We’re proud to announce the appointment of John Suk as the new Chair of the WTIA Board. He was elected at the December 2016 board meeting after Bill Richter, his predecessor, ended his term early to become CEO of Qumulo. Suk has been on the board since 2013, and served as Vice Chair from 2014 until now, so he’s well-acquainted with WTIA and what it stands for. Below is a conversation with Suk about his background, his vision for WTIA, his favorite tech tools, and more.

Q: John, please tell us more about yourself. What’s your personal and professional background? How long have you worked in the tech industry?

My parents came from Korea to attend graduate school here in the United States and I was raised in the Midwest (Michigan). I attended The Kelly School of Business at Indiana University for undergrad, and later received my M.B.A. with a degree in Management. I’ve always been intrigued and fascinated by the sciences and how things work. I channeled my inner geek and love of music through playing the violin and piano (and later the guitar, in a nineties cover band), and balanced that side of myself by playing tennis and basketball, and going skiing. Through those activities along with gaming, I always found a better way to utilize technology, and was a constant early adopter with a voracious appetite for all things tech.

I have over 20 years of experience and my professional technology background spans many disciplines: wireless, application development, OEM, hardware, strategic alliance partnerships, startups and incubators, global enterprise, consumer, SMB, government, IoT, cloud services, security and the industrial internet. I have served in senior leadership roles at OmniM2M, Microsoft, Verizon, and Vodafone Global Enterprise.

Currently, I am the Director of Strategic Technology Energy Management at Current, Powered by General Electric. I lead a strategically aligned team that is focused on advancing distributed energy by leveraging software, cloud, and IoT with advanced data and analytics. Digitalizing the industrial sector and redefining energy technologies benefits all customers.

Q:. How long have you been involved with WTIA?

Since 2008. Because my career has taken me to numerous cities (Seattle, San Francisco/San Jose, Chicago, San Diego, Columbus), I have always prioritized finding a group that would help me accelerate my career, get involved with the business/technology community, help me network better, and allow me to give back through my own contributions.

Q: Why did you decide to join the board and to move into leadership roles like Vice Chair and Chair?

For the company I was working for at the time, I felt that it was my responsibility to better represent my team to the Washington technology community and those who were making a fuller impact. This enabled me to grow and challenge myself by finding out how I could better share my talents of connecting people, technologies, and ideas to contribute to the already vibrant and active technology hub we call the PNW.

Q: What’s the tech tool or app you can’t live without and why?

It’s got to be LinkedIn. As a master networker, it give me a place where I can keep up and communicate with my network, continue to learn and expand my knowledge from those I trust and respect, and continue to selectively expand my own reach and influence. I’m looking forward to seeing how Microsoft can improve on this powerful platform.

Some honorable mentions are Uber, OpenTable, Marriott, Alaska Airlines, and Watch ESPN.

Q: What’s your favorite WTIA program?

All the programs are amazing but right now it is Tech in Focus. This allows everyone in the tech community to stay plugged-in to the latest industry trends and hot topics in an easy-to-digest forum. Whether you have never attended an event or are a WTIA member that goes all the time, it gets people together and close to those who are leading and influencing critical topics both locally and abroad. I have had the honor of speaking at a few of these events and I plan to do the same in 2017. I want to stream them live and record them for those who miss out and want to view them later.

I’m also pretty pyched about all the great things Apprenti will do in 2017.

Q: What do you think is special about Seattle’s tech industry? What gets you excited?

Everything! Seriously, there are so many things to choose from, but for my buck I would say workforce diversity and equity. We have one of the strongest technology communities that is so well-balanced between large enterprise, mid-sized enterprise, SMB, and startups/incubators. Our demand for top talent in these industries continues to draw the brightest, most ambitious and socially-conscious people that challenge the limits of what is considered possible. We are also seeing a groundswell of home-grown talent right here in Washington that is being supported by tech-friendly legislators in Olympia. STEM programs are getting stronger and more schools are focused on developing young talent, especially among girls and diverse members of our community who haven’t found their true potential. Our Apprenti team is also improving workforce diversity and equity.

Q: You are the first person of color to serve as Board Chair of WTIA. How do you feel about that?

Truly honored. So many of my amazing predecessors (including our outgoing chairman, Bill Richter) who still serve on the WTIA board have provided me with the motivation and mentorship that will help me build on what they have developed over the years. I hope to inspire all people who are interested in technology to strive to achieve their goals in both work and education.

Q: What’s your vision for WTIA?

To be the most trusted, premier organization for the tech industry that inspires, supports, educates, shares, and advocates innovation; to be a world-class connector that brings together tech companies of all sizes and stages through a talent-rich community; and to focus on achieving equity and increasing diversity in our talented and continuously improving ecosystem.