John Avery, Director at ATDC, is a serial entrepreneur who was part of four startups. A tech startup veteran with broad experience in data and wireless voice technologies, John was co-founder and chief technology officer of Convergence Corp., a maker of software that connects wireless devices to the Internet. Amazon acquired the company in 1999. Following that acquisition, he joined Amazon as engineering manager. In 2001, John became an early employee of Mobliss, a mobile applications and messaging solutions company in the entertainment space. He later became the company’s chief technology officer. Japan’s Index Corp., a developer of mobile phone content and information and other media services such as video on demand, acquired Mobliss in 2004. He holds six patents and owns Onboard Now, a developer of software for embedded devices such as smart phones, Web-enabled cameras, and industrial controls. Most recently, he was engineering group manager of Panasonic Automotive Systems’ Panasonic Innovation Center at the Georgia Tech campus. At Panasonic, John oversaw the innovation center’s development projects in next-generation automotive systems including, infotainment, bio-sensing, machine vision, deep learning, and heads-up displays. He is a Georgia Tech graduate with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
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Ben Andrews currently works as the Community Engagement Coordinator at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) in Tech Square In Atlanta. He manages the social media presence, marketing, public relations, and eternal affairs for the ATDC. He also works to promote the businesses housed within the ATDC. As the State of Georgia’s Technology Incubator, the ATDC currently houses over 150 start-up companies, and has graduated over 170 successful companies through it’s program. Ben began his career working for the Community and Economic Development Department for the city of Americus. In 2013, he was promoted to department director, becoming the youngest senior staff member in the city’s modern history. He oversaw a variety of boards and authorities, and worked with recruiting, retaining, and assisting small businesses. Ben was regularly invited to speak at various conferences about the work being accomplished by him and his team in Americus. In 2016, he returned to Atlanta to work for the American Cancer Society as the Senior Market Manager for Community Engagement. After leaving ACS, he worked in various paid and volunteer roles for several political campaigns. Outside of work Ben is active in my community and served as a board member for several non-profit organizations, and managed a capital campaign for a charitable organization. He has participated in multiple leadership training classes both as a participant and an instructor, and has experience and advanced training as a group facilitator. In 2012 he was a team leader for the GeorgiaForward Young Gamechangers program, which brings together young professionals from various fields to tackle policy issues in communities throughout Georgia. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for GeorgiaForward. In September of 2014 he was included as one of the top four selections for Rural Leader Magazine’s inaugural 40 under 40 publication.
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