Enterprise Finalists

John is Chief Information Officer for Pike. John Armbrecht is responsible for all technology and platforms supporting all of Pike's business and the company’s technology strategies to support business functional needs and set Pike as a technology leader in the construction and energy sectors. John joined Pike after serving more than 25 years in technology leadership for multiple companies including True Value, Kohl’s, Belk, OfficeMax, and Sears, Roebuck & Co.

We have delivered material improvements in IT reliability, delivery speed, and risk posture—while shifting capacity and spend from support to higher-value work. We increased uptime across our network, applications, and end-user computing from 96% to 99.8%. Delivery throughput improved as annual releases rose from ~650 to 998 (rolling 12 months), and release success increased from 68% to 96%. We also strengthened information security, achieving top-tier industry ratings, including the top security rating in our sector. Finally, we advanced from a service provider to a strategic business partner—helping position the company at the forefront of our sector.

Gaurav Sharda is Chief Technology Officer at Beacon Mobility, where he leads enterprise technology, AI adoption, automation, and digital transformation across a national transportation platform. He has advanced modern solutions that improve safety, workforce experience, operational visibility, and customer service at scale. A Forbes Technology Council member and 2025 STN/NSTA Innovator of the Year, Gaurav is recognized for applying responsible AI and technology modernization to mission-critical operations and community-focused transportation services.

I have had the privilege of leading a technology transformation that puts people at the center of everything we do. At Beacon Mobility, we built and scaled an AI‑enabled platform that improves safety, transparency, and reliability for hundreds of thousands of riders each day. This work has been recognized with 2025 “Innovator of the Year” honors from STN and NSTA and featured in national publications. What I’m most proud of is not the recognition, but the impact. We are helping families feel confident, riders feel safe, and communities trust that every ride truly matters.

Chris Smith is Chief Information Officer at Enact Mortgage Insurance. Chris began his career at Enact (then GE Capital Mortgage Insurance) as a Junior Applications Specialist in 1998. In his time at the company, Chris has held roles of increasing responsibilities in areas such as enterprise architecture, loss mitigation technology, enterprise analytics and Chief Technology Officer. Chris graduated from Radford University’s College of Business and Economics with a bachelor’s in Business Administration and Information Systems.

I believe my greatest accomplishment is leading the team through a significant transformation of our operating model, which has required coaching team members through the change curve, and rebuilding and revitalizing the team culture in the wake of turnover. Great change can bring uncertainty and weaken trust in leadership, and I’m really proud of the strides my leadership team and I have made in rebuilding a sense of stability, strengthening trust, and fostering a team culture of unity and inclusivity.

I started my technology career with IBM as a Software architect. From there I joined a successful startup that eventually led to my role as VP of Product Development at Blue Yonder (JDA). After leaving JDA, I joined Belk as an executive in the IT department. Over the subsequent years I took over as the CIO and then the CTO. I have been in my current role of CDTO for the last 3 years.

Executed a complete Digital Transformation of Belk. These efforts helped Belk grow their eCommerce sales to over 1B$ annually.The transformation of our Data Delivery and Data Modernisation moved Belk from managing our business heuristically to completely data driven. This was a complete overhaul of how we manage and use data to drive our operations. For example, we used to manage margin at the department level, which could lead to specific items being sold that were negative margin. Rebuilding our approach and technology stack allowed us to manage at the SKU level.

Jessica Waters is the Chief Information Officer at Choate Construction, a leading commercial general contractor, where she has built a 22-year career. What started in construction operations evolved into a leadership journey she never quite planned. Today she leads with a straightforward philosophy: make technology work better for the people who rely on it. She is known for investing in the people around her, cutting through complexity, and delivering outcomes that move the business forward.

Jessica spent six years in construction operations before the recession created an unexpected opportunity in technology. In one of the industry's toughest seasons, with a team of two, she began building the Choate IT department we know today.Looking back, her passion for the construction industry and loyalty to Choate are what carried her through. Those same characteristics: adaptability, resilience, and grit are what continue to make the team successful today.Technology leadership is about continually adapting and recalibrating yourself as both leader and contributor. Sometimes the best career paths are the ones you didn't plan.