10/21/2005 -- Cisco Systems yesterday announced this year’s winners of its sixth annual Growing with Technology Awards contest at an awards presentation ceremony in San Jose, Calif. The awards program recognizes small- and medium-sized businesses and non-profit and public sector organizations for their innovative use of networking solutions to improve their business operations.

Since the contest’s start in May, more than 600 companies and organizations had entered, competing for one grand prize and two runner-up spots in five categories: customer relationship, non-profit, operational excellence, public sector, and sales and marketing. Among the 15 winners were the four-employee A2Z Computer Service and Repair company (runner-up in customer relationship), based in Durham, N.C.; the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (runner-up in non-profit) in Alexandria, V.A.; and Niles Township High Schools (grand-prize winner in public sector) from Skokie, Ill.

Each of the categories’ grand-prize winners took home $25,000 worth of Cisco networking equipment, while the first runners-up received $15,000 worth and the second runners-up got $10,000 worth.

"Selecting winners for the Cisco Growing with Technology Award was a challenging process for our judging panel since we received so many quality applications from organizations who have dramatically improved their business through the use of technology," said Peter Alexander, Cisco’s vice president of commercial marketing. "The winners have proven that there is a direct correlation between a company's network and its ongoing business success."

An honorary award was presented to Jerry Bruckheimer Films this year for outstanding achievement in technology innovation. The 30-person company was recognized for its creative and resourceful use of networking technologies to cut operational costs, simplify internal operations, and increase productivity and efficiency. Bruckheimer attended the ceremony to accept the award in person.

For more information, go here. -Dan Hong