Addison McElroy Fischer, Baron of Lee is an American businessperson in information technology, a venture capital investor, and a philanthropist in the conservation of the environment.
His career spans a variety of roles including computer software scientist, cryptologist, entrepreneur, inventor, investor, ecologist, conservationist and philanthropist.
In 1968, while working for West Virginia University, he created software that amplified the throughput capability of IBM mainframe systems up to 40% (the high speed "Executor").
[3] In 1973 he created his first high-tech start-up company which in the late 1970s developed the "Top Secret" IBM mainframe security software (this is now owned by Computer Associates).
[6][7] In 1995 he provided initial seed funding for the creation of Verisign Inc.[8] which quickly attracted strategic partners and additional financing.
In addition to business interests, he is actively involved in preserving for future generations our environment, natural resources, health, food supply, and freedom.
In 2000, he organized acquisition of a substantial amount of sensitive primeval Costa Rican rainforest to prevent its destruction by timber and farming interests (www.LasAlturas.com).
From 2003 through 2005 he was a member of the board of the Amazon Conservation Team, a private NGO that works in concert with indigenous South American tribes to protect their ancestral lands.
In May 2009 he was elected as a director of the East West Institute which works to resolve and prevent international conflicts through non-governmental diplomatic channels.