Lecturer, Wharton
pfit@wharton.upenn.edu
Course:
MGMT 231 - Entrepreneurial Venture Initiation
MGMT 806 - Formation & Implementation of Entrepreneurial Ventures
Bio:
As a veteran entrepreneur with a background in many industries, Mr. FitzGerald has assisted in the foundation or expansion of a variety of business, most notably RecycleBank, Philadelphia Distilling, Carbonrally, Shopiks, ReProduct, Philly Car Share and Nanny Caddy.
Mr. FitzGerald is the former CEO of Nanny Caddy, the vending machine for parents on the go. During Mr. FitzGerald’s tenure, Nanny Caddy expanded from one machine to 30+ in 12 states via partnerships with Sea World Entertainment, Legoland, the Bronx Zoo, Philadelphia International Airport and various strategic locations nationwide. Nanny Caddy was named one of Redbook’s “Top Five Products for Moms” in 2011 and has been prominently featured in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, American Baby and the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Mr. FitzGerald is also the creator, co-founder and former President of RecycleBank. Through its partnerships with over 1,000 local and national retailers (including Starbucks, Home Depot, Whole Foods, Coca-Cola, Target, Staples, and Kraft), RecycleBank financially rewards households that recycle, provides cities and municipalities with landfill/incinerator fee savings, and promotes socially responsible businesses. Launched in 2003, RecycleBank currently operates in over 35 states and the United Kingdom and to date has raised over $75 million in capital from Columbia University, Kleiner Perkins, and private funds.
Prior to RecycleBank, Mr. FitzGerald was an attorney in the Wall Street office of Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP where he specialized in mergers & acquisitions and corporate governance. Patrick received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. Patrick has been a guest lecturer at the Wharton School of Business and Temple University’s Fox School of Business and a mentor in the Columbia University Lang Center for Entrepreneurship Program and University of Pennsylvania Fox Leadership Program. He has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Philadelphia Inquirer, MSNBC, Fox News, NBC and other media outlets. The Philadelphia Business Journal recently honored Mr. FitzGerald with its “40 under 40” award which recognizes exceptional business leaders under the age of forty and he was recently awarded a United States Patent for his work in creating RecycleBank.
