Hiring announcements and departures in the tech ecosystem are mentioned daily in the Atlanta Inno Beat newsletter, along with insights on how personnel moves may impact a startup’s future. Sign up for the Beat to get it each day in your inbox.
Check out the most important hires, promotions, departures and layoffs from Atlanta technology companies from January 2020. Know of a name that’s missing from this list? Email mhogan@americaninno.com.
The Technology Association of Georgia Corporate Development Society announced Ned Hill, managing director of Signature Bank, was appointed as chairman of the society’s 2020 board of directors. He has more than 25 years of experience as an operator, consultant and investor in technology companies. Courtney Stough, partner with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, was appointed as vice chair on the board. She has experience representing clients in various types of transactions, as well as advising startups and investors on entity formation and general corporate matters. New directors joining the board include Christy Brown at Loeb.atl; Connor Winn at Fulcrum Equity Partners; Ryan Collins at Noro-Moseley Partners; Spencer Boice at Cox Enterprises; and Tim Sweeney at CUBE.
Hudson MX, an Atlanta and New York-based software company for local media, hired Jenny Mitchell as the company’s new head of customer success. Mitchell joins Hudson MX from Sizmek, the world’s largest independent buy-side advertising platform. She will be based out of the Atlanta headquarters and oversee operations for both New York and Atlanta while reporting directly to CEO JT Batson.
Richard Cox, Jr. was named senior VP and CIO for Cox Enterprises, an Atlanta-based conglomerate in the communications, media and automotive industry. In his new role, Cox will provide oversight and direction to corporate IT and business leaders on strategy, standards and opportunities for data analytics and other services. Cox has previously served as COO of the City of Atlanta. This is his first time as a CIO of a company.
Aptean, an Alpharetta-based provider of enterprise software solutions, appointed Robert “Bob” Kocis as its new CRO effective immediately. Kocis has more than 20 years of experience in helping to advance the mission of technology companies across the globe. In his new role, he will guide Aptean’s organic growth and partnership efforts. Prior to joining Aptean, Kocis served as the CRO of Continuum where he helped transform the company’s go-to-market teams and culture across sales, customer success, and marketing. He has also served as the VP of worldwide sales and customer excellence at ANSYS Inc.
STORD, an Atlanta-based network distribution startup that helps companies move products, hired Jim Bork as VP of sales and John Williams as director of design. Since raising its Series A round and moving into the historic Biltmore Hotel in Midtown, STORD more than doubled its team in 2019. The addition of Bork and Williams follows the hiring announcement in late 2019 of other new leaders: David Hardwick, VP of engineering, and Steve Swan, VP of supply chain, as well as director of marketing Toyin Adon-Abel and director of finance Austin Pauls. Bork previously served as a senior VP of sales and marketing at Trax Technologies. Before joining STORD, Williams worked as a senior marketing designer at FullStory.
Former NBA player Dwyane Wade has reached an agreement to become TV tech company Hisense USA’s first U.S. ambassador, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Hisense USA, which is headquartered out of Suwanee, Ga., is part of Hisense Corp., a 50-year-old manufacturer in the TV technology space based in Qingdao, China. In the deal, Wade will support the brand’s efforts by being featured in marketing campaigns and supporting product launches. The former NBA Finals MVP will also make special appearances as the company looks to build its brand recognition.
Envistacom, an Atlanta-based technology company that provides communications, cyber, intelligence operations and related support services to U.S. and coalition partners in the aerospace, defense and intelligence communities, hired John Sciberras as VP of marketing. Sciberras joins Envistacom from DataPath, Inc. where he was the H=head of strategy, analysis and marketing, according to a news release. He has also served as corporate VP at TriPoint Global Communications Inc.
TiE Atlanta, a local organization of Atlanta entrepreneurs, selected JP James, an investor and serial entrepreneur, as its new president. James has severed as a TiE Atlanta board member and president-elect. He’s also led TiE Atlanta Angels, the funding arm of TiE Atlanta that has surpassed more than $4.5M in investments. In addition to James appointment, TiE Atlanta has added four new board members: Karen Robinson Cope, a serial entrepreneur and managing director of Mara6; Mallu Huralikoppi, founder and CEO of PrintForm-3D Printing Services Company; Krishna Prabhu, founder and CEO of Yantryx Technologies; Gopal Koratana, co-founder and chief technology officer of Cyrano, an internal communications video marketing tool; and Sid Mookerji, founder and managing director of Silicon Road Ventures, a retail tech investment fund. Mookerji, returning board member, is also the incoming president-elect of TiE Atlanta.
Todd Nuckols, the executive director and founder of Lighthouse Labs, is stepping down from his role as executive director in March to pursue a new opportunity as CTO at a startup in Atlanta. According to Richmond Inno, he made the announcement in an email earlier this month. Lighthouse’s board will conduct an internal and external search for a new director as it opens up applications for its summer programs. Nuckols formed Lighthouse Labs in 2013, making it Richmond’s first startup-style business accelerator. The organization has worked with 48-plus companies since then, and those companies have gone on to raise $70M-plus. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Nuckols’ new role will be with Atlanta-based DPL Financial Partners.
Endeavor Atlanta selected Michael Jones, CEO and co-founder of Thrive Farmers, as an Endeavor Entrepreneur at the 92nd International Selection Panel in Riviera Maya, Mexico. According to Endeavor Atlanta’s newsletter, Thrive Farmers direct sources premium grade coffee and tea from farmers all over the world that helps farmers earn four to five times more compared to fair trade environments. Jones marks the 16th entrepreneur from 13 local companies to join Endeavor Atlanta.
Stratix Corporation, an Atlanta-based provider of managed mobility services, hired Brad Ferguson as CFO, Alex Kalish as chief strategy and solutions officer and Kip Wagner as CRO. Ferguson succeeds interim CFO Larry Hagenbuch. He most recently served as SVP and CFO with Cotiviti, a national healthcare IT services and analytics company. Kalish is Stratix’s first CSSO. He most recently served as an operating leader at Amazon. Before joining Amazon, Kalish worked in various financial and strategic leadership roles with EarthLink, Allstate and McGraw-Hill Education. Wagner joins Stratix from CB4, a cutting-edge AI and machine learning technology company, where he served as SVP of sales. Prior to CB4, he held EVP positions over the managed mobility services group and commercial sales organization for DMI.
Jewel Burks Solomon was named the Head of Google for Startups in the U.S. Solomon will be working out of Google’s office in Atlanta, where she’ll be responsible for how the organization engages with existing partners across the country and its continued expansion in 2020. Google for Startups seeks to level the playing field for startup founders and communities to succeed, connecting them with the best of Google’s products, connections and best practices. Solomon, who once worked for Google and quit to launch her startup Partpic in Atlanta, said she was excited to rejoin her former employer. Solomon sold Partpic in 2016 to Amazon for an undisclosed amount.
Holon Solutions, an Alpharetta-based healthcare information technology company, announced that technology veteran Paul Dali joined Holon as the company’s chairman. Dali has more than 50 years of technology related experience, including roles as general manager of Apple Computers and CEO of Regis McKenna, Inc. He has a background in operating, venture capital and strategic advising.
Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan appointed Lori Durden, the president of Ogeechee Technical College, to the Georgia Innovates Taskforce. The taskforce is a panel of Georgia leaders who aim to make the state a technology hub of the South and East Coast. It will consist of four subcommittees that explore public innovation, education and training, entrepreneurship and startups and rural initiatives.
