
Dare to Disrupt LIVE from Penn State Brandywine: The CTDI Story with Co-founder Jerry Parsons
This special live recording of the Invent Penn State Dare to Disrupt podcast, presented by Brandywine LaunchBox powered by Penn State, features CTDI founder and chairman Jerry Parsons.
Jerry shares how he and his family launched CTDI from a garage-based startup and scaled it into a global leader in the communications, mobility, and consumer devices service industries.
The conversation explores the early days of building CTDI, key moments of disruption and growth, and Jerry’s insights on leadership, innovation, and building a family-run business that thrives on the global stage.
At the end of the recording, in-person attendees had the chance to ask Jerry their own questions during a live audience Q&A session.
Episode Chapters
2:12 Fishing, budding love for electronics growing up
5:43 Choosing Penn State Brandywine, college experience
10:06 First job out of college at DuPont
11:30 Dad pitches Jerry on a small repair business
14:12 Acquiring first customers
17:07 Innovations and technological breakthroughs
18:29 Expanding nationally
19:52 Adapting to industry changes
26:11 The importance of tech testing
27:21 Family legacy and mentorship
29:26 Company culture and values
30:20 International expansion and growth
35:21 Advice for future generations
36:39 Rapid-fire questions
38:11 Audience questions
The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.
