When he was Maximizer Software Inc.'s CFO, his plan to cut staff, reduce trade show participation and scrutinize all expenditures helped turn the contact management software developer's $18-million 2001 loss into a $1.9-million profit in 2003.

Now a co-president with Tom Bennett, Caputo has also helped expand Maximizer's share of the contact-management market.

Before he joined Maximizer, Caputo was CFO at Velocity Computer Systems, where he stick-handled three acquisitions and guided Velocity through an IPO.

Caputo relies on his training as a chartered accountant and knowledge gained during his business administration degree from SFU, where he won the dean's medal as the top business graduate in 1992.

Caputo's work has helped Maximizer add more than 600 new corporate customers, pushing the company past 6,000 total customers since its 1995 inception.

But his proudest accomplishment is creating a vibrant workplace for his 87 local employees and 77 others scattered around the world.

"I wanted to make a culture where this is a great place to work and people are jacked up and motivated to come to work every day," he explained.

Caputo established an "employer of choice program," whereby about 97 per cent of his employees answered an anonymous survey suggesting ways to better the company.

At his staff's urging, Caputo boosted communication and started hosting quarterly staff meetings and biweekly management meetings.

He has also actively encouraged employee involvement with United Way. Caputo's started an internal competition with staff divided into Survivor-style tribes. The result was 100-per-cent employee participation, raising a total of $18,000 for the United Way including a corporate donation.

"As soon as one department reached 100-per-cent participation, the other departments realized that they had to do that in order to win a prize," he said.

Caputo's industry involvement includes chairing committees for awards galas at the British Columbia Technology Industries Association.

Profession you would like to try: Venture capitalist / investment banker

Where do you feel most comfortable? Playing Yu-Gi-Oh! with my two sons

Currently reading: Every Second Counts by Lance Armstrong

Toughest decision: To restructure Maximizer Software

Car: BMW 740

Would most like to meet: Darryl Sittler (childhood hero)

Birthplace: Kamloops

Last CD bought: AC/DC Live

Education: BBA, CA

What's left to do: Grow personal real estate and mortgage investment portfolio to multi-million level