In 1998, when the first Georgia CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Awards was presented, it was the products, not the people, who were at the center of attention.
Laptop of the Year, Printer of the Year and PC Magazine’s Editor’s Choice awards were common, but it was a start-up called Intellinet that noticed the real heroes were Chief Information Officers (CIOs) who implemented these products, developed solutions and created business value for their organizations.
Roll the clock ahead twenty years, and today CIOs are at the center of business transformation for all organizations. Technology is the engine that drives innovation and growth in every industry and sector in our global economy. It is the leaders who facilitate change by tech-enabling their organizations who are the rock stars of business today.
The first CIO of the Year Awards was not only a trailblazer for recognizing the people leading transformation, but eventually led to creating GeorgiaCIO - a local, member-centric, professional organization dedicated to helping corporate technology leaders foster meaningful relationships, share best practices, solve problems and achieve their leadership potential.
In 2015, we launched BostonCIO which led to forming the Inspire CIO Leadership Network (InspireCIO), a national professional association for CIOs with local chapters in Alabama, Arizona, Austin, Bay Area, Boston, DC (Capital Area), Charlotte, Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Florida, Georgia, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Philadelphia, Seattle, SoCal, St. Louis, Tennessee, Twin Cities, & Wisconsin. Today, we are proud to be in these 25 chapters growing relationships, recognizing professional achievements and inspiring the next generation of technology leaders.
The CIOs honored through the CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards are inspiring and challenge all of us to step up and lead well in our organizations. The power of CIOs working together – across public and private business, government, education, healthcare and nonprofit organizations – is incredible. Together, we are making a difference transforming our organizations with technology and enriching our world.
Finalists and winners are selected through a rigorous, independent judging process led by prior ORBIE winners.
Since inception of the first CIO of the Year Awards in 1998, over 500 CIO of the Year winners have received the prestigious ORBIE Award.
The ORBIE Award is synonymous with the excellence the Award represents, meticulously handcrafted from steel and crystal - symbols of honor and achievement. The ORBIE signifies exceptional leadership, innovation, and vision; representing the characteristics and qualities that inspire others to achieve their potential.
