President & CEO
Saji Daniel
Saji T. Daniel is the President and CEO of Tradex International Inc., a leading supplier of disposable gloves to the foodservice, medical, janitorial and industrial markets.
Daniel was born and raised in India in impoverished surroundings, where he lived until the age of 14. After graduating from Collinwood High School in Cleveland, Ohio, Daniel attended Cleveland State University while working delivering newspapers and other jobs to pay tuition and support his family. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration determined to pursue his American Dream.
In 1988, amidst growing public concern of HIV/AIDS, Daniel founded Tradex International, selling medical gloves door-to-door to doctors and dentists. The company shifted its focus to the foodservice industry in 1995 in anticipation of stricter food safety requirements. Today, with offices around the world, Tradex International is one of the largest suppliers of disposable gloves in the United States.
Daniel's phenomenal success has earned many accolades. In 2009, Daniel was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. The year prior, Daniel accepted an invitation to the White House as owner of one of the nation's fastest growing Asian-American businesses. Tradex is also a three-time honoree on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing American businesses and nine-time recipient of the Weatherhead 100 Award recognizing the fastest-growing companies in Northeast Ohio.
Daniel is a member of the Visiting Committee at Cleveland State University's Monte Ahuja College of Business and serves on the board of directors for Lake Ridge Academy, Global Cleveland, The Mike Furrey Foundation, and Huruma Rescue Mission. In 2005, Daniel established The Tradex Foundation to enhance the lives of children by offering hope and opportunities. Each year, The Foundation awards academic scholarships, grants, and in-kind donations to charities around the world, including lifetime scholarships to children orphaned by AIDS in Kenya.
