Arizona State University Named Presenting Sponsor of CONVERGE Tech Summit

Arizona State University (ASU), the most innovative school in America, announced today its title as presenting sponsor of the 2020 CONVERGE Tech Summit held at the Waste Management Phoenix Open (WMPO) on Jan. 29. CONVERGE will provide attendees an inside look at Arizona's growing tech sector as well as the unique opportunity to meet global thought leaders and discuss innovations that are critical for success in today's rapidly changing environment.

"Innovation is in the fabric of everything we do at ASU," said Dan Dillon, chief executive officer, ASU Enterprise Partners. "We believe innovation and collaboration are key to bettering our communities and we are honored to support the CONVERGE Tech Summit, an event centered around growth and development for Arizona."

ASU has been named as the most innovative university by U.S. News and World Report all five years the category has existed. The ranking is based on a survey of peers, including college presidents, provosts and admissions deans around the country who nominate up to 15 schools making the most innovative improvements to curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.

Dillon will represent ASU at the Summit and speak about the impact ASU's unique partnerships with corporate organizations have made on business and the community at large. His primary focus at ASU is to oversee the operations of ASU Enterprise Partners and the impact the foundation makes through innovative and collaborative initiatives to advance the most innovative university in the country.

"ASU is a disruptor and leader that requires a resource-generating enterprise to serve the university's faculty, staff and students and engage our donors, philanthropists and investors," said Dillon.

Dillon is an experienced leader with more than 25 years in domestic and global general management roles in the highly competitive consumer packaged goods and restaurant industries. Dillon has served in C-level and executive positions for leading U.S. companies, including General Mills, Keebler, Nabisco, Heinz, Conagra and Coca-Cola.

ASU also will debut the Innovation Station at the WMPO expo. The interactive booth will take patrons through an exploration of what makes ASU a hub for innovation in America and will focus on three pillars ? Better Health, Better Planet and Better Life.

To learn more about the CONVERGE Tech Summit, including panels, speakers and event registration, please visit www.convergeattheopen.com. To learn more about ASU, visit https://www.asu.edu/.

About Arizona State University:

Arizona State University, ranked No. 1 "Most Innovative School" in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for five years in succession, has forged the model for a New American University. ASU is a comprehensive public research institution, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. An ASU signature program, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, is emblematic of the university's commitment to driving growth and prosperity in Arizona. The largest and most comprehensive engineering program in the nation, FSE is home to more than 23,900 students. Through innovation and a commitment to accessibility, ASU has drawn 350 pioneering researchers to its faculty who have earned 25 Young Investigator Awards and announced 804 invention disclosures. With eight Industry/University Research Collaborative Centers, FSE generates numerous startups and attracts enterprises to the region. ASU is deeply committed to partnering with Fulton alumni, many of whom build careers in the Phoenix metro area.