Chesapeake Regional Tech Council Announces TechAwards 2012 Finalists

Annapolis, MD – February 22, 2012 – The Chesapeake Regional Tech Council (CRTC) today announced the finalists for the upcoming seventh annual TechAwards 2012: Vision 2032+. The CRTC received nearly 40 submissions in five categories from a variety of accomplished technology businesses throughout the Annapolis-Washington-Baltimore region that demonstrated impressive growth, innovation and community service. A 12-member selection committee spent two weeks examining the nominations and criteria and then voted on the top contenders. Winners will be announced at the TechAwards event on the evening of March 29, 2012 at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport.

Categories and Finalists include:

The Tech Company of the Year Award is given to a company that has achieved significant milestones in the past year and demonstrates itself as a recognized force in the local technology community. Finalists include:

Battlefield Telecommunications Systems (BTS)- Columbia, MD. BTS provides advanced, mobile telecommunications technology, software development and integration for the U.S. government and the private sector. Since the company’s formation in 2008, BTS has been at the forefront of engineering advanced artificial and collective intelligence algorithms to automate the complexities of deploying and managing telecommunications networks in both the military and commercial sectors. http://www.UnleashBTS.com

Inovex Information Systems Inc.- Annapolis, MD. Inovex is a Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) IT consulting firm supporting Government and Commercial organizations. Inovex offers senior technologists with expert skills in requirements matching, technology development, integration, support and business process solutions in the fields of System Engineering, Software Development and Knowledge Management. http://www.inovexcorp.com

Vocus- Greenbelt, MD. Vocus provides cloud-based marketing and PR software that helps organizations reach and influence buyers across social networks, online and through the media. Vocus offers suites of software for online marketing, social media and PR that make it easy for organizations to generate online visibility, build their social networks and attract new customers in today's new customer-led buying cycle. Vocus software is used by more than 40,000 organizations in seven languages. http://www.vocus.com

The Innovator Award recognizes a company that best exhibits new technologies, innovative strategies for business partnerships and maximizing, enhancing and advancing technology in the Annapolis-Washington-Baltimore area. Finalists include:

Lookingglass Cyber Solutions- Baltimore, MD. Lookingglass Cyber Solutions is a cyber security software company delivering deep visibility into the Internet threat landscape. Lookingglass helps organizations accurately and precisely anticipate and protect against targeted attacks by gathering, correlating and analyzing threat information from within their own networks, supply chains and the rest of the Internet. The company’s core product, ScoutVision, leverages an open architecture, which provides source and sensor agnostic Internet threat visibility - to help users rapidly respond to enterprise network threats – often before they can impact operations. http://www.lgscout.com

OpenAmplify- Annapolis, MD. OpenAmplify is a technology company specializing in natural language processing and text analysis. Over the past seven years, they have developed a multi-patented text analysis platform that has been road tested in real-world commercial applications. They have worked with hundreds of customers over the past few years, and some of the largest ad and media agencies use OpenAmplify technology every day. http://www.openamplify.com

TRX Systems- Greenbelt, MD. TRX Systems develops products that deliver precise, infrastructure-free location and tracking for personnel in areas where GPS is not reliable or is unavailable. TRX customers are working to protect and monitor first responders, miners, ground forces and other personnel in office buildings, warehouses, caves, mines and other facilities without reliable GPS. http://www.trxsystems.com

The Future Innovator Award promotes excellence in technology advancement by a regional high school or college student. The award fosters new thinking in the understanding of technology and its place in the future careers of area students. Finalists include:

Sandra Carolina Cepeda, Arnold, MD. Ms. Cepeda is currently studying business management at Anne Arundel Community College. Ms. Cepeda ives in Severna Park and runs business out of Student Business Incubator located on the Arnold campus of AACC.

Victoria Preston, Edgewater, MD. Over the course of three years, Ms. Preston has worked on a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Team at South River High School at the highest level. In the past year, as Team Executive Officer, Ms. Preston helped to develop robot strategy, design and implementation.

Thomas Quinn, South River High School, MD. Mr. Quinn participated in the STEM Community Challenge course, where he was charged with designing a public works project that would not only help the county become more energy-efficient but also save money on county expenses. Mr. Quinn and team suggested that the county use algae from the Chesapeake bay and other natural resources as a bio-fuel for trucks and buses that would normally rely on diesel or fossil fuel.

The Good Chip Award recognizes companies that are working to better the community, either through the technology they are developing or through community service and donations. Finalists include:

AtSite, Inc.- Washington, DC. AtSite's mission is to reduce the cost and carbon in the built environment while creating a higher quality and better environment for people. AtSite's corporate headquarters space was designed, constructed and currently operates at the highest levels of sustainability and building performance and is a showcase of their vision. http://atsiteinc.com

Battlefield Telecommunications Systems (BTS)- Columbia, MD. In 2011, the Digital Harbor Foundation was founded by BTS CEO Sean Lane and other members of the BTS team in an effort to foster a culture of innovation, technological advancement and entrepreneurship in the Greater Baltimore Area through local and national educational initiatives. The Digital Harbor Foundation works to provide support, services and advice for students and recent college graduates in the field of technology while strengthening the innovation economy of the Greater Baltimore Area. This is directly tied to BTS's goals of creating a safer and more secure future through the use of technology and education. BTS is also a finalist in the Tech Company of the Year category. http://www.digitalharborfoundation.org/

SemaConnect Inc.- Annapolis, MD. SemaConnect is quickly rising as the leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations and sophisticated software for station owners and electric vehicle drivers. With over 400 of their ChargePro charging stations deployed nationwide and a backlog of over 1,500 more, SemaConnect is aggressively expanding their charging stations, software and network at commercial locations including office, multifamily, retail, hotel and urban parking garages. http://www.semaconnect.com

The Best Place to Work Award goes to a company who fosters a spirit of innovation and creativity in its employees, a company that provides benefits that encourage employee work/life balance and works to inspire greatness in its employees. Finalists include:

IntelliGenesis LLC- Columbia, MD. IntelliGenesis is a full-service software development company providing program management, software development & testing, training and customer service to clients worldwide. http://www.intelligenesisllc.com

Praxis Engineering Technologies, Inc. - Annapolis Junction, MD. Praxis is a consulting, products and solutions firm dedicated to the practical application of software and systems engineering technologies to ensure the success of their customers. http://www.praxiseng.com

Vocus- Greenbelt, MD. Also a finalist as Tech Company of the Year, Vocus provides cloud-based marketing and PR software that helps organizations reach and influence buyers across social networks, online and through the media. Vocus offers suites of software for online marketing, social media and PR that makes it easy for organizations to generate online visibility, build their social networks and attract new customers in today's new customer-led buying cycle. Vocus software is used by more than 40,000 organizations in seven languages. http://www.vocus.com

In addition to the nominated awards listed above, two awards appointed by the Selection Committee, the Legend’s Circle and Rising Star awards will be presented.

The Legend’s Circle- Individual Award, given to an individual who is seen as a significant supporter of the local tech community, will be presented to Mark L. Barnett, Director, Office of Small Business Programs, National Security Agency (NSA). According to CRTC Executive Director Kris Valerio "Mark has been a long standing advocate for the small business nurturing outreach between NSA and technology community. His success has transformed the Office of Small Business Programs into a model for other agencies to emulate.”

The Rising Star Award is given to a company that has been noticed by the community as advancing and expanding in their industry and area of expertise. Mindgrub Technologies will receive recognition as the 2012 Rising Star Honoree. Mindgrub is a mobile solutions consultancy that fuses technology with a user-centric design. Mindgrub specializes in the design and development of web applications: from interactive websites and multi-media to enterprise information systems, search engine optimization and mobile development.

Event Details: The theme for the 7th annual program is Vision 2032: 20 Years in Tech. Winners will be announced at the event to be held March 29th, 2012 from 5:30 to 9:30 pm at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport.

Tickets: Tickets are now on sale and will be $120 for CRTC members and $140 for non-members up until March 27th. Tickets purchased at the door will be $150 as available. Tables of 10 are available for $950. Registration, sponsorship information and additional details are available at: www.chesapeaketech.org/techawards

Selection Committee: The TechAwards 2012 Selection Committee includes Meredith C. Allen, TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (Chair); Brian Darmody, University of Maryland; Peter Davis, Whiteford Taylor Preston; John Elstner, VenturePoint Partners, LLC; Frederick Ferrer, ARINC; Robert Hannon, Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp.; Ron Kaese, TEDCO; Max McQuighan, Anne Arundel Community College; Steve Oxman, (CRTC Founder), DoD; Greg Smith, M&T Bank; Adam Suri, Secure Technologies Group , LLC; Patrick Tonui, Maryland DBED.

About Chesapeake Regional Tech Council

Founded in 1992, the Chesapeake Regional Tech Council (CRTC) energizes and propels the advancement of technologies with the exchange of ideas, expertise and business and partnership opportunities. The CRTC is a resource for visibility, connections, knowledge and education for technology companies in and around the Annapolis-Washington-Baltimore area, attracting new technology companies to the region and helping emerging technology companies grow and prosper in this increasingly dynamic environment. The CRTC is a non-profit membership organization supported by a grant from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (MD DBED) and a grant from the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC) and enabled by membership and annual sustaining sponsorship. More than 250 businesses from the Annapolis-Washington-Baltimore area are members of the council, including many of the area’s well-known leading technology companies. For more information, go to http://www.chesapeaketech.org

For further information:

Kris Valerio, Executive Director, Chesapeake Regional Tech Council

410-222-7410 ext 124, kris@chesapeaketech.org