Lynchburg Business

Region 2000 Tech Council Announces 2010 Award Winners

Issue: June 2010 by Lynchburg Business in In the News

Virginia’s Region 2000 Technology Council honored two companies and one individual who made outstanding contributions in the tech sector this past year at its Ninth Annual Awards Night held on Tuesday, May 11 at the Holiday Inn, Downtown Lynchburg.
The Innovator of the Year, sponsored by AREVA, was presented to Team Edison2 for its design and creation of “The Very Light Car,” a sustainable vehicle capable of getting 125 miles to the gallon with no sacrifice to passenger safety. The car is a contender in the $10 million Automotive X-Prize competition and inspires a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles that exceed 100 miles per gallon. Team Edison2 owner Oliver Kuttner accepted the award on behalf of the design team.

The Technology Company of the Year award, sponsored by Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology, was given to ABS Technology Architects of Lynchburg for its outstanding tech support to area businesses. The firm is a Cisco Gold Direct Value Added Reseller that opened a new office in downtown Lynchburg in 2009 to support a high volume of clients in the Region 2000 area with advanced technology solutions such as IP Unified Communications, advanced security services, and MESH wireless services. The company, headquartered in Virginia Beach, has achieved the Cisco Channel Customer Satisfaction Excellence rating for eight consecutive years and has grown its revenues from $5 million in 2008 to $9.8 million in 2009. Tom Spitnale accepted the award on behalf of the ABS team.

The Educator of the Year award, sponsored by nTelos, was bestowed upon Marcia Yochum, a high school physics teacher and chair of the science department at Virginia Episcopal School, who was honored for her achievements in making science and technology education fun and relevant for students. She most recently launched a VEX robotics program at the school in which her passion for education was evident in her team’s display of critical thinking and genuine love for learning at the VEX Regional Tournament held at Liberty University earlier this year. Prior to joining VES, Yochum worked in both the government and private sector as a physicist and engineer.

Following the awards ceremony, Tad Deriso, President and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative, delivered the keynote address to more than 175 entrepreneurs, educators and innovators in attendance. Deriso has boosted broadband access to rural communities and raised awareness about the importance of open access fiber networks as an economic value.