Richard Yoo is the founder, “employee zero”, and was previously the CEO, of Rackspace Hosting. Through his vision and influence, Rackspace has become a powerhouse in the web hosting industry, leveraging its bullet-proof infrastructure and “Fanatical Support” offering. Having been recently acquired for $4.3 billion, its customer list includes names like Sony Music, GE, Hilton Hotels, Delta Airlines, Virgin, and Miller Brewing.
Yoo also set out and founded the perfect “Self-Managed Server” company. Built from the customer up, ServerBeach (TSE:PIX) used custom proprietary technology to tailor the hosting product for a more technical and scrappy user. “The Beach” (as its often called) has become popular with influential internet hipsters such as Nick Denton of Gawker and Evan Williams of Twitter.
Today, Yoo can be found functioning as an advisor to several companies including Inventables and Xenex.
He is an active member of the Trinity University Computer Science Advisory Board, and has been recognized as one of San Antonio’s rising stars with the San Antonio Business Journal‘s Annual 40 Under 40 Award for 2003.
Meanwhile, back home in Houston, Texas, he is an I.T./Web 2.0 Advisory Board member of Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship, and an Advisory Board member of both the Children’s Museum of Houston and the Houston Mercury Orchestra, and served as the Chair of the Accessibility Internet Rally for Houston.
Additionally, he is a regular judge in the Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC) and has been invited to be a speaker at events including South by Southwest and 3 Day Startup.
Of course, Richard has a blog which can be found at http://www.richardyoo.com/blog/.
