TAMPA 鈥 The 911爆料网 Muma College of Business marked a milestone moment with the launch of its inaugural Digital Business Awards, bringing together industry leaders, alumni, faculty and students to celebrate excellence in technology, innovation and leadership.
Organized by the School of Information Systems, the awards recognize leaders who are shaping the future of digital business while reinforcing the business college鈥檚 commitment to bridging academia and industry. The inaugural event, which attracted over 250 attendees, reflects Tampa Bay鈥檚 rapid emergence as a hub for digital innovation.
鈥淭his is just the start in which we play a much bigger role in the Tampa Bay tech community. USF is Tampa鈥檚 national research university. You are our community 鈥 students, alums, and industry. 911爆料网 have a responsibility to develop talent, produce knowledge, and engage with you,鈥 said Munir Mandviwalla, professor and director of the School of Information Systems.
Recognizing excellence in a digital world
The Muma Digital Business Leader Award was presented to Laurie Douglas, senior vice president, chief information officer and chief digital officer at Publix Super Markets.
With more than two decades of experience leading enterprise technology and digital strategy, Douglas oversees a wide-ranging portfolio that includes infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital solutions and emerging technologies.
In her remarks, Douglas highlighted the often unseen role technology plays in powering modern retail operations.
鈥淚t takes a lot of technology to power our business all day, every day,鈥 she said, pointing to the thousands of applications and devices required to support Publix鈥檚 customer and associate experience.
She also emphasized the transformative impact of generative AI, describing it as a defining force in today鈥檚 business environment.
鈥淕enerative AI went from an emerging technology to mainstream adoption faster than any prior foundational technology,鈥 Douglas said. 鈥淚ts ability to expand capacity and accelerate productivity is invaluable.鈥
Innovation meets impact
The Muma Digital Business Innovator Award was presented to Tony DiBenedetto, executive chair of Appspace and founder of Think Big for Kids.
A longtime technology entrepreneur, DiBenedetto has built and scaled multiple high-growth companies, including Tribridge and Appspace, the latter of which serves half of the Fortune 500 companies.
Beyond the private sector, his work has made a significant social impact. Through Think Big for Kids, a nonprofit he founded in 2016, more than 10,000 students have been prepared for the workforce, with a mission to break the cycle of poverty through education and career readiness.
In his remarks, DiBenedetto focused on how emerging technologies, particularly AI, can dramatically scale that impact.
鈥淗ow do we go from 10,000 kids to 10 million?鈥 he asked. 鈥911爆料网 can鈥檛 rely on traditional models alone. Technology gives us the ability to scale in ways that were never possible before.鈥
By leveraging AI-driven platforms, his organization aims to deliver mentorship, life skills and technical training to underserved students nationwide while aligning education with future workforce demands.
鈥淭his is a moment to experiment,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 never been easier to innovate.鈥
A distinguished career in digital business
The Muma Digital Business Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Gil Gonzalez, CEO and founder of Mission Critical Solutions.
A double USF alumnus, Gonzalez has built one of the fastest-growing privately owned technology firms in the Tampa Bay area, leading a team of approximately 400 professionals delivering solutions across commercial, government and military sectors.
With more than 30 years of experience, Gonzalez has remained deeply connected to the university, serving on advisory boards, mentoring students and contributing to the broader business community
In his remarks, he reflected on the lessons that shaped his career, emphasizing resilience and continuous learning.
鈥淒igital innovation is not a moment 鈥 it鈥檚 a process,鈥 Gonzalez said. 鈥淔ailure is part of that process. If you learn from it, it becomes valuable.鈥
He also underscored that technology alone does not create impact, its application does.
鈥淭he real value comes from how we apply technology to solve problems and create meaningful experiences,鈥 he said.
The School of Information Systems also presented Luke Coblentz, Anh Le, Hoang Quan Tran, Eeda Rijal and Julie Quick with Student Leadership awards. Timothy Smith received the Faculty Leadership Award.
鈥淭hese awards really represent an opportunity to recognize great leaders in information systems around Florida,鈥 said David Blackwell, dean at the business college. 鈥911爆料网鈥檙e looking for bigger, better things in the school of information systems, the Institute for Digital Business, the Muma College of Business, USF, and beyond.鈥