Four AU Alums Honored with Local Awards
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Anderson, Ind. — Four Anderson University alumni were recently honored with local awards. Drew Beechler ’13, Amrutha Pulikottil ’12, and Val Spangler ’12 were all given Indy Tech 25 awards by Techpoint, while Jim Ostrognai ’99 was named Chief Technology Officer of the Year.
The Tech 25 awards honor 25 individuals who are “critical and exceptional performers helping to grow Indiana’s tech and tech-enabled companies.” In addition to being star performers at their companies, Techpoint winners are committed team players who build others up through mentoring, volunteering, and positive example, and who are committed to contributing to the broader community.
Beechler is the director of Marketing at High Alpha, an Indianapolis-based venture studio, while Puikottil is a data science team lead at Resultant. Spangler is the senior manager of business intelligence at hc1.
“I am incredibly humbled and honored to be part of the 2021 Tech 25 class and to represent my team at High Alpha,” said Beechler. “My professional career would not be where it is today without the lessons I learned at AU, my professors and mentors in the Falls School of Business, and the alumni who went before me and gave me a chance early in my career.”
Ostrognai currently serves as the vice president of engineering at Salesforce. A 1999 AU grad, Ostrognai was humbled by his own award and happy to see his alma mater receive so much recognition.
“[The award] was a total shock and I am very humbled,” said Ostrognai. “So many co-workers, mentors, and unique opportunities along the way made it possible. [These awards] are excellent affirmation and recognition for what the university has been doing for a long time. There is all kinds of research out there about the long-term prospects of higher education, and in particular, I think AU breeds good, well-rounded people who will always be relevant.”
Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.