News

Calvin Hendryx-Parker, the CTO and co-founder of Six Feet Up, has been named a 2023 Tech Exec of the Year in the private company category (less than $100 million). This prestigious accolade — jointly presented by the Indianapolis Business Journal and TechPoint, a growth initiative for Indiana’s digital innovation economy — is given annually to only three technology leaders in each category who “are instrumental in helping their organization advance and innovate.”

The Tech Exec of the Year award serves not only as a testament to Calvin's exceptional leadership and vision but also as a reflection of the collective achievements of the Six Feet Up team.

Specifically, since the company’s founding in 1999, Six Feet Up has grown by:

• establishing new lines of business related to Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML);
• moving clients and their data to the cloud;
• bridging the gap between a client concept and the real-world delivery of applications and technologies that drive profit (check out our case studies); and
• developing innovative applications including LoudSwarm, a high impact virtual event platform that debuted in June 2020, and BEST™, a comprehensive framework used by tech leaders to accelerate their Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

In addition to being a visionary leader, Calvin is committed to inspiring and enabling tech leaders to open their minds and bring the world together for a sustainable future. From carbon emissions to energy storage and climate-smart agriculture, Calvin is laser-focused on using technology to mitigate climate change. This focus is measured by Six Feet Up’s goal to complete 10 IMPACTFUL Projects™ by 2025.

Calvin is actively involved in the tech community, and he has been a driving force in promoting technological progress, driving innovation, and using software to make a positive impact across the Midwest and around the globe. Locally, Calvin is involved with organizations including SIM Indy, TechPoint, and the Indy CIO Network. In 2023, Calvin was invited to join Abundance 360, Peter Diamandis' leadership program for entrepreneurs, C-suite executives and investors. As a member of Abundance 360, Calvin shares his expertise with VCs, CIOs and CTOs and helps them understand how technology can help accelerate and refine their technical vision to solve global problems.

Read this Q&A with Calvin to learn more about Six Feet Up achievements, challenges faced, his first computer, his favorite gadget, and more.