Our Founder
President, American Pearl
At a very early age, Eddie Bakash had a fascination with computers which initiated his entry into the Long Island Math Fair at Hofstra University. It is here that Eddie won two Gold Medals (one for programming sorting routines and the other for developing a 3D graphing system), two years in a row and gained recognition from Governor Mario Cuomo.
When it comes to philanthropy, Eddie has a heart of pearls. Everyone who knows him knows this well. He is a self-motivated person who is always ready to help through charity and giving. Here is an example:
At age 15, Eddie first started working in a tiny computer store, Computer Microsystems, in Manhassett Long Island where he assisted the manager of the computer store in selling and provisioning more Macintosh computer systems than any other salesperson in America. This included installations at hedge funds in Manhattan and many public school districts. Eddie was responsible for system provisioning, ensuring that IT systems were properly set up and configured for seamless operation. His role involved installing operating systems, deploying applications, configuring security settings, and managing hardware, software, networks, and user access. By handling these critical tasks, Eddie ensured that all systems were optimized, secure, and ready for use, meeting the specific requirements of each organization.
Eddie and his manager were flown out to Cupertino California to attend Apple World for the launch of their new line of personal computers. The manager of the store won a Porsche for his exceptional selling ability. He later went on to work at Turbo Technologies, the company that invented the first memory upgrade available for the original Mac and the first external hard drive for the Mac. The company also acted as a chip broker to other computer companies looking to obtain these hard to find DRAM Memory Chips.
On many occasions, many of his peers wondered why he was not in class regularly. And if he was, he often got called to the Principal's Office which always stirred the other students. As it turned out, If the principal of the school had trouble with his computer, Eddie was called to the scene to troubleshoot.
In high school, using the latest technology, he started a company called College Admissions Center that created, published and marketed S.A.T. study aids to the parents of high school students across America, bringing the cutting-edge knowledge of test taking skills and materials to students who could not afford a premium course such as The Princeton Review or Stanley Kaplan. With the help of direct marketing legend Ed Burnett, College Admissions Center marketed courses such as Math Concepts and Vocabulary Builder, for example, that used computers to compile the most frequently appearing words on the verbal section of every S.A.T ever published. College Admissions Center empowered numerous students across the country to become better test takers.
After graduating high school, Eddie attended New York University's Stern School of Business. Coincidentally, the same manager, Bruce Prevo, of the computer store he worked at as a teenager was hired by Apple as the Higher Education Account Executive for the New York region; including New York University. Eddie was hired on this time by Apple Computer as a Student Representative. He got his best friend, Wei Liou, the same Apple Student Representative job at Columbia University where he was attending. Even at NYU, Eddie could be spotted in the Dean's office, helping the Dean of NYU on how to use a Mac and why they are so important in the college curriculum.
While in business school he started another company called Innovative Advertising that created products to advertise and market to college students across the country. Through a partnership with hundreds of college universities across the nation, Innovative Advertising created a marketing distribution system reaching nearly 1,000,000 hard to get college students with a high discretionary income and attracted clients of the likes of American Express, AT&T and even the guitarist from The Rolling Stones, Ron Wood, to market his new venue.
In between classes, he also worked as head of Marketing and Business Development for Everlink, the world's first online database for the entertainment industry that featured a natural language interface from Natural Language, Inc. that could understand queries using full english sentences and similarly answer back by writing responses.
In addition, during the Resolution Trust Corporation or RTC time period he worked for Rosin & Associates doing due diligence for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
After graduating New York University's Stern School of Business, he landed a job at the impossible and sought after William Morris Agency where he was apprenticing to become an Agent through the Agent Training Program.
He produced Marc Klein's first movie, who wrote the feature film Serendipity.
Leaving William Morris on his lunch break to help out his father was not uncommon. Slowly but surely, Eddie learned the time-honored business of pearls and diamonds from his father. His fascination with pearls motivated him to take over the reigns of the family business from his father.
His first move was to create a shopping site on The Bloomberg Terminal prior to the popularity of the internet. Inspired by Wei Liou who became a commodities trader, Eddie and his friend created a shopping site for American Pearl on the Bloomberg ShopGo platform. Now, there is no looking back. Eddie has successfully combined the two passions of his life, computers and pearls, to single handedly create Americanpearl.com. Eddie and American Pearl continues its passion for computers and Information Technology as an investor, subcontractor, incubator and consultant to other high-tech start-up companies as well as going concerns. He is the inventor of a patented computing technology known as 3D Search & Browsing. You can read about Eddie's other technology startups in The Wall Street Journal, The San Jose Mercury News and The Economist among dozens of other publications. In his article “Rummaging Through the Internet” in The Economist, Benjamin Sutherland explores the rise of innovative 3D search and browsing technologies and Eddie Bakhash's contribution . He discusses how these advancements go beyond traditional text-based search, allowing users to navigate and visualize information in immersive, spatial ways. Sutherland examines how such transformative technologies have changed the way we interact with computers, making digital experiences more intuitive and engaging. His analysis highlights how 3D search and browsing represent a major innovation, paving the way for more dynamic and interactive digital environments that could redefine user interfaces and information retrieval. In an article in the MIT Technology Review, author Kate Greene explores Bakhash's technology and invention noting how this innovation enhances digital interaction, making browsing more intuitive and visually dynamic.
Eddie Recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine's Hot List
At a very early age, Eddie Bakash had a fascination with computers which initiated his entry into the Long Island Math Fair at Hofstra University. It is here that Eddie won two Gold Medals (one for programming sorting routines and the other for developing a 3D graphing system), two years in a row and gained recognition from Governor Mario Cuomo.
When it comes to philanthropy, Eddie has a heart of pearls. Everyone who knows him knows this well. He is a self-motivated person who is always ready to help through charity and giving. Here is an example:
|
|
Shortly after the events of 9/11 devastated New York City, Eddie, the President of American Pearl, reprogrammed the company's e-commerce website to start taking T-shirt orders with the charity Saved By A Thread to raise money for the families of 9/11 through VARIETY THE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION. Shortly after, Rosie O'Donnell wore the American Pearl Saved By A Thread-designed T-shirt on television. To thank American Pearl, FOX-5 TV's Ernie Anastos invited Eddie and family on television to gift their donation. |
| AMERICAN PEARL HELPS 9/11 FAMILY MEMBERS |
At age 15, Eddie first started working in a tiny computer store, Computer Microsystems, in Manhassett Long Island where he assisted the manager of the computer store in selling and provisioning more Macintosh computer systems than any other salesperson in America. This included installations at hedge funds in Manhattan and many public school districts. Eddie was responsible for system provisioning, ensuring that IT systems were properly set up and configured for seamless operation. His role involved installing operating systems, deploying applications, configuring security settings, and managing hardware, software, networks, and user access. By handling these critical tasks, Eddie ensured that all systems were optimized, secure, and ready for use, meeting the specific requirements of each organization.
One of Eddie's checks from the computer store Computer Microsystems
Eddie and his manager were flown out to Cupertino California to attend Apple World for the launch of their new line of personal computers. The manager of the store won a Porsche for his exceptional selling ability. He later went on to work at Turbo Technologies, the company that invented the first memory upgrade available for the original Mac and the first external hard drive for the Mac. The company also acted as a chip broker to other computer companies looking to obtain these hard to find DRAM Memory Chips.
On many occasions, many of his peers wondered why he was not in class regularly. And if he was, he often got called to the Principal's Office which always stirred the other students. As it turned out, If the principal of the school had trouble with his computer, Eddie was called to the scene to troubleshoot.
In high school, using the latest technology, he started a company called College Admissions Center that created, published and marketed S.A.T. study aids to the parents of high school students across America, bringing the cutting-edge knowledge of test taking skills and materials to students who could not afford a premium course such as The Princeton Review or Stanley Kaplan. With the help of direct marketing legend Ed Burnett, College Admissions Center marketed courses such as Math Concepts and Vocabulary Builder, for example, that used computers to compile the most frequently appearing words on the verbal section of every S.A.T ever published. College Admissions Center empowered numerous students across the country to become better test takers.
After graduating high school, Eddie attended New York University's Stern School of Business. Coincidentally, the same manager, Bruce Prevo, of the computer store he worked at as a teenager was hired by Apple as the Higher Education Account Executive for the New York region; including New York University. Eddie was hired on this time by Apple Computer as a Student Representative. He got his best friend, Wei Liou, the same Apple Student Representative job at Columbia University where he was attending. Even at NYU, Eddie could be spotted in the Dean's office, helping the Dean of NYU on how to use a Mac and why they are so important in the college curriculum.
While in business school he started another company called Innovative Advertising that created products to advertise and market to college students across the country. Through a partnership with hundreds of college universities across the nation, Innovative Advertising created a marketing distribution system reaching nearly 1,000,000 hard to get college students with a high discretionary income and attracted clients of the likes of American Express, AT&T and even the guitarist from The Rolling Stones, Ron Wood, to market his new venue.
In between classes, he also worked as head of Marketing and Business Development for Everlink, the world's first online database for the entertainment industry that featured a natural language interface from Natural Language, Inc. that could understand queries using full english sentences and similarly answer back by writing responses.
Everlink Featured in ComputerWorld
In addition, during the Resolution Trust Corporation or RTC time period he worked for Rosin & Associates doing due diligence for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
After graduating New York University's Stern School of Business, he landed a job at the impossible and sought after William Morris Agency where he was apprenticing to become an Agent through the Agent Training Program.
One of Eddie's checks from the world-famous William Morris Talent Agency Agent Training Program
He produced Marc Klein's first movie, who wrote the feature film Serendipity.
Serendipity
Leaving William Morris on his lunch break to help out his father was not uncommon. Slowly but surely, Eddie learned the time-honored business of pearls and diamonds from his father. His fascination with pearls motivated him to take over the reigns of the family business from his father.
His first move was to create a shopping site on The Bloomberg Terminal prior to the popularity of the internet. Inspired by Wei Liou who became a commodities trader, Eddie and his friend created a shopping site for American Pearl on the Bloomberg ShopGo platform. Now, there is no looking back. Eddie has successfully combined the two passions of his life, computers and pearls, to single handedly create Americanpearl.com. Eddie and American Pearl continues its passion for computers and Information Technology as an investor, subcontractor, incubator and consultant to other high-tech start-up companies as well as going concerns. He is the inventor of a patented computing technology known as 3D Search & Browsing. You can read about Eddie's other technology startups in The Wall Street Journal, The San Jose Mercury News and The Economist among dozens of other publications. In his article “Rummaging Through the Internet” in The Economist, Benjamin Sutherland explores the rise of innovative 3D search and browsing technologies and Eddie Bakhash's contribution . He discusses how these advancements go beyond traditional text-based search, allowing users to navigate and visualize information in immersive, spatial ways. Sutherland examines how such transformative technologies have changed the way we interact with computers, making digital experiences more intuitive and engaging. His analysis highlights how 3D search and browsing represent a major innovation, paving the way for more dynamic and interactive digital environments that could redefine user interfaces and information retrieval. In an article in the MIT Technology Review, author Kate Greene explores Bakhash's technology and invention noting how this innovation enhances digital interaction, making browsing more intuitive and visually dynamic.
Eddie is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America's Pearl Grading Course.
American Pearl gave to the American Red Cross 2005 Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. This fund made it possible for the Red Cross to help nationwide Hurricane Katrina disaster victims of 2005.
American Pearl gives regular donations to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
American Pearl has donated to The Military Spouse Association of Camp Pendleton.
American Pearl donates to United Way through FedEx's auction efforts.
American Pearl donates to Habilitat.
American Pearl donates to JDRF Southern CA Chapter.
American Pearl donates to the March of Dimes.
American Pearl donates to the American Cancer Society.