Last night, the Pittsburgh Technology council feted it's annual Tech 50, local firms that demonstrated the strongest growth and progress in a number of areas, including sales, job growth and retention and innovation. The finalists, announced in August, were audited and scored over the past two months by the Downtown office of accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers LLC. The winners were announced at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland.

The Tech 50 leaders are divided into five categories, representing local technology subsectors. There is an additional honor presented to a company chief selected as Chief Executive Officer of the Year.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
Bakery Barn Inc., Pleasant Hills
CEO: Sean Perich, CPA
Founded: 2001

(tie) United States Steel Corp., Downtown
CEO: John P. Surma
Founded: 1901

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
CombineNet Inc., Strip District
Chief executive: Tony Bonidy
Founded: 2000

LIFE SCIENCES
ALung Technologies Inc., South Side
Chief executive: Nicholas J. Kuhn
Founded: 1997

RISING STAR
BeatBox Technologies, Downtown
CEO: Michael Dickey
Founded: 2002

SERVICE PROVIDER
EDMC, Downtown
CEO: John R. McKernan Jr.
Founded: 1962

CEO OF THE YEAR
John L. Miclot, president and CEO, Respironics Inc., Murrysville