The Bob Newman Lifetime Award is meant to recognize those who have contributed long term to economic development through work with technology.

Robert Newman is the founder of Greenwood Gulch Ventures, a venture-capital firm that provides funding and strategic support to technology companies. Mr. Newman was previously with J.D. Edwards & Company, beginning in 1978, when he merged his software design and development business with the company. Mr. Newman was formerly an IT consultant with Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte LLP) and worked in engineering and information systems at Motorola, Inc. He started his career as a computer programmer at North American Aviation (Rockwell International) in Los Angeles.