A pair of tireless startup supporters are receiving two of the Technology Association of Oregon’s top awards this year — the Lifetime Achievement Award and Tech Champion Award — and both are in industries that at first might seem counterintuitive.
First, the Lifetime Achievement Award is going to Craig Reinhart, managing director of occupier services at commercial real estate firm JLL. This award going to someone in real estate could be a head-scratcher, except that Reinhart has been the go-to person for startups and large tech companies for more than 30 years.
“The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes excellence in industry leadership as well as an individual’s positive impact in the greater Oregon community,” said Skip Newberry, president and CEO of TAO in a written statement. “Craig has worked tirelessly to support technology founders in our region — often waiving his own compensation and flying nationally and internationally at his own cost to assure even the smallest project has his personal attention. That same attention that Craig has applied to his client’s success he has applied to his company, the team which he is a part of at JLL, and the work he had done on behalf of TAO.”
Reinhart and his wife, Nikki, are frequent hosts of founders and their families who are new to the region or new to the startup community here. They host a variety of events from big CEO welcomes to cocktail parties with partners like Silicon Valley Bank, Perkins Coie and Voyager Capital. He is also an investor in several local funds including Portland Seed Fund, Pogue Venture Partners and Oregon Venture Fund.
Other groups he supports are Girls Inc., Business for a Better Portland, iUrbanTeen, PitchBlack and Portland Women in Tech, according to a news release.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to be a part of the growth of the local technology community,” Reinhart said in a written statement. “I’m proud of my role in supporting and strengthening our region's economic future, and it’s my privilege to work with an extraordinary team and help support and amplify their growth as well.”
The Tech Champion award for 2022 is going to The Lemelson Foundation for its support of inventors and innovators.
The group was started in 1992 by Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson. It is based in Portland and has made more than $300 million in grants to support its mission to build invention ecosystems that will lead to products that solve some of the biggest local and global challenges.
“The Tech Champion award recognizes leaders who don't work for a technology company, but have made a powerful impact on industry. The Lemelson Foundation has been an incredible advocate and funder of the next generation of student inventors and invention-driven entrepreneurs.” said Newberry in a written statement. “They are cultivating a new generation of invention-based entrepreneurs to address critical social and environmental issues, and reach and serve communities with the greatest needs.”
Some of the local groups backed by Lemelson include: Portland State University Invent Oregon; Oregon MESA program; Oregon State University Foundation’s iINVENT Mobile Invention Camp; and TiE Oregon Youth Entrepreneurs.
“We are thrilled to be able to play a role in the technology and innovation economy in Oregon, particularly focusing on how education, invention and entrepreneurship can drive inclusive economic growth that makes Oregon a great place to live, and also helps address inequality in our state,” said Rob Schneider, executive director for the Lemelson Foundation, in a written statement.
Both awards will be celebrated at the Oregon Technology Awards on May 3. Additional company awards will be handed out as well as the Sam Blackman Award, which is going to ZoomInfo CEO Henry Schuck.
