IBM has announced the winners of its 11th annual IBM Beacon Awards, which honor Business Partners from around the world for their information technology excellence, commitment to skills attainment, industry knowledge and innovative solutions based on IBM products and services.

Winners of the Beacon Awards are selected by leading industry journalists, analysts, and IBM executives for 27 award areas spanning Smarter Industries, Smarter Solutions, developerWorks and technical excellence. The winning solutions showcase IBM Business Partner skills and expertise in developing innovative approaches to solving business challenges and helping clients grow.

Winners and finalists receive industry recognition, increased marketplace visibility and promotional support for their firm and solutions. Beacon Award winners and finalists were announced at the 2011 PartnerWorld Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla. This invitation-only event brings together more than 1,500 Business Partners and IBM executives from around the globe to discuss the important role business partners play in IBM's growth plays including Smarter Planet, cloud computing, business analytics and growth markets.

"The IBM Beacon Awards recognize Business Partners who exemplify the ability to deliver business value to our mutual clients through innovative solutions, technical excellence and industry expertise," said Rich Hume, general manager, IBM Global Business Partners and Midmarket. "These awards reflect the breadth of our commitment to helping IBM Business Partners build skills, support clients, and pursue new opportunities for profitable growth worldwide."

New this year are awards for cloud computing innovation and smart solutions for industry segments such as banking, insurance, retail, travel and transportation, energy and utilities, telecommunications, healthcare, and government. These additions underpin the growing importance of developing the industry and technical skills needed to help clients increase business growth, customer satisfaction, and profitability. IBM also announced winners of the new IBM Choice Awards, honoring Business Partners that have demonstrated business excellence in delivering IBM-based solutions.

Winners of the 2011 IBM Beacon Awards

Beacon Awards for Smarter Solutions

• Outstanding Solution for Midsize Businesses: N2N Global (U.S.)
• Cloud Computing Innovation–Cloud Builder: Sogeti (France)
• Cloud Computing Innovation–For Application Providers: Meetrix Communications, Inc. (U.S.)
• Outstanding Business Analytics Innovation: Revelwood (U.S.)
• Outstanding Information Management Innovation: Advanced Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (China)
• Outstanding Software Innovation: Test Pro Pty. Ltd. (Australia)
• Outstanding Business Value through Social Business: Trilog Group, Inc. (U.S.)
• Outstanding Integrated Service Management Solution: Controlware GmbH (Germany)
• Outstanding Business Agility Solution: Summa (U.S.)
• Outstanding Virtualization and Consolidation Solution: Agilysys, Inc. (U.S.)
• Outstanding Collaboration with IBM Global Technology Services: Sogeti (France)
• Smarter Systems – Outstanding Power Systems Solution: Agilysys, Inc. (U.S.)
• Smarter Systems – Outstanding System x and BladeCenter Solution: Netbox Blue (Australia)
• Smarter Systems – Outstanding IBM System z Solution: Shenzhen Skybility Technology Co., Ltd (China)
• Smarter Systems – Outstanding IBM Storage Solution: Logicalis, Inc. (U.S.)

Beacon Award for developerWorks

Most Innovative Use of developerWorks to Drive Business Results: Sunbay AG (Switzerland)

Beacon Awards for Technical Excellence

• Outstanding Technical Excellence (mature markets, co-winners): Sirius Computer Solutions (U.S.), FRITZ & MACZIOL group (Germany)
• Outstanding Technical Excellence (growth markets) : ITCen Systems (Korea)

Beacon Awards for Smarter Industries

• Best Industry Solution for Banking (co-winners): Cincom Systems (U.S.), FIS (U.S.)
• Best Industry Solution for Insurance: Silanis Technology Inc. (Canada)
• Best Industry Solution for Retail (co-winners): Zobrist Consulting Group, Inc. (U.S.), CrossView (U.S.)
• Best Industry Solution for Travel and Transportation: INDRA (Spain)
• Best Industry Solution for Energy & Utilities: GridManager A/S (Denmark)
• Best Industry Solution for Telecommunication: generationE Technologies (U.S.)
• Best Industry Solution for Healthcare: Napier Healthcare Solutions Pte. Ltd. (India)
• Best Industry Solution for Government: PROFI Engineering Systems AG (Germany)

IBM Choice Awards

For the second year in a row, IBM is honoring Business Partners from each geography who have demonstrated business excellence in delivering IBM-based solutions to our mutual clients. The IBM Choice Awards are given to the Business Partners who exhibit IBM values in all client interactions and achieve common business goals, resulting in superior customer satisfaction and mutually significant business impact. The IBM Choice Awards were selected by an IBM panel and are not based on nominations by Business Partners.

Winners of the 2011 IBM Choice Awards

• Northeast Europe Innovation Award: PIDAS Aktiengesellschaft (Switzerland)
• Northeast Europe "Totality of IBM" Award: Barrachd (UK)
• Southwest Europe Business Partner of the Year: I.R.I.S. ICT (Belgium)
• Southwest Europe Midmarket Partner of the Year: Var Group spa (Italy)
• Growth Market Unit Solution Excellence Award: Metro Systems Corporation (Thailand)
• Growth Market Unit Most Outstanding Distributor: Digital China (China)
• Growth Market Unit Strategic Growth Award: Interactive Convergence (Pakistan)
• North America Excellence Award: VSS (U.S.)
• North America Excellence Award: Logicalis, Inc. (U.S.)
• Japan Excellence Award – Partner of the Year: Nippon Information and Communication Corporate (Japan)
• Japan Excellence Award – Distributor of the Year: iGUAZU Corporation (Japan)
• Mid-Market Leadership Award: CDW (U.S.)
• Mid-Market Leadership Award: Maxima Holdings plc (UK)
• Mid-Market Leadership Award: Pronto Software Pty. Ltd. (Australia)

For more information about the IBM Beacon Awards, including a description of the winning companies, visit: http://www-304.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/servlet/ContentHandler/2010_beacon.html