Skip to content

2026 CIO of the Year & Tech Titan Awards

When: Thursday, April 16, 2026
Where: The Westin Pittsburgh

 

About Event

REGISTER HERE

The Pittsburgh Technology Council and our partners at the Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group are excited to announce an exciting evolution of the annual CIO of the Year Awards!

This year, we are expanding the program to recognize not only individual CIOs and CISOs, but also the outstanding achievements of their teams and the collective impact they’ve made in the world of technology.

The newly reimagined CIO of the Year & Tech Titan Awards will honor a broader range of categories, celebrating the innovation, collaboration, and transformative accomplishments of tech professionals across all levels. From visionary executives to talented practitioners, we’ll shine a spotlight on the remarkable contributions shaping Pittsburgh’s thriving tech landscape.

Join us for an evening of inspiration as we celebrate the dynamic leaders, forward-thinking teams, and groundbreaking innovations driving Pittsburgh's technology sector to new heights. This is a unique opportunity to come together and honor the people and organizations that are not only advancing technology but also making a lasting impact on our community.

Guests will enjoy a night of inspiring stories, networking opportunities, and a celebration of excellence in the ever-evolving world of technology. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this distinguished event—and an exciting new chapter in celebrating local excellence—as we honor the leaders, trailblazers, rising stars, and teams who are redefining the future of technology in Pittsburgh and beyond at the 2026 CIO of the Year & Tech Titan Awards on Thursday, April 16th!

When: Thursday, April 16, 2026

Where: The Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh | 1000 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Agenda:
VIP Reception (Invitation-only): 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Technology Showcase & General Cocktail Reception: 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Dinner & Awards Ceremony: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Networking: 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Cost:
MEMBER
Early Bird | $230
Regular | $260
Late | $300

Table of 10:
Early Bird | $1800
Regular | $2000
Late | $2100

NON-MEMBER
Early Bird | $435
Regular | $495
Late | $550

Table of 10:
Early Bird | $2450
Regular | $2650
Late | $2900

*Early Bird Pricing ends March 26, 2026

2026 CIO of the Tear and Tech Titan Awards Finalists

CIO OF THE YEAR-TERABYTE       

  • Jason Gerard, The Pittsburgh Paints Company
  • Akash Khurana, Wesco International
  • Charaka Kithulegoda, PNC Bank
  • Todd Porterfield, PJDick - Trumbull - The Lindy Group

CIO OF THE YEAR-GIGABYTE        

  • John Astfalk, S&B USA
  • Bryan Bishop, Pyrotecnico / Live Events
  • Steve Blossom, ACA Group
  • Deepak Nayyar, Allegheny County Airport Authority
  • David Reed, Maxim Crane Works

CISO OF THE YEAR 

  • Robert Kemp, Federated Hermes
  • John Shaffer, Core Natural Resources, Inc.
  • Michael Tallent, Duquesne Light Company

CTO OF THE YEAR  

  • Christian Carmody, UPMC
  • Scott Phelps, Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Carlonda Reilly Ph.D., Kennametal Inc
  • Sean Ways, eHealth Technologies

TECH TRAILBLAZER

  • Andrew Beers, Dream Invent Inspire, Inc.
  • Colin Dean, Code & Supply Co.
  • Stefinie Kelley, Wabtec Corporation
  • Suresh Natarajan, FedEx

TECH TEAM OF THE YEAR 

  • David Christopher, Brentwood Bank
  • Anmol Misra, Gecko Robotics
  • Deepak Nayyar, Allegheny County Airport Authority
  • Bhaskar Ramachandran, PPG
  • David Reed, Maxim Crane Works

RISING STAR

  • Ryan DiAngelo, Brentwood Bank
  • Brandon Diethorn, FedEx
  • Seth Graham, University of Pittsburgh
  • Stephen Solada, Armada
  • Adam Weitzel, enGen (Highmark)
  • Peter Zuidema, OpenArc LLC

TECH FOR THE GOOD-COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD    

  • Lou Camerlengo, fivestar*
  • Kelsey Derringer, CodeJoy
  • Scott Dietz, Catalyst Connection
  • Jacqueline Foor, Consortium for Public Education
  • Aaron McKinnon, Phase 4 Learning Center
  • Andre Samuel, Ph.D., The Citizen Science Lab
  • Terry Smith, M-PowerHouse of Greater Pittsburgh

Contact Information:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Platinum

Program 

Lanyard

 

VIP Reception Sponsor

Gold

Silver

Participating

Showcase

Questions?