PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Recognizing four executives who have greatly impacted the technology community in Arizona, the Arizona Technology Council, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, today announced the 2016 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation (GCOI) OneNeck IT Solutions Lifetime Achievement Award nominees.
“Winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award are teachers, innovators and instigators who motivate others and demonstrate exceptional creativity, ingenuity and leadership that changes the fabric of the technology industry and the state,” said Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “As an organization that supports and promotes the benefits of science and technology, we are proud to acknowledge and recognize them.”
The nominees for the 2016 awards include: Bob Parsons, American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Founder of GoDaddy; Jim Armstrong, former Chairman of the Board of JDA Software Group, Inc.; Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., F.A.C.P., Physician in Chief and Director of Translational Research at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen); and Rick Smith, CEO & Co-Founder, Taser (please see below for full bios).
GCOI attracts more than 850 attendees each year for a night of networking, food and entertainment. 2016 marks the 13th year of this prestigious award ceremony. The esteemed honor was awarded to Arizona State University President Michael Crow in 2015.
“This year’s nominees are extraordinary leaders who have made important contributions both in their respective fields and in our communities,” said Sandra Watson, president & CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “Each has played a key role in enhancing Arizona’s economy by growing innovative technology companies and creating jobs for Arizonans. We are honored to recognize their achievements.”
Voting for the OneNeck IT Solutions Lifetime Achievement Award is open to the public until Wednesday, August 31. To cast your vote, visit the Arizona Technology Council’s website at https://www.bit.ly/event/gcoi2016/.
Nominee bios:
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Bob Parsons, American entrepreneur and
philanthropist, Founder of GoDaddy
Bob Parsons, best known as the Founder of GoDaddy, is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the CEO and Founder of YAM Worldwide, which is home to his entrepreneurial ventures in the fields of motorcycles, golf, real estate, marketing, innovation and philanthropy. Parsons is a decorated U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, and was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. A longtime entrepreneur, he started his first company, Parsons Technology, in 1984 after teaching himself to write code. In 1994 he sold the business for $64 million, and in 1997 started Jomax Technologies, which would become GoDaddy. Parsons founded YAM Worldwide Inc. in 2012 and today, Parsons’ core businesses mirror the industries he is most passionate about and include: Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG), Scottsdale National Golf Club, Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale, Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson, Graceland Harley-Davidson, GO AZ Motorcycles, BIG YAM: The Parsons Agency, Sneaky Big Studios, YAM Capital and YAM Properties. In 2012, Parsons and his wife Renee founded The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, which has awarded more than $105 million in critical funds to charitable organizations. The Foundation focuses its support on nonprofit organizations that are successfully addressing issues associated with at-risk youth, homelessness, education, veterans’ needs and medical care for underserved populations.
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Jim Armstrong, Former Chairman of the Board
of JDA Software Group, Inc.
Jim Armstrong is the Former Chairman of the Board of JDA Software Group, Inc., which he founded in 1978. He served as Chief Executive Officer of JDA Software from 1985 to 1997 and again from 1999 to 2003. Today, Armstrong serves on a wide range of boards and foundations such as Director and President of JDA Investments (US), Inc., Chairman of Omnilink Systems, Inc., Director for ClickDimensions and Director for WebPT, Inc. Additionally, he is President and Chairman of the Armstrong Family Foundation, President and Chairman of the Kiita Foundation, and Director of the Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation. Armstrong has received numerous awards and honors, including Arizona Software Association Business Leader of the Year, Ernst and Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the Ed Denison Business Leader of the Year Award
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Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., F.A.C.P., Physician
in Chief and Director of Translational Research at TGen
Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., F.A.C.P., is currently Physician in Chief and Director of Translational Research at TGen in Phoenix, Arizona, the Chief Scientific Officer for US Oncology and for HonorHealth's Clinical Research Institute, and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Von Hoff has published more than 640 papers, 138 book chapters and more than 1,000 abstracts. He received the 2010 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology for his outstanding contributions to cancer research in improving patient care. He was appointed to President Bush's National Cancer Advisory Board in 2004-2010 and is also the past President of the American Association for Cancer Research, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a member and past board member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
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Rick Smith, CEO & Co-Founder, TASER
Rick Smith's strong leadership has always been driven by his strong aspiration to reduce world violence. Since 1993, he has dedicated himself to creating safer communities through the delivery of innovative technologies. Smith is an approachable leader who loves a good brainstorm, and is invigorated by challenging problems and the team he's assembled to help solve them. Smith graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Harvard, a Master's Degree in International Finance from the University of Leuven in Belgium and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He also has numerous awards and honors to his name, including co-winner of the Ernst and Young 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year, and making The Phoenix Business Journal's list of “Most Admired CEOs and Top-Level Executives” in 2010.
The Lifetime Achievement award will be presented to the winner at the annual GCOI event on Thursday, November 10, 2016, in the heart of downtown Phoenix at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 North Third Street, in the North Building Ballroom.
About the Arizona Technology Council
The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona’s premier trade association for science and technology companies. Recognized as having a diverse professional business community, Council members work towards furthering the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education, legislation and social action. The Arizona Technology Council offers numerous events, educational forums and business conferences that bring together leaders, managers, employees and visionaries to make an impact on the technology industry. These interactions contribute to the Council’s culture of growing member businesses and transforming technology in Arizona. To become a member or to learn more about the Arizona Technology Council, please visit http://www.aztechcouncil.org.
About the Arizona Commerce Authority
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state’s leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona’s economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: recruit, grow, create – recruit out-of-state companies to expand their operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to grow their business in Arizona and beyond; and partner with entrepreneurs and companies large and small to create new jobs and businesses in targeted industries. Visit azcommerce.com for more information or follow the ACA on Twitter at @azcommerce.
