FNTS president Kim Whittaker was named Tech Leader of the Year during the AIM Tech Awards hosted virtually by AIM Institute Thursday, Dec. 3. The AIM Tech Awards recognizes visionaries and changemakers pushing the Silicon Prairie’s tech sector forward during a year that presented many challenges and unknowns. The event celebrated business leaders, educators and students for their dedication to the tech community.
Whittaker has been with FNTS for 24 of its 25 years and was named president in 2016. She has been instrumental in developing strategies for multi-cloud hosting, mainframe modernization, enhanced security capabilities, emerging technology and managed services solutions. Whittaker also has been a catalyst for technological innovation that favors the customer and client experience. She and her team listen to clients about their needs in today's technology environment and pivot FNTS’ business model to accommodate.
“I’d like to thank AIM Institute for celebrating all the contributions being made in the local tech community, especially during a year filled with so much adversity. I’d also like to congratulate the educators, business leaders and students that were recognized for their accomplishments in strengthening the Silicon Prairie – your work is truly inspiring,” FNTS president Kim Whittaker said. “The tech industry is rapidly evolving, and business needs are constantly changing. I look forward to continue working with my team in developing strategies to help organizations expedite digital transformation and support them in every step of their journey.”
Before joining FNTS in 1996, Whittaker held positions at Principal Financial Group and First National Bank of Omaha, a wholly owned subsidiary of First National of Nebraska, which also is the parent company of FNTS. Due to the company’s 160-year heritage in banking in finance and decades of experience serving highly regulated and compliance-driven industries, Whittaker understands the need to provide tailored cloud-first solutions to serve specific industries. Under Whittaker’s strategic direction, FNTS launched the FNTS Financial Services Cloud and the FNTS Healthcare Cloud in October 2020.
As FNTS’ first female president, Whittaker paves the way for other women in the tech industry. Under her leadership, she created FNTS’ Women in Technology initiative, which inspires young girls to grow into future technology leaders by introducing them to careers in technology. Whittaker, a member of the Nebraska Technology Collaborative, also launched FNTS’ job shadow program to give students and career-focused professionals opportunities to learn various IT and tech-adjacent roles.
View the AIM Tech Awards Ceremony at https://bit.ly/AIMTechAwards.