Minnesota High Tech Association Honors Finalists for the Eleventh Annual Tekne Awards

In recognition of technology innovation in Minnesota, the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA), in partnership with LifeScience Alley, Enterprise Minnesota and the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota, yesterday recognized leaders from large global companies to small startup ventures as finalists for the 2010 Tekne Awards. 
 
The Tekne Awards honor those who play a significant role in discovering new technologies that educate, improve lifestyles and impact the lives and futures of people living in Minnesota and all over the world. This year marks the award’s eleventh year.
 
Awards are separated into categories that recognize the best and brightest in innovation, development, commercialization and management of technology in Minnesota. The program reinforces Minnesota’s place as one of the most competitive and technologically advanced regions in the world.
 
“This year’s Tekne Award finalists are outstanding examples of why Minnesota continues to be a front-runner in innovative technology,” said MaryFrances Schurb, interim president of MHTA. “These quality leaders continue to raise the bar year after year as they pave the way for excellence through their progressive thinking and leadership.”
 
The 2010 Tekne Awards will be presented on Wednesday, Nov. 3, at the Minneapolis Convention Center and will be emceed by Paul Douglas, author, entrepreneur and meteorologist.
 
Categories and finalists for the 2010 Tekne Awards are:
 
Advanced Manufacturing Award
The Advanced Manufacturing Award is presented to companies that have excelled in the production of advanced materials and chemicals, machinery and equipment, electronics and components, measuring instruments, photonics, optics and lasers, computer and peripheral equipment. Established company (annual revenues of more than $50 million) finalists are: 3M (St. Paul), PaR Systems (Shoreview) and Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie). Small and growing company (annual revenues under $50 million) finalists are: Allen Interactions Inc. (Mendota Heights), Hysitron, Inc. (Eden Prairie) and ION Corporation (Minnetonka).
 
Cleantech Award
The Cleantech Award recognizes businesses that manufacture environmentally sound products or solutions that reduce costs, inputs, energy consumption, waste or pollution. Products include but are not limited to solar power, wind power, biofuels, green building supplies, personal transportation, the smart grid and mobile applications. Finalists for the award are: Activeion Cleaning Solutions (Rogers), EarthClean Corp. (Minneapolis) and Tennant Company (Minneapolis).
 
Green Award
The Green Award honors businesses that practice environmental awareness/responsibility and incorporate sustainability principles into their overall business model. Finalists for the award are: Asset Recovery Corp. (St. Paul), Cortec Corporation (St. Paul) and Latuff Brothers, Inc. (St. Paul).
 
Innovation in Teaching (K-12) Award
The Innovation in Teaching Award recognizes innovative classroom use of technology in K-12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education, cultivating experiences in the classroom not possible without technology, promoting the use and sharing of technology in classrooms to benefit learning and expanding opportunities for students to be successful in technology-related careers. The finalists for the Innovation in Teaching Award are: Aaron Doering, University of Minnesota (Minneapolis), Jennifer Nelson, Eden Prairie Schools (Eden Prairie) and Scot Hovan, Mahtomedi Engineering Leadership Program (Mahtomedi).
 
Innovative Collaboration of the Year Award
The Innovative Collaboration of the Year Award honors a collaboration or partnership that has demonstrated leadership, dedication and excellence in delivering an innovation to Minnesota’s technology economy and/or the Minnesota community in general. There must be two or more parties involved with the collaboration and one party must be a for-profit business. The finalists for the Innovative Collaboration of the Year Award are: Bemidji State University, 360º Manufacturing & Applied Center of Excellence (Bemidji), General Mills & Koda Energy (Golden Valley) and Genesys Works (St. Paul).             
 
IT-Software & Hardware, Communications and Infrastructure Award
This award will be presented to a company that has shown great success on software and hardware (Web-based software, Web 2.0, etc.), networking, communications and wireless equipment and products. Established company finalists are: Merrill DataSite (St. Paul), Thomson Reuters (Eagan) and Vital Images, Inc. (Minnetonka). Small and growing company finalists are: Calabrio, Inc. (Plymouth), Digitiliti Inc. (St. Paul) and Global Traffic Technologies (St. Paul).
 
Life Sciences Award
The Life Sciences Award recognizes companies leading innovation in medical devices, diagnostics or equipment, agriculture, food science and pharmaceuticals. Established company finalists are: American Medical Systems (Minnetonka), Coloplast Corp. (Minneapolis) and Medtronic, Inc. (Minneapolis). Small and growing company finalists are: Ativa Medical (St. Paul), CoreSpine Technologies, LLC (Minnetonka) and Vegizyme, LLC (Minnetonka).
 
Next Generation Technology Leader
The Next Generation Technology Leader honors a high-potential individual who is 40 years old or younger and responsible for, or assits in, the advancement of technology and technology strategy within a company or organization. Finalists are: Matt Meents, Reside, LLC (Minneapolis), Molly Decklever, BenchmarkQA (Minneapolis) and Ralph Awad, VISI (Eden Prairie).
 
Technology Excellence in Higher Education
or Non-Profit Organization
The Technology Excellence in Higher Education or Non-Profit Organization honors a non-profit organization or educational institution that's innovative use of technology has or will allow the organization to more effectively deliver on its mission and serve Minnesota and its communities. Finalists are: Minnesota Planetarium Society (Minneapolis), Saint John's University (Collegeville) and The Works (Edina).
 
Technology Executive of the Year Award
The Technology Executive of the Year Award honors an individual member of an executive team who is responsible for the advancement of technology and technology strategy within a company or organization. Contributions include leadership within the business or organization and also involvement at the civic and community level. Finalists are: Abdul Bengali, Mayo Clinic (Rochester), Gene Lytwyn, WynEdge Software, Inc. (Minnetonka) and Peter Jackson, Thomson Reuters (Eagan).
 
Technology Services Award
The Technology Services Award will honor companies that succeed in innovative development and/or delivery of technology services, including consulting services, service providers and software as a service. Established company finalists are: Digital River, Inc. (Eden Prairie), Pearson VUE (Bloomington) and Thomson Reuters (Eagan). Finalists for small and growing companies are: ID Insight, Inc. (Northfield), ImageTrend, Inc. (Lakeville) and Open Access Technology International, Inc. (Minneapolis).
 
Technology User Award
Finalists for the Technology User Award have shown innovative application of products or services resulting in dramatic business improvement or market advantage. Finalists are: Cargill, Inc. (Wayzata), Honeywell (Golden Valley) and IndusTrack (Minneapolis).