Zoom Link: https://dartgo.org/johnjerit

Portman Lecture in the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

A Spectacular Vision: American Paper Optics - 30 Years & 3 Billion Pairs of 3D and Solar Eclipse Glasses

American Paper Optics President John Jerit shares his start-up company's story of becoming the largest manufacturer of 3D and safe solar glasses, and how they are preparing for the countdown to the total solar eclipse on April 8. Rockefeller Center Director Jason Barabas '93 moderates.

Co-sponsored by The Rockefeller Center, the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Tuck School of Business

Speaker Bio: In September of 1990, John Jerit founded a “start-from-scratch” company with only one main product. Soon sales for American Paper Optics’ (APO) “3D Fireworks Glasses” grew, as did the demand for other variations of paper promotional 3D glasses. APO’s manufacturing and marketing evolved from a demand for quick turnaround promotional specialty optics. Today, with a staff of 44 employees, APO manufactures more than 14 different types of specialty paper 3D glasses in an unlimited number of frame shapes.

Since the company originated, APO has become the world’s largest manufacturer of paper 3D eyewear. During this time, owner and 3D aficionado, John Jerit, transformed a “silly” paper novelty business into a 3D eyeglass empire with products distributed worldwide. Named “Small Business Executive of the Year” in 1998 by the Memphis Business Journal, John attributes aggressive marketing and diversification to the company’s successful production of more than three billion 3D glasses. In November 1999, Entrepreneur Magazine selected John as one of the nation’s outstanding small businessmen for his masterful marketing of 3D glasses for movies, television, web-sites, theme park attractions, laser light shows, and fireworks displays. In September 2010, Inc. 5000 Magazine ranked American Paper Optics number 1,316 on its list of the top 5,000 fastest growing private companies. APO was again added to the Inc 5000 “Fastest Growing Companies” list in September of 2018 (#1,876).

Today, APO is up to their eyeballs in manufacturing safe solar eclipse glasses for the upcoming April 8 Total Solar Eclipse. When John is not playing “eye doctor” to the 3D world, he is a major collector of Outsider/Folk Art.

Dr. Jason Barabas ’93 is the Director of the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences at Dartmouth College and a Professor in the Government Department. At Dartmouth, Barabas teaches and conducts research on American politics in the areas of political knowledge, deliberation, public policy, and democratic performance. His findings have been published in peer-reviewed academic journals including the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, and the Journal of Politics. Barabas earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University and his undergraduate degree in Government from Dartmouth College. After graduating from college, Barabas was appointed as an economic policy advisor for the Governor of Illinois, which fostered an appreciation for retail politics as well as pragmatic solutions to policy problems. In the years since, he has held postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard and Princeton as well as academic faculty positions in New York, Florida, and Illinois. When he is not teaching or writing, Barabas enjoys a variety of outdoor and cultural activities throughout New Hampshire and beyond.