FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ITA Announces Tenth Annual CityLIGHTS Award Winners
Technology veterans and rising-stars gather to celebrate
vitality and success of Illinois’ technology community
Chicago, IL – April 28, 2009 – The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 CityLIGHTS Awards.
ITA presented the awards on Thursday, April 27 at the CityLIGHTS Awards Gala at Union Station. Setting a new record for CityLIGHTS, more than 700 executives from across Illinois attended the sold-out event to celebrate the state’s burgeoning technology community and honor the innovation and success powered by the following industry organizations and executives.
The 2009 CityLIGHTS Award winners are:
- CityLIGHTS Award: Given to an individual that has made a significant impact on the Illinois technology community.
o Linda Daraugh, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
- CEO of the Year Award: Given to the CEO who has driven his company to new heights in the past year.
o Bill Conroy, Initiate Systems
- Rising Star Award: Given to the company that has emerged from its start-up phase to distinguish itself in the technology marketplace.
o Aleri
- Newcomer Award: Given to the company that has the strongest potential to emerge from its start-up phase and distinguish itself in the technology marketplace.
o CrowdSPRING
- Spotlight Award: Given to the CIO/CTO for leadership and outstanding contributions in the application of information technology.
o Rich Holada, SPSS Inc.
- Lighthouse Award: Given to the company that best represents the region’s growing stature as home to world-class information technology companies.
o SmartSignal
“On behalf of the ITA, we’d like to extend our appreciation to all of those who made this year’s event the most successful yet,” said Fred Hoch, ITA president. “We are overjoyed at how well-received the CityLIGHTS program has been by the industry, and are thrilled to honor the incredible accomplishments of Illinois’ thriving technology community.”
Sponsors of this year’s CityLIGHTS Awards include Presenting Sponsor Grant Thornton
About the ITA
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) represents the interests of a diverse membership of more than 450 companies in Illinois that create, deploy and utilize information technology as a core part of their organization. By connecting members with industry peers and participants, providing the latest strategic information, market research and critical market insight and by promoting key thought leaders to raise visibility and gain a greater market awareness and presence, ITA is focused on building and developing the Illinois technology community through collaboration. Additional information is available at http://www.illinoistech.org/.
Contacts:
Fred Hoch, President, ITA, +1.312.435.2805, fhoch@illinoistech.org