02
June
2009
|
03:21 AM
America/Los_Angeles

Women Business Leaders Win SDForum Visionary Awards

SDForum, one of the oldest of Silicon Valley's tech associations, announced the winners of its prestigious 2009 Visionary Award winners.

Past winners have included Bill Gates, John Chambers, Diane Greene, Carol Bartz, Ray Ozzie, Donna Dubinsky, Michael Moritz and Walt Mossberg. The awards event takes place later this month and is traditionally held at the Woodside home of Heidi Rozen, a veteran SIilicon Valley entrepreneur.

Susan Lucas-Conwell, CEO of SDForum, said that the Visionary Award winners were representative of the leadership that allows Silicon Valley "to evolve and prosper as a global technology capital."

Here are their bios:

James H. Clark, Co-Founder, Silicon Graphics and Netscape


Jim Clark is a prolific entrepreneur and former computer scientist. He founded several notable Silicon Valley technology companies, including Silicon Graphics, Inc., Netscape Communications Corporation, Shutterfly, myCFO and Healtheon.


Judith Estrin, CEO, JLabs LLC


Judy Estrin is a networking technology pioneer and Silicon Valley leader. Since 1981, she has co-founded seven technology companies and served as the CTO of Cisco Systems. Estrin is also the author of Closing the Innovation Gap, published in September, 2008. Currently as CEO of JLabs, LLC, she is an advisor and speaker in the areas of entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation. She serves on the boards of directors of The Walt Disney Company and The FedEx Corporation, as well as two venture backed startup companies - Packet Design, Inc and Arch Rock, Inc. Estrin is also a member of the technical advisory boards of Stanford's school of engineering and Bio-X initiative and the University of California president's Science and Innovation advisory board.


Vinod Khosla, Co-Founder of Sun Microsystems


Vinod Khosla is a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and then for decades has helped other entrepreneurs build their own businesses. Vinod joined venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers and helped shape successes including Cerent, Excite and Juniper. In 2004, he formed Khosla Ventures, focusing on both traditional technology and clean technology ventures. Vinod is also one of the founders of TiE, The Indus Entrepreneurs.


Kay Koplovitz, Founder of USA Network


Kay Koplovitz is currently a principal of Koplovitz & Co. LLC., a media investment firm and is the founder of USA Network, the first basic cable network delivered via satellite nationwide. Koplovitz was the first woman to head a television network when she founded USANetworks under the banner of Madison Square Garden Sports in 1977. Ms. Koplovitz co-created Springboard Enterprises, a national organization that fosters venture capital investments in women-led high growth companies. Since its inception, Springboard has presented over 380 companies that have raised $4.4 billion in new capital. She also co-founded Boldcap Ventures, a venture capital fund backed exclusively by leading women executives. Ms. Koplovitz is Chairman of the Board of Liz Claiborne, Inc. and a board member of CA.


Foremski's Take:


It's good to see Judy Estrin receiving a Visionary Award. She is one of Silicon Valley's top entrepreneurs and has been studying the innovation gap in the US. This resulted in a recent book: Closing the Innovation Gap: Reigniting the Spark of Creativity in a Global Economy

I interviewed Ms Estrin last year.

Ms Estrin is a good role model for other women in tech. I asked her why there were so few women in the tech industry. Here is her reply:


http://www.blip.tv/file/1224262

Please see:

SDForum Awards: Silicon Valley Tales

SDForum Visionary Awards: Levy, Greene, Hastings and Jacobs

Silicon Valley Visionaries Mass in Heidi's Backyard...

I went to a garden party....and Carly Florina was there. So was Scott McNealy, Larry Sonsini, Ray Ozzie. and a digital Bill Gates, seeking valley love

Garden party part two: How McNealy creates room at the top...

Garden Party part three: Bill Draper, the godfather of Silicon Valley's oldest VC dynasty

Garden Party part 4: Larry Sonsini leads valley lovefest for Carly Fiorina . . .

Garden party part 5: SVW uncovers backyard plot by Microsoft loyalists. . .