October 11, 2024- A night to celebrate the Idaho Technology Council's 15th year in Idaho, at their annual Hall of Fame Gala and Idavation Awards and induct two Legacy Leaders into the Hall of Fame.
More than 500 attended on Friday, October 11, at Boise Center as co-emcees, Idaho Business for Education, Carolyn Holly and Presenting Sponsor, Idaho Centra Credit Union, Mark Willden enlightened guests with the theme of. "A Timeless Return". Following dinner, emcee, Carolyn Holly announced and brought to the stage, newly announced ITC CEO, Diane Bevan. An expected enthusiasm swept the audience with two notable Idaho leaders gracing the stage together to begin what would be an amazing night celebrating tech legacy leaders, honorees, awardees, and inductees.
The first to take the stage, was a panel of past and present ITC Board Chairs, moderated by former, ITC Founder and former CEO, Jay Larsen, now a Senior Business Development Director with Meta. Panelists included, Von Hansen, who served 5 years as an ITC Chair worked over 20 years and was on the first team to test and build the infamous laser printer. Paris, Cole, the former CEO and co-founder of Truckstop.com, and Reid Stephan, the current ITC Chair and CIO, for St. Luke's Health System. A robust conversation around the history of tech in Idaho, the companies that put Idaho on the map, and the role of the ITC founders.
Following the panel discussion, ITC Board Chair, Reid Stephan presented a plaque to former CEO, Jay Larsen for all of his years serving the organization, and to Jeet Kumar, Founder of InTimeTec, for his role as the outgoing Board Chair, serving from 2021-2023. He then announced a new award to the annual event, the Chairman's Award for Service Excellent to recognize a member or staff for their contribution to the community and organization. He chose the Paola Aguilar, the former Programs Manager. Paola passed away after a long battle with a chronic illness earlier in 2024. The award was presented to her brother, Roger Aguilar, and sister, Isabel Brito.
The next award on the program, presented by returning sponsor, Micron, was the Policy Champion award. This award is presented to an elected official who has played a key role in developing public policies supporting innovation in Idaho. Rachel Burkett, the chair of the ITC Public Policy Committee, member of the ITC Executive Board and Director of US Government Affairs at Micron, presented the 2024 Policy Champion Award to, the State Superintendent of Education, Debbie Critchfield. Superintendent spoke on the importance of supporting Idaho's students and her commitment to including digital literacy as a graduation requirement.
The Sawtooth STEM Educator Awards were next on the night's program, starting with the introduction of the Idaho STEM Action Center's new Executive Director, Dee Mooney. She was joined by sponsor, Richard Ruiz, Vice President - Growth & Marketing Development, Technology Credit Union. Dee stated, " We are all here, in part, because of the commitment and work of a great teacher. Educators have an impact that spans lifetimes, shapes careers, and touches the lives of each of their students far beyond the time those students spend in a classroom. Tonight, we’re here to honor teachers who are going above and beyond in science, technology, engineering, and math education, shaping the next generation of innovators."
The Sawtooth STEM Educator Award is presented to two outstanding teachers who excel at opening doors of opportunity for their students. Junsong Su and Todd Anderson with the 2024 Sawtooth STEM Educator Awards. Junsong Su has been instrumental in the implementation of the South Fork Elementary robotics program, identifying funding sources and securing funding to allow the school to purchase several robotics kits. He also implemented an after-school 3D-printing program, teaching himself to assemble a 3D printer in the school’s storage. He spent many hours outside school time communicating with the supplier for the 3D printer, troubleshooting defects and coordinating the shipment of replacement parts. Mr. Su sparks excitement and innovation in the minds of his students and opens their eyes to the possibilities offered by STEM education. Todd Anderson, after starting his position at Canyon Ridge High School, he started a First Tech Challenge robotics team, which has competed for the last two years. He joined SkillsUSA in the 2023-24 school year, and his advanced engineering students took first, second, and third place in the state 3-Axis Milling Programmer event in April 2024. He has organized and run a virtual reality design summer camp for multilingual learners. Mr. Anderson has advanced the engineering program at Canyon Ridge High School so that it pushes students to build skills in engineering and catalyze their futures in STEM.
This year's keynote speaker made global news as she scored in the final seconds at the recent Olympics in Paris, securing a first-time medal for Team USA, Rugby 7s. Alex "Spiff" Sedrick, was introduced by Keynote Speaker sponsor, ITC Executive Officer and a member of the Dorsey Whitney PLLC firm, Jordan Stott and Jody Sedrick, founder of Zenware (and Spiff's uncle). Her intro wowed the crowd showing the infamous 8 second run as her opener which brought the entire room to their feet. Spiff spoke of challenges during her formative years, how she navigated through them and stayed resilient to many barriers that she faced. Her perseverance prevailed in each situation getting her closer to becoming an Olympian.
A key element in ITC’s mission is to raise public awareness of the innovators and innovations across our state. The IDAVATION AWARDS, sponsored by Scoggin Capital Investment, included public nominations and voting as a component in the selection of the award winners as well as input from the Board of Trustees. This year’s nominees spanned across Idaho. This year, we invited each finalist to walk the stage, receive an engraved award and celebrate this milestone of excellence. All honorees and finalists, as well as the winners were listed in the event magazine that was given out at the close of the evening.
Scoggin Capital Investment, CEO, Andy Scoggin, announced the first category, the Mt. Borah award. “When looking at Idaho visionaries, many would put Senator William Borah near the top of the list, so much so that Idaho’s highest peak was named after him! To ascend a peak like Mt. Borah is to truly be able to see for miles around and that leads us to our 3rd category we named the Mt. Borah Visionary Category. This award is granted to a leader that has expanded the horizons of Idaho’s technology and entrepreneurial community." said Scoggin. Finalists awarded: (descriptions were provided by the nominations received)
Jason Crawforth, founder of SWEAR - A visionary serial entrepreneur who has significantly impacted Boise's tech ecosystem through his innovative ventures and dedication to community growth. After founding and successfully exiting TreeTop Technologies and Groupware Technologies, he established Trailhead, Boise’s leading entrepreneurial hub, which has contributed over $1 billion in economic impact. His latest venture, Swear.com, addresses digital disinformation by authenticating digital content, driven by his commitment to fostering truth and transparency in the digital age. Jason's leadership continues to shape Boise's tech landscape and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Lisa Grow, CEO of Idaho Power - Lisa Grow was one of the first female engineers at Idaho Power and paved new paths for women in engineering roles in Idaho. Now the CEO of Idaho Power (first female in this role) and has shown great determination, leadership, and innovation as she leads Idaho Power through a complex/changing time related to power supply, regulation, transmission, and alternative energy demands. Lisa was unable to attend and her award will be delivered.
Andrew Crapuchettes: RED BALLOON - Andrew has been driving technology growth and entrepreneurship in North Idaho for over 20 years. His efforts have driven growth of 3 different software startups employing hundreds of people in Moscow and beyond. He is a principle in an additional portfolio of software companies. Stephan Sawyer, accepted the award on Andrew's behalf.
The winner of the 2024 Mt. Borah Visionary Leader Award is, Jason Crawforth, SWEAR.
Andy Scoggin, announced the second category, the Hells Canyon Emerging Company. Hells Canyon is the deepest canyon in the United States and presents a daunting journey for those who wish to travel through and emerge from the other side. This award is granted to a startup that has experienced a similar journey of hardship and sacrifice to achieve success. Finalists awarded: (descriptions were provided by the nominations received)
Red Aspen - Founded by three Boise women, Red Aspen has found success in the social selling beauty and consumer products space thanks to its powerful mission which drives every decision. Red Aspen has been included twice on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in the nation and has earned numerous other accolades for their success both in the consumer product space and the social selling world. Their revenues have grown annually to $40 million.
Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance: Founder, Isaac Belden - The Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance is a staple in the veteran entrepreneur community. The VEA is an overwhelming force of commitment, driven to the support of veteran and veteran spouse business owners. Isaac Belden has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in leveraging technology to support veteran entrepreneurs.
Hidden Mountain Data: Founder Brian de la Motte - In, 19 months, HMD, a Treasure Valley software agency, has made a big impact. Their focus on professionalism, quality, and customer focus is fueled by their team of talented local developers who tackle complex projects and build long-term partnerships. Despite the competitive landscape, HMD's rapid growth is a testament to their tenacious spirit and unwavering commitment to core values.
The winner of the 2024 Hell’s Canyon Emerging Company Award is Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance
Our final category is for the night was the Peregrine Innovative Technology Award. The Peregrine Falcon is extremely agile and flies at speeds up to 242 mph. This award is granted to a company or team that has created an innovative technology, which often requires agility and speed to bring this technology to market. Finalists awarded: (descriptions were provided by the nominations received)
Bastian Solutions, Chris Morgan - Bastian Solutions has been working on a robotic bin picking solution named Bastian Solutions SmartPick. The smart pick solution integrates artificial intelligence with robotics to deliver fast picks. This system is equipped with sophisticated cameras and sensors that accurately identify and locate items, even in cluttered and unstructured environments. This reduces errors associated with manual picking. The smart pick solution also reduces labor costs, improves efficiency and reduces human involvement in hazardous tasks.
SWEAR, Jason Crawforth – SWEAR patented technology, which includes real-time cryptographic watermarking and blockchain integration, ensures the integrity of digital content from the moment of capture. This proactive approach addresses the pervasive issue of digital manipulation, offering unbreakable proof of authenticity and setting new industry standards.
INL, Matthew Sgambati – Idaho National Laboratory, technology Vigilant Shield is an innovative technology designed to keep viruses, malware and other malicious software from invading critical communication networks by using machine learning to sequester malicious network packets – digital containers filled with data – before they reach their intended destination. Backed by Idaho National Laboratory and Sub Rosa Ventures (SRV), a company spun out of Cleveland Electric Laboratories, Vigilant Shield exemplifies agility, efficiency, and market readiness, making it a key player in global technological leadership. Its commitment to quality and strategic industry engagement further solidify its alignment with the award's values of innovation, speed, and excellence.
Silverdraft, Amy Gile - Silverdraft created a next generation real time graphics rendering architecture in under 6 weeks for the live broadcast of the Superbowl. The creative team at Paramount/CBS/Nickelodeon had an idea to create a special version of the Superbowl that would be set in the world of SpongeBob SquarePants to be simulcast with the Superbowl on Nickelodeon. Using live graphics and visual effects the stadium would appear to be "under the sea" while SpongeBob and his friends would appear on the field as well as in the announcer booth. This is effectively a hyperscale data center in a tiny footprint with performance-critical resiliency.
The winner of the 2024 Peregring Innovative Technology Award is, SWEAR, Jason Crawforth.
The close of the event was the moment many attendees had waited for, the induction to the Hall of Fame. Earlier in the night all former inductees were honored in commemorative slide by the year they were received. Introducing our first inductees of the evening, it is my pleasure to introduce Trish Quarles, Vice President of Sales for Regence BlueShield of Idaho, inductee sponsor and Vice President of LaserJet Supplies at HP, Justin Miller.
"It is my great honor to introduce George Mulhern, a visionary leader whose passion for technology and dedication to community building have left an indelible mark on Idaho's technology ecosystem. With a career spanning more than 35 years, George has consistently demonstrated his ability to combine strategic insight with a passion for growth, innovation and mentorship.
From his early days at HP to his leadership roles at Highway 12 Ventures and Cradlepoint, George has shown a relentless pursuit of excellence, driving transformation and growth in every organization he has touched. His vision and execution have been instrumental in shaping the technology industry, and his commitment to fostering local talent and advancing Idaho's economic development has had a lasting impact on the community.
Throughout his career, George has been driven by a passion for technology and a desire to make a positive impact on the world. He has been a mentor, a leader, and a champion for innovation, and his contributions have been recognized through numerous awards and accolades.
But George's impact goes far beyond his impressive resume. He is a leader who understands the importance of culture and staying humble, always recognizing the value of teamwork and collaboration. And, as he would be the first to admit, his greatest critic and biggest supporter is his wife Karen, who keeps him grounded and focused on what truly matters.
His legacy is a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and a commitment to excellence, and we are honored to have him as a part of our community. Please join me in celebrating George Mulhern's outstanding achievements and his well-deserved Hall of Fame recognition," explained, Trish Quarles.
Justin added, "HP started the Boise technology presence 5 decades ago when Ray Smelek, one of the first ITC hall-of-fame inductees, chose Boise as the ideal place to build a new site for a fledgling HP printing business. HP Boise became the global headquarters of the LaserJet printer, one of the most successful products in HP history and in the entire printing industry! Ray chose Boise for its outdoor sporting availability and as a great place to raise a family all those years ago it is those same attributes today that makes Boise a great place for technology talent! "
George Mulhern took the stage, accepted his award and expressed thanks to his family, the ITC, and all those who supported him along the way in his tech journey.
The second inductee of the night, was introduced and presented by, Idaho State University’s Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Marty Blair. He is a legacy leader who has been instrumental in the growth of the ITC as one of the Founders and the First Board Chair, Rich is a dual retiree - in 2008, after 30 years with Hewlett-Packard, 16 of which he served as a Vice President/Senior Vice President in several businesses inside HP and, again in 2022, after 12 years serving as president of Bishop Kelly High School.
He currently serves on the boards of St. Luke’s Health System; LED, a project-based arts nonprofit (Chair), the Idaho Film Society (Vice-Chair), the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights and the College of Idaho Advisory Council. He was the founding Chair of the Idaho Technology Council from 2010 to 2015 and has also served on the boards of the Treasure Valley Education Partnership, Trey McIntyre Project, Treasure Valley YMCA and Vision for the Valley.
Rich was born and raised in Sacramento, California. He graduated from Stanford University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and in 1979 earned an MBA in Finance at the University of Oregon.
Rich and his wife of 47 years, Georgiann, have three children, all of whom are Bishop Kelly High School and Santa Clara University graduates – Matthew, 41, who lives in New York City with his wife, Liz, and son, William; Megan, 39, who lives with her husband Adam and daughter, Josie, and son, Oliver, in Boise, ID; and, Emily, 33, who lives in San Francisco.
Rich Raimondi took the stage as a new inductee to the 2024 Hall of Fame. Rich honored the ITC and Gala attendees with a 15 year history lesson of what had been achieved by not only the ITC but the Idaho tech industry. He added, " Given we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the ITC, to share what the state of the tech industry in Idaho was like back then and to acknowledge just how far we have come. In my opinion, little of the success of the tech industry in Idaho that we are celebrating this evening would have happened without the ITC and the engagement and support of its initial executive board members and trustees, sponsors and Jay Larsen. People like George Mulhern, Archie Clemins, Doug Sayer, Mike Reynoldson, Haven Baker, Kelly Anderson, Peter Midgley, Doug Jones, Bob Lokken, Pete Gombert, Von Hansen, Scott Peyron, Brady Panatopolous, Mark Solon, Rich Stuppy, John Grossenbacher and Steve Meyer - plus some 27 trustees from across Idaho who loved this state and cared about the people and economy here."
He concluded, "It might be hard for some to remember, but 2009-2010 were tough times for Idaho and the tech industry. The Great Recession hit Idaho and the nation hard. HP and Micron were laying off thousands of employees. And most of them wanted to stay in Idaho. The problem was there were few tech jobs in Idaho outside of HP and Micron because there were few mid-size tech companies and not a good early stage startup sector. And what there was here was not well known, connected or coordinated. Our three universities were doing their own thing. There was no voice for technology in the state. There was not enough human capital/talent at both the engineering and leadership levels. Access to capital was lacking, especially when startups needed it. And we had little awareness or support at the state government level. As you heard earlier in the past Chair panel, we conducted 12 focus groups around the state and identified the common problems and prioritized what to do in the first year, with a long term vision in mind. We formally launched the ITC in January 2010 under the leadership of Jay Larsen as our CEO/President.
Two things we did immediately to kick start our efforts:
- The first was to bring the industry together, establishing the Hall of Fame and integrating the Stoel-Rives Innovation Awards into one evening in October 2010. Our goal was to celebrate and inspire and showcase some of the amazing things that were happening around the state
- The second was to meet quarterly with Governor Otter, who was anxious to help but knew little about technology. Some ITC board members and the media were skeptical about what he and others could do since they did not seem “to get tech”. I told them that was our problem, not his. It was our responsibility to educate him and others on what was happening already in Idaho by showcasing companies at each meeting and to tell him what the industry needed to grow from a policy perspective.
ITC became the catalyst to begin addressing these issues and to facilitate building a connected tech ecosystem here in Idaho. And thanks to the efforts of those early pioneers and all those since who have continued to build on this foundation, we now have a thriving tech industry to build upon."
It was truly, "A Timeless Return", and an incredible gathering of leaders. We look forward to the next 15 years with excitement, and I personally look forward to the future of the ITC," said Diane Bevan, ITC President and CEO in her closing.
The Hall of Fame and Idavation™ Awards Gala is made possible by Presenting Sponsor Idaho Central Credit Union; Idavation™ Awards Sponsor Scoggin Capital Investment; Keynote Speaker Sponsor Dorsey & Whitney; and Inductee Sponsors Regence BlueShield of Idaho and Idaho State University. The VIP reception and Public Policy champion sponsor is Micron. Community sponsors include Meta, St. Luke’s Health System, Technology Credit Union, and Beneficient/Ataraxis PEO, and program sponsor, Wilson Sonsini.
ABOUT THE IDAHO TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
The Idaho Technology Council (ITC) is the industry voice driving innovation in the state of Idaho. The ITC is a member driven organization; committed to the success of Idaho’s technology ecosystem and leading Idaho to a knowledge-based economy. The primary initiatives of the ITC are focused on the continued growth of innovation, transforming Idaho’s future around Talent, Access to Capital, and R&D/Commercialization. The ITC is instrumental in building advocacy needed to persuade legislators and private industry to invest in high return initiatives that are necessary to propel new companies forward, along with retention and growth with existing companies.
Email: info@idahotechcouncil.org
Website: https://www.idahotechcouncil.org/
Photographer, Sadie Jane Christopher, https://www.sadiejanephoto.com/
