Courtesy of bizjournals.com

J.D. Stack has been named chief executive officer of the Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance.

Stack has served the Sacramento Municipal Utility District as its economic development program manager since 1993. He's been a member of the SARTA board since 2005.

Stack will replace Oleg Kaganovich, who joined the nonprofit organization in 2003 as executive director and chief operating officer. Kaganovich, who will join venture capital fund DFJ Frontier as principal in its West Sacramento office, was promoted to chief executive officer in 2005.

Stack has been active with several local entrepreneurial development initiatives, including the McClellan Technology Incubator, CleanStart and Partnership for Prosperity.

CleanStart is a renewable-energy business incubator that's an initiative of MTI and SARTA. It was created from an innovative needs assessment study that was jointly funded and managed by the California Energy Commission, SMUD and MTI. Partnership for Prosperity is a proactive economic development plan for the Sacramento region launched in part by the Sacramento Metro Chamber.

"I'm proud to join SARTA to be part of a team helping drive technology business development in the area," Stack said in a news release.

"The Sacramento region is now recognized as a great place for tech companies to establish, grow and succeed, and I am looking forward to the opportunities presented by SARTA that allow me to share this vision with others," he added.

SARTA, a tech-focused public-private partnership with a mission to accelerate the growth and development of the tech sector in Greater Sacramento, is directed by a 45-person board of directors. The board consists of regional leaders of academic institutions, investment groups, business associations and tech corporations.

The search for a new CEO was conducted by the board and by Kaganovich, who announced his departure last month. After he helps Stack transition into his new role at SARTA, Kaganovich will join DFJ Frontier.

"J.D.'s knowledge, experience and strong relationships with the economic development and business community will help SARTA continue to grow its relevance and importance," Matt Mahood, president and CEO of Sacramento Metro Chamber and a SARTA executive committee member, said in the news release.

"His coalition-building skills and organizational expertise will be a true benefit to SARTA's members," SARTA chairman Dan Koellen said.

Congratulations to both J.D and Oleg on their important new roles in the Sacramento technology community.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive