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Cloud Blue, which changed it name from Asset Forwarding last month, also announced plans to expand to seven other cities, including New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta, San Francisco, and London.
"We are thrilled about the opportunity to expand and wanted to make sure our name was symbolic of the innovative thinking that we bring to corporate electronic life cycle and recycling services," says Vander Kooy. "It just shows Indiana and the Midwest is a great place to build and grow a company."
Finalists included Cascade Asset Management, EITAC Solutions Group, Griffin Analytical Technologies
CONTRIBUTION TO TECHNOLOGY--K-12 EDUCATION
Sherry Shelton, Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration and Todd Whitlock, North Daviess Community Schools
Each year, the Mira awards recognizes those who make a contribution to technology in education and this year was the first time two winners were recognized for making a contribution to technology in Indiana's K-12 schools.
Sherry Shelton, a consultant with the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration in Indianapolis, was recognized for her work with the non-profit that supports and advances education through videoconferencing and other collaborative technologies.
Sherry has served nationally as an educational consultant in technology integration. As a project manager, she has successfully implemented school and district-wide programs integrating technology seamlessly with academic goals.
Todd Whitlock, the technology coordinator at North Daviess Community Schools, was recognized for his work in bringing new programs to the southern Indiana district that has one elementary and one high school in Elnora.
Whitlock has been at North Daviess Community Schools since 1998 as a business teacher and helped the school system obtain more than $1.3 million in competitive technology grants since 2000. The funding has been used to introduce both students and faculty to new technologies that link the rural school system to a global learning environment.
CONTRIBUTION TO TECHNOLOGY--UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM/TEAM
Serious GamingTeam, Purdue University
At the post-secondary education level, Purdue University's "Serious Gaming Team" of Gary Bertoline, Chris Hoffmann and Beverly Davenport Sypher was recognized for using various forms of digital media to enhance learning in an increasingly interactive world. Serious games is a term that was coined to describe games developed to persuade or educate, rather than to entertain.
The faculty members work in the Discovery Learning Center, which organized an industry forum on serious games and sponsors a research conference on the subject. The center also launched the Games-to-Teach competition for Purdue faculty who wanted to develop a serious gaming curriculum for existing classes.
Finalists included the Institute for Digital Fabrication at Ball State University, PRISM at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and The Data Capacity or Team of University Information Technology Services, School of Informatics and Pervasive Technology Labs at Indiana University.
CONTRIBUTION TO TECHNOLOGY INDIVIDUAL
Wayne Zage, Ball State University
Dr. Wayne Zage, a professor of computer science at Ball State University, was recognized for his work as director of the Software Engineering Research Center, where research experiences and lessons learned with government and industrial affiliates are transferred to students through university faculty Such technology transfer is one of the goals of the National Science Foundation's Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers, of which the Ball State center has been a participant for 22 years.
Zage has been doing research on software design metrics since 1986 to help developers better understand the potential problems and stress points when coding and maintaining computer programs. His work in this field has been recognized nationally and has been helped many companies increase their productivity through the use of efficient software design.
Finalists included Professor Geoffrey C. Fox at Indiana University and Dr. Robert Yadon at the Center for Information and Communication Sciences at Ball State University
208 BRIDGE BUILDER AWARD
Senator David Ford
The 2008 Bridge Builder award was given in remembrance of Indiana Senator David Ford, who died in office earlier this year after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Ford, had been an early and active proponent of technology in Indiana and pioneered the state's first Senate Technology and Economic Development Committee.
Ford was instrumental in championing numerous legislative initiatives that encouraged high-tech jobs and promoted the use of technology in Indiana's schools. He was also active in many local efforts to help inner-city students have access to computers for the first time through donations of technology to the classroom. Ford was recognized as with the TechPoint Trailblazer award in 2004.
This year's award was accepted on Ford's behalf by his wife and son, who received a standing ovation at the ceremonies and recalled how the senator had always been an early adopter of technology even programming a computer more than 20 years ago to greet his son by name. The TechPoint Foundation presented them with a $1,000 scholarship that was created in his name.
2008 TRAILBLAZER IN TECHNOLOGY
Scott Webber
The annual Trailblazer in Technology award that recognizes those whose careers have made a lasting impact on Indiana was give to Scott Webber for his work over the past 30 years.
As president and CEO of Software Artistry, he led the company to the first successful software IPO in the state and later oversaw its acquisition by Tivoli Systems, an IBM company, for more than $200 million. Webber also spent 10 years at Pansophic Systems, a software company that grew from a $30 million privately held company to a $230 million publicly traded company during his tenure. He currently serves as CEO of Volatus Advisors, providing investment and guidance for young companies.
"Indiana has a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit and culture," he says. "With the appropriate guidance, Indiana entrepreneurs can improve their odds for great success, enhancing the local economy and the quality of life for all."
2008 Mira Award Winners
Innovation of the Year
CS-Keys, Indianapolis
Information Technology Company
T2 Systems, Indianapolis
Information Technology Gazelle Company
Patronpath, Indianapolis
Health and Life Sciences Gazelle Company
BioConvergence, Bloomington
Advanced Manufacturing and Distribution, Transportation, Logistics
Cloud Blue (formerly Asset Forwarding), Indianapolis
Contribution to Technology--K-12 Education
Sherry Shelton, Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
Todd Whitlock, North Daviess Community Schools
Contribution to Technology--University Department/Program/Team
Serious Gaming Team, Purdue University
Contribution to Technology Individual
Wayne Zage, Ball State University
2008 Bridge Builder Award
Senator David Ford
2008 Trailblazer in Technology
Scott Webber
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