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Terry Howerton, 34 CEO, FastRoot Technologies Chairman,
Now, as Chairman of
the Illinois Technology Association, Howerton champions the interests of more
than 400 local companies. He shook up the community and guided the efforts of
dozens of local leaders to launch the ITA and craft a long-term mission that
places the tech group among the most influential in the country. In a region where
early stage capital is hesitant, Howerton instead served as a founding board
member of the IT Executive Exchange, and has built bridges to connect hundreds
of local CIO’s from the area’s largest companies with small vendors here.
“Chicagoland is home to more midmarket IT buyers than any city in the world.
Connecting entrepreneurs with those buyers can have a dramatic impact on the
region’s economy… it’s the best sort of early stage capital,” Howerton
argues. A lifelong
entrepreneur that started his first business at 15, Howerton is a passionate
spokesman for a new generation of tech entrepreneurs that are launching and
building real, successful businesses in It’s working well
with FastRoot, which is out in front of what many expect to be the next big
boom for information technology, the transformation of software into
software-as-a-service (SaaS). Howerton has steadily built his company –
including two regional data centers and a staff of more than 50, into a
leading SaaS enablement firm that’s gaining national attention. More than 100 technology
executives a week flood through Howerton’s downtown office and conference
facility, dubbed TechNexus, using the space to meet, collaborate and as a launch
pad to grow and expand technology businesses. “I’m very proud of
the efforts of the ITA… the community has enthusiastically coalesced around to
help our member companies grow stronger, and build tangible collaboration
into the genetic makeup of this tech community,” explains Howerton. |
About FastRoot FastRoot
is an innovator of on-demand software and computing with products and services
driving the evolution of software as a service (SaaS) and Web Operations
Management. Business and venture partners use FastRoot to plan, build and
deliver on-demand solutions and web operations. Our product development
engine, unique hosting infrastructure and extraordinary managed services enable
SaaS products and web-native applications for ISVs, e-business and the
enterprise. With About ·
Lifelong
entrepreneur, starting first successful business at the age of 15 ·
CEO,
FastRoot, founded in 2002, now a successful and rapidly growing Chicago
company that’s turned away venture capital and focused on innovative services
and solid customer relationships ·
International
entrepreneur that’s launched successful businesses in ·
Chairman
of ITA, and a very vocal advocate for building a collaborative tech community
in the region; ·
Board
of Directors, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce ·
Board
of Directors, IT Executive Exchange, a group of hundreds of local CIOs,
focused on connecting buyers and vendors in the community ·
Serves
as advisor or board member of more than half a dozen early stage ventures
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