Enova, Centro, Solstice and Envoy Global Among Winners at Landmark 20th Annual ITA CityLIGHTS Awards
Last night the Illinois Technology Association revealed the winners of its 2019 CityLIGHTS Awards. The CityLIGHTS Awards is the premier annual event in the region that commemorates the momentous achievements of the local tech community.
CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Last night the Illinois Technology Association (ITA) revealed the winners of its 2019 CityLIGHTS Awards. The CityLIGHTS Awards is the premier annual event in the region that commemorates the momentous achievements of the local tech community.
Because of the rigorous criterion and balanced judging process, the awards have become a strong indicator of future success. Not including last night's honorees, CityLIGHTS award winners have amassed $53.4 billion in exits, $1.1 billion in IPO and $4.2 billion in venture capital.
"This year's winners represent a milestone for the awards and over two decades of historic success here in the Second City," said Julia Kanouse, CEO, ITA. "Twenty years ago Chicago tech was barely a blip on the city's economic development radar. Now through the accomplishments of many ITA CityLIGHTS award winners and nominees over the years, it has become crucial to the future success of our economy and city as whole."
Congratulations to the 2019 winners:
CityLIGHTS Industry Champion: Presented to the company or individual who actively and consistently supports the growth of the Illinois technology industry through leadership and/or collaboration.
- John Higginson, CTO, Enova
CEO of the Year: Presented to a CEO who has successfully scaled their company through outstanding leadership, ability to attract and retain talented resources, financial accomplishments and the implementation of strategic growth opportunities.
- Shawn Riegsecker, Founder & CEO, Centro
Technologist of the Year: Presented to the individual whose talent has championed true innovation, either through new applications of existing technology or the development of technology to achieve a truly unique product or service.
- Henrietta "Hettie" Dombrovskaya, Associate Director Database Architecture, Braviant Holdings
Prominent Woman in Tech: Presented to a preeminent woman or individual identifying as female in the local industry who has championed technical innovation to drive the growth and success of her organization.
- Reem Jaghlit, VP of Product Engineering, ActiveCampaign
Rising Star Award: Presented to the company with the strongest potential to emerge as a leader in the technology industry ($5 to $25 million in annual revenue).
Lighthouse: Presented to the growth-stage company, (more than $25 million in revenue) that through innovation in products, services or business approach, has grown to become a serious competitor in the marketplace.
Outstanding Company Culture: Awarded to the technology company that has instilled a high-performance culture in their workplace by encouraging employees to take their career to the next level, fostering diversity and inclusion, and are committed to positively contributing to the community.
Industry Disrupter: Presented to the company that has developed or introduced an ingenious, non-traditional and innovative product or service that has significantly disrupted its industry.
Toast of Chicago Tech: Presented to the individual or company who, after winning an award at CityLIGHTS, continued on to make an impact in the Chicago tech community through successfully lead companies, development of a new and innovative service, championing for peers and the community as a whole.
Thank you to our 2019 ITA CityLIGHTS Awards sponsors:
- Presenting: Deloitte Private
- Premier Partners: Hyde Park Angels, MDP, OneSpan, Silicon Valley Bank
- Reception Sponsors: Lantern Partners, Paylocity
- Wine Sponsors: Cognos HR, West Madison Wealth Management
- Photobooth: daVinci Payments
- Event Partners: Creative Photography by Paul, SpotMyPhotos by Purple Photo Group
About ITA
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) scales Illinois tech companies. With innovative resources that allow members to collaborate with each other, build their talent networks and elevate their local and national presence, ITA is the region's strongest advocate for fostering innovation and growth. Founded in 2005 and supporting 500-plus growth-stage tech companies, ITA has a rich history of driving the business forward. For more information, visit illinoistech.org, follow @ITAbuzz on Twitter or find us on LinkedIn.
SOURCE Illinois Technology Association
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