13 August 15
GOLD Coast IT success story Opmantek has snared the Oscars of the US business world.
The Surfers Paradise-based software firm has been voted America’s favourite systems management product in the 13th Annual American Business Awards.
And they beat out one of the largest global multinational IT firms to the gong.
Opmantek’s latest accolade was awarded based on public vote.
More than 16,000 votes were cast in 40 people’s choice categories awards.
Opmantek clinched the award ahead of runner-up, computer giant Dell.
The American Business Awards have become the world’s most coveted corporate prize — the business world’s Oscars.
For Opmantek, it is yet another David and Goliath-style win.
Opmantek operates with a small team of 40 and was up against IT giants.
Opmantek chief executive Danny Maher said the gong was testament to the growing popularity of the firm’s network management solutions in the US and globally.
“This is another special award for Opmantek,” Mr Maher said.
“We have an enormous community of users who love our software. They tweet about us, blog about us and it is incredibly flattering to think they have taken time to vote for us in the most prestigious IT awards in the US.”
Opmantek export manager Sharon Hunneybell said: “This is a fantastic achievement for our fast- growing Gold Coast company and further evidence that you can build a global IT business from the Gold Coast.”
“More than 20 per cent our customer base is now in the US.”
Gold Coast councillor Glenn Tozer said: “This is not just a win for Opmantek but a win for the Gold Coast and Australia.”
“The Gold Coast has an increasingly vibrant IT ecosystem especially in the start-up space.”
The latest award comes after Mr Maher in April was named Australian Executive of the Year in the American Business awards, beating out Qantas chief Alan Joyce and former Telstra boss David Thodey.
Opmantek’s open source software is deployed in more than 60,000 organisations in 130 countries and every six minutes, somewhere in the world, an organisation is downloading an Opmantek product.