News Summary
The 2025 Tennessee ORBIE Awards showcased outstanding leadership and innovation in technology, honoring CIOs and technology executives from various organizations. Hosted by TennesseeCIO, the event brought together over 400 guests to celebrate excellence in technology leadership, with awards presented across eight categories. Key recipients included leaders from Sedgwick, Dollar General, and Baptist Memorial Health Care. The ceremony featured a keynote address and emphasized the significant role of technology in driving business success.
Tennessee celebrated exceptional leadership and innovation in technology at the 2025 Tennessee ORBIE Awards held on May 2, 2025, at the Omni Nashville. This prestigious event recognized top technology executives from various notable organizations, including Sedgwick, Dollar General, Baptist Memorial Health Care, Ballad Health, Middle Tennessee State University, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc.
Hosted by TennesseeCIO, a chapter of the Inspire Leadership Network, the ORBIE Awards aimed to honor Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and other C-suite technology leaders who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in their respective fields. The awards ceremony saw over 400 guests in attendance, including leading executives and industry professionals, all of whom gathered to celebrate the excellence in technology leadership.
The winners were announced across eight categories, acknowledging the varied organizational scales and the unique contributions of technology executives:
- Global
- Large Enterprise
- Enterprise
- Large Corporate
- Corporate
- CISO Large Enterprise
- CISO Enterprise
- Leadership
Among the noteworthy recipients, Jason Landrum, Global CIO of Sedgwick, was awarded the Global ORBIE for organizations with revenues exceeding $1 billion and multinational operations. Carman Wenkoff, EVP & CIO of Dollar General, received the Large Enterprise ORBIE, which recognizes organizations with more than $9 billion in annual revenue. Furthermore, Tom Barnett, Chief Digital and Information Officer of Baptist Memorial Health Care, earned the Enterprise ORBIE for organizations with revenues over $3 billion.
Pam Austin, SVP & CIO of Ballad Health, took home the Large Corporate ORBIE for her leadership in organizations with revenues exceeding $1 billion. Yvette Clark, VP IT & CIO at Middle Tennessee State University, was honored with the Corporate ORBIE for her contributions to organizations up to $1 billion in revenue. Additionally, Steve Crocker, VP & CISO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, earned the CISO Large Enterprise ORBIE for organizations exceeding $2 billion in annual revenue, while Brian Elrod, VP & CISO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, received the CISO Enterprise ORBIE for organizations with revenues up to $2 billion.
The ceremony included a keynote address delivered by J. Tod Fetherling, an author and speaker. The event featured an interview conducted by Andy Flatt, SVP & CIO of National HealthCare Corporation, providing insights into the intersection of leadership and technology. The Leadership ORBIE was awarded to J. Tod Fetherling, highlighting his impact within the technology community.
The ORBIE Awards have recognized leadership excellence since their inception in 1998, fostering relationships between executives and their trusted business partners. The awards are determined through an independent peer-adjudicated process led by former ORBIE recipients, ensuring a fair and reputable selection process.
TennesseeCIO functions as a peer network dedicated to CIOs in the state, further supported by an executive director and board of directors. Meanwhile, the Inspire Leadership Network comprises nearly 2,000 members across over 40 local chapters, assisting leaders in excelling within their executive roles.
The 2025 Tennessee ORBIE Awards provided a platform to honor and highlight the contributions of technology leaders in promoting innovation and transformation within their organizations, emphasizing the essential role of technology in driving forward business success.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- GlobeNewswire: 2025 Tennessee ORBIE Awards
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- Eastman: 2024 Tennessee CIO Global ORBIE Award
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