40 Under 40 The Class of 2016

Andrew Anderlonis

President, Rediker Software Inc.; Age 32

Andrew Anderlonis

Andrew Anderlonis

Andrew Anderlonis spent six years in the U.S. Navy — his obligation in exchange for the scholarship awarded him to attend George Washington University — and admits to occasionally thinking about making the Navy a career.

But he majored in international business and management information systems at GW, and admitted that this was where his passion really lay. And he wound up putting those talents to work in a setting he probably wasn’t thinking about while helping to put the USS George H.W. Bush, a Nimitz-class supercarrier, through its paces several years ago.

That would be Rediker Software, the venture started by the man who would become his father-in-law, Rich Rediker.

Indeed, while the founder is still quite active in the business, which specializes in creation of software programs for school systems, Anderlonis now serves as president, a broad role that involves everything from long-range strategic planning to new-product development, and to finding new and different ways for the company and its employees to make a difference within the community.

“I really act as COO, CTO, and CIO,” he said, using all those letters — the ‘t’ stands for technology, and the ‘i’ for innovation — to convey the message that he does a little bit of everything. (His wife, Amy, serves the company as marketing director.)

And he enjoys all aspects of that job description, particularly the community-involvement element.

Within that realm, he conceptualized the company’s internship program, which gives local high-school and college students the opportunity to develop, launch, and distribute new educational technology products to schools locally. He also launched the company’s volunteer initiative known as Rediker Cares, which gives employees the ability to give back to the local community.

Through that program, Anderlonis has ramped up the company’s already-considerable commitment to Link to Libraries (LTL), which, since its creation nearly a decade ago, has donated more than 500,000 books to area schools and nonprofits.

Rediker has for some time donated space at its Hampden headquarters for LTL’s warehouse, but Anderlonis has become directly involved by joining the agency’s board.

And while he’s serious about all that, he says he’s most passionate about what he calls a “full-time dad.”

“One of the big reasons I left the Navy was that I wanted to be around to see my child grow up and be there for him,” he explained, referring to 2-year-old Tyler.

In short, his life story has already had some intriguing plot twists, but some of the best chapters are still to be written.

— George O’Brien


Photography by Leah Martin Photography