Sweetwater CIO Named Finalist for 2022 Trace3 Outlier Award

Sweetwater, the world's leading music technology and instrument retailer, today announced that Chief Information Officer Jason Johnson has been named a finalist for the Trace3 Outlier Award. Johnson was one of only five finalists for the award, and was recognized at an awards gala on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas.

The Trace3 Outlier Award has been awarded annually since 2011, honoring individuals who consistently deliver dynamic innovation and outstanding leadership in the field of information technology. Finalists are chosen based on four criteria: leadership, business enablement, culture, and innovation.

"It is truly an honor to be recognized by such a prestigious award. To be included alongside my fellow nominees has been surreal, and I am incredibly grateful and humbled," said Johnson. "This would not have been possible without the remarkable work of our dedicated team. This nomination is a testament to our hard work and commitment to delivering the best customer experience possible."

An excerpt from his nomination stated, "'Doing the right thing' for the customer is not only Sweetwater's motto, it's also the driving force behind Jason's leadership style. His teams' self-sufficiency offers a significant advantage in the speed and ease with which problems can be solved. According to Jason, 'We don't often have projects that fail because we just change how things work. That builds a culture of process improvement. We collect ideas and feedback from every employee at every level and every customer.'"

Johnson joined Sweetwater in early 2013 and spent three years as the IT Operations Manager leading a small team that worked to modernize the company's network infrastructure before he was promoted to Senior Vice President and ultimately to Chief Information Officer. Previously, Jason spent eight years working for the Department of Defense, focused primarily on network security, and 5 years serving in the US Navy rated in Information Technology. Jason holds 19 industry certifications and has a Bachelor's Degree from Western Governors University in Network Design and Management.

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