2025 Wisconsin ORBIE Awards Celebrate Excellence in Technology Leadership

The 2025 Wisconsin ORBIE Awards, hosted by WisconsinCIO—a chapter of the Inspire Leadership Network—honored some of the region’s most innovative and influential technology executives. These awards recognize chief information officers (CIOs) and digital leaders who propel business transformation and inspire the future of Wisconsin’s technology landscape.

Honoring Wisconsin’s Top Technology Executives

Winners across seven categories, including Global, Large Enterprise, Enterprise, Large Corporate, Corporate, Nonprofit/Public Sector, and Leadership, were celebrated at the Brookfield Conference Center. The event convened nearly 300 top executives and industry leaders, highlighting the crucial role technology leadership plays in organizational growth and advanced innovation.

Allen Smith, Chair of WisconsinCIO, emphasized during the event: “Great CIOs understand how connections drive transformation. The ORBIE Awards recognize CIOs who leverage relationships to drive innovation, solve complex challenges, and shape Wisconsin’s future.”

Meet the 2025 Wisconsin ORBIE Award Winners

• Leadership ORBIE: Julie Ragland, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer (retired), International Motors LLC
• Global ORBIE: Mark Molitor, CIO, Milwaukee Tool (Over $4 Billion annual revenue & multi-national operations)
• Large Enterprise ORBIE: Tony Vaden, SVP & CIO, ABC Supply Co (Over $1.6 Billion annual revenue)
• Enterprise ORBIE: Mike Troutman, CIO, Zurn Elkay (Over $700 Million annual revenue)
• Large Corporate ORBIE: John Kreul, SVP & Chief Information & Digital Officer, Jewelers Mutual (Over $300 Million annual revenue)
• Corporate ORBIE: Antony D’Cruz, CIO, HSA Bank (Up to $300 Million annual revenue)
• Nonprofit/Public Sector ORBIE: Dr. Ricki Koinig, CIO, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

About the ORBIE Awards

Since 1998, the ORBIE Awards have represented the pinnacle of executive recognition for technology leadership. Finalists and winners are chosen through a peer-reviewed process that considers leadership quality, technological innovation, value delivered to business, and engagement within the industry and community.

Highlights from the Award Ceremony

This year’s keynote address was delivered by Julie Ragland, with an insightful interview led by Laurie Panella, CIO of Marquette University. The event’s strong attendance showcased robust support from Wisconsin’s business community. Key sponsors included Baker Tilly, Concord, Google Cloud, and others, who contributed to making the 2025 ORBIE Awards a success.

About WisconsinCIO and Inspire Leadership Network

WisconsinCIO is a leading peer network for CIOs representing public and private institutions spanning government, business, healthcare, nonprofit, and education sectors across Wisconsin. As part of the nationwide Inspire Leadership Network—serving nearly 2,000 C-suite executives—WisconsinCIO aims to foster meaningful relationships and drive leadership growth within the technology sector.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.