INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. and SAN FRANCISCO, April 4, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Angel Capital Association (ACA) has named Robert E. Goff, founder and president of the Sierra Angels, one of the leading angel investing groups in the United States, as the recipient of the inaugural Hans Severiens Award. The Award recognizes individual accomplishments in the advancement of angel investing. Mr. Goff was selected from among thirteen finalists.
The award was presented at ACA's 2005 annual Summit, which was attended by leaders of more than eighty angel groups from the United States and Canada, representing more than 3,500 individual angel investors, and by many representatives of the venture capital community as well.
In announcing the award, Marianne Hudson, executive director of ACA and entrepreneurship director of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, sponsor of ACA, said, "Bob Goff is very deserving of this honor, and he has truly advanced the legacy of Hans Severiens. Bob founded one of the first angel groups outside of a major population center, ensured that it sustained support for Lake Tahoe area entrepreneurs, and then helped other angel groups across the country start and thrive. His commitment to ensuring that promising entrepreneurs have the financing and mentoring they need to grow is exceptional. He extended that commitment by mentoring angel groups across the West."
The award is named after Hans Severiens, one of the fathers of angel investment organizations. Dr. Severiens founded Band of Angels in 1994 as one of the first angel investment groups in the United States. The Band of Angels has invested about $110 million in more than 150 early-stage companies. Dr. Severiens was also a founder of the Angel Capital Association.
Mr. Goff's background is a blend of managing high technology growth companies and venture investment-related activities. He has more than thirty years of marketing and senior executive experience in managing the rapid and profitable growth of three semiconductor product companies, ranging in size from start-ups to 1,000 employees and with annual revenues of up to more than $100 million that resulted in multiple strategic mergers and IPOs.
His passion is the confluence of education, entrepreneurship, and technology. Mr. Goff chairs the University of Nevada-Reno College of Engineering Advisory Board, serves on the Advisory Board of UNR College of Business, and is President Emeritus of Nevada Technology Council. He is a Trustee of Sierra Nevada College and on the Boards of Golden Capital Network (Chair-elect) and TechAlliance at NewNevada. He serves on Comstock Magazine's Editorial Board and is an active participant on a number of educational and economic diversification committees in both the public and private sectors.
Mr. Goff was nominated for the award by many colleagues from the Lake Tahoe region and throughout the country. Maureen Conners, a member of Sierra Angels, spoke for many when she said, "Bob is a pioneer in angel investing. His leadership has been instrumental in achieving a bigger objective than supporting entrepreneurs - his purpose is to help the economy grow and diversify. He has done this through a unique blend of entrepreneurial service, working with government interests, and getting colleges and universities to collaborate. He inspired many of the angels and many in our community to reach to a higher level of service and helped us focus on contributing beyond our individual motives for a broader goal."
The Angel Capital Association was formed in January 2004 and is funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. It is the preeminent North American association of angel investor groups. ACA's mission is to advance angel investing by supporting the development of successful angel groups, educating investors, sharing best practices and industry data, building public awareness, and establishing professional standards. Currently, eighty-five angel groups throughout the United States and Canada are members of the organization, including forty-eight founding groups.
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City works with partners to advance entrepreneurship in America and improve the education of children and youth. The Kauffman Foundation was established in the mid-1960s by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman. Information about the Kauffman Foundation is available at www.kauffman.org.