Innovators Earn Honors as Titans in Technology, Science
A former University of Texas at Dallas president, the North Texas Semiconductor Institute and an alum were recognized at Tech Titans’ 25th annual awards on Sept. 12.
They were among the 14 companies, organizations and individuals honored by Tech Titans, the largest technology trade organization in Texas.
Dr. Richard C. Benson, who served as UT Dallas’ president from 2016 until his recent retirement, was inducted into the Tech Titans Hall of Fame for leading the University through enrollment growth, expanded research, arts and cultural projects, and a move to NCAA Division II.
“It was an exciting time. UT Dallas was on a roll, rapidly gaining students and growing as a research powerhouse,” Benson said. “I have never lost sight of the wonderful gift that my predecessor, President David Daniel, and his UT Dallas contemporaries placed in my hands.
“The achievements that form the basis for the Hall of Fame Award were made possible by an army of talented UT Dallas faculty, staff, students and administrators. So, thank you, Comets, for all that you have done for UT Dallas and the high-tech community of North Texas — and for me. I am deeply, deeply grateful.”
The North Texas Semiconductor Institute, which was formed in 2023, won a Tech Titans of the Future award.
“Our mission at the North Texas Semiconductor Institute is to enable world-class semiconductor research, collaborations and workforce development,” said Dr. Ted Moise, director of the institute and a research professor of materials science and engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. “We are grateful to be honored by Tech Titans for our work to support the region’s fast-growing semiconductor industry through an innovative semiconductor workforce development consortium.”
UT Dallas founded the North Texas Semiconductor Workforce Development Consortium with support from the U.S. Department of Education.
Through close collaboration and best practices, the consortium has boosted enrollment in semiconductor technician programs 140% over two years, Moise said.
The consortium includes Texas Instruments, GlobalWafers, Qorvo, Air Liquide, Coherent Corp., Collin College, Dallas College, Grayson College, North Central Texas College, Texas State Technical College, SEMI Foundation and a third-party assessor, UT Arlington.
Eric Fortenberry MS’15, founder and CEO of JobTread Software, a construction management software firm, won the Fast Tech award for the second year in a row. The award recognizes the fastest-growing tech companies in North Texas. JobTread’s revenue has grown 932% over the past three years.
“This recognition is an incredible honor for our team and a true testament to the impact we’re making in the construction industry,” Fortenberry said. “We’re committed to building software that transforms the way contractors operate, and it’s exciting to see how our relentless focus on listening to customers and innovating around their needs has fueled such rapid growth.”
A version of this article appears in News Center.