InnoVision Advisory Board celebrates 17th Annual Awards Celebration and names numerous South Carolina entities award winners.
December 3, 2015
GREENVILLE, SC – Doug Kim, shareholder with the McNair Law Firm, P.A. and the Chair of the InnoVision Advisory Board, is pleased to recognize the following entities for their accomplishments and award-winning status presented at the 17th Annual InnoVision Awards Celebration on Tuesday, November 17th. The annual event was held at the Hyatt Regency in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Young Innovator Award, sponsored by Michelin North America, named in honor of the Dr. Ibrahim Janajreh, was presented to The Center for Advanced Technical Studies in School District Five of Richland & Lexington Counties for their Clean Energy Technology (CET) program. Now in their 4th year, the CET Program provides students with career and college readiness in the most rapidly emerging career fields in the world.
Milliken and Company (Spartanburg, SC) received the Technology Development Award, for their XLED technology, a superior silicone for LEDs. The new silicone is more thermally stable in contrast to current market-leading silicones, which significantly degrade under thermally stressed conditions.
Techtronic Industries, Inc. (Anderson, SC) earned the nod from the independent judging committee for the Technology Application Award, sponsored by Immedion, LLC, for their Ryobi Phoneworks Platform of smart phone compatible devices to assist in home improvement, construction, and do-it-yourself projects. The various devices all connect to a user’s smart phone through the audio port.
The Clemson University Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Training Center for SC (Clemson, SC) received the Innovation in Education Award, for developing an app, jointly created with the help of the Computer Science Department that allows teachers to collect data while recording the audio of the interaction with the student. This data is used to dramatically reduce the number of first-grade students who have extreme difficulty learning to read and write. The Innovation in Education Award is sponsored by Techtronics Industries Power Equipment.
The Small Enterprise Award, sponsored by SC Launch, was awarded to Ohana Syndicate (Mt. Pleasant, SC). Ohana Syndicate is the developer of a music streaming app with a social core. The technology allows users to listen in perfect synchronization with others. Anyone can join the app as an Influencer, and encourage their friends to listen with them. Musicians can join as Influencers and not only create a fan base for their own music, but expose their listeners to the music of new artists.
The Clemson University Department of Automotive Engineering (Greenville, SC) developed new algorithms that help hybrid cars decide when they should run on gas and when they should draw energy from the batteries, thus optimizing the usage of fuel. Relying too heavily on the batteries will quickly wear them out, so it can be a delicate balance. The department was the recipient of the Sustainability Award sponsored by Sealed Air Corporation.
Bidr (Charleston, SC) received first place in the Community Service Award for their development of a text-to-bid platform that allows event attendees to bid on silent auction items from their phones and receive outbid notifications. Bidr has helped over 50 non-profits raise more money than ever before!
In honor of the passing of Dr. Charles H. Townes in January, the InnoVision Advisory Board of Directors chose to recognize and celebrate the long and successful career of one of Greenville’s greatest and most successful native innovators, Dr. Charles H. Townes himself.
Dr. Charles H. Townes was indeed a luminary in the field of optics and quantum electronics, and was highly regarded by colleagues and the numerous students he mentored. InnoVision is proud to continue celebrating his genius by honoring other exemplary South Carolina innovators. This award is sponsored by A.T. Locke.
Don Koonce, Historian and Producer of “The Light of Imagination” by Dr. Charles H. Townes was the Keynote Speaker for the evening’s celebration. A citadel graduate and former U.S. Navy pilot, Don founded Spectrum South, which has become Umbro International’s global communications division in 1996. He is currently the Creative Director of Ferncreek Creative, Inc., and has produced and directed documentaries for NASA, the Gettysburg National Battlefield Park and the National Air and Space Museum. Most recently, Don received the 2011 Southeastern Museums Conference Outstanding Service Award.
Kim would also like to acknowledge the independent judges who include Hector G. Calzada, Jr., Deloitte Corporate Finance, LLC; Dr. Scott Mahan, Ph.D., Charles George Vetrans Affairs Medical Center; Joann Michalik, Deloitte Corporate Finance, LLC; Don Ross, Ph.D., MBA, Innovare, Inc.; Brad Tompkins; VMWARE User Group and Kevin Andrews, NineSigma for their valuable expertise and service.
About InnoVision: The InnoVision Awards Program, founded by Deloitte in 1999 and presented by McNair Law Firm, P.A., is South Carolina’s premier organization dedicated to the advancement of technology in the state through communication, education and recognition of the spirit of innovation and technological progress.
For 17 years, The InnoVision Awards have become the mark of distinction for outstanding leadership, innovation and technological excellence. As the only awards program of its kind, InnoVision Awards distinguish businesses, individuals and educators who set new standards for innovation in finding, developing and retaining profitable business.
The InnoVision Advisory Board continues its commitment to support, celebrate, honor and applaud innovation through two primary activities: Our Annual Awards Dinner held in November, and our InnoVision educational Forums in the Upstate and Low country of South Carolina.
