Portland, Ore. – April 5, 2021 –The Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) announced today the selection of Debi Coleman of SmartForest Venture as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Coleman will be recognized as part of the Oregon Technology Awards ceremony, an annual program celebrating excellence and achievement in the region’s technology industry, on September 16th.

Debi Coleman, this year’s Lifetime Achievement winner, is best known for her career achievements starting at Apple. She was part of the original Macintosh team as controller, and went on to manage the automated Mac factory in California. From there she became Vice-President of Worldwide Operations, Chief Financial Officer, and then Vice President of Information Systems and Technology.
Coleman joined Tektronix in 1992 as Vice President of Operations and Materials and eighteen months later spun out Merix, the printed circuit board operation at Tek, in a successful IPO. During her tenure as Chair and CEO the business grew from $60 million in revenue to $400 million and was a finalist for the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award. She left Merix towards the end of 2001 and co-founded SmartForest Ventures with Hugh Mackworth focused on information technology, electronics, design, and manufacturing – including the semiconductor supply chains.
The 2021 Oregon Technology Awards Program is presented by JLL and UnitedHealthcare. Tickets to the September 16 event can be purchased here.
About TAO
TAO is a local nonprofit working to build opportunities, better our economy and unify a voice for innovation in Oregon and beyond. A recognized leader in shaping and growing technology and business communities, TAO empowers businesses and entrepreneurs through networks, events, advocacy, resources and more. With over 475 member-companies, TAO’s network brings together some of the largest companies in the world, small startups, and tech-enabled companies that are using technology to drive growth and innovation. For more information, please visit www.techoregon.org.
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