Cox Enterprises Chairman Jim Kennedy Inducted Into Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia
James C. (Jim) Kennedy, chairman of privately-held Cox Enterprises was inducted into the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia at the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) 2016 Georgia Technology Summit on March 17, 2016. Cox Enterprises is headquartered in Atlanta, and its major divisions focus on communications, automotive, and media.
"Cox Enterprises has long been a driving force in our innovation economy here in Georgia and one good reason for that is Jim Kennedy," said Tino Mantella, president of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). “His leadership has not only made Cox one of the nation’s largest media companies, but also one of Georgia’s strongest supporters of our entrepreneurial community. He is a true inspiration to many in our technology community and TAG is pleased to see him inducted into the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia at the 2016 Georgia Technology Summit.”
Under Kennedy’s leadership, the company has diversified and grown, increasing in annual revenues from $2.1B to $18B by continuously embracing new developments and disruptions in technology to deliver innovation. The company’s broadband communications and entertainment subsidiary was early in the adoption of offering commercial services to small business and larger enterprises such as healthcare, education and government. Cox Enterprises was also at the forefront of digital classifieds when it launched an online marketplace for car shoppers and sellers in 1997.
Most recently, Cox Enterprises has invested heavily in infrastructure upgrades to deliver video, phone and high-speed Internet and home security and automation services to homes and businesses in the company’s service area. The company’s broadband subsidiary is a leading gigabit residential service provider, offering speeds 100 times faster than the average speed in the US. Notably, the company’s Connect2Compete program provides low-income students and families deeply discounted internet service to help close the digital divide.
Cox Enterprises’ global automotive business subsidiary has transformed the way the world buys, sells and owns cars, and has received numerous accolades for initiatives that span mobile, seller dashboard applications and personalized recommendation engines for customers. Cox’s media properties are leaders in delivering content across digital platforms and are the first in their local markets to utilize drones for newsgathering. Locally, Cox Enterprises is collaborating with Techstars, a startup accelerator to broaden and deepen Atlanta’s vibrant startup community and empower entrepreneurs to build great businesses.
“Georgia has a growing entrepreneurial eco-system, and technology plays a pivotal role in this,” said Kennedy. “Cox has a legacy of embracing technology and challenging the status quo. This is something we’ll continue to do. I’m personally excited to see how technology can not only improve business, but also how we approach and improve sustainability and healthcare.”
Kennedy holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Denver. He was inducted into Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business Hall of Fame in 2004 and was bestowed an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Kennesaw State University in 2003.
