ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Wireless technology entrepreneur Mark Warner was elected governor of Virginia this week, and if his political platform reflects his resume, technology will be one of his top priorities.
During the early days of wireless, Warner held a front row seat in the founding of Nextel Communications and then branched out to found Columbia Capital Corp., a Va.-based technology venture capital fund. Since then, he has taken part in the founding of several education-based technology initiatives that serve to help Virginia’s citizens stay on top of technological goings-on.
The Virginia High-tech Partnership helps students from his state’s five Historically Black Colleges and Universities get internships and jobs with technology companies located throughout Virginia. He also developed TechRiders, a free technology training program that teaches basic technology skills to citizens in Virginia who are “on the Digital Divide.” Warner also worked with the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges to develop the Tek.Xam, which tests the technological skills and knowledge of college graduates. And in his campaign, Warner pushed SeniorNavigator.com, and Internet tool for senior citizens that was developed in part by the Virginia Health Care Foundation, which he helped found in 1992.
