More than 300 guests joined the Internet Business Alliance of Nevada (IBAN) in honoring the best and brightest of Nevada’s technology companies and supporters on May 12 at the eNevada Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. IBAN is a non-profit, statewide alliance of information technology, networking, communications and e-commerce businesses and their employees, suppliers and investors. It provides services, support and a public voice for Nevada’s fast-growing Internet industry.
Winners of the 2001 eNevada Awards are as follows:
eCompany of the Year: helloNetwork
helloNetwork is a developer and supplier of interactive, live and recorded streaming media solutions. Its proprietary technology is platform-independent, making it easily adaptable to wireless formats while eliminating the need for plug-ins, downloads or player installations. helloNetwork’s Java-based technology ensures high-quality streaming media content, whether transmitted via cellular phone, personal digital assistant, set-top box or personal computer.
eStart-Up of the Year: Tririga Inc.
Tririga Inc. provides a comprehensive and encompassing technology solution to the design and build industries. Its Intelligent Business System (IBS) uses the Internet to streamline the processes of design and build activities that span organizations, geographical boundaries and industries. With its Web-based products, a company can design, build and manage any size project over the entire lifecycle from conception to completion.
eLeader of the Year: Tim Poster
In 1990, while a student at the University of Southern California, Tim Poster started Las Vegas Reservation Systems by placing a one-column, one-inch ad in California newspapers promoting discounted rooms in Las Vegas. The company began offering online reservations in February 1998 and changed its name to Travelscape.com. By 1999, Travelscape.com was booking rooms in 1,600 hotels in 240 cities. In the spring of 2000, it became a subsidiary of Expedia, Inc. one of the world’s top Internet businesses.
Service Provider of the Year: Nevada Development Authority
The first point of contact for many businesses considering relocating or expanding to Southern Nevada is Nevada Development Authority (NDA). As Nevada’s leading regional development authority, NDA provides the needed resources to evaluate the area, at no cost to the inquiring company. NDA, a private, nonprofit organization, coordinates its activities with private businesses as well as state and local government officials.
From Brick to Clicks Company of the Year: Harrah’s Entertainment
Harrah’s was honored as a Nevada-based company that was not originally involved with the Internet, but has successfully incorporated it into its operations. Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. operates 21 casinos in the United States under the Harrah’s, Showboat, Rio and Players brand names. In January 2001, Harrah’s was one of only three companies to win the CIO Magazine 2000 Enterprise Value Award for its groundbreaking operational and strategic use of information technology.
Educator of the Year: Joe Lombardo
Joseph Lombardo has been the director of the National Supercomputing Center for Energy and the Environment (NSCEE) since 1998. The center, located at UNLV, is a full-service supercomputer facility with on-site and off-site user training, national network accessibility and a mission to promote excellence in education and research in supercomputing and its applications. Lombardo has been and is currently a consultant to numerous industries, academia and government laboratories with an expertise in 3-D modeling codes, massively parallel computing, data management and data visualization.
Government Officials
IBAN recognized the efforts of three government officials who have contributed to the promotion, advancement and success of high technology endeavors in Nevada. Senator Harry Reid was named Outstanding Federal Public Official of the Year. Assemblyman Bob Beers from Clark County’s District 4 was named Outstanding State Public Official of the Year and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman was named Outstanding Local Public Official of the Year.
Top 10 Most Innovative Web Sites in Nevada.
The Web sites (hosted in Nevada for a Nevada entity) that were selected as the most imaginative, interesting and attention-grabbing are:
2bytes.com 2 Bytes Web Design
hardrockhotel.com Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
harrahs.com Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.
helloNetwork.com helloNetwork
travelscape.com Travelscape.com
vegas.com Vegas.com/Greenspun Media Group
vegasfreedom.com LV Convention & Visitors Authority
visithenderson.com Henderson Convention Center & Visitors Bureau
vivalasvegasweddings.com Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel
yourinsidelasvegas.com KTNV-13 Television/Journal Broadcast Group