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Background & Experience
Tom Simpson has over 35 years of experience as an investment banker, venture capitalist, angel investor and entrepreneur. Tom was co-founder and Executive Chairman of etailz, an innovative eCommerce company which grew to $120 million in revenues and 175 employees prior to being acquired in 2016.
He is currently CEO of Ignite Northwest with focuses on funding, enlightening and mentoring explosively growing companies in the Spokane region, President of the Spokane Angel Alliance, a 100 + member angel investment organization and Managing Member of five angel funds. Tom also serves on the boards of etailz, Medcurity, Oddjobbers, Reenue, Spiceology, Sportscope and Vaagen Timbers.
Previously, he had been Managing Partner of NWVA, a family of venture capital funds. NWVA invested over $125 million in emerging companies throughout the Northwest. Prior to forming NWVA, Tom was a Managing Director in Dain Bosworth's Seattle-based investment banking group and managed public offerings, private placements and mergers and acquisitions for multiple companies in the region. He began his career as a CPA for Deloitte, Haskins + Sells.
He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Washington, an MBA from The Wharton School and serves as an adjunct professor in Gonzaga University’s Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program.
In 2018, Tom was inducted into Spokane's Citizen Hall of Fame for his contributions to
Economic Development and Business in the region. Tom is married, has completed five IronMan triathlons and is a private pilot.