Inaugural innovator awards to be handed out this month

There will be plenty happening on the show floor during NXTcomm 2007 in Chicago June 19-21, but there also will be some noteworthy events off it. Chicago-based consulting and market research firm New Paradigm Resources Group, which has hosted a Spring Leadership Forum the past few years during NXTcomm's predecessor shows, this year will be joined by new partner Telephony for an expanded version of the leadership forum. The result is an invitation-only event for service providers that will include a networking cocktail reception, keynote and panel speakers and the first ever Communications Innovators Awards program.

The event will be held Tues., June 19 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Mid-America Club in Chicago, featuring a brief keynote speech by Robert Atkinson, a former Teleport executive, now director of policy research for Columbia University's Institute for Tele-Information.

NPRG and Telephony will then present the Communications Innovators Awards to service providers in three categories: Most Innovative Deployment of Broadband Wireless, Most Innovative Carrier Ethernet Service and Most Innovative Broadband Access Package. Companies that have implemented cutting-edge solutions offering innovative alternatives to customers will receive the awards.

“This important event will provide a unique opportunity for industry leaders, analysts and the media to share perspectives and discuss the industry's most significant issues and trends,” said Terry Barnich, president and CEO of NPRG. “We also look forward to collaborating with Telephony to acknowledge industry innovators and organizations that have implemented cutting-edge solutions and demonstrate forward thinking within the communications industry.”

Craig Clausen, senior vice president and chief operating officer of NPRG, said he and Barnich began the leadership forum to “get people from leading service providers together in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss the industry issues of the day. The inspiration for the awards program came from the idea that very few events out there recognize who is really pushing the envelope and creating innovative solutions.”

The roundtable panel discussion with representatives from the award-winning service providers will commence after the awards reception.

“We look forward to co-hosting this forum with NPRG and believe it will be one of the industry's most highly anticipated events,” said Mark Hickey, group publisher of Telephony. “We expect the program to offer both intriguing discussion and unique insight into future innovation across the telecom sector.”