NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 23, 2026--
Align, the premier global provider of technology infrastructure solutions and Managed IT Services, today announced that Vinod Paul, President of Align Managed Services, has been named Technology Leader of the Year in the 2026 FTF News Technology Innovation Awards. The recognition marks the second major industry honor for Paul in less than a year, following his receipt of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 MSP 501 Gala Dinner hosted by Channel Futures — one of the highest honors in the managed services industry.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260623513032/en/
The FTF News Technology Innovation Awards recognize the leaders, innovators, and organizations advancing operational excellence across the financial services industry. This specific award honors an executive who has demonstrated vision and leadership in developing technology solutions that help shape the future of capital markets.
Align Managed Services delivers technology, cybersecurity, cloud, artificial intelligence, and advisory solutions tailored to the needs of financial services firms. With a specialized focus on the alternative financial services investment industry, Align serves hedge funds, private equity firms, and digital asset managers navigating increasingly complex operational, cybersecurity, and regulatory challenges with clients now spanning 24 states and 21 countries.
As President, Paul has guided Align through a pivotal era of platform evolution, embedding artificial intelligence across the firm's Managed Services offerings at a moment when the alternative investment industry is actively grappling with how to harness AI responsibly and securely. Under his leadership, Align has expanded its cybersecurity, cloud, compliance, and advisory capabilities into an integrated platform built for the demands of modern investment operations. Central to that platform is Align Cybersecurity™, the firm's comprehensive risk management solution, and a growing suite of AI-driven capabilities that help clients automate workflows, strengthen threat detection, and meet increasingly sophisticated regulatory expectations. For the alternative financial services industry facing rising operational complexity, Align Managed Services’ platform represents both a security posture and a competitive differentiator.
“Vinod’s recognition as the 'Technology Leader of the Year' reflects the impact he delivers every day both for our clients and Align,” said Jim Dooling, CEO of Align. “He has a clear vision of where the industry is headed and he consistently turns that insight into real, scalable solutions. His leadership has been a key driver of the growth and strength of our Managed Services business. This award speaks volumes not just to Vinod, but to the platform and the incredible team culture for passion and innovation he has built.”
Paul’s recognition reflects a sustained record of industry distinction. In addition to the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award, he has been named to Channel Futures’ Most Influential MSP Leaders list and serves on the advisory boards of cybersecurity firms Adlumin and Cavelo. He is a frequent contributor to industry publications including Forbes Technology Council and Hedgeweek, and a recurring speaker at leading alternative investment and technology conferences. With more than 30 years of experience in financial services technology, Paul is widely regarded as one of the sector’s foremost managed services leaders.
"This recognition from FTF News means a great deal, and I’m proud to share it with the entire Align team. What we’ve built here is unique, a deep technical expertise combined with a genuine understanding of how the alternative investment firms operate. That combination allows us to deliver solutions our clients can truly depend on, and earning their trust every day is what drives us," said Vinod Paul, President, Align Managed Services.
"There's no denying this industry is hard. It's competitive. It can be unforgiving. Nothing is ever given. Everything is earned through a lot of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. Which is why being voted the best service or solution by the very industry you serve is so incredibly rewarding," said Maureen Lowe, founder and editor-in-chief of FTF News.
"Every year, the FTF team puts on an awards celebration that matches what the winners deserve, and this year is no different. We're not just recognizing our 2026 FTF Award winners, we're also celebrating 20 years of FTF and 15 years of the Awards program," Lowe added.
This latest recognition follows a series of industry awards for Align Managed Services, including Cyber Security Solution of the Year in the 2026 Hedgeweek Global Digital Assets Awards.
Align was honored at the FTF News awards ceremony in New York City on June 16, 2026.
About Align
Align is a premier global provider of technology infrastructure solutions. For over 37 years, leading firms worldwide have relied on Align to guide them through IT challenges, delivering complete, secure solutions for business change and growth. Align is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and has offices in New York City, London, Virginia, Arizona, New Jersey, Chicago, San Francisco, Salt Lake City & Portland. Learn more at www.align.com.
Vinod Paul, President of Align Managed Services, recognized for driving innovation and advancing technology in the financial services industry.
Maryland Democrats are choosing their U.S. House nominees in a handful of consequential and contentious primaries Tuesday, including a battle between a congresswoman and her predecessor and a crowded race to replace retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer.
And as rising party star Wes Moore seeks a second term as governor, Republican voters hope to return the state to GOP leadership by picking a candidate they think can unseat him.
The primaries in the left-leaning East Coast state have an outsize impact, in many cases determining who is likely to win in heavily partisan districts this fall. Seven of Maryland's eight congressional districts are represented by Democrats, and one by a Republican.
That dynamic and Hoyer’s departure have attracted big spending and some familiar names to the most-watched Democratic primaries.
Among them is Harry Dunn, a former police officer who defended the U.S. Capitol from the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. He is running for Hoyer’s seat on a platform that includes protecting democracy.
Some races became proxy fights about how Democrats should behave in the current political climate. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson faces a tough primary challenge for the first time in years from a progressive who criticized his decision to block a midcycle redistricting attempt.
The lead-up to Election Day has had some hiccups. Last month, the State Board of Elections had to resend mail-in ballots to some voters in the closed primary after a vendor error caused some to receive a ballot for the wrong party.
President Donald Trump seized on the issue, falsely claiming that Moore illegally sent the ballots to ensure victory for Democrats. The state administrator of elections derided him for spreading misinformation.
As the longest-serving House Democrat and the longtime party No. 2 in the chamber, Hoyer is nothing short of an institution.
His retirement gives Maryland voters a chance to reflect on that leadership — and decide whether they want more of the same or a change of pace.
Offering a degree of continuity is Adrian Boafo, a former Hoyer field director and campaign manager who was endorsed by the congressman, Moore and other prominent Democrats. The state delegate has drawn tech and cryptocurrency donations, and a major pro-Israel super PAC spent some $1 million to boost his campaign.
Others, such as Dunn and progressive attorney Wala Blegay, are proposing change. Both Dunn and Blegay, who are vocally pro-Palestinian, criticized Boafo for getting help from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC and other special interests.
The best-funded candidate in the race for the 5th District is Quincy Bareebe, a home healthcare CEO who funneled more than $3 million of her own money into the primary. Twenty-four Democratic candidates are on the ballot.
Rodrick Greensword, 58, and his wife Natasha Greensword, 45, both voted for Moore in the gubernatorial primary and Boafo to be the nominee to replace Hoyer.
“We know the governor is governed by the pillars on which his culture is built,” and he will work for the people, making moral and humane choices, Natasha Greensword said.
She said Boafo seemed to share the same values as Moore and Hoyer. She added that she thought Hoyer’s endorsement helped as well.
Former Democratic Rep. David Trone left his seat representing the sprawling 6th District in 2024. After an unsuccessful Senate bid, he wants it back.
The face-off between Trone and the current officeholder, Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney, has been expensive and contentious. Trone, the wealthy founder of Total Wine & More, lent his campaign some $25 million of his own money, while McClain Delaney lent herself over $7 million.
Trone has criticized McClain Delaney on immigration. She was the only Maryland Democrat in Congress to vote for the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia student whose killing became an anti-immigrant rallying cry for Republicans.
Maryland used to have a moderately conservative governor in Larry Hogan. In the years since he left office in 2023, Republicans have yet to find a clear successor.
In the GOP gubernatorial primary, nine candidates ranging from a Trump acolyte to a former Democrat are vying for the chance to stop Moore from being reelected.
Dan Cox, an attorney and former state delegate who unsuccessfully ran for governor four years ago, is one of the candidates who leans further right. Cox has a photo of himself with Trump on his law practice’s website, and he has pledged to slash taxes and beef up housing affordability programs if elected.
On the other side of the spectrum is Ed Hale, a retired banking executive who owns the Baltimore Blast soccer team and switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party for this race. There are also various candidates in the political middle.
Associated Press reporter Gary Fields contributed from Bowie, Maryland. Swenson reported from New York.
Adrian Boafo, center, a Maryland state delegate and candidate for U.S. Congress smiles for a photograph, which included all of U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer's staff over the years, at the "AmeriPac Bull Roast" Friday, June 12, 2026, in Mitchellville, Md. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
FILE - Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn speaks during the Ben Nelson Gala, Nov. 7, 2025, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz, File)
FILE -Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., speaks at a news conference about the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act on Capitol Hill, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
Adrian Boafo, a Maryland state delegate and candidate for U.S. Congress walks into the crowd after being introduced by Congressman Steny Hoyer, left, at the "AmeriPac Bull Roast" Friday, June 12, 2026, in Mitchellville, Md. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
FILE - Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland, speaks during the National Action Network (NAN) Convention in New York, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)
