Business POV

Howerton is CEO of Fastroot and Chairman of the Illinois Technology Association. The ITA's Foundation is helping back a new school concept -- the Chicago Academy for Advanced Technology -- is aimed at teaching kids from under-served communities skills that are vital to starting companies and creating next-generation technologies. Classes for the inaugural school year begin in September.

We caught up with Howerton at the ITA's CityLIGHTS award ceremony in April.