Monday, April 21, 2008

MassNetComms names Akamai, EqualLogic among 2008 winners

By Efrain Viscarolasaga

The Massachusetts Networks Communications Council held its annual awards ceremony this week, celebrating the region's networking industry and handing out accolades.

The council's premier awards went to Akamai Technologies Inc. and EqualLogic Inc. Cambridge-based Akamai increased its revenue by 48 percent last year, continuing a steady stream of growth since 2001, and was named Public Company of the Year. Nashua, N.H.-based storage software and equipment maker EqualLogic was named Private Company of the Year based on its $1.5 billion acquisition by computer giant Dell Inc. late last year. Don Bulens, CEO of EqualLogic, also won the private company CEO of the Year award.

The council inducted two well-known members of the industry into its hall of fame: Edson de Castro, co-founder of Data General, and Charles Stuckey, former chairman of RSA Security (now part of EMC Corp.)

Starent Networks Corp. of Tewksbury walked away with a pair of awards, winning for Largest IPO (the firm went public in June, raising $131 million), and Public CEO of the Year, with company leader Ashraf Dahod.

The 2008 MassNetComs winners were:

• Company of the Year, Private: EqualLogic Inc.
• Company of the Year, Public: Akamai Technologies Inc.
• CEO of the Year, Private Company: Don Bulens, EqualLogic Inc.
• CEO of the Year, Public Company: Ash Dahod, Starent Networks Inc.
• Product of the Year: Vanu Anywave from Vanu Inc.
• Key Industry Player: Chase Carey, CEO, DIRECTV
• Largest Private Financing: Brightcove Inc.
• Largest IPO: Starent Networks Inc.
• CIO of the Year: Jon Roberts, CIO, CVS Caremark
• Fastest Growth in Massachusetts: AT&T Inc.
• Best Performance in Public Markets: Nuance Communications Inc.
• Network Communications Hall Of Fame: Edson de Castro, co-founder, Data General; Charles Stuckey, former chairman and CEO, RSA Security Inc.