James C. Kennedy Inducted into the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia

ATLANTA, G.A., February 24, 2016 /3BL Media/ – PwC US today announced that James C. (Jim) Kennedy, chairman of privately-held Cox Enterprises, will be inducted into the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia at the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) 2016 Georgia Technology Summit on March 17, 2016. The event will take place at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. Cox Enterprises is headquartered in Atlanta, and its major divisions focus on communications, automotive, and media.

“Jim Kennedy is a shining example of a leader who has redefined how technology can deliver innovation and disrupt the status quo,” said John Nee, Partner in PwC Atlanta's Technology Practice. “Throughout his career, he has remained at the forefront of what's possible within the communications, media and automotive services industries, and has championed the role technology can play in serving both business and the greater good. It's an honor to recognize his legacy and welcome him into the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia.”

"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.

About the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia
Each year an inductee is chosen by the current Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia members in recognition of his or her contributions to the industry and impact on the state. PwC has been a sponsor of the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia since its inception in 1993.

Previous inductees of the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia include:

Gov. George Busbee (1993)

Dennis C. Hayes (1993)

Dr. John E. Pippin (1993)

Glen P. Robinson, Jr. (1993)

John P. Imlay, Jr. (1994)

Parker H. Petit (1994)

Jacquelyn M. Ward (1994)

Bill Goodhew (1995)

Howard J. Morrison, Jr. (1995)

J. Leland Strange (1995)

James C. Edenfield (1996)

Richard K. Snelling (1996)

Gov. Zell Miller (1997)

Ben J. Dyer (1998)

Dr. H. Allen Ecker (1999)

Donald L. House (2000)

William J. Todd (2000)

Dr. Edward Roberts (2001)

C. Tycho Howle (2002)

Shirley Mewborn (2003)

Sid Topol (2003)

Charles D. Moseley (2004)

Charles "Garry" Betty (2005)

Said Mohammadioun (2005)

Tom Noonan (2006)

Sig Mosley (2007)

G. Wayne Clough (2008)

Ken Byers (2009)

Tripp Rackley (2010)

H. Wayne Hodges (2011)

Peter J. Kight (2011)

Dr. Raymond Schinazi (2011)

Jeff Arnold (2012)

Ted Turner (2013)

Alan Dabbiere (2014)

The Georgia Technology Summit is TAG’s flagship event that brings together local executives, entrepreneurs, technology professionals and academia to celebrate and recognize Georgia’s technology community. This year’s theme builds upon TAG’s public awareness campaign to promote Georgia’s technology industry through an emphasis on the fastest-growing tech clusters in the state, including health IT, information security, financial technology, logistics and communication services.

About PwC US
At PwC US, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 208,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com/US.

© 2016 PwC. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the US member firm or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

About Technology Association of Georgia
TAG is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 30,000 members through regional chapters in Metro Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia and Savannah.  TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy.

The association provides networking and educational programs; celebrates Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. TAG hosts over 200 events each year and serves as an umbrella organization for 34 professional societies. For more information visit the TAG website at http://www.tagonline.org.