Honored for his over 20 years of service to NVCA and the VC community
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) today presented Mark Heesen, former President of NVCA, with its Lifetime Achievement Award at NVCA’s annual meeting, VentureScape 2014, in San Francisco, CA.
NVCA established the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 to recognize venture professionals who were instrumental in the formation and growth of the venture industry and have consistently set high performance standards for the entire asset class.
“For over 20 years Mark was a tireless leader, spokesman and advocate for the venture capital industry in Washington, DC and across the country. While president, Mark became the voice for the industry in Washington and beyond,” said Josh Green, Chairman of the NVCA Board of Directors. “He served on the front lines of some of the biggest public policy debates of the last two decades, and his leadership cemented NVCA has an authoritative and go-to credible resource inside the beltway. Without Mark, NVCA would not be the world class organization it is today, and it’s because of the foundation he built that the NVCA is poised to reach new heights in the future.”
Mark Heesen led the efforts at NVCA for over 20 years, first as the head of public policy from 1991-1999, and then as president from 1999-2013. During his tenure, Mark served as the trusted advocate and voice of the venture capital industry, on Capitol Hill and across the country, as he articulated the unique position of this asset class through dramatic changes, challenges and victories.
From the tech bubble burst to the JOBS Act to Dodd-Frank to carried interest tax policy, Mark’s deep understanding of our most important issues was only rivaled by his ability to articulate an appreciation of the contribution of venture investment to the broader U.S. economy. Under his leadership, NVCA became a nimble, thoughtful, and highly effective association, winning the respect of a wide range of policymakers, regulators, and successive administrations.
His commitment to transparency and accurate information about the VC industry engendered credibility everywhere he spoke, and established the NVCA as the definitive source for data, commentary and insight about the venture capital ecosystem.