Best of California Awards 2015

Technology Leaders Honored as Best of California 2015 at The California Technology Forum

August 13, 2015 -- The Best of California Awards will be presented at the California Technology Forum today by e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government.

Highlights from the 2015 Best of California Awards include:

• Alameda County’s Shuttle Mobile App increased public transit ridership by 29 percent between county buildings for both employees and the public.  The new app provides schedules, routes, pick-up points and more for the shuttle and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit).
• The California Project Academy Series sponsored by the Department of Technology- has saved the state more than one million dollars in educator costs.  This series received a special award for innovation in workforce initiatives for providing California IT professionals as volunteer trainers with the Academy to help educate the state’s workforce in IT best practices.
• The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) created a mobile device-based service with a technology for incorporating Transportation Network Companies such as Uber, Lyft and Sidecare into the airport’s permitting process for commercial transport. SFO has licensed the technology that will create a new national standard for data interchange between airports and TNCs.

“These awards are a chance for the people behind these new applications and innovations to be recognized for new services they are bringing to citizens all over the state, said  Todd Sander, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. “The Center is delighted to honor public servants who are helping move government forward with new technology.”

Winners are selected by a panel of judges based on a number of criteria, including collaboration among agencies, innovative use of technology, economic benefits and improving public services and business processes. During the reception following the California Technology Forum, 26 Outstanding IT Service and Support Awards will also be presented to those dedicated to California public service.

2015 Award Recipients:

Demonstrated Excellence in Project Management
•    Dan Stall, Project Manager, California Department of Parks and Recreation

Best Application Serving an Agency’s Business Needs
•    Alameda County Shuttle Mobile Web Application
•    Personal Duress Alarm System (PDAS), California Department of State Hospitals, Health and Human Services Agency

Best Application Serving the Public
•    OPEN BOE, California Board of Equalization

Best IT Collaboration among Organizations
•    San Francisco Business Portal, San Francisco Department of Technology

Best In-House Developed Application
•    SFO Application-Based Commercial Transport System, San Francisco International Airport

Best Mobile/Wireless Project
•    Animal Services and “Finding Rover” Reunite Pets and Owners, County of San Diego Department of Animal Services

Most Innovative Use of Social Media / Citizen Engagement
•    Talking Transportation: Countywide Comprehensive Transportation Plan Online Engagement Tool, Contra Costa Transportation Authority

Best Data Analytics / Business Intelligence Project
•    Pedestrian and Cyclist Traffic Collision Analysis Project, City of Los Angeles

Special Award: Innovation in Workforce Initiatives
•    California Project Academy Series, California Department of Technology

For the govtech.com story on the winners, please visit http://www.govtech.com/computing/2015-Best-of-California-Awards.html.

Outstanding IT Service and Support Award Recipients:

Recognizing the dedicated work of public servants who work day after day - as team members, team leads, IT project leads and managers - upholding the highest standards of public service.

• Eleazar “Leo” Anguiano, Chief of Enterprise GIS Services Office, California Natural Resources Agency
• Brian Begley, Senior Programmer Analyst, California Highway Patrol
• Sheri Brizendine, Data Processing Manager II, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
• The California Department of Technology Office of the State Geographic Information Officer Team: John Carotta SSSII; Sam Hayashi SPA; Eric Kauffman SSSIII
• Wendy Craig, IT Help Desk, Website Support Analyst, State Treasurer’s Office
• Adam Dahlberg, Staff Information Systems Analyst (Specialist), California Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Diana Felden, Senior Information Systems Analyst, Department of Community Services & Development
• Nicole Garris, Senior Database Administrator, Department of Finance, Specialized Systems Development
• Laurence Griffin, Staff Information Systems Analyst, Information Technology Division, Covered California
• Victor Jimenez, Chief of Collaboration Services, Department of Water Resources
• Jerry Kincaid, Enterprise Architect, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES)
• David Lateano, EDR State Test Manager, Franchise Tax Board
• Tom Lupo, Chief Information Officer, Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Keith Meyerhoff, Senior Project Manager, California Public Employees Retirement System
• Mike Migliori, Technology Systems Supervisor, Information Technology, City of Stockton
• Mary Mitchell, Associate Information Systems Analyst, California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
• Taniya Ogata, Enterprise Systems Analysis and Support Section Manager (Data Processing Manager III), Board of Equalization, Technology Services Department
• Madeline Paguio, Web Services Manager, Information Technology Agency, City of Los Angeles
• Dale Paolucci, Technical Architect, CalHEERS Project, Covered California
• John Payne, Information Systems Analyst/ Information Security Officer, Agricultural Labor Relations Board
• Steve Peterson, Manager of Engineering Technology Services, Department of Water Resources
• Steve Pieri, Project Director, Employment Development Department
• Michael Povlsen, Infrastructure Server Architect, Information Technology Services, California Lottery
• Jonathan Reichental, Chief Information Officer, City of Palo Alto
• Ken Ritzman, Data Processing Manager III, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
• Client Services Section, Information Technology Services Division, California Department of Public Health, Health and Human Services Agency

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DIGITAL GOVERNMENT

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute focused on technology policy and best practices in state and local government. The Center provides public- and private-sector leaders with decision support and actionable insight to help drive 21st-century government.

The Center is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education.

For more information, please contact:
Janet Grenslitt, Director of Surveys and Awards
916-932-1363
jgrenslitt@centerdigitalgov.com