Dennis Mazaris, recipient of this year’s Harry J. Pfister Award for Excellence in the Telecommunications Industry, emphasized investing in people when making an official statement about receiving the award. “I am humbled for my name to be added to such a long list of industry innovators,” said Mazaris, president of Concert Technologies. “Because I believe in the value of investing in people through continuing education, Concert was the first entity in the Mid-Atlantic to receive BICSI Authorized Design Training Provider status. Our customers tell us they see the difference in the quality of our work. In no small measure, this is due to us putting our project managers on a two-year career path to achieving the RTPM credential.”
Awarded by the University of South Florida’s College of Engineering, and named for former BICSI president and winter conference founder Harry Pfister, the award is given annually to recognize an individual’s outstanding contributions to the field of telecommunications/information and communications technology. Nominees are considered based on the extent to which they have promoted the profession, enhanced the scientific, technical or educational aspects of the industry, or who promote professionalism of the industry.
On the evening he received the award, Mazaris posed with Pfister for the photo that appears on this page.
As a long-time active BICSI member, Mazaris regularly presents at the association’s conferences, and has participated in many panels. In a telecommunications career spanning more than 30 years, he has worked in a variety of roles. Today, as president and chief executive officer of Concert Technologies, Mazaris set strategic direction for the company and promotes the value to the industry of using skilled project management resources to run large-scale technology rollouts.
Past winners of the Harry J. Pfister Award include Jonathan Jew, co-author of the TIA’s 942 data center standard series; Bob Stoffels, noted author and editor; former BICSI president Dunn Harvey; and Joe O’Brien, who was recognized for his lifelong efforts to promote fire safety.