We regret to inform you that Jim Conway, one of the Small Business Technology Council’s original founders, and long-time Board Member, has passed away. Many of you know Jim from his membership on SBTC’s Board of Directors, but you may not know that Jim’s relationship with the SBIR program dates back 33 years to when Milt Stewart, the founding Chief Counsel for Advocacy at SBA, requested help in obtaining testimony before Congress from West Coast technology companies. Milt contacted Jim who was at the time the CEO/Executive Director of the Electronics Association of California (EAC), the largest and fastest growing technology association in the country, and asked for support. Jim obtained unanimous support from the Board of Directors of his 650-member association, and provided the chair of his team to testify in support of the pending SBIR legislation at the 1982 House hearing. Milt Stewart later credited Jim’s and EAC’s support of the SBIR program at this hearing with helping to counter strong opposition.
Jim also helped use his trade association experience when SBTC was first formed out of the 1995 White House Conference on Small Business to help us develop our structure and policies. Jim and his wife, Elaine, retired to Palm Desert, CA, but even in retirement, Jim continued as an association organizer, where he developed a multiple sclerosis volunteer national association to help patients of that disease improve their quality of life.
Those who wish to leave messages of condolences can send them to jjjjconway@aol.com, or to Mrs. Elaine Patrick Conway, 810 Hawk Hill Trail. Palm Desert, CA 92211