Awards will be presented at the 29th annual MURTEC in Las Vegas on March 13

CHICAGO, March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnsembleIQ's Hospitality Technology (HT) today announces the winners of the 2024 Top Women in Restaurant Technology Awards and the 2024 Rising Star in Restaurant Technology Awards. The 2024 awards program is sponsored by WWT Digital, a digital experience consultancy specializing in elevating guest and employee experiences.

Now in its eighth year, the Top Women in Restaurant Technology Awards program honors outstanding women from both restaurants and technology suppliers for reimagining restaurant processes and operations while demonstrating excellence in leadership, inventiveness and skill.

"The Top Women in Restaurant Technology awards program celebrates the achievements of women across a diversity of career levels and roles," noted Robert Firpo-Cappiello, editor-in-chief of Hospitality Technology. "We celebrate the contributions that groundbreaking leaders and innovative thinkers have made to our industry. Our greatest hope is that the Top Women and Rising Stars awards will inspire the next generation of restaurant technology professionals to dream big and aim high."

"At WWT Digital, we recognize the invaluable contributions of women in shaping the future of technology, particularly within the dynamic landscape of the restaurant industry. By honoring women and their technological accomplishments, we not only celebrate diversity and inclusion but also inspire future generations to innovate and lead with excellence. We are proud to sponsor Hospitality Technology's Top Women in Restaurant Technology Awards as we champion the remarkable achievements of women who continue to drive innovation, foster progress, and transform the way we experience hospitality technology," said Katie Cain, Executive Director of Digital Programs, WWT Digital.

Winners are recognized in the following categories:

Lifetime Achievement: This award honors women who have had an impact on the foodservice technology industry as well as their colleagues and industry peers through enthusiasm, mentorship and commitment, while also showing how technologies can provide new ways of doing things for more than 15 years.

Winners:

• Jodi Boyce, Chief Marketing Officer, Teriyaki Madness
• Mary Jane Riva, CEO, Pizza Factory

Innovator: The award is presented to women who are forward thinkers and who have executed on tools and strategy to transform the foodservice technology space in a positive manner by creating or deploying emerging technologies that reimagine how things are done while paving the way for future technologies.

Winners:

• Tammy K. Billings, New Biz, SignalFlare.ai; CSO, Devour.io; Founder, Industry Bias
• Brooke Heinzmann, Director of Product Marketing, Olo
• Mary Young Mapes, Senior Director of Hospitality & Customer Support, Tock
• Stephanie Nardini, SVP of IT at Jersey Mike's Franchise Systems and a 2017 Rising Star
• Shelly Rupel, CEO, Devour
  

Rising Star in Restaurant Technology

Starting this year, the Rising Star in Restaurant Technology awards are open to any individual who has been working in the restaurant technology industry for less than five years. Honors go to individuals who are re-imagining how things are done in restaurants while demonstrating excellence in leadership, inventiveness and skill.

"WWT Digital is committed to fostering innovation and supporting emerging talent in the field of restaurant technology. That is why we are thrilled to sponsor Hospitality Technology's Rising Stars in Restaurant Technology Awards. We believe in empowering and nurturing young talent, as they bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and ingenuity that will continue to propel restaurant technology forward," added Cain.

The winners of the Rising Star in Restaurant Technology Awards are:

• KC Fox, Senior Director, General Manager of Digital Ordering (SMB) at DoorDash
• Kira Hattenbach, GM of PixelPoint, PAR Technology
• Jen McQuown, Project Manager, Dine Brands Global, Inc.
  

"In recognizing the Rising Stars of Restaurant Technology, we honor not only their remarkable achievements but also their boundless potential to shape the future of our industry. These three honorees have already demonstrated exceptional leadership, inventiveness, and skill in the early stages of their career. As we celebrate their accomplishments today, we also envision the profound impact they will continue to make as the future leaders of tomorrow," said Firpo-Cappiello.

Top Women in Restaurant Technology Award winners and Rising Star in Restaurant Technology were chosen by Hospitality Technology and members of its Research Advisory Board. Winners will be profiled in Hospitality Technology and throughout the spring in digital profiles on www.hospitalitytech.com/topwomen24 and www.hospitalitytech.com/risingstars24. The winners will be honored during an awards program on March 13 at the 29th annual MURTEC (Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference), March 11-13, at The Paris in Las Vegas. To register to attend, click here.

Nominations for the 2025 awards will open in November.

About World Wide Technology

WWT Digital makes products, platforms, and experiences to help brilliant brands modernize their digital experiences. Our goal is your growth; we develop and deploy advanced e-commerce, loyalty, and business intelligence platforms that are ready to evolve with your customer. We are restaurant specialists that are passionate about creating frictionless customer experiences, growing digital transactions, and ultimately transforming you into an advanced, seamlessly integrated digital business. WWT Digital is a division of World Wide Technology, a privately held, minority-owned, global technology company with roots in hardware distribution, integration, and R&D. With the global reach of WWT, we transform the way people interact through digital solutions that seamlessly integrate business and technology.

About Hospitality Technology
Hospitality Technology (HT) is the only multichannel brand dedicated to covering the role of information technology in improving business performance for both hotel and restaurant operators. The Hospitality Technology editorial content portfolio includes an online publication that reaches more than 16,000 hospitality industry executives, networking and educational events (MURTEC, Hotel Technology Forum and MURTEC Executive Summit), a comprehensive website, e-newsletters, web seminars, and several exclusive annual reports and studies. Hospitality Technology is the parent brand of the Restaurant Technology Network (www.restauranttechnologynetwork.com), a membership community of restaurants and suppliers working together to solve industry challenges by shaping standards and sharing best practices. Visit Hospitality Technology online at www.hospitalitytech.com. Hospitality Technology is published by EnsembleIQ, headquartered in Chicago.

Stay connected with Hospitality Technology on LinkedIn.

About EnsembleIQ

EnsembleIQ is the premier resource of actionable insights and connections powering business growth throughout the path to purchase. We help retail, technology, consumer goods, healthcare and hospitality professionals make informed decisions and gain a competitive advantage. EnsembleIQ delivers the most trusted business intelligence from leading industry experts, creative marketing solutions and impactful event experiences that connect best-in-class suppliers and service providers with our vibrant business-building communities. To learn more about EnsembleIQ, visit ensembleiq.com.

Contact:
Anna Wolfe
Senior Editor - Restaurants
Hospitality Technology
awolfe@ensembleiq.com