Jon Matonis Resigns – Board Seat Up For Election January 2015

After over two years of with the Bitcoin Foundation as part of the founding leadership and then as executive director, Jon Matonis decided to step down and submitted his resignation as executive director of the Bitcoin Foundation, effective October 31, 2014 and as a board member effective December 31, 2014. His board seat will now be included in the January 2015 election along with board seats now occupied by Peter Vessenes and Gavin Andresen.

“Leading the Bitcoin Foundation has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. Merging the diverse interests of the Bitcoin community has been intellectually and professionally stimulating and now its time to pass the baton to longtime colleague Patrick Murck. I look forward to advancing Bitcoin and contributing to the community through the private sector,” said Jon Matonis, executive director of the Bitcoin Foundation.

Murck adds, “Two years is a lifetime in Bitcoin and we’ve come a long way from where we began. And yet, there is still so much ahead of us. I thank Jon for his service and am honored to receive this appointment. I commit to continue paving the way for our community of investors, entrepreneurs, and technologists to maximize Bitcoin’s potential for all people.”

Established in July 2012, Matonis is a founding board member and was appointed executive director in July 2013 as Bitcoin broke into mainstream consciousness, resulting in an increase in investments and official inquiries from policymakers and regulatory agencies.

“Jon stepped up to the plate and proactively extended Bitcoin awareness beyond the Bitcoin community, engaging industry professionals in banking, finance, economics and regulatory affairs at a time when the world looked to the Foundation for an organized voice,” said Peter Vessenes, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Bitcoin Foundation. “He also globalized the Foundation’s efforts, building a bridge on which we can build collaborative worldwide consensus for Bitcoin’s future.”

Prior to his appointment as executive director, Matonis was CEO of Hushmail, Chief FX Dealer for VISA and Director of Financial Services at VeriSign. He is also a contributor to Forbes and CoinDesk, the leading online Bitcoin publication, and editor of The Monetary Future.