On Thursday October 6th, 2011, we participated in the 2011 Mass Technology Leadership Awards gala at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. Now in their 14th year, the Mass Technology Leadership Awards recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of the companies and people who contribute to the vibrancy of the Massachusetts tech ecosystem.
The winners, selected from the more than 200 nominees, included top names in the industry: Analog Devices (Public Company of the Year), Wayfair (Private Company of the Year), Mads Lillelund, – Bluesocket, Inc. (CEO of the Year, Private Company), Alan Trefler, Pegasystems (CEO of the Year, Public Company), Bill Scudder – Sonus Networks (CIO of the Year), Tracy Rosenthal-Newsom – Harmonix (Emerging Executive of the Year), ITA (Deal of the Year) and Myomo (Product of the Year).
Microsoft was honored by MassTLC with the Innovation Catalyst Award for being “one of the key players responsible for the rejuvenation of Cambridge as a global leader in innovation.” We were of course thrilled to receive this award as it reflects the efforts of our 1,000 hard-working and enthusiastic Massachusetts based Microsoft employees.
Sara Spalding, Senior Director of NERD, accepted the award on behalf of Microsoft. Here are her remarks from the evening about what the award means to us:
On behalf of our entire team at Microsoft I am thrilled and so honored to accept this award. First, I’d like to thank Tom, Heather and the entire MassTLC team for tonight’s program, and for their outstanding ongoing schedule of networking and educational opportunities.All of us at Microsoft are so appreciative of the work that you all to bring us together as a tech community.
Standing here tonight, I represent a team of hard-working and enthusiastic colleagues. I’d like to recognize and thank Annmarie Levins, Ted MacLean, Brian Burke, Abby Fitchner, Edwin Guarin, Craig Hodges and our entire Northeast District team. I’d like to give a special thanks to my team – Paul Coebergh, Leah Brunson, Amy Schraut, and Walter Somol – for the top-notch work they do every day.
But all that said, this award isn’t actually about us; it’s about all of you.
A catalyst only works in the presence of other elements. And there are so many important elements at work here in the Boston tech community – each bringing their own innovation and brightest ideas. We at Microsoft are delighted to share our space at NERD with all of you to showcase your innovations, and make connections that will help to accelerate our community’s brightest ideas.
Sharing our space is just part of our contribution to the community. By working together with progressive organizations like MassTLC to invest in important areas like STEM, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting women in technology, we believe that together, we can have meaningful and enduring impact.
Technology continues to extend across more fields of science and into more areas of human endeavor. This ever-expanding footprint for technology suggests that it really does take a village to meet the needs of so many.
At Microsoft, we work with more than 640,000 partner organizations worldwide, and collaborate with researchers, academics and institutions in every region across the globe. Through these partnerships — and by encouraging creativity and entrepreneurship through programs such as BizSpark and the Imagine Cup — we hopefully contribute to nurturing tomorrow’s technology breakthroughs.
Partnership has been a fundamental element of Microsoft’s success. That’s why I’m dedicating this award to all of you – our partners – and to the over 60,000 innovation catalysts who have joined us at NERD to learn and network over the past few years. You are the ones who make NERD – and our tech ecosystem – so special.
Thank you and have a great evening.
