Austin Tech Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Release Date: 04/11/2025
Austin Gives and the Power of Community Philanthropy
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
This episode of Austin Tech Connect dives deep into how philanthropy can be the common thread uniting all corners of our business community. Thom Singer sits down with Bobby Jenkins, President of ABC Home & Commercial Services and Chair of Austin Gives, to talk about why giving back is not just good for the soul... it’s good for business. The conversation highlights how businesses of every size and sector can make a meaningful impact by committing to donate 1% of profits in time, talent, or treasure. Jenkins shares the origin story of Austin Gives, its ties to the tech...
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Startup Roots, Strategic Future with Jason Parrish
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Jason Parrish, co-founder of Altus Nova, for a candid conversation about the evolution of Austin’s tech scene and his personal journey as a founder. Jason reflects on arriving in Austin in the late '80s, launching his first startup in the early '90s, and how legendary figures like Dr. George Kozmetsky, Laura Kilcrease, Carmelo Gordian, and others, played pivotal roles in shaping his entrepreneurial path. They explore the early days of product development, the lessons learned from rapid growth and tough exits, and how...
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Heather Brunner, CEO of WP Engine: Career Paths, Leadership, and Austin’s Momentum
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
Heather Brunner, CEO of WP Engine, joins this week’s episode of Austin Tech Connect. In this insightful conversation, Heather shares her remarkable career journey and the continued growth and innovation happening at WP Engine. She and host Thom Singer dive into a candid discussion about the Austin tech ecosystem—highlighting the strength, momentum, and close-knit nature of the community. They address recent media portrayals of Austin’s tech scene and offer a grounded perspective on the real story: Austin is thriving, evolving, and more connected than ever.
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Leadership That Lasts Decades with Ellen Wood
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Ellen Wood, the co-founder and CEO of vcfo, and one of this year’s inductees into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. Ellen has been a cornerstone of the Austin business community for nearly three decades, quietly guiding thousands of companies through the challenges of growth, funding, leadership, and culture. Long before the term “fractional” became part of everyday business vocabulary, Ellen pioneered the concept with Virtual CFO (now vcfo), offering executive-level finance and HR support to companies that needed experienced...
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Designing the Future with Josh Shabtai from Lowe's Innovation Labs
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
Lowe’s Style Studio and the Rise of Spatial Commerce In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer speaks with Josh Shabtai, Senior Director of Spatial Commerce at Lowe’s Innovation Labs, about the intersection of retail, real estate, and immersive technology. Lowe’s has just launched its newest innovation, Lowe’s Style Studio—a virtual reality experience that empowers customers to design and visualize kitchen spaces in an interactive, high-fidelity VR environment. The very first market in the country to experience this cutting-edge technology? Austin, Texas. The conversation...
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Austin Tech Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
This week, the Austin Technology Council announced the Legacy / Foundational inductees for 2025. This is the second year of an eight-year launch. You cannot drop 70 names into a hall of fame all in one day, so we decided to add eight people a year so they can be adequately celebrated. In addition to the Legacy/Foundational inductees, we will announce the 2025 inductee, and the first-time founder award winner will be announced at the May 7th cocktail reception. Congratulations to Angelos Angelou, Joshua Baer, Bob Fabbio, Joe Liemandt, Pike Powers, Carol Thompson, John Thornton, and Ellen...
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The Maverick’s Path: From NASA to Wearables That Save Lives with Jean-Anne Booth
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Jean Anne Booth, founder and CEO of UnaliWear, for a dynamic conversation about her remarkable journey through Austin's tech ecosystem. From her early engineering days at NASA and AMD to building startups acquired by Apple and TI, Jean Anne shares insights on innovation, resilience, and what it means to be a “maverick” in the tech world. They explore the origin story of UnaliWear's product; an award-winning wearable that empowers independence for seniors... and the passion behind creating tech that truly serves people. Jean...
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Community Powers Entrepreneurial Success with Mat Kordell
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Mat Kordell, Co-Founder and COO of CyberStreams, for a conversation that hits at the heart of entrepreneurship, community, and opportunity. Mat shares how his journey from working the help desk to running a multi-location MSP wasn’t fueled by luck or algorithms... it was powered by human connections. From networking events to industry meetups, Mat’s biggest business moves came from showing up. He didn’t meet his co-founder, business partner, or acquisition targets through cold emails... he met them in person. Now...
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2025 Austin Tech Hall of Fame
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
In this special episode of Austin Tech Connect, host Thom Singer takes listeners behind the scenes of the Austin Tech Hall of Fame ... a community-driven initiative launched by the Austin Technology Council to celebrate the individuals who have shaped Austin into a world-class tech hub. With the second annual celebration on the horizon, Thom shares the "why" behind this important program, how it was inspired by a brief start in 2013, and why the current version is being thoughtfully rolled out as an 8-year launch. Each year, eight foundational figures from Austin’s tech history will be...
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Industrial Tech and Cybersecurity with Pat Dixon
Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!
In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Pat Dixon, President of DPAS, to discuss the intersection of operational technology (OT) and cybersecurity in industrial facilities. Pat shares insights on the evolution of industrial tech, how automation has shaped industries like water treatment and manufacturing, and the security risks unique to critical infrastructure. Key topics include: The 4th Industrial Revolution and how industrial facilities were ahead of mainstream tech in digital automation. The growing threat of cyberattacks, not just from the internet but from...
info_outlineThis week, the Austin Technology Council announced the Legacy / Foundational inductees for 2025. This is the second year of an eight-year launch. You cannot drop 70 names into a hall of fame all in one day, so we decided to add eight people a year so they can be adequately celebrated.
In addition to the Legacy/Foundational inductees, we will announce the 2025 inductee, and the first-time founder award winner will be announced at the May 7th cocktail reception.
Congratulations to Angelos Angelou, Joshua Baer, Bob Fabbio, Joe Liemandt, Pike Powers, Carol Thompson, John Thornton, and Ellen Wood.
If you do not see people you think should be honored, we invite you to participate in the program for next year. ATC is a grassroots organization --- which means you are invited to pull your chair up to the table. For a tech ecosystem to thrive, it cannot just be by invitation only.... it has to be an open place where people can feel they belong.
The Austin Technology Council is about YOU. Please support our cause and add your voice.