Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business is holding its first-ever Sun Devil Select, an event to honor some of the country’s top ASU alum-owned and alum-run businesses. Seventeen firms from a variety of industries will be recognized for their achievements.
“We’re honoring organizations that demonstrate innovation, growth and entrepreneurial spirit,” explains Sidnee Peck, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the W. P. Carey School of Business, which is hosting the event. “The inaugural Sun Devil Select class includes firms from Chicago, the Los Angeles area, Kansas City, Dallas and the Phoenix area.”
The inaugural Sun Devil Select Class of 2015 will be recognized at a special invitation-only luncheon on ASU’s Tempe campus on March 20 and honored by Amy Hillman, dean of the W. P. Carey School of Business, Christine Wilkinson, head of the ASU Alumni Association and ASU senior vice president and secretary, and Mitzi Montoya, vice president and university dean for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Here are a few ASU alumni to be honored:
FSW Funding – Robyn Barrett is the managing member of Factors Southwest, LLC, an independently owned factoring firm in Phoenix that helps small to midsize businesses secure funding.
Higher Ed Growth – Frank Healy is president and chief executive officer of this Tempe company that helps schools reach enrollment goals by using proprietary technology.
Infusionsoft – Marc Chesley serves as chief technology officer for this Chandler-based sales-and-marketing software firm dedicated to small business. Infusionsoft has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States eight years in a row.
itSynergy – Michael Cocanower is founder and president of this Phoenix IT consulting firm with more than 200 clients.
Off Madison Ave – David Anderson is co-founder and chief executive officer of this Phoenix-based marketing and advertising firm with clients that include Nike and LifeLock.
Signature Technology Group – Charles Layne serves as president and chief executive officer of Phoenix-based STG, which provides data-center services that support more than 300,000 devices across North America.
Skyhook – Dallin Harris is founder and chief executive officer of this Mesa-based Internet marketing firm that has worked with clients including AT&T, Subway and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Tiempo Development – Cliff Schertz is president and chief executive officer of this Tempe company that provides software firms with an integrated platform of services to accelerate how they develop, deploy and support their products.
“Arizona State University is becoming recognized as a very successful breeding ground for entrepreneurs, with many ongoing initiatives and business-degree programs designed specifically for those who want to create companies,” says Peck. “The new Sun Devil Select event provides an opportunity for us to formally honor some of our alums for their impressive achievements with the companies they either started and/or run.”
For the full list and descriptions of the other companies being honored by ASU click here.
Click here for more ASU-related news
