June 8th, 2016
New York, NY – The lack of diversity in Silicon Valley has been a very hot and sensitive topic lately. Everyone who speaks on the subject measures his or her words very carefully in a way to get their point across without angering and alienating the parties being addressed. Indeed, Silicon Valley stalwarts like Google, Apple, Facebook and others have overtly acknowledge the issue and trumpeted high profile appointments to show that they are serious about ‘fixing’ the problem. All this talk, however, has produced negligible results. For the very few who managed to slip through the cracks, their accomplishments are nothing short of astounding. In compiling this list, we scoured the web, talked to recruiters, and culled the top fifty high achieving blacks in technology. From there, the heated discussions began as to who should make the top ten list. In every ranking, there is bound to a high degree of give and take as everyone wants to see his or her personal favorites ranked higher. Choosing the number one spot was a no brainer, it was the ranking of positions two through ten that proved challenging. It doesn’t matter, though. The ten blacks selected here represent the crème de la crème. They are, without question, the ‘Talented Tenth’ most influential blacks in technology.
1. Andre Gray is an inventor of Belizean extraction who first gained recognition for uploading the very first complete song on the on August 8th, 1988 titled “Internet Killed The Video Star”, a song he composed in the MIDI format. That song served as the absolute starting point and calling card for the online digital music & entertainment revolution. In June of 1991, he invented the electronic ticket when he began selling concert tickets through his USENET newsgroup for a King’s X concert he promoted at the Elco Theatre in Elkhart, In. He invented ringtones & ringbacks and the SYNC Programming Language in 1994 for his IBM Simon cell phone and single-handedly jumpstarted the mobile phone entertainment industry. SYNC also holds the great distinction of being the world’s first downloadable App that gave rise to the multi-trillion app industry we know today. In mid-1994, Gray posted a 1,000 word treatise called ‘Mind-Over-Matter Technology’ on his USENET newsgroup that set forth the theoretical parameters and framework of what constitutes MOM Technology, thus becoming the founding father that new branch of science & technology. In 1995, Gray invented the Electronic Press Kit, or EPK, which is the single most important marketing, branding and PR tool in the world. The EPK is also the precursor and starting point of social networks. Andre Gray invented Microgrooves Electronic in 1998 (the world’s first mobile phone music player), which eventually killed the stand-alone MP3 players. He unveiled Online Music Sales Certifications in 1999. On January 1st, 2016 at exactly 12am, Gray launched Microgrooves HD, Microgrooves Digital, and Microgrooves Green T record vinyl formats-the biggest improvement in vinyl record sound quality in many years and, in doing so, ensured that the vinyl record format will be around for decades to come. On January 8th, 2016, Gray instituted the first annual ‘EPK Day’ and had millions of netizens from around the world participated. His impact & influence upon the world touches billions of people and generates trillions of bits a data on a daily basis. He is truly one the greatest inventors of the late 20th and early 21st century or ANY century for that matter.
5. Lisa Lambert is a Managing Partner at the Westly Group responsible for investments in software, IOT, and the Internet. Prior to joining the Westly Group, Lisa was a vice-president at Intel Capital and the Managing Director of Intel Capital’s Software and Services Fund and the Intel Capital Diversity Fund where she managed over 70 portfolio companies and a team of 8 investment professionals. During her career at Intel Capital, Lisa managed several investment funds including the Intel 64 Fund, the e-Commerce Fund, the Enterprise Software Fund, before becoming the Managing Director for the Software & Service Fund in 2006 and the Managing Director for the Diversity Fund in 2015. Lisa was a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee. She produced top decile returns during her 16-year career including 7 IPOs and 30 accretive M&A exits. Lisa is also on the board of directors of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA).
Prior to Intel Capital, she held a Product Marketing Management position with Intel’s Desktop Products Group with responsibility for the Pentium II, III processor family. Prior to joining Intel, Lisa worked as a Software Engineer and in senior roles in strategic planning, product marketing, and sales at Owens-Corning. Lisa sat on the board of directors for Silkroad Technology, Brit+Co, Mark One, and X+1. Lisa was most recently served as board observer for Urban Airship, Kaltura, Zend Technologies, CollabNet, and Fonality. Lisa has invested in and managed exits for VMware (IPO), MySQL (acquired by Sun), Endeca (acquired by Oracle), DATAllegro (acquired by Microsoft), JBoss (acquired by Red Hat), X+1 Solutions (acquired by Rocket Fuel), Joulex (acquired by Cisco), to name a few. Lisa was just named the #1 Rising Star on an elite list of corporate venture capitalists by Global Corporate Venturing, a 10,000 member global organization of the corporate venture capital industry.
Prior to Paramount, Malik led Lionsgate’s Home Entertainment Acquisitions group, executive produced a stand-up comedy series for Showtime, led MGM’s Home Entertainment’s Acquisitions and Business Development division, and drove several successful new business pitches at Young & Rubicam Advertising in New York. A native of the Bronx, New York, Malik earned his B.A. from Columbia University and his MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. Malik currently serves on the Los Angeles Mayor’s Council on Technology and Innovation, has been profiled in several industry publications, and is on the Boards of LA Makerspace and the Digital Diversity Network. Malik is also author of “Henry’s Big Win”, winner of the Jessie Redmon Fauset Award for Best Children’s Book.
8. Kirk McDonald is a media and technology industry leader with over 25 years of experience working with the world’s leading brands, media companies and technology providers. Currently he is the President of PubMatic, Inc. a leading marketing automation software company sitting at the intersection of the converging worlds of Media and Technology.
Before joining PubMatic in 2011, Kirk was President of Digital at Time Inc. As a part of the team at the early pivotal stage in the digital transformation of the organization, he brought together the company’s digital assets to support the launch of its brands into mobile apps and to deliver display audience and brand advertising solutions at scale. He also served as Chief Advertising Officer of the Fortune|Money Group, overseeing worldwide advertising sales, integrated marketing, and the events business. He’s previously held senior sales, marketing and client success positions at Aquantive’s DRIVEpm and Atlas Enterprise, CNET, ZiffDavis and Condé Nast Publishing.
10. Kenneth Coleman, also known as Ken, is a Special Advisor at Carrick Capital Partners, LLC. Mr. Coleman is also a Special Advisor at Andreessen Horowitz since April 11, 2013. He co-founded ITM Software Corporation in October 2001 and served as its Chief Executive Officer since May 2002 to 2005, and Chairman from May 2002 to June 11, 2007. From 1987 to August 2001, Mr. Coleman was at Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) and served in various senior executive positions such as Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Service and Marketing; Senior Vice President of Customer and Professional Services; Senior Vice President of Global Services, Head of Administration, and Senior Vice President of Administration & Business Development, from 1987 to 1998. He served as an Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Service and Marketing at Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc. In May 2001, Mr. Coleman founded Coleman Consulting and consulted on various strategic matters for several companies through May 2002. Prior to SGI, he served as a Vice President of Product Development at Activision Inc. where he was responsible for software development activities. Mr. Coleman spent ten years at Hewlett-Packard Company, where he held several management positions including a two-year assignment in Europe. He also served as a Captain in the United States Air Force. He has been the Chairman of Saama Technologies, Inc. since February 7, 2013. Mr. Coleman serves as the Chairman at Accelrys Software Inc. He serves as a Member of Strategic Advisory Board of Corefino Services, LLC.
Mr. Coleman serves as Member of Advisory Board of Avokia Inc. and Global Alliance Partners, Inc. He has been a Director of AAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah Insurance Exchange since 2008; Accelrys Software Inc., since May 2003; United Online Inc. since September 2001 and Classmates Media Corporation since September 2007. Mr. Coleman has been a Director of City National Corp. and its subsidiary of City National Bank since 2003. He serves as a Director of The Tech Museum of Innovation; The Ohio State University Alumni Advisory Council and The Ohio State University Business Dean’s Advisory Council. He served as the Chairman of MIPS Technologies Inc., from November 11, 2010 to February 7, 2013. Mr. Coleman served as the Non-Executive Chairman of Accelrys Inc. since February 6, 2006 until December 2011. He served as Director of Care Assured and Harris IT Services Corporation since March 2000. Mr. Coleman served as a Director of MIPS Technologies Inc. from January 1998 to February 07, 2013. He served as Lead Independent Director of Accelrys Inc. since May 2004 and its Director, from May 2003 to May 30, 2013. He served as a Director of Acclaim Entertainment Inc. since July 1997 and ITM Software Corp. He is the recipient of numerous honors including The Ohio State University School of Business Distinguished Alumni Award, the Nation Alliance of Black School Educator Living Legend Award, the American Leadership Forum of Silicon Valley Exemplary Leader Award, the One Hundred Black Men of Silicon Valley Lifetime Achievement Award and the Silicon Valley Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. Mr. Coleman holds an M.B.A. and a B.S. degree in Industrial Management from The Ohio State University.
By: Jessica Pennington