VendScreen, Inc. co-founder and industry veteran Glenn Butler, inventor of the VendScreen Revolution™ smart device for new and existing vending machines, has announced his departure from VendScreen to focus on his existing consulting company, CTO Services, LLC, and to turn attention to helping early stage startups reach their potential. Butler still has ties to VendScreen as a founder and investor, but resigned from the board last month.
Early in his career, Butler co-founded Streamware, served as president of Cantaloupe, and was vice president and chief technology officer of Crane Merchandising Systems before co-founding VendScreen. “I love the startup culture, it’s in my DNA,” he said in a prepared statement. “I learned and grew a lot during my time at VendScreen, developing the VendScreen Revolution™, which I think is one of the most innovative products in the vending industry. The Android platform, mobile to mobile communications, and cloud back end are all technologies that I am very passionate about.”
Butler goes on to say that the future of mobile payments will continue to evolve, as other emerging technologies change the way consumers interact with mobile devices, and the way connected devices interact with consumers. In addition to mobile, Butler says 3D printing, which his company already uses, is making it easier to rapidly prototype new hardware devices. “Due to the constantly moving state of the technology, the time is right to focus on some new opportunities, to focus more on the ‘Internet of Things’, and help mentor other young startups who have a real drive to create something unique,” Butler concluded.
“Glenn is a thought-leader who has worked tirelessly to develop and implement advanced technologies for the vending industry,” said Dr. Michael Kasavana, NAMA Endowed Professor in Hospitality Business at Michigan State University. “Throughout his career he has progressively created applications that are innovative, forward-looking, and highly effective. I am confident his pattern of success will continue, and I anxiously await his next set of industry solutions!”
Butler remains committed to the vending industry and will continue to be part of the NAMA VDI Task Force, whose mission is to promote the integration of hardware and software systems in order to give operators a choice in technology solutions. Butler also remains as a contributing editor to Automatic Merchandiser Magazine, where he covers technology related issues for the magazine.
