Donna Auguste

Donna Auguste
Born1958
Texas
EducationUniversity of California, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University
Occupation(s)Engineer, entrepreneur

Donna Auguste (born 1958) is an African-American businesswoman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She was the co-founder, along with colleague John Meier, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Freshwater Software from 1996 to 2000.[1] Prior to founding Freshwater Software, Auguste was a senior engineering manager at Apple Computer who helped to coordinate the development of the Newton personal digital assistant (PDA).[2][3] Additionally, she was the senior director for US West Advanced Technologies, whereabouts she met John Meier and began seriously thinking about the creation of Freshwater Software.[1]

In 2000, she sold Freshwater Software to Mercury Interactive Corp. for $147 million.[1] In the same year, she was recognized as one of the "25 Women Who Are Making It Big in Small Business" by Fortune Magazine.[4] She also won the 2001 Golden Torch Award for Outstanding Woman in Technology.[5] After returning to academia for a Ph.D. with the University of Colorado Boulder, Auguste was awarded the "eminent engineer" designation from the nation's oldest engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi.[6]

  1. ^ a b c "Donna Auguste". National Center for Women & Information Technology. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  2. ^ Brown, Carolyn. She's Fresh. Black Enterprise Magazine. (November 1, 2000).
  3. ^ Breakthrough: Donna Auguste PBS.
  4. ^ 25 Women. Fortune Magazine. (March 1, 2001).
  5. ^ Golden Torch Award
  6. ^ "Donna Auguste honored by Tau Beta Pi with 'eminent engineer' title". ATLAS Institute. October 22, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2021.