Manny Fernandez currently serves as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sysco Corporation, the world’s largest foodservice marketer and distributor, where he has served as a Board member since 2006. He is also Managing Director of SI ventures, a venture capital firm, and he has been with SI Ventures since the company’s inception in 1998. Prior to SI Ventures, Mr. Fernandez was Chairman, President and CEO of Gartner, the world’s leading information technology research and consulting company, where he currently serves as Chairman Emeritus. He also served as President and CEO at Dataquest, Inc., an information services company, as President and Chief Executive Officer; at Gavilan Computer Corporation, a laptop computer manufacturer; and Zilog Incorporated, a semiconductor manufacturing company. Mr. Fernandez was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee where he served until 2005. 

Mr. Fernandez has always been in the forefront of technology from developing the first programmable memory device, the most successful microprocessor, to the first fully battery operated laptop computer. He has been the recipient of two “Entrepreneur of the Year “ awards. Additionally, Mr. Fernandez serves on the Board of Directors of Brunswick Corporation, The Black & Decker Corporation, and Flowers Foods. Mr. Fernandez is a former member of the University of Florida Board of Trustees, and served as Chairman of the Board for 4 years.