This year’s recipient is a graduate of the Class of 1995. Jack Dorsey is the co-founder and Chairman of Twitter, an international and revolutionary social networking service.  Jack followed his father, Timothy ’71, to Bishop DuBourg High School.  Jack had two uncles who graduated from DB, Patrick Dorsey ’66 and Father Daniel Dorsey ’69, as well as his aunt, Mary Beth (Smith) ’73.

Travel with his family, activities at Bishop DuBourg, and an interest in the dynamic ways that cities operate all contributed along the path to Jack’s future accomplishments.  The Dorsey family lived in Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, and Colorado before returning to St. Louis in 1991.  Jack joined the computer club, played on the tennis team, and wrote for the school newspaper while at Bishop DuBourg.  His interest in community development triggered his study of city couriers and the dispatch processes of emergency vehicles.  Dorsey’s findings inspired his efforts to create programming dispatch software for taxis.

After graduating from Bishop DuBourg, Jack attended Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly the University of Missouri-Rolla) eventually transferring to New York University.  Dorsey would soon move to California to join with two business partners in establishing the Obvious Corporation, where Jack continued to work on many ideas, including networks of medical devices and a “frictionless service market.”  In 2007 Jack and his partners launched and spun-off Twitter.  His company also announced its latest start-up venture, Square…a mobile application that allows the iPhone to accept credit card payments.

Jack Dorsey has also extended his entrepreneurial expertise in a form of service to his country by traveling with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Middle East.  His service to our country’s military men and women came during this trip to Iraq where he worked with the military to streamline the communication process vital to the safety and morale of troops stationed in that area.

This past fall, Jack received the Webster University Person of the Year award, received the key to the City of St. Louis from Mayor Slay, and threw out the first pitch at a Cardinals-Cubs game.  Tonight, he is awarded Bishop DuBourg High School’s most prestigious alumni award, The 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award, and is the sixth recipient of the award.

Jack’s parents, Tim and Marcia, still reside in St. Louis.  He has two brothers, Daniel and Andrew.