MR Chris Horn, chairman and chief executive of Iona Technologies, has been presented with the Institute of Management Consultants in Ireland (IMCI) medal for 1997. The medal is awarded each year to someone the institute believes has made an outstanding contribution to some aspect of life in Ireland.

Presenting the award, Mr Roy Hanan, president of the IMCI, said that Iona has achieved outstanding success in the area of software technology, with its ORBIX product now used by many leading companies worldwide.

Commercially this has been translated into strong growth in sales and profits and recently a flotation on NASDAQ.

Mr Horn said that he hoped Iona could provide a role model for other start-up companies. He also paid tribute to his co-founders Mr Annrai O'Toole and Mr Sean Baker and to the other members of the Iona managemen and staff.