Silicon Slopes celebrated three new Hall of Fame inductees at its annual awards gala last week, lauding them for their “tremendous positive influence on Utah’s business community and beyond.” Jeanette Bennett of Bennett Communications/Utah Valley 360, Jonathan Johnson of Overstock and John Pestana of ObservePoint accepted their awards onstage before diving into a ball pit wearing black tie attire and sneakers.

Johnson praised his Overstock team and recalled a favorite poem by Walt Whitman, saying, “People, places, things around us shape who we become … The Overstock team, especially the management team…they aren’t afraid to tell me when I’m wrong—something every CEO needs. And they aren’t afraid to take on big, hairy, hard problems, which is another thing every CEO needs. They are a team of doers, they are live-rs of our ‘We are Overstock’ culture. They make me a better CEO and person.”

Referring to social media platforms, Bennett said, “Everyone in this room has our own publishing company. What a great honor. What a great privilege. And what a great responsibility we all have to use our particular publishing companies for good.” She then issued a challenge to the audience. “Speak positively about Utah, about Silicon Slopes and about each other because despite our differences politically, religiously or otherwise, we can find ways to be kind.”

In a Silicon Slopes Conversation podcast episode, Pestana said, “The journey has been long … I’ve just loved building and helping take care of people and creating things and that’s just always what’s driven me … When we first started in tech, it was really hard to get anybody to pay attention to anything in Utah and that’s dramatically changed. And then it’s been fun to see the community.”

According to the Silicon Slopes Newsroom, the Hall of Fame awards launched in 1999 by the then-Utah Technology Council. The event identifies and applauds the technology pioneers and breakthrough leaders who have contributed to the ongoing and growing success of Utah and Silicon Slopes.

Silicon Slopes also honored winners of company and individual awards, selected from finalists who were announced in December 2022:

Community Hero: The Other Side Academy

CEO of the Year: Adam Edmunds of Entrata

CFO of the Year: Felix Morgan of PCF

CMO of the Year: Tarah Neujahr Bryan of Health Catalyst

COO of the Year: Trish Cox of Galileo Financial Technologies

Chief People Officer of the Year: Mindi Cox of O.C. Tanner

Chief Product Officer of the Year: Taylor Allis of Avetta

CRO of the Year: Ryan Bott of Sodexo

CTO of the Year: Sanchaita Datta of Fatpipe Networks

Intern of the Year: Carlee Hemmelgarn of CHG Healthcare

Advertising: Dirty Dough

Aerospace and Defense: Intergalactic

Branding: Pattern

Health & Wellness: CharityVision

Media & Entertainment: JUMP by Limitless Flight

Physical Product: Traeger

Services: Tanner Accountants and Advisors

Spaces and Places: Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute

Software: Entrata

Web3: Tafi