBay.