Overview
The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) has established an awards program in honor of Don and Rosemary Vial to recognize extraordinary performance and achievements by CETF grantees and other partners to close the Digital Divide and promote Digital Inclusion in California. CETF is especially interested in recognizing innovations in harnessing market forces to serve the public good. Awards will be made annually/bi-annually in two categories:
Exemplary Performance by an Individual – $2,500
Outstanding Performance by an Organization – $10,000
The Leadership and Spirit of Don and Rosemary Vial
The California Emerging Technolgy Fund chose Don and Rosemary Vial to honor with these awards because their lives capture the heart and soul of a commitment to closing the Digital Divide and promoting Digital Inclusion. Don Vial long served California as a leader in public relations, energy policy, and telecommunications, including as President of the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy. He had a passion for harnessing market forces to serve the public good—deeply committed to improving the lives of all Californians with a practical approach to engaging diverse stakeholders to find common ground. He was particularly focused on the quest to use information and advanced telecommunications technology to empower the less fortunate among us and to tackle poverty.
In addition to being devoted to her family and being a role model of an engaged citizen in civic affairs, Rosemary Vial always has been an outspoken advocate for those in need with a passion for fairness and equity. And, she was Don’s partner in life and public service, always there to inspire and support him.
Please let us know if you have any questions. Contact Raquel Cinat, raquel.cinat@cetfund.org, or Dino Nartea, dino.nartea@cetfund.org
Panel of Judges
The California Emerging Technology Fund wishes to thank the prestigious Panel of Judges of the Don and Rosemary Vial Awards for Digital Inclusion for their time and diligent work to honor the legacy of Don and Rosemary Vial and the Nominees. We thank them for their service and hope their example, and the example set by the Awardees and Nominees serve to inspire others to realize the great potential a combination of social innovation and technology can yield for all Californians.