July 24, 2017 Siena Men's Basketball alumnus Harel Gadot '97 has enjoyed many professional successes during a distinguished career. Since graduating from Siena College with a B.S. in Marketing and Management, Gadot has gone on to serve as an executive and entrepreneur in the healthcare field. Gadot, who co-founded Microbot Medical Inc. and serves as the company's CEO, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, had the distinct honor of ringing the Nasdaq Closing Bell in New York City on Feb. 23 this year.
A native of Moshav Magshimim, Israel, Gadot served for three years in the Israeli Army before continuing his basketball career. He started for one season for Maccabi Ramat Gan of Israel's First Division before matriculating to Siena, where he appeared in 62 games (five starts) spanning three seasons with the Saints. Gadot was a member of the memorable 1993-94 team which advanced to the NIT Semifinals at Madison Square Garden and earned a third place finish.
Gadot furthered his educational career by earning his MBA from the University of Manchester (UK) in 2004, and an Executive Education in Finance degree from Harvard University. Prior to his position at Microbot Medical, Gadot served as a Worldwide Group Marketing Director at Johnson & Johnson (Ethicon Inc.). In addition to his current position at Microbot Medical -- a medical device company which specializes in the researching, designing, developing and commercializing of transformational micro-robotics medical technologies -- Gadot is also the founder and serves as the Chairman of the Board at MEDX Xelerator and XACT Robotics Ltd.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Harel about his memories from his time at Siena and also touch upon his many achievements in the private and public sectors.
SienaSaints.com: Coming from Israel, how did you first learn of Siena College and what made you want to further both your education and basketball career here?
Harel Gadot: It had always been my goal, even when living in Israel, to come to the United States and combine higher education and a Division I basketball program. I believed that in the right place, I'd be able to improve my basketball skills as well as receive the right education to prepare me for the period after my basketball career was over. I was very fortunate that during my search for different colleges and universities which may offer me an athletic scholarship, I was introduced to coach Mike Deane. Learning about what Siena had to offer on both the academic and athletic sides, as well as the values of the school and Coach Deane's view on the basketball program, I was certain it would be the right home for me for the next four years.
SS: What are some of your fondest memories from your time playing basketball at Siena?
HG: Without a doubt, the one thing I carry with me the most from the basketball time while at Siena, is the closeness we had as a team for literally each of my three years I played. As each year brought new successes and challenges for us, from the amazing NIT run in 1994 to the rebuilding process for a couple of years which came right after it, we always stayed together as teammates and friends -- a family. And it was more than just the players, it was also the community around the program that really made this experience special, and I'll always remember it.
SS: What was it like to be a part of that memorable 1994 squad which captured third place in the NIT?
HG: I still remember standing at the center court of Madison Square Garden, looking at the Knicks team logo and the feeling I had thinking on the path I personally took from growing up in Israel to actually playing at the Mecca of basketball, as well as the journey we had as a team during the prior seven months since I came to Siena. There are probably a few events in life that I always reflect on -- my wedding, the birth of my daughters, etc. -- and I'm fortunate enough to have the NIT run as yet another memorable event to reflect back on from time to time.
SS: Who were your key influencers -- both athletically and academically at Siena -- and what important lessons did they impart on you?
HG: This is one of the beautiful things about Siena, its community, and I'll probably need a full day in order to mention all the people that truly influenced me while at Siena. From my teammates, my coaches, the athletic department, the alumni, the teachers, and many more. Just to name a few, I learned a lot from Coach Deane, mostly on how he really cared about his players. Jim Serbalik and his family that actually came to visit me in Israel one year. Mr. Tom Mahaffey, a business teacher, which all students tried to avoid his classes because of his demands, which actually taught me the value of preparation. And Ms. Bonnie Baker, another teacher who helped me expand my horizons, and we have stayed in touch for many years after my graduation. And most of all, it was the Zuravicky family who had no ties to Siena but are from the Albany area, that took me in and made me feel part of their family, and taught me the values of caring and sharing with others.
SS: What made your time at Siena College special for you, and how did it help prepare you to become both a successful entrepreneur and executive in the healthcare field?
HG: On many levels, my experience at Siena prepared me for the life after graduation. There is a saying "sometimes you need to jump off the bridge, and build your wings on the way down," and coming to Siena all the way from Israel, away from my family, was my first true "jumping off the bridge," and when you become an entrepreneur you must welcome risk literally every time. The togetherness as a team we had at Siena, the support of and trust in each other, taught me how to be a better executive when I needed to lead high profile directors and managers.
SS: What inspired you to co-found Microbot, and what was it like to lead the company from its inception all the way through to a Nasdaq listing and the opportunity to ring the closing bell?
HG: When I made the decision to leave Johnson & Johnson, I wanted to be able to innovate, establish new ventures, and see how flawless execution can bring new solutions to market quickly and change the lives of millions of patients globally, which I felt the corporate world is too slow to do. I started by establishing a couple of ventures which were sold to multinational corporates, and we made a nice return for investors, but those ventures were not built to last as a standalone company, and therefore were acquired within a couple years of inception. With Microbot Medical, I wanted to be the first entrepreneur globally that establishes a medical micro-robotic company, and in addition build it to last, to become the next big corporate that can positively influence the lives of people across the globe. Leading the company from just an idea, to establish the first prototype and raising the first financing round, build a winning team, and then see how the capital markets see the value in what we established by listing us on Nasdaq, was seeing my vision come to life -- and there is nothing better in the business world then to see your vision come together.
SS: What advice would you give current Siena student athletes about balancing athletics and academics, and what it takes to go on to become a successful professional?
HG: First, enjoy! This is a period in life you'll always look back at with a big smile. I can't emphasize enough the importance of finding the right balance between athletics and academics, as the classroom is what will prepare you for most of your life, even if you'll continue playing pro sports for a few years after graduation as I did. But mostly, being an athlete already gives you the tools and a true advantage when you enter the business world, as it teaches you the values of hard work, focus, preparation and determination. And most of all, as one of my mentors once told me, "You are only as good as the team working with you." It teaches you the values of teamwork, and this is something that will take anyone a long way as he or she starts moving up in the business world.
