The Silicon Valley technology community is mourning the reported death of Owen Van Natta, a prominent technology executive whose career included senior leadership roles at Facebook, MySpace, Zynga, and Amazon. He was 56.
Reports of Van Natta’s unexpected passing have prompted an outpouring of sadness from colleagues, friends, and people who knew him throughout his decades in the technology industry. Tributes have focused not only on his professional accomplishments but also on his personality, generosity, humor, and the relationships he formed along the way.
Van Natta was born November 12, 1969, and built a career spanning some of the most influential companies in the technology and internet industries. He joined Facebook in 2005 and served as its chief operating officer before later becoming chief revenue officer. During his time at the company, he played an important role in business development and helped establish major corporate relationships, including Facebook’s relationship with Microsoft.
After leaving Facebook in 2008, Van Natta went on to become chief executive of MySpace in 2009. His tenure at the social networking company lasted less than a year before he stepped down in February 2010.
He later joined Zynga, where he served as an executive and member of the company’s board. His technology career also included senior work at Amazon and involvement with several entrepreneurial and investment ventures.
But for those who knew him personally, Van Natta’s legacy extended well beyond executive titles and business achievements.
Tributes describe him as funny, generous, vibrant, and deeply committed to personal growth. One heartfelt remembrance reflected on the unusual nature of developing a genuine friendship with someone first encountered through professional work. After decades of covering Silicon Valley and meeting hundreds of people in the industry, the writer recalled that only a small number became people they truly admired and considered close friends. Van Natta was described as one of those rare individuals.
That personal connection has made news of his reported death particularly difficult for many who knew him.
Throughout his career, Van Natta developed relationships across Silicon Valley and the broader technology sector. His work at Facebook, MySpace, Zynga, and Amazon placed him at the center of major developments in social networking, digital business, advertising, and online entertainment.
His professional history is well documented, including his leadership positions and entrepreneurial work. Recent professional listings, however, have not independently confirmed a death announcement, and the reports of his passing should therefore be treated with appropriate caution until an official family statement, obituary, or other authoritative confirmation becomes available.
For colleagues and friends, the reported loss represents more than the death of a prominent technology executive. It is the loss of a person remembered for his energy, warmth, humor, and ability to turn professional relationships into lasting friendships.
As Silicon Valley remembers Owen Van Natta, attention is likely to remain focused not only on the influential career he built but also on the personal qualities that made such a lasting impression on those fortunate enough to know him.
