INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR AWARD

John Collier is a value-driven digital innovation leader and entrepreneur with extensive cross-industry technology design and development experience. He started as a designer and that perspective continues to guide his career in leading technology design and architecture at Fortune 500 companies.

Currently, Mr. Collier is Vice President, Chief Information Officer at Wawa, Inc. He is responsible for establishing the strategic direction for Wawa’s expanding technology and business services. John leads technology strategy, development, implementation and ongoing operations for Wawa, Inc.

Previously, Mr. Collier was Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer for TracFone Wireless, Inc., America Movil, S.A.B. de C.V. John was responsible for all aspects of technology, including identifying new business models, a Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE) commerce hosting product, and an industry leading ubiquitous multi-carrier platform featuring an unprecedented consumer mobile experience.

As Corporate Vice President – Global Chief Architect for Walmart, John led technology architecture strategy across 28 countries and was charged to establish the Intellectual Property Management and Monetization organization. He designed such public facing strategies as “Clicks and Bricks”, Pick-Up Today, Price Match Guarantee, Savings Catcher and Disc to Digital.

He is credited with several patents including an industry altering Flexible Store Fulfillment patent. John holds a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts from Ball State University.

NINETEENTH ANNUAL IT AWARDS

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR AWARD

James Rhee, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Ashley Stewart, is an impact-focused entrepreneur, investor, operator and educator. As both CEO and investment firm founder, Mr. Rhee has generated market-leading returns by creating bespoke capital and operational solutions through the contemporaneous application of algorithmic, technological and cultural change. He has a uniquely diverse network and knowledge base spanning the private equity, retail/consumer, venture and media/technology communities. At Ashley Stewart, as Chairman and CEO, Mr. Rhee has authored and executed upon an innovative complement of CRM, digital and organizational changes that have transformed a twice bankrupt, unprofitable brick-and-mortar retailer with decades of operating losses into an industry leader founded upon a values-based, social commerce paradigm. FirePine Group, the investment firm he founded in 2009, has invested the capital of some of the world’s most sophisticated investors and their family offices to successfully fuel transformative and impactful change in multiple enterprises, including Ashley Stewart.

Prior to this, Mr. Rhee was a senior investment professional at two leading, Boston-based investment firms, one specializing in growth and the other focused on distress. Mr. Rhee has played a leadership role in multiple platforms, including the carve-out of the Meow Mix brand from Ralston Purina, the purchase and then turnaround of Murray’s Discount Auto Stores from a bank group, the growth catalyst investment in Mattress Firm and the turnaround of Ultra Diamonds.

Mr. Rhee is a visiting lecturer at Duke Law School and teaches his proprietary valuation and happiness class at leading educational institutions and professional organizations across the country. He is a regional winner of the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the recipient of one of five 2016 Power Player Awards granted by the National Retail Federation, and the 2017 recipient of the Black Retail Action Group Business Achievement Award. He is a member of the board of the National Retail Federation.

Mr. Rhee received his AB with honors from Harvard College and his JD with honors from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. He lives outside Boston with his wife and three daughters. He is a former high school teacher.

EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL IT AWARDS

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR AWARD

Ned Moore is a lifelong entrepreneur in information technology, healthcare, insurance, retail, real estate and the distribution industry. He has built high performing teams to support fast growing companies providing vision, strategy, operational skills and leadership. He also has extensive experience in raising capital to fuel companies experiencing rapid growth along with both buy side and sell side of mergers and acquisitions.

Currently Ned is the Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Clutch, which provides an advanced Integrated Customer Management Platform for B2C businesses. Prior to Clutch, he was the Co-founder, Chairman and CEO at Portico Systems providing enterprise software solutions into the healthcare payer market experiencing tremendous growth and ultimately sold to McKesson Corporation. Over his career, he has raised over $50M in venture capital returning an average of 4x for investors and has grown companies from zero to over 250+ employees at exit. Under Ned’s leadership, Clutch was named Technology Startup of the Year in 2014 and Portico was named Emerging Technology Company of the Year in 2008 by the Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technology (PACT).

Ned is active in supporting the entrepreneurial community as both an advisor and an early stage investor. He has been an angel investor in over 30 early stage technology companies and is an active real estate investor. He also serves as an Advisory Council Member to Villanova’s Center for Innovation Creativity and Entrepreneurship. Ned has extensive board experience and currently serves on the boards of Core Solutions, Elite MGA and the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale. He previously served on several other advisory boards and company boards including the Safeguard Scientifics Technology Advisory Board and Verilogue which was sold to Publicis Groupe.

Ned was recognized by PACT as the 2008 Technology CEO of the Year and as a finalist for the 2015 Technology CEO of the Year in the Greater Philadelphia area. He was a recipient of the 2007 Philadelphia Business Journal 40 under 40 award and named a finalist in the 2009 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Greater Philadelphia.

SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL IT AWARDS

 

 

 

 

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR AWARD

Robert J. Moore is the co-founder and CEO of RJMetrics, a SaaS business intelligence company with the mission of inspiring and empowering data-driven people.  Prior to RJMetrics, he served on the Investment Team of Insight Venture Partners, a leading software-focused venture capital and private equity firm based in New York.  He is a graduate of Princeton University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Bob is a vocal supporter of the Philadelphia startup scene, where he has served on the leadership team of Philly Startup Leaders and mentors up-and-coming Philadelphia entrepreneurs through the PSLU accelerator program.

As a writer and speaker, Bob has been featured by The New York Times, Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, TEDxPhilly, EnterConf, Business of Software, and many more.  He guest lectures annually at Princeton University and The Wharton School.

Outside of the tech scene, Bob is an improv comedy performer at Philly Improv Theater, where he is a member of house team Big Baby.  He is also CTO and Trustee of the Glassboro Education Foundation, a nonprofit committed to supporting educational innovation in his hometown school district.

SIXTEENTH ANNUAL IT AWARDS