Meet CAMI’s 2023 Cybersecurity Award winners

Head 2,405.6 miles away from Baltimore via I-70 W and you’d come across Las Vegas and its casinos. When someone strikes it big out there, they might exclaim, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!”

While the phrase’s origins remain disputed, one thing is clear: Individuals in the cybersecurity field won big at the recent seventh annual Cybersecurity Awards, which recognize excellence in Maryland’s cybersecurity industry.

The awards ceremony’s Columbia, Maryland-HQed organizer, The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI), did not immediately respond to a request for insights on the event.

The awards themselves honored a variety of products, services and innovators in the state’s robust cyber sector.

Oh, what a night! 🎶 Thank you to our finalists, sponsors, Board Members and ALL attendees for making our 7th Awards Celebration a night to remember. Check out our News page for a complete list of winners: https://t.co/UHGgbNMHf6 #CelebrateExcellence #CAMIAwards #CAMIAwards2023 pic.twitter.com/7PDZZNOOAm

— CAMI (@CAMIcyberMD) October 27, 2023

Before the event, Technical.ly spoke to two finalists for one of the award categories, the Cyber Warrior Woman Award. Morgan Adamski, director of the National Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, highlighted the importance of agency and industry collaboration by citing the center’s response to a cyberattack on telecommunications company Viasat’s KA-SAT network in 2022. Netta Squires, director of local cybersecurity at the Maryland Department of Information Technology’s Office of Security Management, emphasized that it’s possible to be a mom and a dedicated professional, as well as that seeking mentorship plays a crucial role in achieving success in the cybersecurity field.

Adamski ultimately took home that award.

According to CAMI’s announcement, 70 nominations were considered across nine of the categories for this year’s awards. Entries were evaluated by 12 independent judges who work in cybersecurity and tech. There was also a People’s Choice Award, as well as “Best of” categories for entities in Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Howard Counties.

Here’s the rest of the 2023 Cybersecurity Award winners:

• Cybersecurity Champion of the Year: Ken Hlavacek, Maryland Department of Transportation
• Cybersecurity Company to Watch: Patero
• Cybersecurity Defender of the Year: Dataprise
• Cybersecurity Diversity Trailblazer: University of Maryland Global Campus
• Cybersecurity Innovation of the Year: RackTop Systems
• Government Contractor (<$50M) of the Year: Jovian Concepts
• Government Contractor ($50M+) of the Year: CyberCore Technologies
• People’s Choice: Agile Care Enterprises
• Best of Anne Arundel County: Minerva Cyber Technologies
• Best of Baltimore County: Towson University Center for Interdisciplinary & Innovative Cybersecurity
• Best of Howard County: DigiFlight