OptionMonster Holdings, Fieldglass, Leapfrog Online, J.B. Pritzker Among Winners at 14th Annual ITA CityLIGHTS Award

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - May 10, 2013) -  The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is honored to announce the winners of the 2013 ITA CityLIGHTS Awards.  The winners were announced May 9 at the annual CityLIGHTS Gala, which is an opportunity for the community to recognize and celebrate the continued success of the technology industry in Illinois and the growing importance of this economic sector. 

At the Gala, ITA President Fred Hoch and Deputy Mayor of Chicago Steven Koch announced the finalists would add more than 2,000 full-time positions in Illinois during the 2013 calendar year. Almost 700 positions have been filled to date, across all functional areas and skill levels. Additionally, the finalists' average 2013 top-line estimated sales growth marks an increase of 186 percent over last year. Thirty-two companies were included in the numbers, and multinational corporations were excluded from the results. These impressive results underscore the significant impact the growing technology industry is having on the economic recovery of Illinois.

"The success of the ITA CityLIGHTS finalists and all of the companies in Chicago's tech economy highlights the significant momentum of the city's technology industry and its marked contribution to our overall economic growth," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "From startups and entrepreneurs to the many growth-stage technology companies, this community is coming together to create jobs, attract local and national investment and make a major impact on our economy."

Following are the 2013 award winners:

• CityLIGHTS Award: The City Lights Award, the ITA's highest honor, is presented to the company or individual whose leadership actively and consistently supports the growth, talent and visibility of the local technology industry.
  • J.B. Pritzker, New World Ventures, The Pritzker Group
    
    
• CEO of the Year Award: Presented to the company CEO whose leadership, strategy, and ability to attract and retain talent has resulted in company growth and visibility.
  • Michael Small, gogo
    
    
• Technologist of the Year Award: The Technologist of the Year Award is presented to the individual whose talent has created true technology innovation, either through new application of existing technology or the development of technology to achieve a truly unique product or service.
  • Justyn Howard, SproutSocial
    
    
• Prominent Woman in Tech Award: Presented to a preeminent female in the local industry who has championed a leading role for women by supporting their growth and prominence in the industry.
  • Amy Francetic, Clean Energy Trust
    
    
• Rising Star Award: The Rising Star Award is presented to the company that has the strongest potential to grow into a leader in the technology industry.
  • Cleversafe
    
    
• Lighthouse Award: The Lighthouse Award is presented to the company whose growth is demonstrated through innovation in products, services or business approach to become a serious competitor in the national marketplace.
  • Fieldglass
    
    
• Outstanding Technology Development Award: Presented to the company or organization that utilizes or developed a technology tool, process or service that accelerated growth.
  • OptionMonster Holdings
    
    
• Trailblazing Award: Presented to the company that has developed and/or introduced an ingenious, non-traditional and innovative way of doing business or creating culture that has produced significant growth for the company.
  • Leapfrog Online

"On behalf of the ITA, our Board of Directors, and our over 600 member companies, we congratulate the 14^th Annual CityLIGHTS Awards recipients," said Hoch. "We are particularly proud to share the economic growth impact these finalists are having on Illinois' economy. They represent just a small portion of Illinois' growing technology industry, and the ITA is proud to support the significant impact of this important business sector." 

ITA thanks the sponsors who make this annual event possible. Sponsors of this year's CityLIGHTS Awards include Presenting Sponsor Grant Thornton; Gold Sponsors CBOT Building, kCura, KPMG, McGuireWoods and Nokia. Event Sponsors include Authentify, Lantern Partners, Marketwired and SurePayroll. 

About the ITA
 The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is the driving force behind Illinois' vibrant technology industry. ITA's extensive lineup of curated member programs and services address three key critical areas: growth, talent, and visibility. By leveraging the connections and expertise of its more than 600 member companies representing a workforce that is 50,000 strong and growing, the ITA provides the ecosystem growing technology companies need to succeed. For more information, visit www.illinoistech.org, follow the ITA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/itabuzz, and view the ITA's Facebook profile at www.facebook.com/illinoistechnology.

Contact the ITA at headquarters@illinoistech.org, follow the discussion on Twitter at @itabuzz, and visit www.illinoistech.org to find out more about how ITA supports the growth of the local industry.