Alan G. Spoon has served as Partner Emeritus of Polaris Partners since January 2015 and previously served as Managing General Partner of Polaris Partners from 2000 to 2010. Polaris Partners is a private investment firm that provides venture capital and management assistance to development-stage information technology and life sciences companies. Mr. Spoon was Chief Operating Officer and a director of The Washington Post Company (now known as Graham Holdings Company) from March 1991 through May 2000 and served as President from September 1993 through May 2000. Prior to his service in these roles, he held a wide variety of positions at The Washington Post Company, including President of Newsweek from September 1989 to May 1991.
Mr. Spoon has served as a member of the boards of directors of IAC since February 2003, Danaher Corporation since July 1999, CableOne since July 2015 and as Chairman of the board of directors of Fortive Corporation since July 2016. In his not-for-profit affiliations, Mr. Spoon was a member of the Board of Regents at the Smithsonian Institution (formerly Vice Chairman) and is now a member of the MIT Corporation (and its Executive Committee). He also serves as a member of the board of directors of edX (a non-profit online education platform sponsored by Harvard and MIT).