For Cypress, Giving Back is a Way of Doing Business
LAPEER, MICHIGAN — For Cypress Integration Solutions, giving back isn't limited to a single day or season. It's a win-win philosophy that happens all year around.
Cypress founder and CTO Tony Diodato was in his 20s when he began engineering solutions for major companies. So it's no surprise that supporting youth potential is intertwined with the work of Cypress Integration Solutions.
Cypress has been a longtime financial supporter of local youth robotics programs for students ranging from elementary to high school, as well as scholarships, not including staff out-of-pocket donations or the hundreds of hours donated each year by company personnel. The company's philanthropic focus resonates with local youth, who in turn give back by staffing the annual free ROBO-CON Festival of STEM Learning & Robotics, founded by Cypress staff, an event which draws visitors from across Michigan each summer.
Cypress staff also routinely work with students on projects to meet local needs, such as building a mechanical golf ball counter for Growth & Opportunity, a local organization which employees individuals with disabilities. Together, staff and students have recruited donations of food and clothing for a family devastated by a fire; run the free annual downhill derby during the Lapeer Days festival; conducted professional development sessions for the local school district; and are helping repair a mechanical lift to aid those caring for a man with multiple disabilities. Some students have gone on to help coach and mentor teams as well.
Diodato says the effort isn't completely self-sacrificing, since program involvement is enormously successful in helping recruit quality staff members.
"Youth robotics teams have been kind of a perfect vehicle for developing the skills we need our employees to have," said Diodato. "Now we have that unique skill set where I can ask staff and interns to wire up a machine one day, program it the next, and then laser-cut some parts for it. It’s very unique to combine all these talents and help them develop."
About Cypress Integration Solutions
Based in Lapeer, Michigan, Cypress Integration Solutions is a world-leading developer and manufacturer of physical access control integration solutions that save time and money, solve installation challenges, and advance adoption of SIA's OSDP protocol. Built in the USA with 35+ years of expertise, Cypress’ innovative and award-winning solutions include Suprex reader-extenders, data converters, OSDP-enabled tools and handheld readers. Cypress also custom-engineers solutions and provides OEM and ODM products. Learn more at CypressIntegration.com.
