DENVER, CO, June 20, 2011 – CIO magazine named Alta Colleges Inc. to its prestigious list of the 2011 CIO 100. The annual awards honor 100 organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of operational and strategic excellence in information technology (IT) – companies that are using information technology in innovative ways to create business value.
Alta Colleges, the parent company of Westwood College and Redstone College, was recognized for its implementation of the “Power of One,” a vision to become one of the first educational institutions to implement an integrated education delivery system that provides a seamless student experience across ground and online campuses.
"This year's CIO 100 awards draws well-deserved attention to companies that are not only innovating with IT but creating genuine business value as well," said Maryfran Johnson, editor-in-chief of CIO magazine & events. "These winning companies and their IT organizations are an inspiration to businesses everywhere."
“We are proud to be recognized by CIO magazine for our Power of One project. We are even more proud, however, of how this new set of integrated systems has ultimately made our students’ lives better and improved their educational experience,” said Segar Annamalai, chief information officer at Alta Colleges. “This implementation is further proof of Alta’s continued investment in technology to help our students succeed.”
The Power of One focuses on three main goals: integrated educational delivery to create a seamless experience across ground and online campuses; student and faculty empowerment to remove barriers and increase student and faculty responsibility and success; and innovation through infrastructure to create a single sign-on to all applications and campus resources enabling 24x7 access to education from anywhere. As part of the Power of One vision, Alta Colleges focused on the elements of architecture, applications, business process management and teamwork. Alta’s technology partners including Blackboard, Campus Management, Microsoft, Tech Mahindra and VMware assisted in the development and implementation of the integrated systems.
“WConnect [the new student portal] has been one of the best tools a student can have. Having access to your professors, grades, and research sites such as Lexus/Nexus is a big advantage for a student,” said Nathan Rosser, Atlanta Northlake Westwood student. ”You can check on your school finances, your grades, and buy your books online from the bookstore. You can even access it from your mobile device.”
The recipients of this year's CIO 100 award were selected through a three-step process. Companies submitted an online application form detailing their innovative IT and business initiatives. A team of judges reviewed the applications in depth, looking for unique practices and substantial results, and submitted their recommendations to the CIO editors. A vote by the editors ultimately determined the final 100 companies honored.
The 2011 CIO 100 awards will be presented at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. Aug. 14-16 at the conclusion of the sixteenth annual CIO 100 Symposium® and Awards Ceremony.
About CIO Magazine
CIO produces award-winning content and community resources for information technology executives and leaders thriving and prospering in this fast-paced era of business, as well as create opportunities for information technology and consumer marketers to reach them. The CIO portfolio includes CIO.com, CIO magazine (launched in 1987), CIO Executive Programs and the CIO Executive Council. CIO properties provide business technology leaders with analysis and insight on information technology trends and a keen understanding of IT’s role in achieving business goals. The U.S. edition of the magazine and website are recipients of more than 200 awards to date, including the American Society of Business Publication Editor’s Top B-to-B Magazine since 2000 and two Grand Neals from the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards. CIO websites and printed publications appear in more than 25 countries, including Australia, Canada, Finland, India and Sweden. CIO Executive Programs—a series of face-to-face conferences including the CIO 100 Awards & Symposium™—provide educational and networking opportunities for pre-qualified corporate and government leaders. The CIO Executive Council is a professional organization of CIOs created to serve as an unbiased and trusted peer advisory group. CIO is published by IDG Enterprise, a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading media, events and research company. Company information is available at www.idgenterprise.com.
About Alta Colleges
Alta Colleges, Inc., is headquartered in Denver, Colorado and is the parent company of Westwood College and Redstone College. The institution of higher learning has 18 campuses in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, as well as an online campus. Westwood College and Redstone College offer a hands-on, career-focused curriculum featuring three-year bachelor’s degrees in many in-demand fields. Westwood and Redstone are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), depending on the campus. For more information, visit www.westwood.edu.