AWARDS & RECOGNITION   |   2009 State Technology Champion Award

The NASCIO State Technology Champion Award is designed to recognize one individual annually for outstanding contributions in the field of information technology in state government. Information technology - and the sound policy to manage it - is an essential element of 21st century government. IT facilitates the information sharing and knowledge transfer critical to establishing essential cybersecurity protections, responsive government services, and effective communication to meet the needs of today's citizens.

2009 Recipient:

2009 State Technology Champion Governor Bill Ritter, Colorado

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• View acceptance video

Bill Ritter, Jr. was elected as Colorado's 41st governor in 2006 -- the first Colorado-born governor in more than 35 years. Gov. Ritter is leading Colorado forward by bringing people together to tackle some of the state's biggest challenges. He has:

• Established Colorado as a national and international leader in renewable energy by building a New Energy Economy that is creating thousands of new jobs and establishing hundreds of new companies.
• Enacted an aggressive business-development and job-creation agenda that is focused on knowledge-based industries of the future, such as energy, aerospace, biosciences, information technology and tourism.
• Initiated sweeping K-12 education reforms to give Colorado children the skills and knowledge they need to compete and succeed in a 21st century global economy.
• Improved access to quality and affordable health care for many of the 800,000 Coloradans who lack health coverage.

Gov. Ritter also is leading Colorado forward by modernizing its transportation system, protecting Colorado's natural treasures and improving the way state government does business.

He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Colorado State University and his law degree from the University of Colorado. Gov. Ritter served as Denver's District Attorney from 1993 to January 2005. He earned a national reputation as one of the country's most effective and innovative prosecutors, and several of his programs continue to serve as state and national models.