RBTC hosted the annual TechNite gala to celebrate the powerful innovation hub that’s growing in Roanoke and Blacksburg. Held on May 7 at Roanoke’s landmark Hotel Roanoke and presented by Woods Rogers, the celebratory event recognized the year’s standout researchers, leaders, and visionaries in the regional tech and life science community.

“It doesn’t seem possible, but each TechNite is more inspiring than the last,” said RBIA CEO Erin Burcham. “The members of our innovation community continue to raise the bar. The ideas, research, and companies developing here in Roanoke and Blacksburg are truly world-class and it’s a rich experience to recognize all they have achieved and continue to achieve.”

The evening was full of networking and celebration and culminated in the much- anticipated awards ceremony that saw joint wins for Entrepreneur of the Year, Large Leading Tech Company, and the Ruby Award. A major highlight of the evening was the induction of Virginia Tech president Tim Sands into the RBTC Hall of Fame.

The complete list of companies, leaders, and entrepreneurs honored at TechNite 2026 included:

Entrepreneur of the Year | Narro Trucks, Inc. and Webster Santos 

This award recognizes someone in the community who exemplifies what it means to be a risk-taker in technology. This year two winners tied for the honor: Narro Trucks. Inc and Webster Santos.

Narro Trucks Inc. is a young automotive technology company in Dublin, VA founded by entrepreneurs Cullen Danilowicz and Maxell Collignon. The company designs and manufactures 100% electric, high-performance utility vehicles for use in municipalities, commerce, and agriculture. Their mission is to reduce carbon emissions without sacrificing strength, reliability, or capability.

Dr. Webster Santos is a professor of chemistry at Virginia Tech and a College of Science Faculty Fellow. He is a co-founder of four biotech companies including S1P Therapeutics Inc. and received the Schug Research Award as well as an Innovator’s award at Virginia Tech. He is a fellow of the royal society of chemistry and on the editorial advisory board of current topics in medicinal chemistry, medicinal research reviews as well as boron in the Americas. He is an inventor on more than 23 issued and pending patents. His current research centers on developing drugs towards obesity, kidney disease, cancer, and immune-related disorders.

Innovator of the Year Award | Dr. Eli Vlaisavljevich 

This award is given to those whose research or innovation represents a significant technological breakthrough in their field. This year’s award was given to Dr. Eli Vlaisavljevich, professor at VT. His IP led to the formation of Helix Acoustics, a RAMP company. He is currently developing a second company based on work from his lab that leverages focused ultrasound to deliver cancer treatments to dogs and cats. Thanks to his scholarly reputation, ability to develop new tech, and his work in Malawi bringing innovative surgical approaches to new patient populations, he has become an international leader in the focused ultrasound field.

Large Leading Tech Company | Carilion Clinic and Novonesis 

This award is designed to honor companies advancing our region’s tech community and leading with excellence in their people, programs, and projects. This year, two companies tied for this honor.

Carilion Clinic Innovation: Carilion physicians, nurses and staff make unique discoveries through their research, and continuous improvements to the care they provide our communities. Some of these discoveries are innovations with commercial potential. First and foremost, they can benefit patients in our community. When inventions are brought to market by an Industry partner or spun out as a startup, patients across the country and globe may benefit from our employees’ curiosity and commitment to innovation. Carilion Innovation is a catalytic agent and resource for our innovators.

Novonesis: Novonesis is a leading global biosolutions company based in Salem, VA exemplifying cutting-edge innovation in biotech and deep-rooted commitment to the Salem region. In 2025, they announced a $5M investment to expand local operations and play a critical role in advancing biosolutions that support agriculture, animal health, water treatment, and environmental sustainability on a global scale.

Small Leading Tech Company | Tight Technologies

This award recognizes a small and mighty company demonstrating excellence in their people, programs, and projects within their industry. The 2026 winner was Tight Technologies which specializes in aligning technology plans with business goals, proactively managing networks to prevent downtime, and developing comprehensive IT business plans. They create detailed documentation and standards for organizations while focusing on security to protect business data.

Regional Leadership Award | Don Halliwill, Carilion Clinic

This award recognizes a person whose mentorship, thought leadership, or advocacy is advancing the region and innovation community. This year’s winner is Don Halliwill, Executive Vice President and CFO for Carilion Clinic. He steers the non-profit health system’s finances and is an instrumental part of Carilion’s academic health center partnerships. A visionary leader, Don has been at the forefront of Carilion’s investments in biotechnology and life sciences while championing improved patient access. He exemplifies the ideal that innovation and financial stewardship can—and should—go hand-in-hand with compassion.

Rising Star Award | Dr. Jenny Munson, Cairina

This award recognizes a local biotechnology company poised for success and emphasizes the importance of small firms to our region’s technology economy. The Rising Star award was given to Dr. Jenny Munson. Dr. Munson is a professor and director of the Cancer Research Center at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. She has patented innovations that apply fluid dynamic, tissue engineering, biomedical imaging, and computational modeling to develop diagnostic and therapeutic tools for cancer and other diseases. She was recently accepted into the National Academy of Inventors as a Senior Member and has founded two biotech companies based in the region.

STEM-H Educator Award in Higher Ed | Leah Thomas, Virginia Western Community College

This award recognizes higher education STEM educators in the Roanoke Blacksburg region for their creativity and mentorship of future tech leaders. The 2026 honoree is Leah Thomas, Project VITAL outreach specialist at VWCC. She is an active member of the tech ecosystem and gifted education who has undertaken biotech outreach with over 400 elementary school students at RCPS and the BEACON program at the YMCA as well as planned a STEM Day. Leah motivates and inspires everyone around her and has impacted literally thousands of learners in the Roanoke Blacksburg region.

STEM-H Educator in K-12 | Jason Suhr, Roanoke County Public Schools

This award recognizes K-12 STEM educators in the Roanoke Blacksburg region for their creativity and mentorship of future tech leaders. The 2026 award was given to Jason Suhr, Director of Career and Technical Education for Roanoke County Public Schools. A strategic and student-centered leader, he has been central to the development of the career & Technology Center, work-based learning, and GO TEC efforts.

Ruby Award | Dr. Angela Joyner and Dr. Ken Nicely

The Ruby Award recognizes an outstanding member who has proven to be a brilliant and valuable asset to the Roanoke Blacksburg region. This year saw double recipients in Dr. Angela Joyner of Radford University and Dr. Ken Nicely of Roanoke County Public Schools.

Dr. Angela Joyner serves as the Vice President for Economic Development and Corporate Education at Radford University. A strategic and energetic leader, Dr. Joyner has expanded economic development at the university while forming collaborative relationships that increase access to Radford programs and learning opportunities, strengthen the talent pipeline, support innovation, and drive economic growth.

Dr. Ken Nicely has served Roanoke County Public Schools since 1993, rising from Spanish teacher to Superintendent, a role he has held since 2018. Under his leadership, he developed the C-Change Framework, a comprehensive vision centered on deeper learning and preparing students to be Opportunity Ready. He has served as president of the Virginia Middle School Association, chairman of the Virginia School Consortium for Learning, and is a recipient of the 2019 Virginia ASCD Leadership Award. Most recently, Dr. Nicely was honored as the 2025 Virginia Region VI Superintendent of the Year.

Hart of the Entrepreneur Award | CJ Page, QlutchQMS

The Hart of the Entrepreneur recognizes an outstanding entrepreneur in the region who demonstrates high impact through their work. The 2026 honoree was CJ Page, Founder and CEO of QlutchQMS. QlutchQMS provides modern, affordable quality management system (QMS) software that’s focused on making compliance accessible to small and midsized regulated companies. His work has helped countless midsize, small, and startup companies—in particular those in healthcare and tech—achieve audit readiness without unnecessary complexity or cost.

Hall of Fame | Tim Sands, Virginia Tech

The prestigious RBTC Hall of Fame is a lifetime achievement award and recognizes individuals who have made a lasting impact on the region. This year’s honoree is President Tim Sands of Virginia Tech. Under his leadership, the university experienced a 30 percent increase in undergraduate enrollment and a 200 percent increase in applications. He was a major steward of the ongoing partnership between Virginia Tech and Carillion, leading the establishment of Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine as an academic college of VT. He also played an instrumental role in the expansion of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, a move that doubled the economic impact in Roanoke from $214 million in 2017 to $475 million in 2025. In his 12 years in office, he has cemented a legacy of partnership and growth that will continue to impact the regional innovation ecosystem for decades to come.