The idea for inventor, innovator and business developer Dr. Mark Janas’ latest technology company evolved from a paper written for one of his United States Sports Academy doctoral classes.

Dr. Mark Janas (right) receives the 2013 Alumnus of the Year Award from Robert Campbell III, the Academy's Board of Trustees chairman.

That company, ScoreTRAX, is an SMS subscription service that allows sports fans to stay up-to-date with scores and news from their favorite youth, high school, college, amateur and professional teams. As part of the service, the company provides fundraising tools and other value-added features for teams and schools, as well as effective, targeted SMS advertising for companies of all types.

To date, ScoreTRAX has sent out more than 1 million score updates from teams across the country. In August, the company launched a new program to engage coaches, athletic directors, and other sports professionals throughout the country to become regional content directors in their own individual businesses.

Janas created ScoreTRAX while earning his Doctor of Education in Sport Management with a Sports Medicine emphasis in 2011 from the United States Sports Academy in less than two years. Most full-time students complete the 66-hour doctoral program in about three years.

For his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to build new sports, medical and educational technology companies, Janas is the Academy’s 2012 Alumnus of the Year.

“I already had an MBA, which was a great asset in my work in healthcare and healthcare technology management, but I found working in minor league sports that many business people, including me, were often not well-trained specifically in the business of sport,” Janas says. “I really wanted to find a good solid curriculum that was totally sports-specific, and the Academy fit the need perfectly. I’m grateful for the education I received and the new business ideas spawned by my work at the Academy.”

In additional to developing ScoreTRAX and frequently contributing to the Academy’s blog, The Sport Digest, Janas oversees several businesses as the managing partner of In3, Inc. (www.in3development.com), a portfolio company with initiatives involving medical communication systems, e-learning management systems, RFP management systems and TouchMedMobile. Besides In3′s technology companies, Janas also oversees two minor league North Carolina basketball teams—the Cary Invasion and the Wilmington Sea Dawgs.

Janas plans to use his knowledge gained at the Academy and from his dissertation, “Making the Case for Sports Medicine Informatics,” to build specialized functions in TouchMedMobile for physicians who provide sports medicine services as part of outreach programs. TouchMedMobile is an iPhone or iPad application that integrates with third-party electronic health records.

“I’m continually looking at ways to turn ideas into business initiatives,” Janas says. “I’m honored to earn the Alumnus of the Year award and I will do all I can to live up to this award by making a mark on the sports industry and by representing the Academy the best way possible.”

1989: David J. Essel

M.S.S. in Sports Fitness & Sports Management

Essel is an author, motivational speaker, and professional lifestyle coach.

1990: Ret. Brig. Gen. Lionel Lee, M.D.

M.S.S. in Sports Medicine

Lee serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Singapore's newest and third medical school, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

1991: Ebie Taylor Strauss

M.S.S. in Sports Fitness

Strauss is a former Ambassador of Sport for the Academy in Bahrain, Korea, and Malaysia. She also served as the first executive director of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

1992: Tom Lewis

M.S.S. in Sports Coaching

Lewis is a former head football coach for Sumter high school (SC). He led his team to 23 straight victories a No. 3 national ranking from ESPN.

1993: S.S. Dhillion

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Dhillion served as the Singapore National Olympic Council’s (SNOC) first Secretary-General for 24 years. In recognition of his contribution to sports in Singapore and Asia, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Dhillon with the IOC Trophy for “Centennial Olympic Games”.

1994: Mari Tollaksen

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Tollaksen was the director of special projects for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

1995: Michael K. Behymer

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Behymer is the President of Rhycom Sports, which was founded in April 2010.

1996: John Zinda Jr.

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Zinda was the head coach at Claremont McKenna College in California for 26 seasons.

1997: Dr. 'Pat' Tan Eng Yoon

M.S.S. in Sports Management

The Late Dr. Yoon was president of the United States Sports Academy’s Singapore Alumni Association and the Deputy Executive Director of the Singapore Sports Council.

1998: Dr. Thomas J. Rosandich

Ed.D. in Sports Management, M.S.S. in Sports Management

Rosandich is the Vice President, Chief Academic Officer and Chief Operating Officer at the United States Sports Academy.

1999: Essa Ahmad Al-Jowder

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Al-Jowder served as an Assistant Secretary General for the Council Affairs of the Emir's Royal Court in Bahrain.

2000: Marc Riker

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Riker is the executive director of the Southeast Sports Festival and previous Academy Alumni Association president.

2001: Dr. Robert Dean Boyd

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Boyd is the athletic director and head football coach at Marlboro County High School.

2002: Dr. Fred Cromartie

Ed.D. in Sports Management, M.S.S. in Sports Medicine

Cromartie is the Director of Doctoral Studies at the United States Sports Academy.

2003: Mike Leach

M.S.S. in Sports Coaching

Leach is Washington State University's head football coach and president of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

2004: Scot E. Long

M.S.S. in Sports Fitness

Long is a kinesiology instructor at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS.

2005: Dennis Lindsey

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Lindsey serves as the Vice President/Assistant General Manager for the San Antonio Spurs. He is also the 1st vice president of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

2006: Terry Waldrop

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Waldrop is the winningest head men’s basketball coach in the history of Texas Wesleyan.

2007: Dr. Linda Moore

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Moore has been involved in ESPN's evolution from a sports media outlet to a sports management and production entity for the past 10 years and is currently ESPN's Senior Director of Business Operations and Planning. She is also the 2nd vice president of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

2008: Lynn Wheeler

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Wheeler is the Associate Athletic Director for Sports Programs at the University of Texas.

2009: Ron Laird

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Laird is the commissioner of the Wyoming High Scool Activities Association and president of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

2010: James Vilade

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Vilade is a Double A coach and North Texas scout for the Texas Rangers.

2011: Mike Vollmar

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Vollmar is the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Football Administration, University of Tennessee.

2012: China Jude

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Jude is the assistant vice president of athletics at Queens College of The City University of New York in Flushing, N.Y.

2013: Mark Janas

Ed.D. in Sports Management

Janas is an inventor, innovator and business developer as the managing partner of In3 Inc. in Raleigh, N.C., and owner of two minor league North Carolina basketball teams.