The annual CityLIGHTS awards gala is the Midwest technology community's premier award event, honoring outstanding technology companies, executives, and advocates in Illinois each year. CityLIGHTS began in 1999 under the umbrella of the Chicago Software Association (CSA) and has witnessed the transition of the CSA to the Illinois Technology Association (ITA), who continues to host the event. ITA has the distinct privilege of honoring the area's technology leaders as well as the industry's most ardent supporters. The six awards that make up the core of this celebration touch different individuals and organizations that have helped collaborate and the bring the community together.
CityLIGHTS has a proud legacy and the Illinois Technology Association is pleased to be honoring such outstanding candidates year after year. Past winners include:
2009
Newcomer Award: crowdSPRING
Spotlight Award: Rich Holada, SPSS Inc.
Rising Star Award: Aleri
Lighthouse: SmartSignal
CEO of the Year Award: Bill Conroy, Initiate Systems
CityLIGHTS Award: Linda Darragh, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
2008
CityLIGHTS Award: Eric Olson and Frank Gruber, founders, TECH cocktail
CEO of the Year Award: Dick Costelo, CEO, FeedBurner & Robert McCullen, Chairman & CEO, Trustwave
Spotlight Award: Virgil Bistriceanu, CTO, Centro
Lighthouse Award: NAVTEQ
Rising Star Award: Model Metrics
Newcomer Award: The Point
2007
CityLIGHTS Award: Dick Reck, President, Business Strategy Advisors
CEO of the Year Award: Robert Post, President and CEO, TravelCLICK
Spotlight Award: William Farrow, EVP and CIO, Chicago Board of Trade
Lighthouse Award: Initiate Systems
Rising Star Award: Authentify
Newcomer Award: Cleversafe
2006
CityLIGHTS Award: David Weinstein, President, Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
CEO of the Year Award: Glen Tullman, CEO, Allscripts
Spotlight Award: Michael Carlin, VP and CIO, Hospira, Inc.
Lighthouse Award: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
Rising Star Award: R3 Systems Group
Newcomer Award: Univa Corporation
2005
CityLights Award: Cathy Gunn, North Central Regional Education Laboratory
Angel Award: William N Weaver, Sachnoff & Weaver
Spotlight Award: Jonathan Stevens, CDW
Lighthouse Award: SEI, LLC
Rising Star Award: The Opus Group
2004
CityLights Award: Adarsh Arora, Lisle Technologies
Angel Award: Steve Miller, Origin Ventures
Spotlight Award: Chris O'Brien, City of Chicago
Lighthouse Award: SSA Global Technologies, Inc.
Rising Star Award: FiveSight
2002
CityLights Award: Scott Glickson, Gordon & Glickson
Angel Award: Bob Geras, LaSalle Investments Inc
Spotlight Award: Jean Holley, USG Corporation
Lighthouse Award: Lakeview Technology
Rising Star Award: Cognitive Concepts
2001
CityLights Award: Dennis Keller, DeVry
Angel Award: Barry Moltz, Prairie Angels
Spotlight Award: Ken Kennedy, Telution, Inc
Lighthouse Award: Endeavor Information Systems
Rising Star Award: RedSky Technologies Inc
2000
CityLights Award: Leslie Beller, i.c.stars
Lighthouse Award: SPSS
Rising Star Award: Telution
1999
CityLights Award: Mayor Richard Daley
Lighthouse Award: InstallSheild Software Corp.
Rising Star Award: coolsavings.com
