Randy Marsden, P.Eng. President/CEO

Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta in 1989, and was recognised at the national level for research projects he conducted there, including being awarded First Place in the Canadian Engineering Competition. One of the projects, a device to help a friend who had suffered a high-level spinal cord injury, spawned a company called Madentec that Randy founded while still in University, which continues to operate today. Madentec has helped the likes of Christopher Reeve and Muhammad Ali, as well as thousands of other people with disabilities worldwide to access a computer hands-free.

Randy is also the co-founder of Seattle-based Swype Inc. A successful company in the smartphone space, that provides the leading text input solution for touchscreen devices. Licensors of this technology include Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, LG, HTC and more. (Swype was recently acquired by Nuance Communications for more than $100 Million dollars). Randy is also the creator of the onscreen keyboard that has been included in over a billion copies of Microsoft Windows.

Finally, Randy is also founder and currently-serving as CEO of Cleankeys Inc. A company focused on reducing the spread of harmful infections in healthcare settings.

Randy has received numerous awards, appeared in the media, and served on many industry boards as shown below:

Recipient of the Manning Innovation Award (Canada-wide), 2011
Board Member & Secretary, Alberta ICT Industry Association
Member, A100 (Alberta’s top 100 technology entrepreneurs)
Recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist Award from Ernst and Young, 2010
Recipient of Alumni Recognition Award, University of Alberta 2009
Board Member, Alliance for Technology Access 2009
Recipient of ASTech Award (Societal Impact) 2008
Recipient of “Best New Product” Award – American Dental Association, 2007
Advisory Council member on disabilities law for the US Federal Government (TEITAC)
Vice President & Board Member of the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)
Recipient of “Cool Companies” Award – 2004
Recipient of CIPS Award (Canadian Information Processing Society) 1999
Recipient of Canada National IWAY Award 1998
Recipient of Provincial ASTEC Award (Alberta Science & Technology) 1996
Recipient of Provincial Export Award (Alberta Business) 1995
Recipient of Industrial Design Magazine Award 1995
Recipient of Early Achievement Award – APEGGA (Professional Engineers) 1995
President – Electronics Industry Association of Alberta 1993
Recipient of the Walter Dinsdale National Award 1993
Recipient of IEEE Life Member Award 1990
Canadian Engineering Competition: 1st place (1989)

Randy currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta with his wife and five children. He actively participates in recreational sports, and coaches baseball, volleyball, and basketball at the community and school levels. He is also active in music and church activities, and can play the piano, guitar, trumpet, and accordion. Randy lived in Japan for 2 years and speaks Japanese fluently.