Tech Titans is embracing the overarching theme of optimism for the 21st anniversary of its annual Awards Gala.

Titled “New Year, Bright Future,” the hybrid event will showcase outstanding tech companies and individuals in North Texas who are transforming the industry and paving the way for new inventions and technical applications. As the New Year theme suggests, the event has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Jan. 19.

The January event will include a reception with networking followed by the awards presentation at the Eisemann Center of Performing Arts. A concurrent virtual presentation will also be offered. Learning sessions will be available earlier in the day.

Though the event is four months away, the list of finalists—an expansive group of innovators, adopters, and executors—has now been released. All are credited with impacting the tech industry for the greater good, but only one from each category will be unveiled as a winner at the Awards Gala. 

Tech Titans has not yet announced the inductee to its Hall of Fame, the corporate CEO award Community Hero, and a countdown of the Fast Tech Award.

Tickets for the event haven’t gone on sale yet, but you can go here to explore last year’s winners.

2021 Tech Titans Awards finalists

Tech Titans, which represents a quarter-million employees through its 300-plus member companies, says its awards recognize leaders who have made contributions during the past year locally, and who collaborate to help the region thrive.

When the winners are announced, they’ll be part of a group that Tech Titans refers to as “the elite in North Texas technology.”

See who’s been selected as a finalist in each category, with a description courtesy of Tech Titans:

Corporate Innovation Award 


Recognizes outstanding innovation and unique accomplishments through recent or potential breakthrough technology or approach within the technology and communications industry.


Brinks Home
Ericsson
Gearbox Entertainment Company
VEX Robotics



Emerging Company Innovation Award


Recognizes outstanding innovation and unique accomplishments through potential breakthrough technology, processes, or services within the technology and communications industry.


CASPR
E4D Technologies
Esposure
Linear Labs

Emerging Company CEO Award


Recognizes CEO leadership for an emerging company within the technology and communications industry.


Jon Bolen, ENTOUCH
Mance Harmon, Hedera Hashgraph
Sanjay Jupudi, Qentelli
Danny Martin, Esposure


Start Up CEO Award


Recognizes the CEO of a technology company with 2020 operating revenues of no more than $2 million.


Robert M. Atkins, BALANCED Media Technology
Dr. Tye Caldwell, ShearShare
John David (JD) Enright, TMGcore
Daniel Powell, Spark Biomedical

Corporate CIO Award


Recognizes the chief information officer for exceptional technical leadership that fosters the deployment of IT resulting in significant value for the company.


Sumit Anand, At Home Group
Kevin Scott, PGA of America
Neelu Seethi, Reddy Ice
Trude Van Horn, NCH Corporation



Corporate CTO Award


Recognizes technical leadership, team building, creation, and maintenance of a creative environment, and market awareness skills.


Kate Hopkins, AT&T
Maria Lensing, McKesson Corporation
Gordon Mansfield, AT&T
Terry Traina, Masergy Communications

Emerging Company CIO/CTO Award


Recognizes the chief information officer or corporate technology or science officer of an emerging company for exceptional technical leadership that fostered the development or deployment of new technology resulting in significant value.

Dr. Corey Clark, BALANCED Media Technology
Rashmi Jain, Careington International Corporation
Mark Patton, Scout and Cellar
Andrew Wildrix, Intrusion

Technology Inventor Award


Recognizes the pioneering accomplishments of a person, team, or group responsible for the creation of breakthrough ideas, processes, or products that have advanced the discipline(s) of the arts, education, electronics, energy, engineering, environment, medicine, and/or science.


Leemon Baird, Hedera Hashgraph
Bloodbuy Team, Bloodbuy
Narendra Dahotre, UNT College of Engineering
Daniel Powell, Spark Biomedical

Technology Advocate Award


Recognizes a technology advocate/champion for their outstanding leadership in assisting, advancing, or accelerating the performance of technology companies and/or the technology community.


Scott Baradell, Idea Grove
Robyn Brown, Bold Idea
Karen Krygowski Bruno, Technology Ball
Michael Hill, Cumulus Technologies

Tech Titans of the Future – University

Recognizes educational institutions that encourage and support students in choosing engineering and technology-related disciplines as a preferred path. The category spotlights DFW area higher educational institutions’ tech-related curricula and incentives to perpetuate tech-related knowledge transfer.

John Hansen, University of Texas at Dallas
Raul Hinojosa, University of Texas at Dallas Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Jeffrey McGee, University of Texas at Arlington
Qing Yang, UNT College of Engineering

Tech Titans of the Future – High School

Recognizes a high school math or science teacher for the development and implementation of an innovative teaching technique or program that inspires student interest in math and/or science.

Morris Goldade, Wylie ISD
Annette Munson, Richardson ISD/Lake Highlands High School
Kari Nathan, Lewisville ISD TECC – East Campus
Gary Ryman, Lewisville ISD – Hebron High School

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