SMPR Team
Eric Radez
President
Eric’s unique blend of skills and experience has allowed him to excel in various fields, including retail investor conferences, public relations, conservation, and entrepreneurship.
In 2003, Eric joined forces with his father, Richard Radez, who was among the earliest “out-of-the-box” thinkers in the world of retail investor conferences, founding the Chicago Natural Resource & Technology Conference in 1977. Eric brought his own vision and skills to the Conference, leveraging his expertise in media and public relations to enhance the event’s profile and reach.
As part of his role at the Chicago Conference, Eric was responsible for ensuring that the event remained up to date and relevant in the fast-changing world of technology and natural resource investing. This included managing the conference’s web presence and development, as well as overseeing online seminar hosting, video creation and editing, public relations, and social media.
By bringing his skills to bear on the conference, Eric helped to ensure that it remained a valuable resource for investors seeking to learn more about the latest trends and opportunities in natural resource and technology investing. His contributions were particularly notable in media and public relations, where he helped to raise the profile of the conference and attract a wider audience of investors and industry experts.
During his tenure, the boutique conference led to new discoveries and provided a valuable platform for companies to raise initial funds on their way to hitting the big time (The most recent and spectacular example is Frontier Lithium (TSXV: FL) (OTCQX: LITOF)).
Eric’s early exposure to mining operations at the age of twelve gave him a unique understanding of what gives a mined commodity its value. He attended Indiana University/Purdue University of Indianapolis (IUPUI), and while he gained valuable knowledge and skills from some formal education, much of his diverse skill set and enterprising spirit comes from his real‑world experiences.
At the age of twenty-four, Eric opened Indy Import Performance, a retail business focused on style and performance upgrades for import sports cars. This was years before The Fast and the Furious franchise began, making Eric a true pioneer in that industry. As a young entrepreneur, he demonstrated a keen eye for emerging trends in the automotive industry. The success of Indy Import Performance is a testament to Eric’s business acumen and his ability to identify emerging market trends. By recognizing the potential of the import sports car scene early on, he was able to build a business that catered to the needs of a passionate and growing community of automotive enthusiasts.
At the age of twenty-eight, Eric became a registered representative for a major NYSE firm, where he stressed the importance of portfolio diversification to his clients.
Mr. Radez is also a strict conservationist. His commitment to conservation led him to establish the Indiana Catfish Conservation Association, which is responsible for enacting new regulations to protect large catfish from commercial harvesting in public waters.