David Altounian appointed to RIHub’s board of directors

salvetoday Posted On March 14, 2023
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RIHub, the central network connector and incubator for entrepreneurs and startups in Rhode Island, has appointed longtime business executive David Altounian, vice provost of graduate and professional studies at Salve Regina, to its board of directors.

“We are so fortunate to have someone with David’s depth of experience in entrepreneurship, investing, building entrepreneurial ecosystems and education here in Rhode Island,” said Annette Tonti, managing director of RIHub. “His guidance will be pivotal to RIHub and to our entire high growth startup community here in Rhode Island.”

Altounian recently relocated to Rhode Island from Austin, Texas, where he amassed 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, business executive and academic. He founded Motion Computing in 2001 and, while serving as chairman and CEO, led the company’s growth to over $125 million in revenues. Motion Computing became the No. 2 worldwide business for rugged slate digital tablets.

As a partner and mentor at The Capital Factory, a leading startup accelerator and investment organization, Altounian was actively involved in several organizations during the growth of Austin’s entrepreneurial scene. He served on the boards of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Austin Technology Council and as co-chair of the Opportunity Austin Capital Committee. Ranked as the nation’s fourth top city to start a business, Austin has become a hotbed for startup unicorns and tech giants.

“I look forward to helping Rhode Island to build an ecosystem that helps entrepreneurs to flourish,” Altounian said. “Working with the RIHub board gives me the opportunity to make a difference here for student entrepreneurs as well as the entire startup community.”

Altounian is also a full-time tenured academic and educator in the fields of entrepreneurship and digital marketing. Prior to coming to Salve Regina and being appointed vice provost in December 2021, Altounian spent 14 years at St. Edwards University in Austin, where he served as associate dean of academic programs and director of the MBA program in the Bill Munday School of Business.

Altounian earned his Ph.D. in business administration from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, his M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and his B.S. in business administration from California Coast University.