Nominations for SolarWinds Inaugural IT Pro Day Awards Now Open

2020 has been a challenging, yet outstanding year for IT professionals. “Unique” doesn’t begin to describe the pressures and urgency of the many projects they’re addressing while playing pivotal roles in keeping businesses running. That’s why SolarWinds is launching something new this year: its first IT Pro Day Awards. It’s a great opportunity for you to celebrate the contributions and lasting impact IT professionals have made to their field over the past year. Since 2015, IT Pro Day has celebrated those who keep the wheels of IT turning. The addition of the IT Pro Day Awards program takes it one step further to truly recognize the work of IT pros in this unique time. Everyone in the IT community is encouraged to nominate their industry friends, peers, and colleagues. So, start thinking—who do you know who went above and beyond? Who were the rising stars? Who empowered their teams to keep pushing during these tough times? Nominations are now open, and you’ll be able to submit nominations until August 31, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. CT. The winners will be announced alongside the upcoming annual IT Pro Day holiday on September 15, 2020. The categories are as follows:

1. Rookie of the Year: We all start somewhere—and we want to pay special attention to the rising stars of IT. This award recognizes an IT pro new to the profession who’s made an immediate impact, whether by developing new skills (technical or otherwise), contributing to the success of a challenging project, or driving measurable results for the business.
2. Rockstar of the Year: This award honors an IT pro or team who has gone above and beyond the typical IT call of duty. They may have managed/executed on a shoestring budget, took on a challenging request or led a project that generated tangible business results, picked up extra shifts in response to strained staffing resources during the height of the pandemic, or committed their free time to upskilling to have a transformational impact on their organization.
3. IT Mentor of the Year: This award recognizes a seasoned IT pro who has supported and empowered others to be successful by sharing their experience with their team(s). This person regularly leads by example, helps foster growth and development, and has shown sustained commitment to the advancement of their organization through technology.
4. Trailblazer: Part of what makes IT so important to modern organizations is the transformative impact new, innovative strategies and technologies can deliver. This award recognizes an individual or team who has experimented with or implemented something new and out of their comfort zone. Did this person conceptualize the rollout of a DevOps approach, test automation, or begin exploring the role of data-driven operations in the data center? Highlight why their work qualifies as “unprecedented” and its potential measurable outcomes.

Nominations will be reviewed by a panel of judges comprised of the SolarWinds^® Head Geeks^™ and prominent industry  leaders—Denny Cherry, Karen López, and Silvia Spiva. The judges will evaluate nominations based on the achievements of IT pros rather than vendor-specific technology. This could include specific challenges, project or technology implementation hurdles, measurable results and data points, or other qualitative/quantitative context best demonstrating the values and goals outlined in the chosen category. Nominate an IT pro via this online form. Any questions about the submission process or the awards program can be directed to ITProDayAwards@solarwinds.com.