We are now accepting nominations for the Alan Jones Timer of the Year Award. In recognition of the remarkable efforts of race timers, this award honors those who have made a substantial and continued impact on the endurance race industry. Named after the industry’s pioneering figure, Alan Jones, RunSignup established the award to acknowledge and celebrate individuals who have contributed to the continuous improvement of the race experience for participants and spectators alike. RunSignup will officially recognize this year’s award recipient at the 2026 Timer Education Summit on January 27 in Tampa, Florida.
About Alan Jones Timer of the Year Award
Alan Jones, the Founder of RunScore and Inventor of the Jones Counter, has been a trailblazer in the endurance community since 1970, when he first made history by scoring a race in real time with a terminal connected to an IBM Mainframe. After this pioneering achievement, his contributions continued to shape the industry in many important ways. For example, the invention of the Jones Counter in 1971 had a lasting effect on the sport, as the device soon became the standard measuring tool for courses used in official certifications. It has also been used to measure Olympic marathons since Montreal in 1976.
“Timers are the backbone of this industry, working behind the scenes to ensure events run seamlessly,” said Alan Jones. “It’s an honor to see this award highlight their efforts and bring recognition to those whose hard work often goes unnoticed.” said Alan Jones.
RunSignup introduced the Alan Jones Timer Award to recognize those in the industry who, like Alan, have made a lasting and wide spanning impact on the industry. We believe timers are the unrecognized change agents in the industry that event organizers and participants depend on. We’re looking forward to receiving the nominees and bringing awareness to this essential and dedicated group of individuals.
Past Recipients
- 2025: Fred Sommer, Founder of Sommer Sports
- 2024: Adam Shelton, Managing Partner of Start 2 Finish
- 2021: Mary Anderson, Founder of Anderson Race Management
- 2020: Todd Henderlong, Founder of T&H Timing
- 2019: Marc Roy, Founder of Sportstats
How To Nominate
Nominations for the Alan Jones Timer Award are now open. The deadline for 2026 Timer of the Year nominations is November 30, 2025. We will announce the award winner at the 2026 Timer Education Summit in Tampa, Florida.