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Innovation Award

Education » Awards » Innovation Award

Innovation Award Winner 2020

Congratulations Randy Sunderman!
VP Information Technology
Heartland Co-op
 
Business Process Innovation (Workflow, Server Consolidation)
We used a commercial Raspberry Pi’s and cell modems with a GPS to capture the GPS location of our equipment.  We also created an application on IBM i to aid in the selection and transfer of the files.  The equipment that should receive the files is selected.  We stage the transfer of the information on our system until the equipment is powered on.  When the equipment is powered on then the IBM i sends the data to the Raspberry Pi in the equipment.  The GPS unit then collects the latitude and longitude of the equipment as it does its application of fertilizer.  The data is stored on the Raspberry Pi and later transferred back to the IBM i.  
 
Committee says:
Instead of many disparate systems to collect data from farming equipment, Heartland Co-op developed a  system using IOT to Raspberry PI devices.  We like the integration with IoT; it truly feels innovative. There is great value to the company and the employee end users. This is scalable to other companies controlling equipment being used to meet the company’s needs.

Innovation Award

Presented by COMMON and IBM

The Innovation Award recognizes outstanding innovation in the application of advanced business computing technology to improve efficiency, enhance customer service, or promote business excellence. This year, we are looking with special interest at innovations that were a direct response to COVID-19, though other innovations will still be considered.

Award winners exhibit excellence in utilizing new technologies to create significant business value by delivering new solutions faster, improving the quality and capability of existing solutions, or improving the economics around solution implementation. New technologies that will be considered for the award cover a wide variety of areas, including but not limited to:

  • Application Modernization, including Mobile Solutions
  • Business Process Innovation
  • Database
  • Education and Community Support
  • Open Source
  • Virtualization and Systems Management

The winner will be notified in late August 2020 and announced at POWERUp 2020 in Tampa.

The benefits of being the Innovation Award winner are significant. Prizes includ


  • Complimentary one-year membership to COMMON
  • One complimentary registration to POWERUp 2020
  • One complimentary registration to the COMMON IT Executive Conference
  • Feature articles in COMMON.CONNECT and IBM publications

Who is eligible for the Award?

Any individual or company in the COMMON community is eligible. Business partners are not eligible for the award but can nominate a client with its permission.

A judging committee will be assigned that includes COMMON Board Members and IBM representatives. The judges will rank and score each nomination on the following criteria:

  • Demonstration of business innovation
  • Support of outstanding achievement
  • Highlighted business value to the company and its end users
  • Considered a best practice in the industry
  • Stands out from the other nominations

If you have questions about the 2020 COMMON Innovation Award, please send an email.

The application window is now closed for 2020.