Two New Members Elected To IT Hall Of Fame

Iconic artist Susan Kare and award-winning journalist Robert Faletra honored for contributions to industry

An iconic artist whose work is instantly recognizable to computer users everywhere and an award-winning journalist whose unique voice has been part of the information technology (IT) industry for more than two decades and are the newest members of the IT Hall of Fame.

Susan Kare, designer of many typefaces, icons and marketing material for the original Macintosh operating system; and Robert Faletra, chief executive officer of The Channel Company, are the IT Hall of Fame inductees for 2014.

The announcement was made recently by CompTIA, the non-profit trade association for the IT industry and administrator of the IT Hall of Fame. Kare and Faletra will be honored at the CompTIA Annual Member Meeting April 1-3 in San Diego.

The IT Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions or provided outstanding service to the IT channel; and individuals responsible for outstanding technology innovations.

Kare was elected to the IT Innovator Wing for her work with Apple Computer; specifically, the breakthrough introduction of the Apple Macintosh in 1984. The Mac’s graphical user interface shielded users from command line interactions and opened the door to new applications on the desktop.

“The person responsible for both the computer's icon fonts and for its visual elements was artist Susan Kare,” the IT Hall of Fame selection committee stated. “The Geneva font; the white screen of the original Macintosh; the Apple command key icon; and original virtual deck imagery for Windows Solitaire and many more visual elements created by Kare live on today.”

Faletra was elected to the IT Channel Wing of the Hall of Fame. During his journalism career he served many editorial roles – reporter, editor and publisher – at CRN, the largest and most influential channel media property in North America.

“Bob has been a tireless advocate for the channel,” the selection committee noted. “In addition to having huge pro-channel influence with the leaders in the vendor community, he consistently has led the efforts to provide the channel with the knowledge, education and tools to be successful. Solution providers have been able to utilize the resources provided by Bob and his team to help effectively manage and grow their business.”

The 2014 inductees were chosen by the IT Hall of Fame Selection Committee from a pool of nominees. This year’s judges were Jane Cage, chief operating officer, Heartland Technology Solutions; Robert O'Malley, president and chief executive officer, SED International; Joe Panettieri, executive vice president, Nine Lives Media, Inc.; Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA; Frank Vitagliano, vice president, NA channel sales, Dell; and George Koroneos, editor-in-chief, VSR Magazine.

The IT Hall of Fame has a long history of recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions or provided outstanding service to the IT channel as well as individuals responsible for outstanding technology innovations. The complete roster of IT Hall of Fame inductees is available here at http://www.comptia.org/news/IT_HOF/HOF_Members.aspx.

The 2014 IT Hall of Fame inductees will be honored during CompTIA’s Annual Member Meeting next month in San Diego. The annual gathering offers extensive opportunities for IT channel business owners and executives to network with peers; discuss and strategize on issues affecting their business; and learn about the trends shaping the IT industry. Visit CompTIA Events to register or learn more.

About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit http://www.comptia.org/home.aspx.