The Arizona Technology Council announced today the Outstanding Tech Senator of the Year, Outstanding Tech Representative of the Year and legislator Tech Champions to be honored at the 2015 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation (GCOI) awards presented by Avnet, Inc.

These awards, along with business and individual awards, will be presented Thursday, November 12, 2015, at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 North Third Street, in the West Building, third floor, from 4–8 p.m. The event draws over 1,000 attendees each year for a night of awards, food and networking. 2015 marks the 12th year of this prestigious event. A theatre-style awards will be followed by specialty desserts and live music. The event will also feature the Technology Showcase of over 50 Arizona companies. These companies consist of award finalists, sponsors and AZTC partners.

“One of the Council’s top priorities is to ensure that Arizona is a place where businesses flock and thrive,” said Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “Each of these legislators is remarkable in a unique way for their support of the technology industry.”

Outstanding Tech Senator and Representative of the Year:

Senator David Farnsworth, District 16 is Outstanding Senator of the Year. In addition to convening an economic stimulus task force focused on increasing opportunities in the global market for Arizona companies, Senator Farnsworth was an avid supporter of HB2591, an intrastate crowdfunding bill that lets small businesses and entrepreneurs sell equity in their company over the Internet.

Jeff Weninger, District 17 is the Outstanding Tech Representative of the Year. Representative Weninger brought forth the intrastate crowdfunding issue, leading the charge by sponsoring HB2591 to enable more robust entrepreneurial funding in Arizona. Representative Weninger is serving his first term for Legislative District 17. Before serving as a State Representative, Representative Weninger served on the Chandler City Council for eight years and held the position of Vice Mayor.

Tech Champions:

The winners of the 2015 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Tech Champions awards are:

Senate Members:

Jeff Dial, District 18
Senator Dial voted against five budget bills in the 2015 legislative session, including the K-12 spending plan, due to opposition to cuts made in education spending. In addition to his support for education, Senator Dial has reaffirmed a commitment to making job creation his top priority.

Robert Meza, District 30
Senator Meza’s record of support for the Arizona technology community is longstanding. He has a history of listening to the concerns of the Arizona Technology Council and driving constructive discussion of crucial issues among his colleagues.

House Members:

Karen Fann, District 1
Representative Fann was the primary sponsor of legislation designed to increase the cap on refundable R&D in Arizona. Her commitment to creating jobs and spurring development is a tremendous asset to the state.

T.J. Shope, District 8
Representative Shope has a consistent record of supporting the Arizona Technology Council agenda. His commitment to Arizona business makes him an important fixture of the Arizona Legislature. He led the charge for recapitalization of the Angel Investment Tax Credit in the most recent session.

David Stevens, District 14
Representative Stevens has been a hero to the technology community during his tenure at the Arizona Legislature. He has proven instrumental in shepherding critical legislation through the legislative process.

Bruce Wheeler, District 10, Assistant Minority Leader
Representative Wheeler has been a tireless supporter of high-tech industries based in the Tucson area. His record supports the global competitiveness of the businesses across Arizona.

About the Arizona Technology Council

The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona’s premier trade association for science and technology companies. Recognized as having a diverse professional business community, Council members work towards furthering the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education, legislation and social action. The Arizona Technology Council offers numerous events, educational forums and business conferences that bring together leaders, managers, employees and visionaries to make an impact on the technology industry. These interactions contribute to the Council’s culture of growing member businesses and transforming technology in Arizona. To become a member or to learn more about the Arizona Technology Council, please visit aztechcouncil.org.

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