APEX Awards - Colorado Technology Association

Celebrating the best of the best in Colorado tech

The APEX Awards recognize Colorado’s technology excellence, highlighting remarkable leaders and innovators. Since 2001, CTA has hosted this prestigious event to bring together the community and celebrate the exceptional people, companies and accomplishments of the year. Join us on November 6 as we recognize the best of the best in Colorado tech and celebrate CTA’s 25th Anniversary!

This year’s APEX Awards will include all your favorite parts of the event with some new addition including more dedicated time for networking, a pre-awards reception featuring local food vendors and a live band! (If you’ve attended our Sip & Connect event in the past, you will love this year’s APEX Awards!) Don’t miss out on the opportunity to come together and celebrate with friends and co-workers, cheer on the community and wrap up the year in a big way. Want a closer look at the APEX Awards, check out photos from the 2018 APEX Awards, including on the Red Carpet.

Presented by

With Media Partner

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

5:30 – 8:30 pm

Infinity Park Event Center

4400 E Kentucky Ave, Glendale, CO 80246

#APEXCO

2019 NOMINEES

Bluestaq LLC
CableLabs
Cherwell Software
Children’s Hospital Colorado
DCP Midstream
Gorilla Logic
Governor’s Office of IT
H5 Data Centers
HomeSphere
HSS, Inc
Ibotta
LogRhythm
ManagedMethods
Mobile Solutions
NexusTek
Optiv Security
Platte River Networks
Proximity
Pulte Mortgage
QwipIt Inc
Rule4
St. Vrain Valley Schools
SunTech Drive, LLC
Swiftpage
SYMMETRIX Solutions
Techtonic
Visible
Michael Archuleta, Mt San Rafael Hospital
Lauren Barnes, University of Denver
Deborah Blyth, State of Colorado
Kristi Brin, Newmont Goldcorp, Inc.
Alan Buller, FEDC TechSTART
Luis Canepari, Newmont Goldcorp
James Carder, LogRhythm
Nicole Chen, Cherry Creek High School
Kyle Coberly, Flatiron School
Jamie Cohen, ANGI Homeservices
Josh Couper, Flatiron School
Kylee Eikenberg, Slalom Consulting, LLC
Bill Fathers, Cologix
Dani Fitch, Arrow Electronics
Hank Gardner Jr., CSU
Emma Goodwill, University of Colorado Boulder
Don Haddad, St. Vrain Valley Schools
Trent R. Hein, Rule4
Amber Hollenbeck, Mobile Solutions
Jim Johnson, Mobile Solutions
Noah Kaplin, Governor’s Office of IT
Lucy Kiefer, St. Mary’s Academy
Bryan Leach, Ibotta
Tim O’Shea, Engage Colorado
Kevin Pennock, Frontier Airlines
Brandon Ridenour, ANGI Homeservices
Dennis Robinson, XTIVIA
John Street, Pax8
Makenna Turner, Peak to Peak Charter School
Tamela Vaughn, Pinnacol Assurance
Alex Wood, Pulte Group

PROGRAM

5:30 pm // Reception + Networking

7:15 pm // Award Ceremony

8:30 pm // After Party

AWARDS

Advocate of the Year

This individual is advancing the technology industry in Colorado through their leadership in moving forward policies and ideas that ensure our state’s status as a prominent tech hub.
2018 Winner – State Senator Jack Tate
Past Recipients

2017 – State Representative Tracy Kraft-Tharp
2016 – Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers
2015 – State Sen. Rollie Heath and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet
2014 – Representative Dan Pabon and Paul Washington, Denver OED
2013 – Rep. Angela Williams and Sen. Mark Scheffel
2011 – Speaker of the House Frank McNulty, House Majority Leader Amy Stephens, Representative Carole Murray, Senator Cheri Jahn and Senator Linda Newell
2010 – Representative Mike May, Senator Josh Penry and the Republican Caucus
2005 – Brian Vogt, OEDIT
2018 Nominees

Not Listed

CEO of the Year

This creative, innovative and determined founder or CEO leads a Colorado-based tech company. In addition to the daily role of leading their company, they work to drive the vibrancy of the tech economy beyond their business.
2018 Winner – Brock Berry, AdCellerant
Past Recipients

2017 – Shawn Mills, Green House Data
2016 – Annette Quintana, Istonish
2015 – Dave Wright, SolidFire
2018 Nominees

Rupali Raghavan CEO Sairoop Technologies
Alan Curtis CEO Radar Relay
Dennis Robinson CEO XTIVIA
Brock Berry CEO AdCellerant
Andrew Funk CEO OverWatchID
Michael Simpson CEO PAIRIN
Pamela Glick CEO SyncHR
Brett Jurgens CEO Notion
Bryan Leach CEO Ibotta
Amy Zupon CEO Vertafore
Jim Johnson CEO Mobile Solutions
Yoav Lurie CEO Simple Energy
Chris Terrill CEO HomeAdvisor
J. Michael Jenner CEO NexusTek
Jarret Winkelman CEO Incident Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT)

CISO of the Year

This innovative Chief Information Security Officer has implemented a security program that accelerated the success of her/his Colorado-based business. Utilizing people, processes and technologies, this security leader has positioned the security program to deliver on the core mission of the organization.
2018 Winner – Robb Reck, Ping Identity
Past Recipients

2017 – Matt Shufeldt, Cognizant
2018 Nominees

Robb Reck Ping Identity
Rich Schliep CO Secretary of State
James Carder LogRyhthm
Deborah Blyth State of Colorado

Company of the Year

This Colorado-based company’s overall performance sets it apart as a leader through technical innovation and concrete examples of how it is meeting a need in the marketplace. This company also is a strong leader in the community and shows corporate responsibility.
2018 Winner – HomeAdvisor
Past Recipients

2017 – SendGrid
2016 – ViaWest
2015 – SpotX
2014 – LogRhythm
2013 – Ping Identity
2012 – Mercury
2011 – Rivet Software
2010 – ServiceMagic
2009 – GTRI
2007 – Webroot
2006 – Webroot
2005 – Webroot
2004 – eCollege
2003 – FRxSoftware
2002 – DataTrend Information Systems
2018 Nominees

YouSeeU
Felt
Western Rise
Platte River Networks
H5 Data Centers
Madwire®
Gorilla Logic
AdCellerant
NewCloud Networks
P2 Energy Solutions
Apto
St. Vrain Valley Schools
Vertafore
Learn-Skillz
American Sentinel University
Ibotta
Mobile Solutions
Arrow
Funovation
Simple Energy
Pinnacol Assurance
Simple Energy
HomeAdvisor
Njevity, Inc.

Emerging Tech Company of the Year

This is Colorado’s most promising emerging company in operation for five years or less. They are innovative and identified a need in the marketplace for the product or service.
2018 Winner – Pax8
Past Recipients

2017 – PAIRIN
2016 – Couragion
2015 – BluFlux
2014 – GeoPoll
2013 – Cloud Elements
2018 Nominees

PlayerLync
ThrivePass
Pax8
OverWatchID
Mantix4
Process Server Technology, LLC
Oracle
Homebot
Frustum
Swimlane
Invotra

Talent Champion of the Year

This individual builds and strengthens the technology talent pipeline by leading and supporting initiatives to construct and ensure a strong, diverse local pipeline of tech workers in the state.
2018 Winner – Heather Terenzio , Techtonic Group
Past Recipients

2017 – Global MindED
2016 – CareerWise Colorado
2015 – Blind Institute of Technology
2018 Nominees

Louise March P-TECH School Counselor FalconTech High School
Scott Laband President Colorado Succeeds
Heather Terenzio CEO Techtonic Group
Shari Plantz-Masters, Ph.D. Dean, College of Computer & Information Sciences Regis University
Patty Lopez Platform Applications Engineer Intel Corporation
Arlen Meyers Board Chair GlobalMindED
Arrow Electronics – Summer Intern Program Arrow Electronics
Heather Terenzio CEO/Co-Founder Techtonic Group
Alan Buller Intern Coordinator FEDC TechSTART
Stephanie Veck Immediate Past Director & Project Adviser Colorado Workforce Development Council
Sandi Mays Founder, CIO and EVP Zayo

Bob Newman Lifetime Achievement

This individual has made outstanding achievements and commitments to furthering innovative technology in our community and the state and has contributed to the initiatives of Colorado Technology Association.
2018 Winner – Kristin Russell, Arrow Electronics
Past Recipients

2017 – Andre Durand, Ping Identity
2016 – Lucy Sanders, NCWIT
2015 – Steve Halstedt
2014 – J.B. Holston, Sitrion
2013 – Dan Caruso, Zayo Group
2012 – Nancy Sauer
2011 – John Oechsle, DigitalGlobe
2010 – Nancy Phillips, ViaWest
2009 – Jon Nordmark, eBags and Wambo
2008 – Brad Feld, Foundry Group
2007 – Barbara Bauer, GlobalSight Partners
2006 – Scott Burt, Integro
2005 – Bob Ogdon, Swiftpage
2004 – Donna Auguste, Leave A Little Room Foundation
2003 – Wayne Berger, Solano Foundation
2002 – Donald J. McCubbery, University of Denver
2001 – Bob Newman, JD Edwards
2018 Nominees

Not Listed

CIO of the Year

This outstanding Chief Information Officer has demonstrated considerable ingenuity in leading an IT team and implementing technology projects that demonstrably improve the effectiveness of their organization.
2018 Winner – Suma Nallapati , Governor’s Office of Information Technology
Past Recipients

2017 – Jeff Robertson, DigitalGlobe
2016 – Vin Melvin, Arrow Electronics
2015 – John Swieringa, CIO of the Year
2014 – Dave Anderson, CH2M Hill
2018 Nominees

Joe McBreen CTO St. Vrain Valley Schools
Brandi Vandegriff Vice President of Technology KPA, LLC
Suma Nallapati State CIO Governor’s Office of Information Technology

Colorado Entrepreneur Excellence

This entrepreneurial leader has contributed to multiple businesses, with at least one as a tech company started, grown and operated in Colorado. They have a true passion to seek out problems to solve, and they organize, manage and assume the risk of a business or enterprise.
2018 Winner – Sudha Chandrasekharan, Learn-Skillz
Past Recipients

2017 – Elia Wallen, Traveler’s Haven & Hotel Engine
2016 – Page Tucker, ProStar Geocorp
2014 – Jeremy Ostermiller, Altitutde Digital
2013 – Peter Hudson, iTriage LLC
2012 – Bart Lorang, FullContact
2011 – Bob Ogdon, Swiftpage
2010 – Roy Dimoff, ViaWest
2009 – John Tredennick, Catalyst Repository Systems
2018 Nominees

Michael C. Wilson Founder & CTO PasswordPing
Bryan Jordan President VistaWorks
Sudha Chandrasekharan Founder Learn-Skillz
Shannon Block Founder World Forward Foundation

Emerging Leader of the Year

This Emerging Leader has demonstrated a commitment to the Colorado tech industry by showing passion for technology and making significant contributions to their organization or the industry overall. They excel at their role and actively seek opportunities to grow professionally and personally. This individual shows great potential to grow in their area of expertise and as a leader in the tech community.
2018 Winner – Samuel Thomas Elliot, Amnet
Past Recipients

This is a new category in 2018!
2018 Nominees

Dani Fitch Chief of Staff to the President, Global Services Arrow Electronics
Amber Hollenbeck Vice President of Product Strategy Mobile Solutions
Samuel Thomas Elliott Business Technology Advisor Amnet

Project of the Year

This project, implemented by an innovative IT department, solved a business problem with strategic objectives and innovation and overcame obstacles, met goals and demonstrated team collaboration.
2018 Winner – Levels Beyond
Past Recipients

2017 – Braxton Technologies
2016 – Arrow Electronics & Indiegogo Certification Program
2015 – DigitalGlobe
2014 – GoCode Colorado, Colorado Secretary of State’s Office
2013 – Governor’s Office of Information Technology
2012 – Pixorial
2011 – PEI
2010 – Lincoln Trust Company
2018 Nominees

Colorado Department of State
Camp Bow Wow
Denver Public Library
JBS USA
Media Audits International
Levels Beyond
Computershare Loan Services
Governor’s Office of Information Technology
City and County of Denver
Pinnacol Assurance
Mobile Solutions
Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority

Youth Tech Leader of the Year

This Colorado student leverages tech through a club or community group to advance tech education and innovation in unique and impactful ways for fellow students, his or her school and the local community.
2018 Winner – Shreya Nallapati
Past Recipients

This is a new category in 2018!
2018 Nominees

Nicole Chen Student Cherry Creek HS
Shreya Nallapati Student Rock Canyon High School
Jordon Monk and Reade Webb Student STEM School Highlands Ranch
Crystal Garay Student High Tech Early College

NOMINATION FAQS

What is the judging process?

Leaders within the community are selected to serve as judges for their knowledge of the community and their ability to be unbiased to nominees. Nominations are given to them to review individually, where they score each on several criteria, then they all convene to make final decisions on finalists and winners. CTA brings these judges together, but does not make any decisions on winners.
Who are the judges and how are they selected?

Judges are key thought leaders in the Colorado technology community who have expertise related to the categories they are judging.
Do nominees need to be headquartered in Colorado?

APEX is designed to recognize and promote the Colorado technology industry. To be eligible for Company of the Year and Emerging Tech Company of the Year, the company needs to be headquartered in Colorado.