PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Arizona Technology Council in conjunction with the Arizona Commerce Authority today announced that Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University (ASU), will be presented with the “OneNeck IT Solutions People’s Choice Lifetime Achievement Award” during the 2015 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards (GCOI) presented by Avnet, Inc.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at aztechcouncil.org.
In its twelfth year, GCOI will be held on November 12, 2015 at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 North Third Street, in the West Building, third floor from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The theme of this year’s GCOI is “Future Forward.” Every year the GCOI brings together over 1,000 of Arizona’s business leaders to celebrate the state’s technology innovation and leadership. The event will consist of a theatre-style awards program followed by desserts and live music. Before and after the awards will be a Technology Showcase including finalists, sponsors and partners.
“Michael Crow’s entire career has demonstrated a commitment to employing science and technology to drive positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes,” said Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “Arizonans everywhere can be proud that Crow’s leadership has transformed ASU into one of the nation’s leading metropolitan research universities and forever shaped our technology ecosystem.”
Lifetime Achievement Award winners are chosen by public vote. Crow joins an impressive list of honorees including Pat Sullivan, co-founder and CEO of Ryver in 2014, Eric and Tim Crown of Insight Enterprises in 2013, Gary Tooker, former CEO and chairman of Motorola, Inc. in 2012, Roy Vallee, retired chairman and CEO of Avnet, Inc. in 2011, Steve Sanghi, president, CEO and chairman, Microchip Technology in 2010, former Intel CEO and chairman, Craig Barrett in 2009, and renowned architect Paolo Soleri in 2008.
“The future of our state and our economy depend on producing the people, ideas and technology needed to solve problems and shape the kind of future that we want for Arizona,” Crow said. “I am grateful for this honor, which really recognizes the great strides we have made at ASU in creating an environment that encourages students from all walks of life to become highly adaptable master learners.”
Under Crow’s leadership, ASU redefined its mission to focus on providing access to education, delivering research and innovation with a positive impact in Arizona and around the world and fulfilling a responsibility to better the community in which the university is embedded. Enrollment has doubled, the graduation rate has nearly doubled and, in the past two years, only Harvard produced more Fulbrights than ASU.
ASU’s research enterprise has tripled under Crow to more than $425 million. In the last year alone, NASA awarded ASU a complete moon mission; an ASU researcher led development of the Ebola treatment that saved two American doctors; the world’s first white laser, the next step beyond LED lighting, emerged from an ASU lab; a jaw found by ASU anthropologists last year fundamentally changed our understanding of the earliest origins of man and the National Science Foundation made ASU one of only two institutions in the nation to lead two Engineering Research Centers – technology hubs charged with solving some of the world’s biggest problems.
The New York Times last month dubbed Barrett Honors College, at ASU, as the “gold standard” among honors colleges, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said that the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College “raises the bar” for all other teacher preparation programs in the country.
This month (September), U.S. News & World Report declared ASU as the “Most Innovative School” in the nation.
Crow’s success in – and blueprint for – transforming higher education is chronicled in his book, with co-author William Dabars, “Designing the New American University.”
In addition to Crow’s impressive administrative career, Crow has long been an influential voice in science and technology policy. Crow served as an advisor to the Office of Technology Assessment at the U.S. Congress and was a Research Fellow on the Technology and Information Policy Program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He also has served as an advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy.
“Under Michael Crow’s visionary leadership, Arizona State University has, time and again, forged institutional initiatives that render Arizona more economically competitive," said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “He’s a tireless champion of Arizona, and a fitting recipient of this lifetime achievement award.”
Individual and Corporate Innovator and Pioneer Award winners will also be honored at GCOI. This includes the Future Innovators awards given to Arizona students, the Arizona Teacher of the Year, the Tech Champion Awards given to Arizona legislators, and awards for the Arizona Senator of the Year and Arizona Representative of the Year.
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 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.
About Avnet, Inc.
From components to cloud and design to disposal, Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT) accelerates the success of customers who build, sell and use technology globally by providing them with a comprehensive portfolio of innovative products, services and solutions. Avnet is a Fortune 500 company with global headquarters in Phoenix, AZ. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.
