New Awards Ceremony Spotlights Black Tech Industry Titans: Nominations Open for Obsidi By BPTN Awards, Presented by BMO

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) is pleased to announce the opening of nominations for its inaugural tech industry awards ceremony, Obsidi By BPTN Awards, presented by BMO. The awards ceremony, set to take place on June 21, 2023 aims to celebrate the contributions of leading Black professionals and Black-led organizations in North America who are making a tangible difference in the tech industry. The initiative is unique in terms of the concept because it directs an important spotlight on the body of work of a cohort of influential and innovative Black professionals, a racialized community group seldom heard or even celebrated within the tech industry.

 The nominations for the categories below must be submitted via the Obsidi By BPTN Awards, presented by BMO website, no later than Friday, January 20, 2023, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. However, all the award winners will be officially announced on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, during Black History Month.

The awards ceremony will honour Black professionals and Black-led organizations making a tangible difference in the following ten categories:

• Black Tech Executive of the Year
• Black Employee Resource Group of the Year
• Black Marketer of the Year
• Black Venture Capital Firm of the Year
• Black Breakout Professional of the Year – Sales Division
• Black Breakout Professional of the Year – Technology Division
• Black Product Innovator of the Year
• Black Designer of the Year
• BMO Black Tech Community Builder of the Year
• BMO Black Entrepreneur of the Year, Technology Industry

"Obsidi By BPTN Awards, presented by BMO, is a game-changing initiative. Get ready to be inspired and amazed by all the exceptional achievements within North America's Black tech ecosystem. We know that Black professionals and Black-led organizations are crushing it both in the workforce and business. Now we're providing them with a platform to cement their legacies in history and reaffirm what we've always known; Black professionals are an innovation powerhouse in the tech industry to be reckoned with!" announces Lekan Olawoye, CEO and founder of BPTN.

"We are honoured to partner with BPTN to recognize Black professionals in technology. The best teams are diverse teams, and BMO is committed to celebrating top talent and their achievements in the industry. These awards are the first of their kind. We're thrilled to raise the bar for future generations," added Bojan Pavlovic, CIOO North American Personal & Business Banking and Wealth Management, BMO Financial Group.

For more information about the nomination criteria, table bookings, sponsorship and any other event details, please visit obsidi.com.

For media passes or all other media relations inquiries, please contact Brendan Waller, Director of Product Marketing, BPTN, [email protected].

Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) is the largest Black community of tech professionals in North America. Founded in 2018, BPTN bridges the network gap in the tech industry by providing Black technical and business professionals with senior executive sponsorship, skills building and a strong peer network to level up their careers. BPTN partners with companies to attract, hire and retain Black talent. With more than sixty thousand members and 66 customers, BPTN has launched Obsidi, a multi-sided networking platform for professionals looking to learn, grow and level up their careers.

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of CAD$1.14 trillion as of October 31, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

SOURCE Black Professionals in Tech Network