Aaron Skonnard

Aaron Skonnard is a Co-Founder and serves as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member at Pluralsight. His passion for technology began when his father bought him an Apple Macintosh and one of the first Compaq PCs. His father taught him about the impact and possibilities of technology from an early age, which is why Pluralsight's mission-to democratize professional technology learning-is so close to him. Through his leadership, the company has flourished. Pluralsight acquired seven companies in three years to widen the scope of its library and add key technologies to its product line. Aaron also led Pluralsight through two rounds of funding, including a $135 million Series B round in August 2014. He believes the key to a healthy business is establishing a strong culture and hiring people who believe in its core values. In 2015, Pluralsight landed on Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Company Cultures and Forbes' Most Promising Companies lists. As CEO, Aaron focuses on business strategy, future direction, product development and strategic partnerships. On a day-to-day basis, he works closely with the entire executive team in different capacities, including recruiting, brand management, marketing, sales, feature planning and content acquisition. Prior to founding Pluralsight, Aaron earned his degree in computer science at Brigham Young University. After college, he worked at 3M, Intel and Axiom Technologies, and also as a professional instructor at DevelopMentor, where he became passionate about teaching technology. Aaron is a thought-leader in the industry, speaking at events around the world. He's the chairman of the board of Start Foundation, a nonprofit that supports Utah's booming tech community by advocating for innovation, building relationships among entrepreneurs, and creating programs to cultivate the state's youngest minds. As a result of his efforts in the business world and community, Aaron was named 2015 Utah CEO of the Year from StartSLC and MountainWest Capital's 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year. He also served as Advisor at Kickstart Seed Fund.