Ron Erickson (investor)

{{Infobox person | name = Ron Erickson | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Ronald P. Erickson | birth_date = December 24, 1943 | birth_place = Tacoma, Washington | death_date =  | death_place = | other_names = | citizenship = | education = Central Washington University | alma_mater = University of California at Davis | occupation = CEO, angel investor | years_active = 1970s-present | employer = | organization = Know Labs, Inc. | agent = | children = 2 | spouse = Dia Armenta | known_for = }}

'''Ron Erickson''' (born December 24, 1943) is an American business executive, lawyer, and angel investor based in Seattle. He is the Chairman and CEO of [https://www.knowlabs.co/ Know Labs, Inc]. a public company (NYSE American “KNW” he founded.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} Know Labs {{!}} Non-invasive Medical Diagnostic Technology |url=https://www.knowlabs.co/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=Knowlabs |language=en}}</ref> Know Labs is transforming non-invasive medical diagnostics, focusing first on developing the world's first FDA-cleared non-invasive blood glucose monitor.

His business career began with the co-founding of Microrim in 1981.<ref name="fere">{{cite news | title = Ronald Erickson: Profile | url = https://www.forbes.com/profile/ronald-erickson/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131212232221/http://www.forbes.com/profile/ronald-erickson/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 12, 2013 | newspaper = Forbes | year = 2013 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}</ref> He has either founded or served as an executive for companies such as GlobalTel Resources, Inc.,<ref name="fere"/> Egghead Software, Inc.,<ref name="fere"/> eCharge Corporation and Blue Frog Media. He was the sole investor in Double Down Interactive, a social video game studio<ref name="xconomyre">{{cite news | title = Meet Double Down's Lone Investor: Ron Erickson Talks Online Gambling | first = Curt | last = Woodward | url = http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2012/08/23/meet-double-downs-lone-investor-ron-erickson-talks-online-gambling/ | newspaper = Xconomy | publisher = | date = August 23, 2012 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}</ref> that was sold IGT for $500 million in 2012.<ref name="geekwirere">{{cite news | title = Ironman entrepreneur Ron Erickson on patience, persistence and luck | first = Jeff | last = Dickey | url = http://www.geekwire.com/2012/ron-erickson-startups/ | newspaper =GeekWire | publisher = | date = September 29, 2012 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}</ref>

==Early life, education== Erickson was born on December 24, 1943, in Tacoma, Washington, and raised in Ellensburg, Washington. His father, Ed Erickson, worked in education as both an administrator and professor,<ref name="stcornwall"> {{cite news | title = Ed K. Erickson, 89, valued education | first = Warren | last = Cornwall | url = http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2002387493_ericksonobit.html | newspaper = Seattle Times | date = July 18, 2005 | accessdate = 2013-11-22 }}</ref> first as superintendent of the Ellensburg School District (1952–1958), then as director of planning and development at Central Washington University, a professor and chairman for the department of education, and founding president of the Seattle Community College system.<ref name="cwure">{{cite news | title = Board of Trustees: Ron Erickson | url = http://www.cwu.edu/trustees/ron-erickson | publisher = Central Washington University | date = | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}</ref>

Ron Erickson spent much of his childhood on the pioneer farm owned by his mother, Ayleen Frederick's family, which they had homesteaded in the Kittitas Valley of Washington in 1876. He graduated from Ellensburg High School.<ref name="cwure"/> Erickson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history from Central Washington University,<ref name="cwure"/> where he recently served as Chairman of their Board of Trustees. He received a Master of Arts in American Studies at the University of Wyoming.<ref name="cwure"/>

Early in his career, Erickson worked in public policy at the White House and the Office of Economic Opportunity in Washington, D.C.,<ref name="cwure"/> becoming the latter's branch chief for emergency food and medical services. He also worked for the Rockefeller Commission on Critical Choices in New York City.<ref name="cwure"/>

He studied law at the University of California at Davis, graduating with a Juris Doctor,<ref name="cwure"/> and is licensed to practice law in the state of Washington. He was a member of Seattle<ref name="fere"/> law firms Kargianis, Austin & Erickson, and Ronald P. Erickson & Associates.

==Business career== In the late 1970s, Erickson began his long-term career as a business executive and investor, working primarily with companies in the high technology, telecommunications, micro-computer, and digital media industries.<ref name="fere"/><ref name="huffingtonpost">{{cite news | title = Visualizing the Future of Technology With Ron Erickson | first = Russell Smith | last = Michael Foster | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russell-c-smith/ron-erickson_b_4252114.html | newspaper =Huffington Post | publisher = | date = November 14, 2013 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}</ref> The companies have been both public and private,<ref name="cwure"/> starting with Microrim, a database software company famous for its R-Base relational database which he co-founded in 1981. He was an initial investor in Egghead Software, where he served variously as chairman, vice-chairman, and interim CEO. ===Know Labs, Inc.=== {{Main|Know Labs}}

Erickson is the founder of Know Labs, Inc., where he currently serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Know Labs is a public company whose shares trade on the NYSE American Exchange under the stock symbol “KNW.” The company’s technology uses proprietary radiofrequency spectroscopy to direct electromagnetic energy through a substance or material to capture a unique molecular signature. The technology can be integrated into a variety of wearable, mobile, or bench-top form factors. This patented and patent-pending technology makes it possible to effectively identify and monitor analytes that could only previously be performed by invasive and/or expensive and time-consuming lab-based tests. The first application of the technology will be in a product marketed as a non-invasive glucose monitor. It will provide the user with real-time information on blood glucose levels. This product will require U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance prior to its introduction to the market. <nowiki>https://www.knowlabs.co/</nowiki>

===Microrim=== {{plain image with caption|Microrim wordmark.svg|Logo of Microrim}} {{Main|R:Base}} Among Erickson's first projects was Microrim, Inc., a company he co-founded with his brother Wayne Erickson in 1981 to develop<ref name="fere"/> R:Base, the first relational database for the PC.<ref name="cwure"/>

===Egghead=== {{Main|Egghead Software}} Erickson was an original investor in Egghead Software, Inc.,<ref name="fere"/> which was founded by Victor Alhadeff in 1984 as a computer software retail company.<ref name=FundUniv>{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Eggheadcom-Inc-Company-History.html|title=Egghead.com, Inc.|work=Company Histories|publisher=Funding Universe|accessdate=2009-06-13}}</ref> Erickson served variously as chairman, interim president and CEO, and director,<ref name="cwure"/> before leaving the company in 1994.

===Blue Frog=== Blue Frog Media was a Seattle mobile media and entertainment company co-founded by Erickson.<ref name="fere"/> Originally called Blue Frog Mobile, it sold ringtones, wallpaper images, and games to cellphone users.<ref name="xconomyre"/> In 2006, Blue Frog became best known for founding NOYZ, a television network that aired mostly pop and hip hop music videos, where members could send text messages to be placed on the air.<ref name="pibusiness"> {{cite news | title = Seattle's Blue Frog Media cuts staff | first = John | last = Cook | url = http://seattlepi.com/business/343654_bluefrog15.html | newspaper = Seattle PI | date = December 14, 2007 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}</ref> Erickson was chairman and CEO<ref name="cwure"/> of the company until 2007.<ref name="pibusiness"/>

===Double Down Interactive=== After Blue Frog Mobile dissolved, Blue Frog co-founder Cooper DuBois contacted Erickson to be the sole investor for PickJam, a startup which ran online trivia games. The profits from that company were turned into Double Down Interactive, a social video game studio.<ref name="xconomyre"/> Double Down Interactive had its first blackjack game on Facebook in spring of 2010, and turned a profit immediately.<ref name="xconomyre"/> In early 2012, Double Down Interactive was acquired by slot-machine company International Game Technology<ref name="xconomyre"/> for up to $500 million.<ref name="geekwirere"/> The transaction was following the U.S. Justice Department’s decision to drop its legal objections to online gambling.<ref name="xconomyre"/>

==Board memberships and affiliations==

==Personal life== As of 2023, Erickson lives on Bainbridge Island in Washington with his wife Dia Armenta, a political and governmental affairs consultant. Erickson has competed in the Ironman Triathlon<ref name="ronericksoncom">{{cite news | title = Biography | url = http://www.ronerickson.com/ | publisher = RonErickson.com | date = | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}</ref> and Half Ironman, and was thrice ranked as the number one triathlete in his age group in the Northwest.<ref name="cwure"/> He is an active participant in vintage sports car racing, driving a 1957 Corvette and a 1969 Porsche 911.

==See also== *Angel investing

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{cite news |title = 2011-2012 Board of Directors and Officers |url = http://www.bioasis.ca/news/2011/110818.htm |publisher = bioOasis Technologies Inc. |date = August 18, 2011 |accessdate = 2013-11-22 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20131212071410/http://www.bioasis.ca/news/2011/110818.htm |archivedate = December 12, 2013 }}

{{cite news | title = Visualant and Intellectual Ventures Join Forces to Accelerate Development of ChromaID Applications; SDKs Begin Shipping the Week of November 18 | url = https://finance.yahoo.com/news/visualant-intellectual-ventures-join-forces-140000878.html | newspaper = Yahoo! Finance | publisher = Visualant, Inc. | date = November 14, 2013 | accessdate = 2013-11-22 }}

{{cite news | title = Visualant: Current Report | url = http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/displayfilinginfo.aspx?FilingID=7251319-1194-8318&type=sect&TabIndex=2&companyid=60426&ppu=%252fdefault.aspx%253fcik%253d1074828 | publisher = Edgar Online: US Securities and Exchange Commission | date = May 12, 2010 | accessdate = 2013-11-22 }}

{{cite news | title = Ed K. Erickson, 89, valued education | first = Warren | last = Cornwall | url = http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2002387493_ericksonobit.html | newspaper = Seattle Times | date = July 18, 2005 | accessdate = 2013-11-22 }}

{{cite news | title = Vaste chasse à l'homme à Paris pour retrouver le forcené | first = | last = | url = http://www.tdg.ch/actu/hi-tech/2008/08/22/freres-donnier-captent-reel | newspaper = Tribune de Geneve | publisher = | date = 2013-11-18 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 |language=fr}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Eggheadcom-Inc-Company-History.html|title=Egghead.com, Inc.|work=Company Histories|publisher=Funding Universe|accessdate=2009-06-13}}

{{cite news | title = Ironman entrepreneur Ron Erickson on patience, persistence and luck | first = Jeff | last = Dickey | url = http://www.geekwire.com/2012/ron-erickson-startups/ | newspaper =GeekWire | publisher = | date = September 29, 2012 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Board of Trustees: Ron Erickson | url = http://www.cwu.edu/trustees/ron-erickson | publisher = Central Washington University | date = | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Biography | url = http://www.ronerickson.com/ | publisher = RonErickson.com | date = | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Seattle's Blue Frog Media cuts staff | first = John | last = Cook | url = http://seattlepi.com/business/343654_bluefrog15.html | newspaper = Seattle PI | date = December 14, 2007 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Meet Double Down's Lone Investor: Ron Erickson Talks Online Gambling | first = Curt | last = Woodward | url = http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2012/08/23/meet-double-downs-lone-investor-ron-erickson-talks-online-gambling/ | newspaper = Xconomy | publisher = | date = August 23, 2012 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Visualizing the Future of Technology With Ron Erickson | first = Russell Smith | last = Michael Foster | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russell-c-smith/ron-erickson_b_4252114.html | newspaper =Huffington Post | publisher = | date = November 14, 2013 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Visualant Engages Liolios Group to Lead New Strategic Investor Relations Program | first = | last = | url = https://finance.yahoo.com/news/visualant-engages-liolios-group-lead-123100887.html | newspaper = Stockhouse | publisher = Yahoo! Finance | date = October 1, 2013 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Visualant Inc. | url = http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=54884 | publisher = Biophotonics | date = | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

{{cite news | title = Ronald Erickson: Profile | url = https://www.forbes.com/profile/ronald-erickson/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131212232221/http://www.forbes.com/profile/ronald-erickson/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 12, 2013 | newspaper = Forbes | year = 2013 | accessdate = 2013-11-15 }}

==External links== *[http://www.ronerickson.com/ RonErickson.com] *<nowiki>https://www.flickr.com/photos/dschultz742/51367631357</nowiki> *<nowiki>https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/gallery/Chevrolet-Corvette-71676.html</nowiki>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erickson, Ron}} Category:1943 births Category:Central Washington University alumni Category:Living people Category:University of California, Davis alumni Category:People from Ellensburg, Washington Category:Businesspeople from Tacoma, Washington