Founder of Vivint, Inc
Todd Pedersen
Born Todd Richard Pedersen
(1968-11-23 ) November 23, 1968 (age 55) Alma mater Brigham Young University Occupation CEO of Vivint Years active 1997–present Spouse Andie Pedersen Children 5
Todd Richard Pedersen (born November 23, 1968) is an American entrepreneur and the founder of Vivint, Inc. , a home automation , security and energy company. Vivint, Inc. was acquired in late 2012 by the Blackstone Group .[ 1]
Todd Pedersen was born in Seattle , Washington, the fourth of eleven children, and grew up in Idaho Falls , Idaho , where he attended Idaho Falls High School .[ 2]
After finishing a 2-year mission for his church, he returned and settled in Provo, Utah . In 1992 he began selling pest-control services door-to-door from a small business with 10 employees based in a trailer in Arizona.[ 3] [ 4]
A few years later, he switched to a different product, burglar alarms , though using the same marketing technique.[ 5] [ 6] He contacted high-school friend Keith Nellesen to assist in this venture. Together, they founded APX Alarm Security Solutions in 1999 in Provo, Utah , utilizing his door-to-door marketing strategy. In 2011 APX Alarm was rebranded as Vivint to reflect its emphasis on living intelligently through home automation.[ 7] The company became a major competitor in the industry, as well as expanding its marketing through more traditional venues such as television advertising and telephone sales representatives.[ 8]
Pedersen was featured in the sixth season finale of the CBS reality show, Undercover Boss in 2015.[ 9] The experience afforded him valuable insights into his employees' work days.[ 10]
In 2021 Pedersen stepped down as Vivint's CEO. [ 11] [ 12]
Pedersen created a workforce of approximately 13,500 full-time and part-time employees through innovations in employee relations. These innovations include an on-site restaurant at his corporate headquarters in Provo,[ 13] a free medical clinic,[ 14] and various recreational areas including a basketball court and a weight room.[ 14]
Under his direction, the firm branched into Vivint Solar , a solar-energy company.[ 15] [ 16]
Outside of his industry, Pedersen has sought innovation in public education , particularly emphasizing use of the abacus in the classroom at early ages to strengthen mathematical skills.[ 17] [ 18] He also partners the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Vivint Gives Back with organizations such as Feed My Starving Children .[ 19] [ 20] [ 21]
Pedersen was named Entrepreneur of the Year by three separate entities, first in 2010 by Ernst & Young ,[ 22] next by the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum in 2012,[ 23] and in 2013 by MountainWest Capital Network.[ 24]
In 2015 Pedersen was inducted into the David Eccles School of Business Hall of Fame.[ 25]
In 2019 Pedersen and his wife were the largest donors to Intermountain Health 's new hospital annex, which is known as the Pedersen Tower.[ 26]
In 2022 Pedersen and his wife donated $35,000,000 to Primary Children's Hospital to improve healthcare to kids.[ 27] [ 28]
In 2016 Pedersen was involved in a fatal accident during the SCORE Baja 500 off-road race.[ 29]
Pedersen lives with his wife and their five children in the Provo, Utah area, and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .[ 30]
^ "Blackstone Announces Closing of Vivint Transaction Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine ." Press release, Blackstone , November 19, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ "'Undercover Boss' schooled in Idaho Falls Archived 2018-07-30 at the Wayback Machine ." NPG of Idaho , updated August 25, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ "To Sell Home Automation, Vivint Needs 'Some Aggressiveness' " . Bloomberg News . Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014 .
^ Vivint Smart Home (April 28, 2011). "The History of Vivint" . Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016 – via YouTube.
^ "2011 UV50 Vivint, Inc. | Utah Valley BusinessQ" . Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2013 .
^ "Vivint CEO Grinds His Way to the Top, and then Some - Article - Security Sales & Integration Magazine" . Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013 .
^ Harvey, Tom. "Utah-based Vivint wants your house to 'intelligently respond, react and communicate' The Salt Lake City Tribune, 26 June 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
^ Burke, Jordan (February 13, 2012). "Vivint growth found in automated homes" . Deseret News . Archived from the original on February 24, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2013 .
^ "The Boss of Vivint Goes Undercover Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine ." CBS.com, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ Pederson, Todd. "How Going 'Undercover' Made Me a Better Boss Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine ." Entrepreneur , February 20, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ Raymond, Art (April 29, 2021). "Vivint Smart Home reaches $20 million FTC settlement over customer credit abuses" . Deseret News . Retrieved May 26, 2021 .
^ "Vivint Smart Home, Inc. (VVNT) announces founder and CEO Todd R. Pedersen has decided to step down as CEO" . StreetInsider.com . Retrieved May 26, 2021 .
^ "The Cafeteria Co. Partners With Vivint! Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine " Heirloom Restaurant Group, October 11, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ a b "Doctor's office at work?" . Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017 .
^ "Simple & Affordable Home Solar Power Solutions – Vivint Solar" . Vivint Solar . Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2013 .
^ Bessette, Chanelle. "10 Questions: Todd Pedersen, CEO, Vivint Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine ." Fortune, February 6, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ "YouTube" . Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016 – via YouTube.
^ "YouTube" . Archived from the original on July 22, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016 – via YouTube.
^ "Home : Feed My Starving Children" . fmsc.org . Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2013 .
^ Vivint Smart Home (November 16, 2012). "Vivint Partners with Feed My Starving Children – Fox 13 Utah" . Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016 – via YouTube.
^ "Vivint Gives Back 'Year of Service' Initiative Raises $1.5 Million in 2012 | Business Wire" . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2018 .
^ SIW Editorial staff. "APX Alarm's Todd Pedersen wins Ernst & Young award Archived 2014-02-03 at the Wayback Machine ."
^ Pugmire, Genelle. "Vivint founder Todd Pedersen named Entrepreneur of the Year Archived 2013-01-17 at the Wayback Machine ." Daily Herald, December 14, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ "Past Entrepreneur of the Year Winners Archived 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine ." MountainWest Capital Network, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ "Vivint CEO Todd Pedersen inducted into David Eccles School of Business Hall of Fame Archived 2018-07-30 at the Wayback Machine ." David Eccles School of Business, March 9, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
^ https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news/2019/01/intermountain-completes-new-pedersen-patient-tower-as-part-of-utah-valley-hospital-replacement-project/
^ https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/10/10/23397691/vivint-founder-donation-to-primary-childrens-hospital
^ https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/10/10/vivint-ceo-his-family-donate-35/
^ Green, Mark and Kiersten Nuñez. "Vivint CEO Todd Pedersen involved in crash that killed young spectator at SCORE Baja 500
^ McKenzie, Hamish. "The Book of Mormon: Why the world's most capitalist religion breeds so many entrepreneurs ," Pando , July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2018.