(Image courtesy of ITA from the 2011 CityLIGHTS Award Gala)

Last week we found out that our fearless leader and CEO, Phil Tadros, was nominated for the Illinois Technology Association’s coveted CityLIGHTS Award—an award granted to a business or individual that continues to support growth of the Illinois tech community. 

Past winners include Howard Tullman, Flashpoint Tribeca Media Arts Academy (2011); Eric Olson and Frank Gruber, founders, TECH cocktail (2008); David Weinstein, President, Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (2006); and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (1999).  So to say this is a prestigious award is an understatement. And, of course, not everyone can claim such an honor.

So today we congratulate this year’s ITA CityLIGHTS Award winner, Dan Lyne of World Business Chicago. We are proud to say we were even nominated alongside him.

Dan Lyne, as many of you know, is the Technology Development Director of WBC, where he addresses local, national and international audiences representing Chicago-based public/private technology and digital media initiatives. Aside from convincing and facilitating global technology companies to make the move to Chicago, Lyne has been a dynamic tastemaker and ardent influence in the city’s tech/entrepreneurial ecosystem. A glance at his portfolio and accolades solidifies his win as a no-brainer: sitting on Mayor’s Council of Technology Advisors, the Advisory Board for DePaul University’s College of Digital Media and DePaul’s College of Communications. He also serves on the Midwest Executive Committee for the international FIRST Robotics program.

The 13th Annual ITA CityLIGHTS Awards Gala on May 10 with honor Dan Lyne and other 2012 ITA Award winners at the Grand Hall at Chicago’s Union Station, hailed as the largest gathering of technology execs in Illinois. You can purchase tickets here. (It’ll basically look like a runway show for Brooks Brothers, so choose your power tie wisely.)