Good-Bye Don Heestand
It is with a very heavy and sad heart that I have to report that Cleveland lost one of its titans of technology in Don Heestand, CEO and Chairman of E-Merging Technologies Group. During my time as “Tech Czar” at the City of Cleveland, I had the honor to meet and get to know Don. We spoke at a few conferences together and he always provided spot-on advice. He was a great man.
Don launched E-Merging Technologies 11 years ago. Prior to E-Merging Technologies, Heestand was Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Realogic (one of Cleveland’s real technology success stories). He also held senior management posts with Central National Bank, Coopers & Lybrand, and Arthur Young and was for a time the Chief Information Officer at Forest City Enterprises.
As I mentioned before, I truly enjoyed my interaction with Don. He was a huge booster of Cleveland and the local technology scene. He was, indeed, a giant amongst men. Since leaving the City my interactions with Don had been minimal. An email here and an email there. I was not aware that he had taken ill. Cleveland has lost a once in a lifetime gentlemen. I will miss him.
Don launched E-Merging Technologies 11 years ago. Prior to E-Merging Technologies, Heestand was Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Realogic (one of Cleveland’s real technology success stories). He also held senior management posts with Central National Bank, Coopers & Lybrand, and Arthur Young and was for a time the Chief Information Officer at Forest City Enterprises.
As I mentioned before, I truly enjoyed my interaction with Don. He was a huge booster of Cleveland and the local technology scene. He was, indeed, a giant amongst men. Since leaving the City my interactions with Don had been minimal. An email here and an email there. I was not aware that he had taken ill. Cleveland has lost a once in a lifetime gentlemen. I will miss him.
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