Southwire Vice President of Information Technology Services Lee Hunter has been recognized by IDG's Computerworld magazine as one of its 2005 Premier 100 IT Leaders. The award honors information technology executives who show exemplary leadership in resolving pressing business problems.

Honorees were profiled in the January 3 issue of Computerworld and will be honored again at Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders Conference in March in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hunter was selected from nearly 600 nominees, who were measured against the magazine's IT Leadership Index. The index is a set of characteristics describing executives who guide the effective use of information technology in their organizations. Honorees also were evaluated by Computerworld's editors and by a panel of outside judges.

"Being recognized in this manner by Computerworld , one of the top IT publications, truly is an honor and a testament to the hard work of our IT team," Hunter said. "Our goal is simple - making it easier for customers to do business with Southwire."

Other honorees for 2005 include leading executives from corporations such as NASDAQ Stock Market Inc., UPS, Hewlett-Packard, Shell Oil Products US, MasterCard International LLC, Marriott International and AFLAC.

"Our Premier 100 list honors those who have kept fighting despite the many obstacles that technology has thrown at them this year," said Don Tennant, editor in chief of Computerworld . "This group of men and women have proven themselves through all facets of business, including some of the toughest challenges, such as cultural hurdles, language barriers, corporate politics, internal/external communication, and maintaining fresh, creative ideas.  They think out of the box and do not cower away from difficult projects; rather, they embrace the struggle while foreseeing the opportunities it can bring in the future."

Hunter joined Southwire in 1972 as an electrical engineer. He became an Officer of Southwire in 1985 and has held numerous management positions, including his current role as vice president of ITS. Hunter received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia in 1972. He later earned a master's degree in business administration from the State University of West Georgia.

During his career at Southwire, Hunter has received the 1981 Engineer of the Year Award and served as a member of the code-making panel of the National Electrical Code for more than 12 years. He is active in numerous professional organizations, including the Georgia CIO Leadership Association and OMICRON. He serves on the Board of Directors of EMC Natural Gas, Inc. and is on the Board of Trustees of Inner Harbour Children's Hospital. He is a registered professional engineer and a certified energy manager.