Meet the CIO Winners of the South Florida 2023 ORBIE Awards

On June 9th with over 350 in attendance, SouthFloridaCIO announced the winners of its 2023 ORBIE® Awards.

SouthFloridaCIO is the preeminent peer leadership network of South Florida chief information officers. SouthFloridaCIO is one of over 30 chapters of the Inspire Leadership Network, a national membership organization comprised exclusively of CIOs from public and private businesses, government, education, healthcare and nonprofit institutions.

For over 20 years, the CIO ORBIE Awards has been the premier technology executive recognition program. The Awards have recognized technology executives for leadership, innovation and excellence in this rapidly growing, CIO-led national professional association. For the third year, the South Florida CIO ORBIE® Awards has honored chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.

Darryl Maraj

CIOs are typically recognized in multiple categories, based on the size and scope of their organization and responsibilities. This year’s awards were held at The Diplomat Beach Resort in Broward County where technology executives were recognized in six key categories – Leadership, Global, Large Enterprise, Enterprise, Large Corporate, Corporate.

“Through member-driven, non-commercial initiatives like the ORBIE Awards, we forge powerful professional bonds with peers, collaboratively overcoming obstacles and sidestepping pitfalls,” emphasized Darryl Maraj, SouthFloridaCIO Chair. “Astute leaders recognize that the currency of connections is a formidable ‘superpower’—one nurtured within our trusted circle. Rest assured, when technology leaders unite, solutions emerge from the very room they inhabit.”

The 2023 South Florida ORBIE Award winners are:

• Ashish Gupta, VP & CIO, NextEra Energy received the Leadership ORBIE.
• Tim Langley-Hawthorne, EVP, CIO, Hertz received the Global ORBIE for organizations over $5 billion annual revenue & multi-national operations.
• Margaret Brisbane, CIO, Miami Dade County received the Large Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $5 billion annual revenue.
• Patrick Hale, EVP, CIO, VITAS Healthcare received the Enterprise ORBIE for organizations up to $5 billion annual revenue.
• William Velez, CIO, Harvard Maintenance Inc. received the Large Corporate ORBIE for organizations up to $1 billion annual revenue.
• Mark Moch, CIO, American Oncology Network received the Corporate ORBIE for organizations up to $500 million annual revenue.

Lacey Elmange

Lacey Elmange, Executive Director for SouthFloridaCIO and FloridaCIO, told South Florida Tech Hub, “It is extremely special and meaningful to watch the hard work of the CIO led Advisory Board come to fruition with the execution of the ORBIE Awards. Year round the Advisory Board officers are working hard to ensure great technology leadership is recognized in South Florida and one way to do that is through the ORBIE Awards. This not only gives recognition locally but also puts South Florida on the national stage where CIO peers across the network can see the exceptional leadership coming from our region.” She continued, “All ORBIE winners are able to compete in the National ORBIE Awards that take place during Converge the Inspire Leadership Network National Member Conference every summer.”

Since inception in 1998, over 700 technology leaders have received the prestigious ORBIE Award. The ORBIE honors chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in leadership. Finalists and winners are selected by an independent peer review process, led by prior ORBIE recipients, based upon leadership and management effectiveness, business value created by technology innovation. and engagement in industry and community endeavors.

The South Florida ORBIE Awards keynote was delivered by Ashish Gupta, VP & CIO of NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE), a leading clean energy company, In a fireside chat, Ashish was interviewed by Ann Dozier, SVP & CIO at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. In attendance we other leaders from the NextEra/FPL team in support of their leader.

In his role Ashish oversees all aspects of the company’s information technology, including technology strategy, driving digital transformation, cybersecurity, and communication services. He joined NextEra Energy in February 2017. Prior to joining NextEra Energy, Mr. Gupta worked at GE Energy Connections as the chief information officer. During his more than 20-year tenure at General Electric Company, Mr. Gupta held CIO positions at GE Capital and GE Energy. Mr. Gupta has been recognized for his leadership and ability to consistently create broad, innovative strategies to leverage technology for competitive advantage, drive business productivity and growth. He received Computerworld’s 2015 Premier 100 Technology Leaders award for the positive impact he had on his organization through technology. He was also recognized in 2009 with CIO Magazine’s CIO 100 honorees and in 2012 by CIO-Asia Magazine CIO 100 honorees.

Ashish Gupta

In a recent South Florida Business Journal interview, ORBIE Leadership Award recipient Ashish Gupta shares advice for the next generation of IT leaders.

“CIOs are the change agents who can share the art of what’s possible with technology and communicate interdependencies across the company,” said Gupta. “They are advocates who promote digital concepts, innovation and experimentation.”

As he looks to the future, Gupta reflects on the evolving role of CIOs and recommends up-and-coming IT leaders apply their energy in three areas: focus on business impact and business value rather than technology outcomes, always be a change leader, and hire teams of professionals who are better than you and who bring different skills and alternate perspectives.

“Leadership is about creating other leaders, not about having all the answers,” Gupta said. “In the end, your legacy will be about the teams and careers you helped build.” He urged the CIOs in the room that morning to hire those who are better than you. 

To see all nominees and categories, visit https://sofloridacio.org/awards/2023