Class of 2011 Selected for IT Hall of Fame

The creator of a tool that made it easier to send and receive large volumes of data; a leader in bringing racial diversity to the IT industry; and the team that developed a credential that’s helped hundreds of thousands of people embark on careers in high-tech are the newest members of the IT Hall of Fame, administered by CompTIA.

The IT Hall of Fame Class of 2011 includes the late Phil Katz, creator of the .ZIP file format, and Earl Pace, founder of Black Data Processing Associates. Both men were elected to the IT Innovators Wing of the Hall of Fame.

Elected to the IT Channel Wing of the Hall of Fame are the CompTIA A+ Originators. In 1993, this group guided the development of CompTIA A+ certification, which has become the de facto industry standard benchmark for core skills and knowledge required of entry-level IT workers.

The 2011 IT Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at the CompTIA Annual Member Meeting on April 7 in Chicago.  



Phil Katz founded PKWARE Inc. in 1986 and was the author of the world-renowned PKZIP/UNZIP programs for data compression. His contributions to the computer industry were many, including work with Bulletin Board Systems and many computer user groups and support forums. His decision to dedicate the .ZIP extension and file format specification to the public domain helped the .ZIP file format become a globally open standard. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Computer Science Engineering program, Katz passed away April 14, 2000. 



Earl Pace has been in the IT industry since 1965, starting his career as a computer programmer trainee with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Over the next decade Pace held a series of increasingly senior positions, culminating with his work as vice president of a financial telecommunications company in Philadelphia. In 1976, he started his own company, Pace Data Systems, a full-service IT firm providing services to banks, financial institutions and other customers from offices in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

In 1975 Pace co-founded Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) in Philadelphia and operated as its president for two years. In 1978 he coordinated the formation of BDPA into a national organization and functioned as its first national president until 1980. Black Data Processing Associates has grown into the largest national professional organization representing minorities in the IT industry.

The CompTIA A+ Originators are recognized for the work they did in the early 1990s to establish a professional certification that validated foundation level skills for PC repairmen and technicians. Since then more than 825,000 people around the world have become CompTIA A+ certified. CompTIA A+ remains the best credential an individual can have to launch a career in IT.

Members of the CompTIA A+ Originators group include James Brann, IBM (deceased); Richard Bulot, Epson America; Dennis Cagan, Century Computing Marketing; Julie Faster, Apple Computer; Dave Garcia, Digital Equipment Corporation: Mark Hiltz, PC Parts; John Hlavac, Packard Bell; Alan Hupp, Drake Training and Technologies; Gus Kolias, Compaq Computer; Tim Kuhlman, Toshiba America; Terry Morrison, IBM; Dennis O’Leary, IBM; Sara Parks, Apple Computer (co-chair); Joe Ciulla, IBM; Marshall Toplansky, US Robotics; Aaron Woods, Intelligent Electronics; Tricia Wurts, Wurts & Associates; and Bill York, CompUSA (co-chair).

Building on the legacy of an earlier hall of fame established by the respected industry publication CRN, the new IT Hall of Fame consists of two wings: the IT Channel Wing for individuals who have made outstanding contributions or provided outstanding service to the IT channel; and the IT Innovators Wing, recognizing individuals responsible for outstanding technology innovations. Any individual, living or deceased, who has pioneered or uniquely helped the IT channel flourish or who is responsible for a major IT innovation, is eligible for induction.

To learn more, visit the IT Hall of Fame.