CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Aug 18, 2014) - The judges have spoken and, if history is any indicator, the next Chicago tech companies everyone will be talking about are finalists in the 2014 ITA CityLIGHTS Awards. These finalists join a list of renowned and accomplished individuals and companies from Braintree, Trunk Club, Fieldglass, GrubHub, Gogo, NAVTEQ and Groupon as well as others that were recognized before they were industry names.
"The CityLIGHTS Awards have led the way for the past 15 years -- showcasing who and what will define success in years ahead," said ITA CEO Fred Hoch. "This year's finalists are no exception. We are proud to be honoring the individuals and companies who have achieved so much already for themselves and their customers."
2014 ITA CityLIGHTS Awards Finalists are:
CEO of the Year Award:
- Craig Vodnik, cleverbridge
- Douglas Waggoner, Echo Logistics
- Clint Jones, GoHealth
- Victor Ciardelli, Guaranteed Rate
- Andrew Sieja, kCura
Lighthouse Award:
- ContextMedia
- Flexera Software
- Infogix, Inc.
- ShopperTrak
- Textura Corporation
Outstanding Technology Development Award:
- Allstate Insurance Corporation
- Ifbyphone
- INXPO
- Orbitz
- INOC
Prominent Woman in Tech Award:
- Amy Bourne, VP of Product, Brad's Deals
- Rona Borre, CEO and Founder, Instant Technology
- Kristi Ross, Co-CEO and President, tastytrade/dough
- Chee-Young Kim, President and Co-Founder, viaForensics
- Shelley Stern Grach, Director - Civic Engagement, Microsoft
Rising Star Award:
- InContext Solutions
- PartsTrader
- Signal
- SIM Partners
- Sprout Social
Technologist of the Year Award:
- Alex Bratton, Lextech Global Services
- Eric Lunt, Signal
- Bahar Wadia, UICO
- Linwood Ma, tastytrade/dough
- Rick Lane, Trading Technologies
Trailblazing Award:
- Food Genis
- Opternative
- ParkWhiz
- Swingbyte
- Zero Percent
The finalists were chosen by a panel of more than 50 tech industry leaders not a popularity contest. The winners will be chosen by a composite score of their insight and public voting. Public voting runs from August 19 to September 8, 2014 at 5pm.
All winners will be announced at the ITA CityLIGHTS Awards Gala on the evening of September 18, 2014. The event is a great opportunity to celebrate some of the many accomplishments of the local tech industry and the growing importance of this economic sector. The Gala is attended by more than 700 executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and technology champions from the breadth and depth of Illinois business. To sponsor, purchase a table or tickets to the event, simply register online at itacitylights.com.
About the Illinois Technology Association
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is an enabling organization powering the growth of tech in Illinois. Through vibrant programs, services and strategic consulting, the ITA drives our dynamic industry by working to grow, build and elevate our members. 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 Information:
Contact:
Michelle Cox
michelle@illinoistech.org
312.924.1044