The BEYA David L. Steward Legacy Award was established in 2015 to recognize a collaborative leader and successful innovator in the tech sector.

The award is named after the 2012 Black Engineer of the Year, who was also the founding chairman of World Wide Technology.

At the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Engineering Deans Event, retired U.S. Army general Robert Ferrell, executive vice president of global human resources and diversity, equity, and inclusion at World Wide Technology, presented the 2024 BEYA David L. Steward Legacy Award to Tracy Barnes.

Tracy Barnes is the Chief Information Officer of the State of Indiana. He is responsible for overseeing the state’s technology portfolio, controlling technology and cyberspace policy, and delivering effective enterprise-focused IT solutions.

Tracy Barnes also sits on several boards, including a leadership foundation and youth and indie race team organizations.

During his acceptance speech, Barnes thanked BEYA and David Steward for creating the legacy award.

Barnes shared that he owes his passion for STEM to his father who was an electrician in Detroit and often used him as an apprentice. Barnes praised BEYA’s efforts to push awareness and access to minority students and leaders in the STEM industries.

He proudly shared this recognition with six State Chief Information Officers across the nation, in states that include Oklahoma, Minnesota, Delaware, Georgia, and the Virgin Islands. Barnes concluded his acceptance speech by acknowledging the great work that they all are putting in to improve life for citizens across the nation.