Freescale Semiconductor to Replace Livestrong as Austin Marathon Sponsor

Freescale Semiconductor announced it will be sponsoring the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon, replacing Livestrong.
The Austin Marathon organization broke ties earlier this year with Livestrong, the cancer charity founded by Cyclist Lance Armstrong in 1997. Armstrong resigned from the board last year amid allegations of a doping scandal involving his Tour de France titles.
Now Freescale, with 4,000 employees in the Austin area, will be the prime sponsor of the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16. Freescale had previously sponsored the event.
Proceeds from the race will go to the “newly created Freescale Foundation for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives.”
Since its founding 22 years ago, the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon have raised more than $75 million dollars for the city’s economy and generated an additional $5 million for local nonprofit organizations.
“Freescale and the Austin Marathon are Austin’s original power couple — and together we’re bringing the race back home,” Gregg Lowe, president and CEO of Freescale, said in a news release. “We are committed to the Austin community and we plan to leverage the marathon and Freescale Foundation to inspire students to pursue STEM-related careers. Freescale wants this race to be a catalyst for the next generation of innovators and scientists.”