Beyond the Award: What CSIA Recognition Means for Our Clients
Awards are worth celebrating, but the most meaningful recognition points to something bigger than the moment itself. For us, being named the 2026 CSIA Integrator Member of the Year is not just another honor. It reflects years of work to build the kind of company clients can rely on — one with strong business practices, technical depth, industry involvement, and a drive to keep improving how system integration is delivered.
We received the award at the 2026 CSIA Conference in Baltimore, MD, on May 7. Presented annually, the award recognizes a Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) member who demonstrates strong business practices, leadership within the industry, and a commitment to advancing the system integration profession.
What makes this recognition especially meaningful is how it was earned. It did not come through a traditional application process. We were nominated and evaluated by peers in the system integration industry — people who understand the complexity of delivering reliable automation, controls, and operational technology solutions in industrial environments.
“This award stands out because we were nominated by a fellow system integrator,” says Michael De Boer, Vice President of Automation at Interstates. “We are being recognized for the work being done in the organization and our commitment to becoming better as a company. This came from our peers.”
Recognition from peers in the industry carries weight because it comes from people who understand the work firsthand. In an industry where companies often compete for the same projects, CSIA creates space for integrators to strengthen standards, share best practices, and raise expectations for the profession. Being recognized by that community says something about how we approach our work — not only on projects, but in the systems, people, and practices behind them.
Built on Standards That Serve Clients
For clients, awards alone do not create confidence. The value comes from what stands behind them.
CSIA is widely recognized for its standards and certification process within the system integration industry. While companies can be CSIA members without being certified, certification requires a detailed audit of business and operational practices, including financial management, operations, quality management, human resources, and cybersecurity.
We have maintained CSIA Certification since 2002 and continue to complete the audit process every three years.
“Being certified eight times is something we’re proud of,” says Bret Van Wyk, Vice President of Technology at Interstates. “It represents a commitment to high standards, continuous improvement, and delivering real value to our clients.”
Those standards shape how work is planned, documented, delivered, and supported. They influence project execution, risk management, communication, and consistency across teams. For our clients, that means working with an integrator that has built quality and accountability into the way we operate.
A Pattern of Consistent Recognition
The CSIA award also continues a broader pattern of industry recognition for us. In 2024, we were named System Integrator of the Year in the large category by Control Engineering and Plant Engineering. In 2025, Rockwell Automation named us its System Integrator Partner of the Year. Now, in 2026, CSIA has recognized us as Integrator Member of the Year.
Each award came from a different organization with a different perspective on the industry. Together, they point to a consistent story: strong technical capability, reliable delivery, disciplined business practices, and a continued investment in improving the system integration profession.
Clients need partners who understand critical operations, communicate clearly, manage risk, support long-term performance, and continue improving as technology and business needs change. Recognition from across the industry reinforces our focus on doing that work well.
Committed to the Industry, Not Just the Project
Our involvement with CSIA has never been limited to certification. Over the years, team members have served on CSIA boards and committees, contributed to conference programming, participated in leadership development, and shared knowledge with peers.
“We are seen as a company striving to be better, not just for ourselves but for our industry,” De Boer says. “We have committed to this organization through board and committee service from several people over the years.”
That service continues today. “Daren Dieleman’s board involvement and Heather Johnson’s work on the best practices committee reflect our commitment to being accredited and always striving as a company to improve our expectations and standards,” De Boer says
When we participate in organizations that define and advance best practices, we not only contribute to the industry but also learn from it. That perspective helps us bring stronger ideas, better questions, and more informed solutions to the clients we serve.
What Clients Can Take From This Recognition
When clients choose a system integrator, they are placing trust in a team that may touch critical operations, production environments, data systems, automation platforms, and long-term infrastructure. That trust is built through consistency, preparation, follow-through, and a willingness to keep improving.
The 2026 CSIA Integrator Member of the Year award reflects the work behind the projects: the audits, standards, documentation, leadership, collaboration, and continuous improvement that help us deliver with care and consistency.
“This recognition shows that we are invested in CSIA and committed, along with our peers, to raising the bar for the entire industry,” Van Wyk says.
For us, the award reflects the way our people approach the work every day — understanding needs, delivering results, and building solutions clients can depend on.
And for our clients, that is the most important takeaway. This recognition is not just about us. It is about the confidence clients can have when they partner with a team focused on quality, accountability, and long-term success.