John Towns, XSEDE Project Director and Director of Collaborate eScience Programs at NCSA, has been named a ‘Person to Watch’ for 2014.HPCwire, the leader in world-class journalism covering high performance computing (HPC) announced its ‘HPCwire People to Watch 2014’ list today. The annual list is comprised of an elite group of some of the brightest minds in HPC. The annual selections are made following an extensive review process by the HPCwire editorial and executive staff along with guidance from industry analysts and luminaries across the HPC community.Towns’ selection sheds light on the importance of more future collaboration between XSEDE and Blue Waters, as well as his established history as a leader in the HPC community at large, especially in his role as XSEDE Project Director. In a question-and-answer with HPCwire, Towns also speaks to the challenges of being a single father, his passion for soccer and the fun he has making candles in his spare time.  To read further, please visit http://www.hpcwire.com/people-watch-2014/john-towns/.