The 15th Annual AeA High-Tech Awards Dinner
& Technology Showcase is an opportunity to spotlight
Orange County
and Inland Empire's
robust technology companies and individuals.
AeA, the nation's
largest technology association, recognized top Southern California
innovators during its 15th Annual AeA
High-Tech Innovation Awards Dinner & Technology Showcase, Tuesday,
April 29, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. The awards event is Orange
County and Inland Empire's largest tech industry event of the year.
During the VIP reception, sponsored by
Edgewood Partners Insurance Center (EPIC), finalists, sponsors, and AeA
committee members enjoyed classical guitar performances by Peter Fisk,
while mixing and mingling over light
hor'dourves
and
cocktails.
Following the reception,
guests toured the Technology
Showcase, sponsored by
Haskell & White LLP, to explore
the innovative products and services of exhibiting companies including CMS
Products, EPICOR, iStor Networks, Inc, NetGuru, SYSPRO, and Toshiba.
It was a great opportunity for guests
to discover the latest technologies and business services to streamline
processes and give them the competitive advantage. To take a virtual
tour of the companies featured during the Technology
Showcase, please click
here.
After the tech showcase, participants enjoyed an exquisite three course
dinner in the beautiful Hyatt Grand Ballroom prior to witnessing the unveiling of the 2008 award recipients.
The
15th Annual AeA
High-Tech Innovation Awards Dinner & Technology Showcase
featured a range of attendees representing technology, education,
government, law, and business service industry sectors.
Distinguished guests included Olav Bergheim, Founder & Managing
Director, Symphony Medical, Inc.; Reynolds C. Bish, CEO, Kofax Image
Products; Kevin Carroll, AeA San Diego Council Executive Director;
Olievier Chaine, CEO, LaCount Law; Robert Farnsworth, CEO, Sonnet
Technologies; C. Alan Ferguson, CEO, Eclypse International Corporation;
Chris W. Hansen, President and CEO, AeA; Erik Ekstrom, Partner,
Deloitte; Julie Evans, CEO, Project Tomorrow; James McCluney, President
& CEO, Emulex Services Corporation; Francis X. Peters, President, Tech
Coast Angels, OC Chapter; Kimberly G. Nobles, Partner, Crowell & Moring,
LLP; Thomas Ressler, Principal, Capistrano Valley High School; Dan Ryan,
CEO, EPIC; Frank M. Singer, Chairman, Hixson Metal Finishing; Brian
Stein, CEO, SYSPRO; Charlie Sundling, CEO, Pipeline Software, Inc; Paul
Ward, Marketing, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, to name a few.
The ceremony opened with remarks by Don Hicks,
Executive Director, AeA Orange County/Inland Empire Council.
"The
high-quality nominations and degree of ingenuity was exceptionally
impressive," Hicks said. "The awards review committee and
product/technology judges had some really tough decisions to make
because all the finalists exemplified the highest levels of innovation.
On behalf of AeA, it was truly an honor to put on the 15th Annual AeA
High-Tech Innovation Awards Dinner & Technology Showcase and I'm
incredibly thankful for our generous
sponsors,
committee members, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to bring this
year's event to life!"
AeA added several new categories to this
year’s honorees. The AeA Engineering the Future Lifetime Achievement
Award was presented to Dr. Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos, Dean of The Henry
Samueli School of Engineering at UC Irvine. Kevin McDonald of Alvaka
Networks was awarded the Excellence in Government Advocacy award for
developing technology leadership committees for California legislators.
In addition, the Harvey Mudd College Green Engineering Award was
presented for the first time to Incuity Software.
The awards
event recognized local companies,
individuals and products in the technology field that drive innovation
in Orange County and the Inland Empire. Company and individual awardees
included
Epicor Software Corporation, Outstanding Public Company; Jim McCluney,
CEO,
Emulex Corporation, Outstanding Public Company CEO;
Anita Bessler, Edwards Lifesciences, Outstanding Woman in Technology;
EON Reality, Inc. – ICATCHER Mini, Product of the Year – Discreet
Hardware;
WebVisible, Inc. – Geneva, Product of the Year – Internet;
Edwards Lifesciences – PediaSat Oximetry Catheter, Product of the Year – Medical
Technology; and
WiSpry, Inc. – RF-MEMS, Product of the Year – Semiconductors, to name a
few.
In addition, AeA recognized
educators and students for their innovative use of math, science and
technology in the classroom in conjunction with
Project Tomorrow, the
nation’s leading education nonprofit group focused on preparing today’s
students to be tomorrow’s innovators, and their sponsor
EMULEX
Corporation.
Awardees within this category are Michael Jitosho, 12th Grade, Sonora High School, Fullerton Joint
Union School District, Emerging Student Innovator;
Stephen McCormack, biology teacher, Laguna Hills High School,
Saddleback Valley Unified School District, High-Impact Teacher in
Science, Math and Technology; and
Dr. Helene Cunningham, principal, Mariposa Elementary School, Brea-Olinda
Unified School District, Innovative School Program in Science, Math and
Technology.
To view a complete listing of the 15th Annual AeA High-Tech Awards
Dinner & Technology Showcase awardees,
please click here. To view a
listing of this
year's finalists, please click here.
Enjoy new awards photos below. To view more
awards and candid event photos, please
click
here...
Edwards Lifesciences
received the Product of the Year – Medical
Technology award for innovation of their PediaSat Oximetry Catheter
Fred Poska,
Deloitte, received the Greg Ross Community Service
award
Dr. Helene Cunningham, principal, Mariposa Elementary
School, Brea-Olinda
Unified School District, received the
Project Tomorrow: Innovative School
Program in
Science, Math and Technology award
James Williams
accepted the
Product of the Year – Internet award on behalf of WebVisible, Inc. for Geneva
Kevin
McDonald, Alvaka Networks,
received the
Excellence in Government Advocacy
Don Allen accepted the Harvey Mudd College
Green Engineering Award
on behalf ofIncuity Software, Inc.
Stephen McCormack, biology teacher,
Laguna Hills High School,
Saddleback Valley
Unified School District, received the
Project Tomorrow: High-Impact Teacher
in
Science, Math and Technology award
Axiom Microdevices, Inc.
received the
Outstanding Private Company award
Charlie Sundling, Pipeline CEO;
and Jason Childs, Vice President Sales & Marketing,
Stacoswitch Inc.
Dr. Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos, Dean of The Henry Samueli
School of Engineering at UC Irvine; and
James McCluney, President & CEO, Emulex Corporation
Roxanne Gould, Senior Vice President,
State Government Affairs, AeA; and Dan Ryan, CEO, EPIC
Kevin McDonald,
Alvaka Networks Vice President; and
Chris W. Hansen, President and CEO, AeA
Peter Fisk entertained guest with
classic
guitar performances during the
EPIC sponsored VIP Reception
WunderMarxPR's Cara
Good, President & CEO; and
Theresa Drieke, Account Manager
Keynote
Speaker
Keith Bradley, Ingram Micro Executive Vice President and President
for North America, is responsible for the
overall performance of Ingram Micro’s U.S. and Canadian operations.
Previously, as CFO of Ingram Micro's North America operations, he was
responsible for the accounting, credit and finance functions, as well as
overseeing the distributor’s in-house financial services company, which
develops and markets financial programs to customers and
manufacturers. Bradley joined Ingram Micro in 2000 as vice president and
controller for North America. Under his leadership, the controllership
group was instrumental in managing the region’s superior balance sheet,
enhancing margin and mitigating risk. In 2002, he helped to lead the
company’s U.S. profit enhancement program, which was completed ahead of
schedule and was a key driver in making the distributor a more efficient
and profitable organization.
Dr. Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos,
who was presented with the AeA Engineering
the Future Lifetime Achievement Award during the 15th Annual AeA
High-Tech Innovation Awards, is the dean of
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and professor of electrical
engineering and computer science at
University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine)
During his tenure at
UC Irvine, Dr. Alexopoulos has supported the creation of numerous school
and campus advancements, including the establishment of the National
Fuel Cell Research Center at UC Irvine in 1997, the Integrated
Nanosystems Research Facility in 1999, the founding of the Center for
Pervasive Communications and Computing in 2000, the initiation of and
support for the establishment of the California Institute for
Telecommunications and Information Technology in 2000, and the
development and launch of a new Biomedical Engineering Department in
2002. In 2006, the Center for Engineering Science in Design was
established, and the School celebrated the launch of a new program
called “LifeChips.” To read more, please click
here.
Deloitte
& Touche LLP Partner Fred Poska was presented with the Gregg
Ross Community Service Award. Poska, the Partner in Charge of the
High Technology Industry Group in Orange County, has over 31 years of
experience providing accounting and auditing services for companies in
technology-based industries, with extensive experience in emerging,
middle market and large high tech clients. Key services to these
companies include assistance with all types of SEC filings, mergers and
acquisitions, raising venture capital and other financing transactions.
He is also a software specialist.
Fred has also participated in many
initial public offerings with companies such as FileNET Corporation,
Wonderware Corporation, Simulation Sciences, Kofax Image Products,
Powerwave Technologies, Continuus Software, and Quest Software. He also
chairs the Orange County Fast 50 program, which annually recognizes the
50 fastest revenue growth companies over the last five years and is on
the steering committee of AEA High Tech Awards program.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree and
a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of
Illinois.
Product of the Year – Systems Hardware QLogic Corporation – 8 Gb Fibre Channel Storage Network
Product of the Year –
Telecommunications Comarco,
Inc. – QoS
Project Tomorrow: Emerging Student
Innovator Michael
Michael Jitosho, 12th Grade, Sonora High School, Fullerton Joint
Union School District
Project Tomorrow: High-Impact Teacher
in Science, Math and Technology Stephen McCormack, biology teacher, Laguna Hills High School,
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
Project Tomorrow: Innovative School
Program in Science, Math and Technology
Dr. Helene Cunningham, principal, Mariposa Elementary School, Brea-Olinda
Unified School District
Project Tomorrow:
Emerging Student Innovator Govil Gupta Northwood High School Irvine Unified School District Michael Jitosho, 12th Grade, Sonora High School, Fullerton
Joint Union School District (Award Recipient) Jose Tabarez San Clemente High School Capistrano Unified School District
Project Tomorrow:
High Impact Teacher of the Year in Science, Math and Technology Jeremy
Davis, Instructional Technology K-6 Trainer Teacher
(Magnolia School District)
Lee Kucera, AP
Statistics Teacher
Capistrano Valley High School (Capistrano Unified School District)
Stephen McCormack,
Biology Teacher (Award Recipient)
Laguna Hills High School (Saddleback Valley Unified School District)
Roger Musgrove,
Rapid Product Design and Engineering Technology Teacher
Trabuco Hills High School (Saddleback Valley Unified School District)
Sonia Regenfuss,
Science Department Chair
Arnold O. Beckman High School (Tustin Unified School District)
Project Tomorrow:
Innovative School Program of the Year in Science, Math and Technology: Computers
for Kids: Secure Their Tomorrow Today Helene Cunningham, Mariposa Elementary School (Brea Olinda Unified
School District) (Award Recipient)
Academy of
Technology, Math and Science Thomas Ressler, Capistrano Valley High School (Capistrano Unified School
District)
NASA Explorer School
Colette Wright, Lake View Elementary School (Ocean View School District)
The awards review committee include the
following:
Harvey Mudd
College Green Engineering Award Olivier Chaine, Chief Executive Officer, Magnify360
Richard C. Haskell, Ph.D., Harvey Mudd College
David Money Harris, Ph.D., Harvey Mudd College
Malcom Lewis, President, CTG Energetics
Project Tomorrow
Innovation in Education Award Christine Fox, State Education Technology Director's Association
Vivian Goldschmidt, Education Consultant
Rajeev Kapur, Greenwala, Inc.
Jeanie Luckenbaugh, Emulex
Syliva Martinez, Gen Yes
Project/Technology Judges Ed Doyle
Sigmund Fidyke
David George
Gene Goda
Rick Nelson
Jeff Reid
Dr. Sharon Stevenson
Norman Wolfe
AeA, the nation’s largest
technology trade association representing all segments of the high-tech
industry, is dedicated solely to helping our members’ top line and
bottom line. We do this in partnership with our small, medium, and large
member companies by lobbying governments at the state, federal, and
international levels, providing access to capital and business
opportunities, and offering select business services and networking
programs. For more information, please visit www.aeanet.org.
About AeA
) indicate exclusive features available to AeA Members.
AeA, the nation's
largest technology association, recognized top Southern California
innovators during its 15th Annual AeA
High-Tech Innovation Awards Dinner & Technology Showcase, Tuesday,
April 29, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. The awards event is Orange
County and Inland Empire's largest tech industry event of the year.
The ceremony opened with remarks by Don Hicks,
Executive Director, AeA Orange County/Inland Empire Council. 
The awards
event recognized local companies,
individuals and products in the technology field that drive innovation
in Orange County and the Inland Empire. Company and individual awardees
included
Epicor Software Corporation, Outstanding Public Company; Jim McCluney,
CEO, 
Keynote
Speaker
Keith Bradley, Ingram Micro Executive Vice President and President
for North America, is responsible for the
overall performance of Ingram Micro’s U.S. and Canadian operations.
Previously, as CFO of Ingram Micro's North America operations, he was
responsible for the accounting, credit and finance functions, as well as
overseeing the distributor’s in-house financial services company, which
develops and markets financial programs to customers and
manufacturers. Bradley joined Ingram Micro in 2000 as vice president and
controller for North America. Under his leadership, the controllership
group was instrumental in managing the region’s superior balance sheet,
enhancing margin and mitigating risk. In 2002, he helped to lead the
company’s U.S. profit enhancement program, which was completed ahead of
schedule and was a key driver in making the distributor a more efficient
and profitable organization.
