Liz Elting

Liz Elting (Elizabeth Elting) is a New York-based entrepreneur. She is co-founder and co-CEO (with Phil Shawe) of TransPerfect,[1] the world's largest privately owned language services and technology solutions company, with revenues exceeding $471 million.[2] TransPerfect is an industry leader with more than 3,000 employees and offices in 90 cities worldwide, providing language and technology solutions including translation-related technologies, website localization solutions, e-clinical solutions for life sciences organizations, staffing solutions, and litigation support services and technology. Elting and Shawe founded TransPerfect from their New York University dorm rooms in 1992.[3]

Early Life

Language and entrepreneurship have been a key part of Elting's life since her early years attending the Toronto French School. The daughter of a successful businessman, Elting learned quite a bit about the entrepreneurial spirit from watching her father, who retired as the CEO of Grey Canada. Her mother has spent her entire career in various positions within the education sector, including teaching, counseling, and administration.

Her parents stressed the importance of hard work from a young age. Elting got her first "job" at age 10, walking a neighborhood child to school each day, and from then on, she held jobs of her own to make extra spending money. Some of her various positions included working at a dry cleaners, telemarketing, and as an usherette for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The family moved around a great deal during her childhood, igniting Elting's passion for international business. Before turning 25, Elting had lived, studied and worked in the US, Canada, Portugal, Venezuela, and Spain.

Elting speaks both French and Spanish.

Education and Career

Elting received her BA in Modern Languages and Literatures from Trinity College. After graduation, she spent three years working at translation company Euramerica (later acquired by Berlitz) in both sales and production, opening her eyes to the industry. She returned to school to obtain her Masters in Business Administration from New York University's Stern School of Business and while at Stern, she met fellow student Phil Shawe.

Elting and Shawe co-founded TransPerfect in 1992. Since the company's inception, Elting has served as President and Co-CEO and as the company has grown, both she and Shawe continue to play a key role in all aspects of day-to-day operations.

Elting is profiled in several books, including The New York Times bestseller "Succeed by Your Own Terms" (McGraw-Hill), "Leadership Secrets of the World's Most Successful CEOs" (Dearborn Trade Publishing), "Straight Talk About Starting and Growing Your Business" (McGraw-Hill), and "Forget the Glass Ceiling: Build Your Business Without One" (Dell). She is featured regularly in the media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, O (The Oprah Magazine), The Financial Times, Reader’s Digest, and Crain's New York Business.

Elting is passionate about philanthropy, and is involved with the American Heart Association, in particular, the Go Red for Women campaign. She is actively involved with both of her alma maters, hosting events at her home and at TransPerfect's headquarters for Trinity College, and speaking to alumni, undergraduates and MBA candidates at NYU regularly.

Personal Life

Elting is married, and she and her husband reside in New York City with their two sons.

Awards and Honors

References

  1. ↑ http://www.transperfect.com/about/leadership.html
  2. ↑ http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/alumni/news.cfm?doc_id=4874
  3. ↑ http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2004/June/70852-1.html

External links