Winners of the GAP 50 Entrepreneur Awards were announced by the Center for Innovative Technology on Thursday. More than 50 people were recognized at the luncheon.  The GAP 50 awards innovative entrepreneurs who are creating rapidly growing businesses in Virginia.

Area winners include: Eddie Amos, senior vice president and CTO, Meridium; Sam English, president and CEO, AttentionPoint; Doug Juanarena, vice president, RackSpace Hosting; Nathan Latka, co-founder and CEO, Heyo; Peter Lazar, CEO, eBroselow; Jack Lesko, associate dean of Research and Graduate Studies, Virginia Tech; Caroline Pugh, VirtualU; Bob Summers, TechPad; Jonathan Hagmaier, Interactive Achievement; Kevin Bloomfield, Netventures; and Hussein Ahmed, VTLS.

Here is the press release from the Center for Innovative Technology.

December 13, 2012 – The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) announced today the winners of the GAP 50 Entrepreneur Awards, a statewide award program designed to identify and celebrate Virginia’s next generation of entrepreneurs who are creating high-growth companies.

Part of Governor Bob McDonnell’s “Year of the Entrepreneur” initiative, the GAP 50 Entrepreneur Awards luncheon recognized over 50 awardees out of 272 finalists that were nominated from various regions throughout the Commonwealth. Initially, over 800 entrepreneurs were nominated. A peer voting process selected the winners.

CIT President and CEO Pete Jobse said, “We are honored to recognize these entrepreneurs today as part of the Year of the Entrepreneur and the CIT GAP 50 Entrepreneur Awards. They represent Virginia’s thriving community of innovative entrepreneurs who are laying the foundation for a bright economic future.”

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and Steve Case, co-founder of America Online (AOL) and current Chairman of Revolution LLC, a venture capital firm, presented the awards and spoke to the audience about the importance of encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship within the community.

The following finalists were awarded:

•         Jonathan Aberman, Managing Director of Amplifier Ventures

•         Hussein Ahmed, Founder and CEO of KustomNote.com

•         Eddie Amos, Senior Vice President and CTO of Meridium

•         Sid Banerjee, CEO of ClaraBridge

•         Ed Barrientos, CEO of Brazen Careerist

•         Marti Beller, Co-founder and CEO of PlanG

•         Brett Blackman, Co-founder and CSO of HemoShear, LLC

•         Kevin Bloomfield, President and CEO of NetVentures

•         Danny Boice, Co-founder and CTO of Speek

•         Michael Bor, Founder and CEO of Car Lotz

•         John Bracken, CEO of Speek

•         Martin Chapman, President and CEO of Indoor Biotechnologies

•         Francois Chenard, President of IRflex Corporation

•         Duke Chung, CEO of Parature

•         Mathew Dellorso, Founder and CEO of FundRoom.com

•         Tobias Dengel, CEO of WillowTree Apps

•         Eric Edwards, Co-founder and Vice President of Intelliject, Inc.

•         Sam English, President and CEO of AttentionPoint

•         John Feminella, CTO of Cardagin Networks

•         Kristin Fitch, CEO of ZiggityZoom

•         Ric Fleisher, Co-founder of Urgnt.ly

•         Will Fuentes, CEO of Lemur IMS

•         Larkin Garbee, Founder of 804RVA