CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - March 19, 2010) - The Illinois Technology Foundation (ITF), the philanthropic arm of the Illinois Technology Association (ITA), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fueling the technology workforce or employment pipeline, announced today the list of esteemed judges who will be selecting the top 50 Illinois technology students this year.
The judges represent a cross-section of corporate, non-profit and academic leaders. They include CEOs and CIOs, public sector executives and heads of organizations supporting and cultivating technology talent in Illinois.
"We have assembled a strong panel of judges to ensure that nominees are reviewed by a range of employers and organizations in Illinois," said Ray Oral, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at CNA and 50 For The Future co-chair. "Our universities educate some of this country's finest technology talent; and we want to expose that talent among our employers. Doing so will enable Illinois to be recognized for its technology talent pool which can be leveraged to drive economic growth."
The judges will select the top 50 award recipients and attend the winners' celebration on April 13 hosted by CNA. The event will give student winners an opportunity to meet and network with the judges before they receive their awards in the presence of their families and professors.
"50 For The Future is a unique, collaborative community effort," said Karen Gordon, President at Karen Gordon & Associates and 50 For The Future co-chair. "Asking technology leaders who serve as judges to identify talent in our post-secondary institutions connects nominees with future mentors and employers. Students are recognized by leading companies and linked to resources to help them reach their career goals."
| 2010 judges include: | ||
| Industry Judges | ||
| Frank B. Modruson, CIO | Accenture | |
| John Golden, EVP | Athlete's Performance | |
| Catherine Brune, CIO | Allstate Insurance Company | |
| Karenann Terrell, CVP, CIO | Baxter | |
| John Hinshaw, CIO | The Boeing Company | |
| Steven Elliott, SVP of Global Technology & Ops | Bank of America | |
| Raymond R. Oral, EVP, CIO | CNA | |
| Chris Gladwin, CEO | Cleversafe | |
| Glenn Schneider, CIO | Discover | |
| Daniel Hill, SVP, CIO | Exelon | |
| Dieter Marlovics, CIO | Gelber Group | |
| Ken Pelletier | Groupon | |
| Catherine Kozik, CVP, IT | Motorola | |
| Daniel Fallon, VP & CTO | Navistar | |
| Aaron Crane, VP Technology | NAVTEQ | |
| Lac Tran, SVP & CIO | Rush University Medical Center | |
| Leslie Weber, SVP, CIO | TrueValue | |
| Christian Anschuetz, SVP, CIO | Underwriters Laboratories | |
| Keith Halbert, SVP/CIO | United Airlines | |
| Tawfik Sharkasi, Chief Science & Tech Officer | Wm Wrigley Jr. Company | |
| Education Judges | ||
| Howard Tullman, CEO | Flashpoint Academy | |
| Sandee Kastrul, CEO | i.c.stars | |
| Susan Malish, CIO | Loyola University | |
| Pat Todus, Deputy CIO | Northwestern University | |
| Public Sector Judges | ||
| Hardik Bhatt, CIO | City of Chicago | |
| Ellen Barry, CIO | MPEA | |
| Greg Wass, CIO - Office of Governor Pat Quinn | State of Illinois | |
| Association and Foundation Judges | ||
| Paul Dittman, Chicago President | AITP | |
| John Rico, Chair Tech2020 | Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce | |
| Thomas Kuczmarski, Founder | Chicago Innovation Awards | |
| Jen Brady, President, Fred & Associates | Chicago Interactive Media Assoc. | |
| Fred Hoch, President | Illinois Technology Association | |
| Terry Howerton, Chairman | Illinois Technology Association | |
| Orlando Saez, President | Latino Technology Alliance | |
| Sharon Burns, CIO | MacArthur Foundation | |
| Michael Kraus, Co-Chair | Mayor's Council of Tech Advisors | |
| Mark Griesbaum, President | SIM-Chicago | |
| Pat Moroney, President | Technology Leaders Association | |
| Marion Cook, Chicago Director | Women in Technology Int'l |
About the Illinois Technology Foundation
The Illinois Technology Foundation's mission is to support the development of a technology talent pipeline that begins in elementary school, is refined in high school, and is fully developed in our region's higher education graduates. The Foundation facilitates relationships and efforts across industry, academia, students, and government, developing and managing targeted programs within the talent pipeline. Through action, leadership, and collaboration, the Foundation supports and nurtures the technology talent to ensure a viable and a regional wealth creating economy. The Foundation is the philanthropy arm of the Illinois Technology Association (ITA), a membership organization of more than 500 Illinois technology companies who support the development of a stronger technology talent pipeline in the region. Additional information is available at www.illinoistechfoundation.org.
About the Illinois Technology Association
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is passionately committed to the successful growth of our member-companies and the regional technology industry. ITA champions the interests of start-ups and industry leaders, innovation agents and students as independent and collaborative thought leaders who leverage the power of technology to transform business. Through fostering strategic development, peer-to-peer leadership, networking, and access to experts across the breadth of business, membership in ITA accelerates the realization of success. For more information about ITA, please visit www.illinoistech.org.
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