The State of Indiana has been named a recipient of CIO’s 28th annual CIO 100 Awards, the magazine’s staff announced last week.

The designation is given to organizations deemed to be “using IT in innovative ways to deliver competitive advantage to the enterprise and enable growth,” according to CIO magazine.

Indiana was one of five states or state agencies to receive the 2015 designation. Most recipients were private companies considered leaders in their industries, such as Boeing, Coca-Cola and Toyota.

“Across the nation, business technology experts are taking notice of what we’re doing in Indiana,” said Paul Baltzell, Indiana’s chief information officer (CIO) and head of the Indiana Office of Technology. “This recognition is truly gratifying to those of us working hard every day for Hoosiers. More than anything, it’s a testimony to all the men and women doing excellent work as innovators within the ranks of state government.”

Baltzell over the past year has helped implement Indiana’s Management Performance Hub and overseen a groundbreaking infant mortality study using data analytics. He also has led the launch of more than a dozen new innovative digital applications designed to provide citizens better experiences interacting with government and to help government agencies achieve better efficiency and productivity as they serve citizens. The Management Performance Hub is an advanced data analytics management system based on the latest digital technology and software.  It is used toward crafting effective public policy based on real-time data, and it also houses a public transparency site enabling citizens access to a variety of real-time information about state government.

Besides coverage in the magazine, a ceremony will be held in August in Colorado recognizing the winners in conjunction with a conference on “Innovating the Digital Economy.”

“We look forward to bringing together hundreds of the most innovative and strategic minds in technology,” said Maryfran Johnson, the magazine’s editor in chief. “This year’s class of CIO 100 honorees and the CIO Hall of Fame inductees represents IT leadership at its very best. They are outstanding examples of the power of IT to drive everything from revenue growth to digital transformation. This year’s honorees are an inspiration to CIOs everywhere.”