Joy Covey, a big part in the success of Amazon’s business, has died at the age of 50. She was riding her bike in San Francisco when it happened. She was an entrepreneur and contributed to Amazon’s massive expansion, becoming their first CFO. She has been described as a self-made woman, tech entrepreneur, and intellectual powerhouse. She has a long history of working in the tech sector and got there using her intellect and highly driven work ethic.
Covey joined Amazon as its CFO in 1996, after already working as the CFO for the digital-audio start-up called Digidesign, according to CNET. Covey has quite the success story after dropping out of high school and leaving home when she was only 15. Shortly after that, she decided to go to college at the age of 17. She graduated in two and a half years from Fresno State and then went on to Harvard in order to get dual Law and MBA degrees.
Former Amazon CFO dies in cycling crash —–RIP Joy Covey – you were inspiration to me &lots of other women I'm sure http://t.co/UyLBPnQLM4
— Donna Culver (@DonnaCulverM) September 20, 2013
Covey was named one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Business Women during her time working for Amazon. She was very profitable in her time as the CFO and Fortune even described her greatest feat as convincing Wall Street that a profitless company was worth $22 billion. Amazon’s business is constantly growing and even features their own television shows and streaming services, as of recently.
At the time of her death, Covey was working as the treasurer for the National Resources Defense Council. After leaving Amazon, she was a deeply committed environmentalist and helped form the Beagle Foundation, which funded a two year fellowship with the NRDC for Harvard Law School graduates. Frances Beinecke, the president of the NRDC spoke very highly of Covey’s work, saying “Her adventurous and indomitable spirit was infectious and she constantly challenged us to reach greater heights.” It is no surprise, being the environmentalist that she is, that she was riding her bike when she died.
Very sad “@cathycurtis: Joy Covey, Amazon CFO During IPO, Dies in Bicycling Crash at 50 http://t.co/68XFBzXaaz > so sad and what a tragedy”
— maria benet (@alembic) September 20, 2013
The accident happened in San Francisco and the San Francisco Chronicle reports that she was riding northbound around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday when a Southbound Mazda minivan turned left onto Elk Hill Road, forcing a head-on collision, that resulted in Covey losing her life shortly after. The driver wad a 22 year old male. Art Montiel, the California Highway Patrol Officer that was on the scene said “She was wearing a helmet, but the injuries were too severe.” She was pronounced dead on the scene and there was nothing that the paramedics could do.
She was very helpful to both organizations that she worked for and she will be forever missed by friends and family. Covey leaves behind her son Tyler, who is eight years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUkhdjf32-8
Image via Youtube