AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Austin and the Austin Software Council (ASC) have taken a significant step toward strengthening the bonds between the University and the Central Texas software industry.
“We are pleased to announce that Dr. Juan M. Sanchez, vice president for research at the University, has been appointed to the ASC’s board of directors,” said ASC chairperson Betty Otter-Nickerson, vice president of operations and site manager for BMC Software. “Sanchez’s presence on the board will help solidify and formalize the relationship between the University and local software companies,” she added.
Sanchez also holds a Temple Foundation Endowed Professorship and is the author and co-author of 140 technical publications on a wide range of topics in materials science and engineering. The University and ASC expect this relationship to greatly facilitate the exchange of information and provide a forum for presenting and solving their shared challenges.
“Dr. Sanchez’s presence on the board will help enhance the partnership between the University and Austin software companies,” said Dr. Larry R. Faulkner, president of UT Austin. “The University is working hard to increase support of knowledge-based industries in Austin and Texas.”
“The Austin Software Council is a vibrant organization with superb leadership, so it is a distinct honor for me to be asked to serve in their board of directors,” said Sanchez. “I am also encouraged by the fact that this development is tangible evidence of the commitment of the business community in Austin and of the University to work together.”
ASC is a coalition of organizations, corporations and individuals dedicated to developing the Austin community into a leader in the software industry. More than 1,200 active members have joined in programs aimed at expanding and enhancing the professional and technical infrastructure in the community, promoting products and services that are based on technologies developing in Austin, and establishing a well-informed and active network of professionals sharing common interests and objectives.
In a related development, ASC executives Dick Moeller, VTEL Corp., and Ron Harris, Pervasive Software Corp., have been appointed to the University’s steering group on the new Texas economy.
Moeller is chairman and chief executive officer of VTEL Corp., which is a manufacturer of interactive, multimedia videoconferencing and video mail equipment. Harris has served as president and chief executive officer of Pervasive since founding the company in 1994. Pervasive develops software for managing information and lowering the cost of ownership in Internet applications, mobile and embedded devices, web appliances and in packaged business solutions.
This steering group is one of several strategic planning committees established by Faulkner.
“Dick Moeller and Ron Harris bring invaluable experience and perspective to UT’s steering committee on the New Texas Economy,” Faulkner said. “We welcome their contributions to this important initiative.”
Composed of University executive officers, it is charged with formulating an action plan that will address the role of the University in the rapidly developing new Texas economy, specifically, the high-tech companies in the greater Austin area. The group’s charter includes both education and research issues. The presence of Moeller and Harris on the steering group will help ensure that the industry perspective is received and understood. Moreover, it will help build and sustain a long-term relationship between the University and a key Austin business sector.
