Arizona Technology Council Announces Three New Board Members and New Director of Marketing and Communications

During its quarterly board meeting today, the Arizona Technology Council elected three board members, added a new executive committee member and announced the hiring of Bianca Buliga as its new director of Marketing and Communications. As one of the largest technology-driven trade associations in North America, the Council’s board and staff are instrumental in executing strategies and tactics that connect, empower and engage its members.

“We are privileged to welcome these outstanding technology executives to our board of directors and executive committee whose expertise will help support Arizona’s status as one the best states in the country for innovation,” said Steven G. Zylstra, the Council’s president and CEO. “I’m also delighted to welcome Bianca Buliga as our new director of Marketing and Communications. Her experience in technology and nonprofit sectors will prove incredibly valuable in helping to promote Arizona’s growing technology ecosystem and the work we do to support it.”

Each new board member was elected unanimously to serve a three-year term. The additions include Aric Bopp, executive director of Economic Development, Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise; Hector Garcia, chief technology officer for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) & Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Organization, Honeywell; and Michael Curley, partner, Quarles & Brady. In addition, Christine Boles, vice president in the Internet of Things Group (IOTG) and general manager of Intel’s Industrial Solutions Division, was named to the Council’s executive committee.

The respective biographies of Buliga, Boles and the three new board members are:

Bianca Buliga, director, Marketing and Communications, Arizona Technology Council

Born in Phoenix, Buliga is a trilingual, first-generation American of Romanian ethnicity. A marketing professional with experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, she joins the Council after spending 1½ years working as marketing communications lead at Proctorio. Previously, Buliga worked as the senior marketing manager at SEED SPOT. In January 2020, she was an awardee of the Mandela Washington Reciprocal Exchange Program and traveled to the African island of Mauritius to run entrepreneurship programming for 15 impact-driven ecopreneurs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Buliga has also engaged in consulting projects for IBM and the Peruvian government, and interned at the Arizona House of Representatives and U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania.

Christine Boles, vice president in the Internet of Things Group (IOTG) and general manager of Intel’s Industrial Solutions Division

Boles’ organization is responsible for Intel’s industrial IoT business within the manufacturing, energy, logistics and commercial building segments, including the product and ecosystem strategies for this rapidly evolving space. Boles joined Intel in 1992 as an application engineer for 16-bit microcontrollers. For 25 years, she has led development, delivery and the enabling of customers and ecosystems for Intel-based solutions in many managerial roles. These solutions span a broad range of embedded and IoT applications across many industries, including communications, storage, retail, imaging and commercial buildings.

Aric Bopp, executive director of Economic Development, Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise

Bopp leads the economic development efforts of ASU Knowledge Enterprise, with a specific focus on development of the NOVUS Innovation Corridor and other ASU Innovation Zones. In his role, he aims to help make Arizona more economically competitive and promote the assets available at ASU to the private sector. He works closely with the Arizona Commerce Authority, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the brokerage and real estate community, and local economic developers. Internally, he also works with ASU Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, Career Development and Professional Services, Office of Government and Community Engagement, and University Real Estate Office.

Michael Curley, partner, Quarles & Brady LLP

Curley is a registered patent attorney and intellectual property generalist who focuses on helping clients secure and defend patent and trademark rights. He assists clients in building and defending their business brands through trademark clearance, registration and enforcement. He has recent experience litigating trademark infringement actions in federal court and in opposing, cancelling and defending trademark registrations in the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board. Curley has also taught trademark law at The University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law since 2012.

Hector Garcia, chief technology officer for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) & Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Organization, Honeywell

Garcia leads a highly motivated and skilled engineering team in developing and integrating innovative, safe and cost-effective technologies across the entire UAS/UAM ecosystem. He brings all of Honeywell’s technologies and capabilities from the Business & General Aviation, Air Transport & Regional, and Defense & Space industries to UAS/UAM into the on-board Vehicle Systems, Airspace and Ground Operations for this new industry. His professional engineering career started in 1992. He has worked for four aerospace companies throughout his career, each providing increasing levels of learned knowledge, growth and skills in the industries of defense, space, commercial air transport, commercial business aviation, general aviation and most recently urban air mobility.

The board of directors serves an advisory and fiduciary role by representing the interests of the state’s technology industries in the Council’s strategic planning and ongoing operations. The current board consists of 31 members representing a diverse set of organizations, including: AccountabilIT, Alerion Capital Group, Alliance Bank of Arizona, American Express, Arizona Commerce Authority, ASU-Office of Knowledge & Enterprise Development, Avnet, Ballard Spahr, Benchmark, Ernst & Young, Honeywell, IBM, Ideas Collide, Illume Advising, Intel, Iron Mountain Data Centers, KEAP, KEO Marketing Inc., LaneTerralever, Lyft, MSS Business Transformation Advisory, PADT Inc., PayPal, Phoenix Business Journal, Quarles & Brady LLP, Rincon Research, Solugenix, Tech Parks Arizona – The University of Arizona, TGen, University of Advancing Technology and Vonage Business Solutions Group.

About Arizona Technology Council

The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona’s premier trade association for science and technology companies. Recognized as having a diverse professional business community, Council members work towards furthering the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education, legislation and social action. The Council offers numerous events, educational forums and business conferences that bring together leaders, visionaries and community members to make an impact on the technology industry. These interactions contribute to the Council’s culture of growing member businesses and transforming technology in Arizona. To become a member or to learn more about the Arizona Technology Council, please visit www.aztechcouncil.org.