The winners of the  Australian Information Industry Association's  2011 iAwards have been announced, with the peak performers of the information technology industry honoured at a gala donner in Melbourne attended by industry leaders, the Governor of Victoria and Senator Stephen Conroy.

 

In the biggest field of the program’s 17-year history, winners were announced in four individual categories, 16 company categories and two distinguished achievement awards: the Tony Benson Entrepreneur Award and the Pearcey Medal for lifetime achievement in ICT.

 

This year’s winners included Brand Hoff, founder and former CEO of Tower Software, whose lifetime achievement in the technology industry was recognised with the Pearcey Medal.

 

Winners of the Tony Benson Entrepreneur Award were the now legendary brothers Lars and Jens Rasmussen, recognised for their work on the creation of Google Maps at Google Australia.

 

CIO of the Year honours went to Michael Harte, of the Commonwealth Bank.

 

Each winner of the company category awards went into consideration for the Inspiration iAward – representing the most outstanding innovators within the industry this year.

 

The Australian eHealth and Research Centre took out the premier company award for a system designed to diagnose eye disease and bring specialist eye-care to communities in rural and remote Australia.