Ken Huntsman, who received his master’s degree in computer science UT, was right in the middle of things when e-mail got its start.
After graduating in 1977, Huntsman worked for Telenet Corp., where he was co-architect of one of the first successful commercial e-mail systems. In the early 1980s, he joined Control Video Corp. to work on downloading games to the Atari VCS. In 1985, he joined several others to co-found Quantum Computer Services Inc. Four years later, the company launched a service called America Online—the company’s eventual name. Huntsman worked as a systems programmer and director of systems architecture at AOL until 2007, when he retired as an “AOL Fellow” in 2007.
This week, UT Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek presented Huntsman with an Accomplished Alumni Award. Huntsman was on campus speaking to the Engineering Entrepreneurship Program about “Creating ‘the Internet on Training Wheels.'”
“It is certainly an honor to be invited back to an institution that was a big part of my formative years,” Huntsman said.
The Accomplished Alumni Program is designed to attract notable alumni to campus to share their success stories. Alumni who are honored through this program spend time on campus teaching students, sharing dialogue with faculty, and engaging with other alumni and friends of the university. Alumni featured in this program that included CEOs of major corporations, Olympians, authors, artists, musicians, US ambassadors, and civic leaders.
Huntsman lives in Clifton, Virginia, with his wife, Marci, who is associate pastor of Centreville United Methodist Church. They have two daughters, Stephanie, 24, and Niki, 22.
He coaches middle school and varsity volleyball at Highland School in Warrenton, Va. He also has coached club and Junior Olympic volleyball for eleven years and loves to golf and snow ski.
He serves on boards for several nonprofit organizations, including Wesley Theological Seminary, the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia, and United Methodist Family Services.
To view other Accomplished Alumni, visit the Vols Connect website.
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C O N T A C T :
Haylee Marshall (865-974-5801, hmarshall@utfi.org)