Moorestown, NJ – October 28, 2026 – RunSignup, the employee-owned platform that powers registration for more than half of U.S. endurance events, is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the 2027 Alan Jones Timer of the Year Award. This year’s award recipient will be officially recognized at RunSignup’s 2027 Timer Education Summit, February 23–24 in Tampa, Florida.
Submit nominations here: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/agBhfa
RunSignup’s annual Timer of the Year award honors race timers who have made a significant and lasting impact on the endurance community. Named in honor of Alan Jones—an industry pioneer, founder of RunScore, and inventor of the Jones Counter—the award recognizes individuals whose innovation, dedication, and expertise have elevated the race experience for race organizers, participants and spectators.
Alan Jones has been a driving force in the industry for more than five decades. In 1970, he was among the first to score a race in real time, connecting a terminal to an IBM mainframe. A year later, his invention of the Jones Counter revolutionized the way courses are measured, becoming the gold standard for certified courses worldwide—including every Olympic marathon since Montreal in 1976.
“When I started scoring races, the tools were primitive and the nights were long,” said Alan Jones. “Today’s timers have far better technology, but the job still comes down to getting every result right for every participant. This award is a way to thank the people who do that work and bring things to the next level, race after race.”
Past recipients of the Alan Jones Timer of the Year Award include:
● 2026: Matthew Smeltzer, Founder of Competitive Timing
● 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
Bob Bickel, Founder and CEO of RunSignup, commented “Every year, the nominations remind us how much creativity and care timers bring to their communities. They adopt new technology, mentor the next generation of timers, and help race directors put on better events. We look forward to celebrating this year’s recipient with the timing community in Tampa.”
Nominations Now Open
Nominations for the 2027 Alan Jones Timer of the Year Award are open through December 31, 2026. Individuals are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates who exemplify excellence and dedication in the timing community. The award winner will be announced at the 2027 Timer Education Summit, February 23–24 in Tampa, Florida.
Submit your nomination here: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/agBhfa
About RunSignup
RunSignup, an employee-owned company, is the leading event solution delivering the art of technology to endurance events and nonprofits. More than 39,000 events use our free and open platform to register over 12 million annual participants, raise more than $3 billion and grow their events. Our expertly crafted, open and all-in-one solution powers event revenue generation and supporter engagement through flexible registration, free event websites, free email marketing, integrated fundraising, and a suite of RaceDay Real-Time products. RunSignup’s aggressive investment in AI technology ensures customers benefit from continuous innovation and industry-leading features at fair prices. No subscriptions, no plans, no monthly fees.
To find out why customers like the Richmond Marathon, American Cancer Society, and RaceDay Events use RunSignup, visit www.runsignup.com