Pinnacle Award winner Preston Edwards, CEO, imDiversity.com
Retiring in 2008
Anita Brown-Ron Jones Innovation Award
Soul of Technology.com
About the ‘godfathers’
We would be remiss not to share the extraordinary exploits of the dogged pioneers who have made access to technology possible, not only through their technological mastery but through a continuing outreach to open up jobs, provide capital and share their accumulated wisdom.
Roy Clay Sr. learned mathematics while shining shoes in a barber shop in Kinloch, Missouri where he kept the totals for the craps game. Although in 1955, McDonnell Aircraft told the new mathematics graduate of Washington University, there were “no jobs for Negro professionals, by 1958, he was the lead programmer for the fastest computer then known at the Lawrence Livermore Lab in California.
In the early 1970's, at the outset of Silicon Valley as we know it today, the premier venture capital firm of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers selected Mr. Clay as the computer consultant for prospective investments in start up companies such as Tandem Computers, Compaq and Intel Corporation.
Clay was a key figure in the development of Hewlett-Packard's computer divisions. Mr. Clay led the team that engineered HP's entrance into the computer market with the development of the 2116A computer in 1966. Not only was Mr. Clay the Director for the first HP Research and Development Computer Group, he also developed the software for the 2116A computer. Mr. Clay was General Manager of the computer divisions following Tom Perkins, co-founder of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
Today, Mr. Clay is CEO of ROD-L Electronics, the world leader in electrical safety testing equipment, which he founded in 1977. ROD-L set the industry standard in electrical product safety testing by producing the world's first Safety Certified (i.e. Underwriters Laboratories Listed) Dielectric Withstand (Hipot) and Ground Continuity Testers. More than 70 of his workers have been hired through OIC-West despite having poor educational backgrounds and trained to successful technology careers. ROD-L has received the Consumer Product Safety Award for developing the safest product of its kind and its products are used by the leading manufacturers of electrical and electronics equipment worldwide. ROD-L is based in Menlo Park, California, and is a community leader in youth development. Mr. Clay has worked tirelessly for over 35 years in Silicon Valley in leadership positions and in numerous community organizations to promote the improvement in quality of life.
Frank S. Greene holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. Dr. Greene has been in private venture capital since 1986. In 1993, he started NewVista Capital to assist start up companies in business planning and raising capital.
Dr. Greene was the founding CEO of two information technology companies, Technology Development Corp. and ZeroOne Systems, from 1971 to 1989. He has taken two companies through Initial Public Offerings (IPO). Dr. Greene has also been instrumental in the merger or acquisition of several companies. Prior to 1971, as a member of the technical staff, he developed high-speed semiconductor computer memory systems at Fairchild Semiconductor R&D Labs and participated in the development of high performance computers as an electronics officer in the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Greene has taught electrical engineering and computer science courses at Stanford University, Santa Clara University, Howard University and Washington University (St. Louis, MO).
Dr. Greene is currently a member of the Board of Reach Communications, Compliance Coach, Inc. and an observer for ZNYX Corporation. He is past chairman of the board of the American Musical Theatre of San Jose and a board member of the National Conference of Community and Justice, and former member of the Board of Trustees of Santa Clara University.
Dr. Greene was the founding CEO of two information technology companies, Technology Development Corp. and ZeroOne Systems, from 1971 to 1989. He has taken two companies through Initial Public Offerings (IPO). Dr. Greene has also been instrumental in the merger or acquisition of several companies. Prior to 1971, as a member of the technical staff, he developed high-speed semiconductor computer memory systems at Fairchild Semiconductor R&D Labs and participated in the development of high performance computers as an electronics officer in the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Greene has taught electrical engineering and computer science courses at Stanford University, Santa Clara University, Howard University and Washington University (St. Louis, MO).
Dr. Greene is currently a member of the Board of Reach Communications, Compliance Coach, Inc. and an observer for ZNYX Corporation. He is past chairman of the board of the American Musical Theatre of San Jose and a board member of the National Conference of Community and Justice, and former member of the Board of Trustees of Santa Clara University.
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