Region 2000 Honors Tech Companies

Technology Award winners are, left to right: Tom Spitnale of ABS Technology Architects (Tech Company of the Year), Oliver Kuttner of Team Edison2 for “The Very Light Car” (Innovator of the Year), and Marcia Yochum, Virginia Episcopal School physics teacher (Educator of the Year.)

Virginia’s Region 2000 Technology Council honored two companies and one individual that has made outstanding contributions in the tech sector this past year at its Ninth Annual Awards Night held Tuesday in Lynchburg.

This year’s technology award winners are:

Innovator of the Year: Team Edison2 of Lynchburg was honored for its design and creation of “The Very Light Car,” a sustainable vehicle capable of getting 125 miles to the gallon with no sacrifice to passenger safety. The car is a contender in the $10 million Automotive X-Prize competition and inspires a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles that exceed 100 miles per gallon. Team Edison2 owner is Oliver Kuttner.

Technology Company of the Year: ABS Technology Architects of Lynchburg was awarded for its outstanding tech support to area businesses. The firm is a Cisco Gold Direct Value Added Reseller that opened a new office in downtown Lynchburg in 2009 to support a high volume of clients in the Region 2000 area with advanced technology solutions such as IP Unified Communications, advanced security services, and MESH wireless services. The company, headquartered in Virginia Beach, has achieved the Cisco Channel Customer Satisfaction Excellence rating for eight consecutive years and has grown its revenues from $9.8 million in 2008 to $9.8 million in 2009. Tom Spitnale accepted the award on behalf of the ABS team.

Educator of the Year: Marcia Yochum, a high school physics teacher and chair of the science department at Virginia Episcopal School, was honored for her achievements in making science and technology education fun and relevant for students. She most recently launched a VEX robotics program at the school in which her passion for education was evident in her team’s display of critical thinking and genuine love for learning at the VEX Regional Tournament held at Liberty University earlier this year. Prior to joining VES, Yochum worked in both the government and private sector as a physicist and engineer. Following the awards ceremony, Tad Deriso, President and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative, delivered the keynote address to more than 175 entrepreneurs, educators, and innovators in attendance. Deriso has boosted broadband access to rural communities and raised awareness about the importance of open access fiber networks as an economic value.