May 23, 2023 (Cape Cod, MA) – For the first time in its history, the Cape Cod Technology Council’s Annual Meeting will feature several awards recognizing businesses, students, and a leading environmentalist for the meaningful difference they are making in our region.
“There are so many companies and people doing important work in advancing technology and protecting our environment that deserve to be recognized,” said Technology Council Executive Director Steve Smith. “Often, they are doing this work under the radar. We hope these awards will place a bright spotlight on the impact being made by these recipients and inspire others to find ways they can do their part to embrace technology as a catalyst for positive change in our community.”
Tickets for the Tech Council’s Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner, which is being held on Wednesday, May 31, 5:30-9 pm at The Club at New Seabury, can be purchased by clicking this link.
One of this year’s honors, the Bert Jackson Award, has special significance as it pays tribute to a central figure in the Tech Council’s history. Bert Jackson joined the Council’s board in 2009, serving as its president for nearly eight years. In 2018, he was named the Council’s first-ever CEO, and served in that capacity until the beginning of this year when he moved to Hawaii with his husband Wil Rhymer.
“Bert has done so much for the Cape on so many different levels. This award focuses on his passion for technology, his inclusiveness, and his love of the Cape,” Smith said. “Bert has been instrumental in keeping our organization going and making it what it is today. We wanted to acknowledge and honor Bert’s contributions with an overall excellence award that epitomizes all that he represents.”
The first-ever recipient of the Bert Jackson Award is Richard Delaney of Orleans, who was named the interim executive director for the Center for Coastal Studies last month. Delaney had retired as president and CEO of the Provincetown-based nonprofit in January 2022, a post he held for 14 years.
The co-founder of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative, Delaney is renowned for his environmental work which spans over 45 years. He founded the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts-Boston; he was the director of the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management; and was the Massachusetts Assistant Secretary of Environmental Affairs. One of the founders of the Global Ocean Forum, Delaney has consulted governments in over 20 countries regarding climate change, and coastal and ocean management.
He has attended several United Nations Climate Change Conferences, including the Paris Climate Conference in 2016 and the Climate Change Conference of the Parties in 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Delaney, who has spoken at several Tech Council events over the years, expressed gratitude for the award he will receive at the end of this month. “The reason I really appreciate this recognition is because it’s connected to Bert. He is someone who I think is one of the unsung heroes in our community. He has gone about making a difference on Cape Cod in so many ways,” Delaney said. “He’s been a pioneer with his work with the Tech Council and has been a superb asset to the Cape. I just think the world of Bert.”
Additional honorees at this year’s Tech Council Annual Meeting include Cape Air which is receiving the 2023 Sustainability Award; Eversource which is receiving a 2023 Technology Award; and Cape Light Compact which is receiving a 2023 Technology Award.
Cape Air’s award is tied to the company’s efforts to shift to an electric fleet. Last year, the 34-year-old airline struck a deal with the Seattle-based company Eviation to purchase 75 all-electric aircraft.
“When it comes to sustainability, emerging technologies have played an integral role in every project to reduce our carbon footprint since we installed our first solar system in 2010. This continues to be true as we pursue a fully electric airplane for our fleet,” said Cape Air CEO Linda Markham. “Here on Cape Cod, we are fortunate to have leaders, citizenry, and organizations that have heard the call about climate change. The Cape Cod Technology Council has been and will continue to be a key component of local education and advocacy for new solutions. The Council’s valued programs help all of us here on the Cape learn from each other to use technology in the pursuit of a sustainable future.”
Eversource is being feted for its Outer Cape Battery Energy Storage System it installed in Provincetown, and which went live in September of last year. The first-of-its-kind project for the company utilizes a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery system to provide over 10,000 Eversource customers on the Outer Cape with emergency power in case of an outage.
And Cape Light Compact’s award is tied to the organization’s longtime work to help residents and business owners take steps to reduce their impact on the environment by enhancing the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses. At the beginning of this year, the Compact received approval from the state to move forward with its latest program, Cape & Vineyard Electrification Offering (CVEO), which offers incentives for home decarbonization measures, including heat pumps and electric stoves, as well as incentives for solar PV and possible battery storage.
“We believe that CVEO will help to address some key challenges our community faces at the intersection of housing, affordability, and climate resiliency,” said Cape Light Compact Administrator Margaret Downey. “After advocating for this program for years, we are thankful the Tech Council is recognizing the importance of the adoption of cleaner heating technologies and renewable energy in our region.”
The final two awards are going to Cape Cod Community College students John Hughes of West Plymouth, and Chris Jennette of South Carolina.
“I could not find two more humble, kindhearted, intelligent men who have a passion for IT and represent what a community college education can do to move a person forward in their career,” said the college’s IT Coordinator Andrea Lyons-Marcotte.
Next week’s Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner is made possible by the Council’s Sustaining Sponsors, Cape Light Compact, Cape Cod 5, and OpenCape Corporation.
About Cape Cod Technology Council
Founded in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, the Cape Cod Technology Council is a membership-based, events-oriented nonprofit that promotes technology and its understandings on Cape Cod, the Islands, and in Southeastern Massachusetts. The Council’s work includes supporting the direction of development of the technology infrastructure in the region to advance the growth, effectiveness, and competitiveness of member organizations; assist in the technology education for the advancement of its members as well as future generations through a variety of programs; and provide unique, meaningful, and topical presentations, discussions, forums, and events focused on technology. To learn more about the Technology Council, visit www.cctechcouncil.org.