This year was different, again

For the seventh consecutive year, we are celebrating achievements in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry through our Cabling Innovators Awards. Much of this issue is filled with detailed descriptions of the honorees receiving Silver, Gold, and Platinum awards.

Let me be the billionth person to point out that 2021 was unlike other years, in that we were kind-of still held hostage by the Covid-19 pandemic in the first part of the year, then kind-of not hostage anymore, now we kind-of are again. That dynamic resulted in only some, rather than most, of our honorees receiving their awards at the BICSI Fall Conference, which took place in late August. We're pleased to have been at that event, and to deliver some photos of deserving organizations with their awards.

Our awards program starts with a self-submission; organizations nominate themselves for an award based on the extent to which their nominated product, project, or program meets any of our criteria. Those criteria are an innovative approach, value to the user, sustainability, meeting a defined need, collaboration, and impact. As the administrator of the Cabling Innovators Awards program, I have the opportunity to see each nomination. As I reviewed the nominations this year, a couple recurring themes left an impression.

One was that innovation, invention, and ingenuity didn't slow down as the ICT industry and the world battled through the pandemic. During previous economic downturns, some manufacturers withheld releasing products that were ready to be brought to market because, frankly, the market wasn't ready to spend for them. This time, the development and release of innovative products and technologies underscored the reality that the pandemic made those products and technologies more essential than ever.

The other theme I saw a number of times was manufacturers emphasizing their products are made in the United States. More entrants used "made in the U.S.A." as a differentiator this year than I ever remember being the case in the past. With dozens of full cargo ships waiting off the coast of California and other snafus related to imported products vexing professionals in the ICT industry, a product's country of origin has taken on renewed importance.

Will that still be the case next year? None of us can be sure, but I do know for sure I'm looking forward to seeing another set of innovations. Congratulations to all our honorees, and I hope you enjoy reading about them.

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