Smart Technologies - Nancy Knowlton
Company: SMART Technologies, Calgary, Alberta
Company Description: When SMART invented the touch-sensitive SMART Board interactive whiteboard in 1991, the company began a tradition of creating innovative, easy-to-use products that has earned it worldwide recognition and trust. SMART products put collaboration and learning at the fingertips of millions. Founded in 1987, SMART is a private company headquartered in Calgary, Canada, with offices worldwide.
Nomination Category: Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Entrepreneur – Non-Services Businesses – up to 2,500 Employees
Nomination Title: Nancy Knowlton, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Co-Founder, SMART Technologies
1. Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated entrepreneur during the eligibility period (up to 500 words):
As the co-founder and CEO of SMART Technologies, Nancy has been directly
responsible for the success of the company.
Achievements include:
•Executive position with SMART since company inception in 1987 (Nancy is a co-
founder of the company)
•Founder and executive director of the SMARTer Kids Foundation (The SMARTer
Kids Foundation is a private organization that provides opportunities for students
and teachers to learn new skills and grow in self-confidence by placing
technology, grants and programs at their service. The Foundation helps equip
classrooms with technology products and generates practical research on the
impact and effectiveness of technology in the classroom.)
•Cumulative annual growth rate of 30% over 5 years, 42% over 10 years
•Product sales in over 100 countries worldwide
•Global install base of over 1,000,000 SMART Board interactive whiteboards (more
installations than all other interactive whiteboard manufacturers combined)
•Cumulative sales soon to reach US$2 billion
•Bolstering executive management structure of SMART Technologies and
successful appointment of (since July 1, 2007):
o Dan Rodrigue, VP, Operations
o Brian McGurk, VP, People Services
o Patrick Lelorieux, VP and GM for Europe, the Middle East and Africa
(EMEA)
o Bill Ciprick, VP, Strategy and Alliances
o Mike Battistel, VP, Information Systems
o Jeff Losch, VP, Legal
•Over 40 articles published including 12 written from July 1, 2007- September 2008
•Keynote speaking engagements including:
oInternational Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) 2007 - 4th International
Conference on Educational Technology, Singapore
oDigital Learning India 2008, India
oOrganization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – 2008
General Conference, Paris
oGlobal Education Technology Summit 2008, Germany
oGlobal Education Technology Summit 2008, Cairo
oGlobal Education Technology Summit 2008, Colombia
oNational Educational Computing Conference (NECC) 2008 - Learning Matters,
United States
oNECC 2008 - Corporate Spotlight Series, United States
Awards SMART Technologies has received under Nancy’s direction from July 1,
2007 to September 2008:
• The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Program Leadership Award
• 2007 MT2 Top 100 Award
• 2007 Education Software Review Awards (EDDIES)
• 2007 Technology & Learning Award of Excellence
• Next 100 List (SMART recognized for continued growth – listed on the
Venture Next 100 list – a ranking of Alberta's biggest private, public and crown
corporations.)
• Best Buy of 2007
• 2008 Teachers’ Choice Awards
• 2008 Communicator Awards
• Comenuis EduMedia Signet 2008 Awards
• 2008 Worlddidac Award
• Finalist status for EdNet Awards 2008
• Teachers’ Pick award from Learning Magazine
2. List the URLs (web addresses) of any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that you would like the judges to see that support your entry. IMPORTANT: List each URL on a separate line, begin each URL with http://, and enclose each URL in square brackets. For example, [http://www.yourcompany.com/pressrelease.html]:
Media coverage:
Television:
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/0808_CDA_ON_Bus_CTVOttawa_L.mov August 2008 - CTV, Ottawa, Canada
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/0808_CDA_ON_Bus_BusinessNewsNetwork.mov August 2008 - Business News Network (BNN), Ontario,
Canada
http://www.citytv.com/calgary/yourcity_61669.aspx September 2008 – Citytv
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Articles:
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/entrepreneur/personal_development/article.jsp?content=20070125_130101_5180 January 25, 2007, Canadian Business Online
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/AV_News_UK_July2007.pdf
July 2007 AV News UK
http://www.albertaventure.com/?p=2106 September 1, 2007 – Alberta Venture
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070920.wsrfastleaders20/BNStory/Technology/?cid=al_gam_nletter_dtechal September 20, 2007 – Globe
and Mail
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/GlobeandMail_October2007.pdf
October 29, 2007 Globe and Mail
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/0711_CDA_ON_Cor_KanataEMC.pdf November 11, 2007 Kanata EMC
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/0803_US_Cor_Forbes.pdf
March 13, 2008 Forbes
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/article.jsp?content=20070328_095422_5092 March 28, 2007 - Canadian Business Online
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn6207/is_20080116/ai_n24373108 , January
16, 2008 – Malaysian Business
http://www.ameinfo.com/155714.html May 06, 2008 – AME Info
http://www.eyeofdubai.com/v1/news/newsdetail-22970.htm - June 13, 2008 -
SMART provides global sponsorship of Intel’s skoool.com
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080807/OTT_technow_metroweekly_080807/20080807/Instant%20Star August 08, 2008 – CTV Ottawa
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/0808_CDA_ON_Bus_GlobeandMail_MetroEdON_L.pdf August 14, 2008 Globe and Mail
http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/pr/awards/0809_US_WA_K12_WashingtonPost.pdf September 3, 2008 Washington Post
•Articles written by Nancy Knowlton: http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/News+and+research/Articles+by+the+CEO.htm
•OECD web site featuring article by Nancy Knowlton:
http://www.oecd.org/document/60/0,3343,en_2649_39263294_38525052_1_1_1_1,00.html
•Press release, SMART receives Leadership Award in 2007 Deloitte Technology:
http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/default.htm?guid={17D3C439-A688-4EAF-9721-D172345FA335}
•Press release, SMART receives Military Training Technology's MT2 Top 100
award, http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/2007+Press+Releases/0928+-+MT2+Top+100+award.htm
•Press release, SMART wins again at Education Software Review Awards
http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/2007+Press+Releases/1115-Eddie+Awards.htm
•Press release, SMART receives two Legacy Awards
http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/2007+Press+Releases/1022+-+Legacy+Awards.htm
•Press release, SMART Board 680 interactive whiteboard awarded Best Buy of
2007, http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/2007+Press+Releases/1210-PC+Best+Buy.htm
•Press release, SMART Ideas software honored with 2008 Teachers’ Choice
Award, http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/default.htm?guid=%7b809E9147-1B32-43DC-8F3C-9A457F1F8BB1%7d
•2008 Communicator Awards: Visit SMART's award winning microsite at
http://www.bett.smarttech.com/
•Press release, SMART receives Comenius award for third time,
http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/default.htm?guid=%7bD137F2FA-15A4-4FAD-9C30-DA3A6B047B31%7d
•Press release, SMART Notebook software wins 2008 Worlddidac Award,
http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/About+Us/News+Room/Media+Releases/2008+Media+Releases.htm?guid={19891C62-C581-4B90-A6C5-CC61929D683D}
3. Provide a brief biography of the nominated entrepreneur (up to 100 words):
Nancy Knowlton focuses primarily on business development and strategic
initiatives for the growth and development of SMART.
Recognized as one of Canada's top businesswomen, Nancy was the 1999
Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in the Export category. She was
awarded the 1999 Prairies Region Technology Entrepreneur of the Year Award,
sponsored by Ernst and Young, and a Manning Innovation Award in 2002. Nancy
received the TeleSpan Pace Award in 2006 which honors teleconferencing
professionals who make more than a decade of contributions to the industry. In
2006, she was named Best Canadian Entrepreneur by the Stevie Awards.