Larry Rubin brings the ease of cards to
business relationships
By Susie Davidson
Advocate Correspondent
Three years ago, entrepreneur Larry Rubin
saw the proverbial, paperless handwriting on the wall. Today, his Swipe-It
Technology has become an industry leader in the drive toward quicker and more
expedient consumer tracking as well as benefit allocation.
With an individual approach geared to
varied businesses and clientele, Rubin designed a system with easy-to-carry and
quick-to-slide customer loyalty and gift cards, which are advantageous to both
retailer and patron.
In both economically
challenged and boom times, small to mid-sized merchants are highly indebted to
their customers. Rubin, a 29-year-old Sharon native, has long sensed that both
loyalty and consumer data were integral to these business relationships. However,
he began his business career with studentsÕ daily needs in mind. After
graduating from college with a bachelorÕs degree in Sport Management, Rubin
secured a small bank loan and help from family and friends, and in 1998,
launched Swipe It Meal Card, an off-campus meal program based in the Chestnut
Hill area which streamlined the meal-paying process for local college students.
ÒAfter a few years
of breaking even, I found another company doing the same thing in Maryland and
decided to merge with them,Ó he recalled. From a small concern with two
employees, the company, now called University Meal Deal, expanded to markets in
Boston, Ithaca, New York, College Park, Maryland and Greenville.
ÒAt about this same time large companies
were switching from paper gift certificates to plastic gift cards,Ó said Rubin.
Since he had already been utilizing that model, he decided to start a sister
company, Swipe It Technology, which would bring the technology that larger
companies such as Best Buy, Home Depot and The Gap were using to small and
medium-sized merchants. This year, Rubin was able to buy out his existing
partners. With over 100 clients in 20 states, he now runs University Meal Deal, which
posted revenue of over a million dollars last year, and the ever-expanding Swipe
It Technology.
Rubin attended Hebrew School at Temple
Sinai of Sharon, where he was a Bar Mitzvah in 1987. His father StevenÕs
parents were of Russian origin, his mother Harriet (Levine)Õs were Polish. The
family spent every Friday night at RubinÕs grandmotherÕs house in Quincy,
enjoying matzah ball soup, chicken and challah as they discussed how their week
went. ÒDue to the large Jewish population of Sharon, my formidable years were
molded by Jewish values and morals,Ó he said.
For 10 years, from age eight to eighteen,
Rubin spent seven years as a camper and three as a staff member at Camp Avoda
in Middleboro. As a member of its Alumni Association, he helps raise money to
send underprivileged boys to the camp. ÒMany of my friends from camp also
joined me when I went off to college at UMass Amherst,Ó he said. The camaraderie
led to a four-year membership in the national, predominately Jewish Sigma Alpha
Mu fraternity, where he held positions on the Executive Board.
Rubin joined Jewish Big Brother and Big Sister
a year ago, and looks forward to continuing his relationship with his Òlittle
brotherÓ as well as one with his girlfriend of seven months, whom he met on
Jdate.com.
ÒI am very proud of my Jewish heritage and
always do what I can for fellow Jews,Ó he said. ÒThat about sums up my life and
I look forward to adding many more chapters in the future.Ó
For more information, please visit www.swipeit.com.