![robert-watson](https://i.itworldcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Robert-Watson.jpeg)
President and CEO
It was ingenious software that helped a championship hockey team discover that better grip strength leads to more shots on goal. The same software pointed an NBA team to the finding that free throw percentages went down when players weren’t getting enough sleep.
Created by Halifax-based Kinduct Technologies Inc., the software correlates tracking data to produce unprecedented insights into athletic performance. It’s now being used by more than 50 professional sports organizations to create a “science of winning”.
It’s that kind of game changing innovation that won an Ingenious Award last year for Kinduct.
This year’s crop of technology mavericks will be unveiled at the Ingenious Awards Gala on November 8 in Toronto. Presented by ITAC, it’s the night when Canada’s ICT sector gathers to celebrate the best and brightest trailblazers that have pushed the boundaries of what is possible.
Timely Inspiration
The awards come at a critical time this year when organizations are finding their way on the journey toward digital transformation. The adoption of next generation technologies like cloud, data analytics, and the Internet of Things holds great promise to improve the customer experience, streamline processes and ultimately grow the bottom line. It is also anticipated to cause disruption across all industries. IT leaders are challenged like never before to manage current costs and operations while making strategic plans to transform the way they do business.
The Ingenious Awards provides an opportunity to meet the innovators who are leading the way and to be inspired by new ideas.
Ingenious awards are not presented just for creating ground breaking technology. It has to be technology that makes a difference. Nominations come from across Canada and represent a broad cross-section of organizations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. The program recognizes those enterprises that demonstrate measurable evidence of productivity improvement, efficiency gains, revenue growth, overall business transformation or other organizational outcomes through the use of technology.
Anyone who’s been stuck in traffic during construction season will immediately recognize the benefits of last year’s award-winning Roadwork Scheduling System, developed by Parsons Corporation for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. The project created a new platform to manage and coordinate roadway lane restrictions and closures, as well as communicate them to the public. The new system increased safety for drivers and road workers, reduced traffic gridlock and saved program costs for the government. It demonstrates the power of technology to improve efficiency, starting with the morning commute.
Canadian CIO of the Year
The prestigious awards for Canadian CIOs of the year, sponsored by CanadianCIO, will be presented during the Ingenious Awards. Two individuals, one in each of the public and private sectors will be acknowledged for their excellence in setting a vision and staying the course. It’s a tough test. Nominees are evaluated on demonstrated business and technological vision, entrepreneurship, a capacity to drive enterprise transformation and a measurable operational strength that delivers value.
Last year’s winners were Eugene Roman, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Canadian Tire, who leveraged new and innovative technology to transform the shopping experience, and Lydia Lee, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, University Health Network of University Health Network, who stewarded the introduction of high-profile healthcare innovations.
Special thanks to CIOCAN, a co-sponsor of both the Ingenious Awards and the CIO of the Year award. CIOCAN’s support runs from soliciting nominations to creating the judging panels that review all submissions. The awards would not be possible without their assistance.
To top it all off, the gala will be hosted by Duncan Stewart, Director of Technology, Media and Telecommunications Research for Deloitte Canada. Globally recognized as a leader in forecasting trends in enterprise technology, media and telecommunications, he is certain to share an insight about the future path of the industry that will stay with you long after the gala has ended.