ITSMF Awards and Honorees 2023
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the esteemed judges who graciously lent their expertise in evaluating the nominations for the Technology Leaders Awards. Your invaluable assistance and commitment to excellence have been instrumental in recognizing and celebrating the achievements of exceptional technology leaders. Thank you for your time, dedication, and insightful evaluations. Together, we honor innovation and drive in the ever-evolving world of technology.
Brian Benn
Linda Clement-Holmes
Wm. Kenneth Freeman
DeWayne Griffin
Sherrie Littlejohn
Dr. Stephanie Parson, Ph.D.
Jerry Walker
For over 25 years, ITSMF has remained the premier national organization dedicated exclusively to cultivating executive talent among Black technology professionals. ITSMF increases the representation of Black professionals at senior levels in technology, to impact organizational innovation and growth. We do this by developing and nurturing these dynamic leaders through enrichment of the mind, body and soul.
In support of our mission, ITSMF is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual ITSMF Technology Leaders Awards. We invite you to nominate the best and brightest in the technology industry to be considered as a 2023 awardee.
Nomination Criteria / Eligibility
- The nominee must be aware of your nomination
- Anyone in the community may nominate deserving technology executives and entrepreneurs. There is no limit to the number of nominations you may submit
- All nominees should also demonstrate outstanding community service, impact and promote diversity within their organizations in alignment with ITSMF’s mission and goals.
- Nominee must be Black (African/Afro-descent or origin)
- Nominee must currently reside in the U.S. and have either U.S.-based or Global responsibility.
CATEGORIES
The Carl Williams Award
Under the leadership of Carl Williams, this 501c(3) organization began recruiting Black professionals who ranked among the Who’s Who in technology, along with companies and individuals that boldly dared to disrupt the status quo and seek more diversity, equity and inclusion among technology executives.
In support of our mission and memory of our founder, Carl Williams ITSMF is pleased to announce the launch of The Carl Williams Award and we invite you to Nominate the best and brightest in the technology industry to be considered as a 2023 awardee.
Qualifications:
All nominees must display the following characteristics for consideration:
- Leadership: The individual has demonstrated admirable leadership in the face of crisis or has shown a unique capacity to show up beyond their role. Leadership qualities include having a profound positive impact on people, continuously giving others the courage to excel, and welcoming and mentoring those around them who are not immediate direct reports.
- Courage: The individual has taken stands on issues important to them and their work and is willing to push their organization and the technology industry to do better.
- Integrity: The individual embodies qualities such as fairness, a commitment to equity, and a willingness to admit faults and learn from mistakes. This individual consistently exhibits ethical behaviors publicly and privately and inspires others to exemplify principled values.
- Unapologetically Bold: The individual has built a strong community around him/her to assist others in excelling. This individual is willing to take risks to create positive change and improve our world.
- Strategic Thinker: This individual holistically examines goals and desired outcomes, anticipates variables, overcomes obstacles, applies data-driven decision-making, and is creative, innovative, and inclusive when exploring solutions. S/he thrives on continual learning and self-improvement and generously shares knowledge with others.
- Community Champion: The individual is a steadfast advocate for the Black community. S/he has a passionate soul and continuously seeks ways to support others and mentor the next generation of Black leaders. As a leader in the community, the individual works hard to promote unity, expose and fix inequity and injustices, and help others achieve excellence.
Eligibility requirements:
- Be a current member of ITSMF for at least 10 consecutive years in either an Executive or Associate member classification.
- The individual’s contributions to ITSMF promote inclusivity, diversity, and equity in the IT field.
- The individual also promotes the goals and philosophies of ITSMF.
Technology Executive of the Year (C-Suite executives only) nominees must be the highest-ranking Technology/Digital Executive of a company who is also a thought leader or influencer. Nominee must demonstrate outstanding community service, impact and promote diversity within their organizations in alignment with ITSMF’s mission and goals.
Technology Executive of the Year – Global
(Leader of a Fortune 100 company with reach beyond the U.S. and U.S. territories)
• Technology Executive of the Year – Enterprise/Corporate
(Leader of a Fortune 1000 company with local or global reach)
• Technology Executive of the Year – Education
(Leader of an accredited U.S. based secondary institution, college or university)
• Technology Executive of the Year – Nonprofit/Public Sector
(Leader of government institution or other not-for-profit organization generating at minimum $1M in revenue)
• Technology Executive of the Year – SMB (Small and Medium-sized Business)
(Leader of a business with 100 or fewer employees (small), or 100-999 employees (medium-sized)
Entrepreneur of the Year ($1Million – $5 Million) – (C-Suite executives only) nominees must be the Founder/Owner of a technology product or services company with $1M – $5 M in annual revenue who is also a thought leader or influencer. Nominee must demonstrate outstanding community service, impact and promote diversity within their organizations in alignment with ITSMF’s mission and goals.
Entrepreneur of the Year (More than $5 Million) – (C-Suite executives only) nominees must be the Founder/Owner of a technology product or services company with more than $5M in annual revenue who is also a thought leader or influencer. Nominee must demonstrate outstanding community service, impact and promote diversity within their organizations in alignment with ITSMF’s mission and goals.
Technology Leader on the Rise – (non C-Suite executives) nominees are Technology/Digital Executives one or two levels from the C-Suite (i.e. Director, VP or VP-equivalent) who is also a thought leader or influencer. Nominee must demonstrate outstanding community service, impact and promote diversity within their organizations in alignment with ITSMF’s mission and goals.
• Technology Leader on the Rise – Global
(Leader of a Fortune 100 company with reach beyond the U.S. and U.S. territories)
• Technology Leader on the Rise – Enterprise/Corporate
(Leader of a Fortune 1000 company with local or global reach)
• Technology Leader on the Rise – Education
(Leader of an accredited U.S. based secondary institution, college or university)
• Technology Leader on the Rise – Nonprofit/Public Sector
(Leader of government institution or other not-for-profit organization generating at minimum $1M in revenue)
• Technology Leader on the Rise – SMB (Small and Medium-sized Business)
(Leader of a business with 100 or fewer employees (small), or 100-999 employees (medium-sized)
ITSMF Fellows
Highest ITSMF honor bestowed. Compare in prestige to the Kennedy Center awards. There is a rubric for the qualification criteria:
- Distinctive Fortune 50 or 100 executive leader or equivalent classification
- Recognized industry leadership and/or status as an industry influencer (by organizations such as BEYA, Black Enterprise, CIO Magazine, Computerworld or Various “Who’s Who”, etc.)
- Member of a National, public board
- Consistent and active engagement, stewardship, and leadership within ITSMF for at least 10 years
Nominees
Marilyn Crouther
CEO & Principal
Crouther Consulting LLC
Art Hopkins
Global Technology Officers Practice Co-Leader
Russel Reynolds Associates
Winners
Marilyn Crouthers
- 300 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America – Black Enterprise
- DC’s Top 50 Women in Technology five consecutive years (2014-2018)
- She serves as a sponsor and mentor
- established the Crouther Scholarship Endowment at their beloved alma mater, Mississippi State University, for African American students majoring in Engineering or Accounting.
Art Hopkins
- Community involvement is focused on education and Workforce Development
- Board Service on the board of Junior Achievement of Georgia, Georgia’s Commission for School Board Reform, as Board Chair of the W. E. B. Du Bois Society, and on the Board of Directors of ITSMF
- Serves as a matchmaker ideally identifying people who are on their way and providing some accelerant to the process.
ITSMF Executive Member of the Year
This award is presented to the ITSMF Executive Member who meets the criteria established for Executive member of the Year (i.e., ITSMF- focused mentorship, stewardship, and advocacy). One singular winner per year. As of 2022 – the winner will also receive their Executive membership dues as complimentary for one year.
Nominees
Eddie Bright
President and Global CEO
HCM Staffing and Consulting Group
Diana Caplinger
Managing Director, Digital Nexus Executive, Systems of Action
KPMG
Damani Short
Founder & CEO
Lexico
Winner
Eddie Bright
- Involved in hundreds of placement of Black technology executives over the past 10 years
ITSMF Associate Member of the Year
This award is presented to the ITSMF Associate Member who meets the criteria established for Associate Member of the Year (i.e., ITSMF- focused mentorship, stewardship, and advocacy). One singular winner per year. As of 2022 – the winner will also receive their Associate Membership dues as complimentary for one year.
Nominees
Timothy May
Senior Manager, Portfolio & Solutions
Deloitte Technology
Mwiza Munyandamutsa
Chief of Staff to the VP of IT
Cisco
TiaEn Stephenson
Product Management Senior Principal
Accenture Song
Winner
TiaEn Stephenson
- EMERGE Academy Graduation of 2018 (SOAR24)
- Director’s Award Recipient
- Founder and President of DFW Hawks Youth Sports Organization
- Board Member of Scholarshots
ITSMF Partner of the Year
This award is presented to the Corporate Partner based on their stewardship and advocacy in support of ITSMF. The Partner of the Year is announced during the ITSMF Leadership Awards event.
Winner
ITSMF Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Scholarships are awarded to deserving black STEM students (high school to college). Each recipient is awarded one of the named ITSMF scholarships. ITSMF scholarships are established in the name of ITSMF Fellows, Founders and other named ITSMF Executive members who have made financial contributions over the years.
Carl C. Williams Scholarship Winners
Barnard College – Computer Science
University of Kentucky – Information Communication Technology
ITSMF Fellows Scholarship Winners
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff – Computer Science
Georgia State University – Computer Information Systems
ITSMF Technology Leader Awards
The ITSMF Technology Leaders Awards replaces the prior ITSMF Technology Achievement Awards.
Previously, the Technology Achievement honorees were 1 to 4 individuals hand-selected by a few members of the ITSMF Executive Office and a small set of volunteers (1 to 3 volunteers).
The newly launched (2022) Technology Leaders Award solicits nominees from the public and industry using a set of published qualification criteria. The finalists are selected by a panel of their IT industry peers serving as judges. The award categories have been expanded to include those from all sectors and verticals (i.e. corporate, education, non-profit, entrepreneurs).
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award recognizes the lasting contributions, leadership, enthusiasm, and tireless efforts of industry luminaries who’ve committed themselves and who have had a transformative effect on their organization and the technology industry. These individuals have provided a long-standing commitment to excellence, thought leadership on the industry’s strategic direction, served on boards of industry organizations, served their communities and served as mentors to countless others.
Winner
SVP & Chief Culture Diversity Equity & Inclusion Officer (retired)
Walmart
- 33 years in Technology Jobs
- ITSMF Executive Member for 20 years
Carl C. Williams Award
Nominees
Douglas Ash
CEO and Founder
RisingTide Coaching and Consulting
Gregory Morrison
CEO
KMM Partners
Winner
Douglas Ash
- 37 years of professional experience
- Board of Director for Platinum Technologies and Innocent Lives Foundation
- Former 2 term chairman for ITSMF Board of Directors
- Howard University Board of Visitors for the College of Engineering
- BDPA Director
- Founder and Board Chairman fo the Kids’ Sake Foundation
Gregory Morrison
- US Black Engineer Magazine’s Most Important Blacks in Technology for nine consecutive years from 2005-2013
- Computerworld Magazine’s Premier 100 IT Leaders
- Serves on three public corporate Board of Directors: Veritex Holdings, Rollins, Inc., and Veritiv Corporation
- Serves on two private company boards: Amerisure Insurance
- Listed by Black Enterprises as one of 300 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America
- Savory Magazine’s named as one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America
- Inducted into the Public Education Foundation of North Carolina Hall of Fame
- Received the Epsilon Award for Lifetime Career Achievement from the National BDPA
- CIO Hall of Fame
- 2020 Georgia CIO Lifetime Achievement ORBIE Award
- Business to Business Magazine named him an IMPACT Leader
- Inducted into the Public Education Foundation of North Carolina Hall of Fame
- ITSMF Founder and Fellow
Technology Executive of the Year
Nominees
Dwayne Allen
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Unisys
Dr. Lawrence Anderson
Chief Technology and Operations Officer
National Student Clearinghouse
Patricia Bransford
CEO
National Urban Technology Center (Urban Tech)
M. Hans Delly
Managing Director
Slalom
Michael Demissie
Managing Director & Global Head of Innovation and Advanced Solutions
BNY Mellon
Michelle Greene
Chief Information Officer
Cardinal Health
James Johnson II
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
James Hardie Industries
Maureen Jules-Perez
Managing Vice President – People Technology
Capital One
Rod McDaniel
CEO
S3 Recycling Solutions
Julius Smith
Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
Technology Executive of the Year – Global | Winner
(Leader of a Fortune 100 company with reach beyond the U.S. and U.S. territories)
Michelle Greene
- Sponsor of Cardinal Health’s STEM Initiative
- Co-sponsor BOLD, the Black & African-American employee resource group
- Serves on the Women’s Impact Network Leadership Team
- Executive advisor for the Black and African American Equity Cabinet
- 2023 Forbes CIO Next List
Technology Executive of the Year – Enterprise | Winner
(Leader of a Fortune 1000 company with local or global reach)
Maureen Jules-Perez
Technology Executive of the Year – Large Business | Winner
(Leader of a business with 1000 or more employees )
Rod McDaniel
- Board of Directors on the Greater Nashville Technology Council
- Recognized by Nashville Business Journal’s “40 Under 40”
- Finalist of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leader Award
- Recognized as Nashville Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs
- Named to NBJ’s 2022 Power 100 List
- ITSMF Management Academy Graduate
Technology Executive of the Year – Non-Profit/Public Sector | Winner
(Leader of an accredited U.S. based secondary institution, college or university)
Patricia Bransford
- Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from The Catholic University of America
- MBA from New York University, Stern School of Business
- Established 750 computer training systems across the US
- 25 years at IBM impacting strategic planning, marketing and implementation of large-scale system projects
Technology Leader on the Rise
Daniel Adeboyejo
Director, Technology and Security Strategy and Customer Experience
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Ria Aiken
Head of Product Technology – US Retail Banking
Citi
Dane Bamburry
Senior Director, Enterprise Architecture
Cox Enterprises
Shawana Gaines
Head of Regional and Site Services
HP
Kenny Goodwin
IT Division Director
Mecklenburg County
Jane Harper
Assoc. Vice President Info Security, Risk Management & Business Engagement
Eli Lilly
Melanie Hoskins
Director, Global Public Policy
HP
Christopher Lemoine
SVP-Business Analyst-Project Management Organization Lead
Citi
Trina Nkhazi
Executive Director, Innovation Delivery, Budget & Performance
City of Atlanta
Theodore (Ted) Scott
Senior Relationship Technology Portfolio Account Manager
Deloitte
Antonio Taylor
Vice President of Infrastructure, Security and Services
Transnetyx
Technology Leader on the Rise – Global | Winner
(Leader of a Fortune 100 company with reach beyond the U.S. and U.S. territories)
Melanie Hoskins
- Tax CPA turned tech professional
- Public Policy PhD Candidate
- County Election Commissioner
Technology Leader on the Rise – Enterprise | Winner
(Leader of a Fortune 1000 company with local or global reach)
Jane Harper
- Past Secretary of Executive Board and current Board Member National Cyber Security Alliance
- Board and Development Committee for Easter Seals Crossroads
- Certified as a CRISC, CHC, CISA, ITIL, CRCMP, and CISSP
- Certified Chief Risk Officer
- Recognitions and awards include, including Women of Influence, Crain’s Detroit’s 40 under 40, Crain’s Detroit Notable Woman in Tech, Oakland County Elite 40 Under 40, and Michigan Chronicle’s Woman of Excellence.
- Executive Academy Graduation Class of 2022
Technology Leader on the Rise – Non-Public/Public Sector | Winner
(Leader of a government institution or other not-for-profit organization generating at minimum $1M in revenue)
Ria Aiken
- Mentor for Executive Women’s Forum for Information Security and IT Risk
- Board member Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Alumni Board – Atlanta
- Advisory Board Member, Georgia State University Evidenced Based Cybersecurity Research Group, Andrew Young School of Public Policy
- United Negro College Fund/Atlanta Housing Authority Scholarship Committee
- Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President’s Award Nominee.
- Senior Advisor for Preserving Pauli Murray LLC
Technology Leader on the Rise – Large | Winner
(Leader of government institution or other not-for-profit organization generating at minimum $1M in revenue)
Antonio Taylor
- Serves as marketing chair for SIM Memphis and Setting the Standard Enterprise organization
- Recipient of Mid-South Quality Award for Process Improvement
- Lean six sigma black belt, ITIL Foundations, and Lean IT certifications
Entrepreneur of the Year
Nominees
Tope Awotona
Founder/CEO
Calendly
Eric Hardy
Founder/President & CEO
w3r
Gene Waddy
Founder/CEO
Alpha Business Solutions
Winner
Erick Hardy
- Chairman of the Henry Ford Health Hospital and Physician Network
Entrepreneur of the Year
Nominees
Ron Meeting
CEO
Rapid Strategy, Inc.
Winner
Ron Meeting
- Bachelors in Business from Appalachian State University
- Masters in Cybersecurity from University of Maryland
- Recognized 2 times as Global CISO
- Mentors children seeking to break into cybersecurity industry through Diversity CISO
- Board Member of Appalachian State University’s Computer Information QC Social With a Purpose (SWAP
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